Canada will ensure border officers know People can travel for abortion: Mendicino – National

Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino says he might be speaking with the Canada Border Providers Agency to verify its workers know Americans looking for abortions can come to Canada for care.

Talking with reporters on Wednesday, Mendicino mentioned folks in the U.S. may be feeling doubt about whether or not they will be capable to entry abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, as a leaked draft ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court docket instructed earlier this week is imminent.

NEW: Minister @marcomendicino says he’s talking with @CanBorder to verify there are clear tips so People who might not be able to access an abortion can come to Canada to take action. Says capability to take action isn’t in query but he wants to verify things are clear. pic.twitter.com/qEqVQuUKJT

— Abigail Bimman (@AbigailBimman) May 4, 2022

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Mendicino said the flexibility of Individuals to come to Canada for abortions is just not in query, but he desires to make it possible for position is evident to those working on the frontlines on the border.

“I’ve engaged CBSA, my office is presently working with them to ensure there are clear guidelines so that girls who might not be capable of entry healthcare together with abortions are in a position to come to Canada,” he mentioned.

“If some women want to come to Canada to entry those procedures, I've given them the directive to welcome them,” he added in French.

Mendicino billed the transfer as a “measure of warning” in the event Roe v. Wade is overturned and described the hope as being to “get rid of any ambiguity” that border officers may have as as to if someone travelling to Canada for an abortion is eligible to enter the nation.

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What is unclear presently is whether any info on those individuals can be shared with American regulation enforcement or state officers seeking to prosecute people for travelling for an abortion, as some specialists have recommended could be subsequent if Roe v. Wade falls.

Canada and the U.S. have in depth cross-border data sharing agreements designed to make it simpler to flag individuals who could pose a danger to national security, or who are violating immigration rules.

Alexander Cohen, director of communications for Mendicino’s office, stated the federal government does not share common data regarding the purpose of journey for People coming to Canada, “and that would come with those that come to Canada for reproductive well being functions.”

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States like California have vowed to enshrine abortion entry extra strongly in their legal guidelines within the wake of the leaked U.S. Supreme Court draft ruling on Roe v. Wade, while specialists are also elevating the possibility that for Individuals near the Canadian border, this country may grow to be their nearest protected haven.

Read more: Roe v. Wade draft ruling puts U.S. abortion rights in crosshairs. Right here’s what to know

“I feel the massive challenges for Canadians are going to be ongoing access to abortion if Canada turns into a safe haven of People,” mentioned Dr. Dustin Costescu, an affiliate professor at McMaster University as well as a household planning and sexual well being specialist.

Costescu said all the information obtainable right now suggests there'll remain abortion entry in a number of states along the Eastern Seaboard if Roe v. Wade falls, together with New York.

That may mean Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes could not see a “important” stage of spillover.

“Michigan, alternatively, turns into a bit of a scorching spot when it comes to whether abortion is accessible. As we transfer westward into the U.S. Midwest, that’s the place we see pockets of states that will fall when Roe v Wade falls,” he added.

“Geographically, this is thought of ‘frontier country.’ These are giant distances. But if individuals have to decide on to go lots of of kilometers south or north [to access abortion], they might come up north.”

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Learn more: How abortion entry differs across U.S. — and how overturning Roe v. Wade could change it

Autumn Reinhardt-Simpson is the founder of the Alberta Abortion Access Community, and works as what’s known as an abortion doula. That means her job is helping individuals who need abortions access them.

The support she and other abortion doulas supply includes help arranging travel, pickup and drop-off at sexual health clinics or abortion clinics, help arranging accommodations if an individual has to depart their house group to get the abortion, help accessing accurate info, as well as emotional support.

She advised International Information on Tuesday that sources in many components of her province are already stretched.

“Access in Alberta is better than some places, but still not nice,” she said. “We nonetheless have a hard time getting folks in rural areas into the cities for their appointments, especially as a result of there are so few doctors which are but prescribing abortion medication.”

Reinhardt-Simpson said an inflow of people coming north might add to these challenges.

“We’re probably not outfitted for coping with Albertans who want abortion care. We cannot even present comprehensive health companies for girls or trans and non-binary folks in our personal province,” she said.

“So for certain, if people did come up here in massive numbers, there could be a very huge drawback.”

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