Canada will guarantee border officers know Americans can travel for abortion: Mendicino – National

Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino says he might be talking with the Canada Border Services Agency to ensure its workers know Individuals seeking abortions can come to Canada for care.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Mendicino stated people in the U.S. may be feeling doubt about whether they are going to be capable to access abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, as a leaked draft ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court recommended earlier this week is imminent.

NEW: Minister @marcomendicino says he’s talking with @CanBorder to verify there are clear guidelines so People who might not be able to entry an abortion can come to Canada to do so. Says means to do so isn’t in question however he desires to ensure things are clear. pic.twitter.com/qEqVQuUKJT

— Abigail Bimman (@AbigailBimman) May 4, 2022

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Mendicino mentioned the flexibility of Americans to return to Canada for abortions will not be in query, however he wants to be sure that position is obvious to these working on the frontlines on the border.

“I’ve engaged CBSA, my office is presently working with them to verify there are clear pointers so that women who might not be capable of access healthcare together with abortions are in a position to come to Canada,” he said.

“If some ladies wish 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” within the occasion Roe v. Wade is overturned and described the hope as being to “get rid of any ambiguity” that border officials may have as as to whether somebody travelling to Canada for an abortion is eligible to enter the country.

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What's unclear right now is whether or not any data on those people can be shared with American law enforcement or state officials trying to prosecute people for travelling for an abortion, as some consultants have instructed might be subsequent if Roe v. Wade falls.

Canada and the U.S. have extensive cross-border information sharing agreements designed to make it easier to flag individuals who might pose a danger to national security, or who are violating immigration guidelines.

Alexander Cohen, director of communications for Mendicino’s office, stated the government doesn't share basic info regarding the aim of travel for Individuals coming to Canada, “and that would come with those who come to Canada for reproductive well being functions.”

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Within the context of abortion rights, jurisdictions that present access to these outdoors their borders are often referred to as “protected havens.”

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States like California have vowed to enshrine abortion access more strongly in their laws within the wake of the leaked U.S. Supreme Court docket draft ruling on Roe v. Wade, whereas experts are also elevating the possibility that for Individuals near the Canadian border, this country might turn out to be their nearest protected haven.

Read extra: Roe v. Wade draft ruling places U.S. abortion rights in crosshairs. Here’s what to know

“I think the massive challenges for Canadians are going to be ongoing access to abortion if Canada becomes a secure haven of Individuals,” mentioned Dr. Dustin Costescu, an affiliate professor at McMaster College as well as a family planning and sexual well being specialist.

Costescu stated all the knowledge available proper now suggests there'll stay abortion entry in quite a few states alongside the Eastern Seaboard if Roe v. Wade falls, including New York.

That might mean Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes could not see a “significant” level of spillover.

“Michigan, then again, turns into a little bit of a sizzling spot when it comes to whether or not abortion is accessible. As we transfer westward into the U.S. Midwest, that’s where we see pockets of states that can fall when Roe v Wade falls,” he added.

“Geographically, that is considered ‘frontier country.’ These are large distances. But when people have to decide on to go lots of of kilometers south or north [to access abortion], they may come up north.”

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Read extra: How abortion access differs throughout U.S. — and the way overturning Roe v. Wade could change it

Autumn Reinhardt-Simpson is the founding father of the Alberta Abortion Access Network, and works as what’s referred to as an abortion doula. That means her job is helping people who need abortions access them.

The help she and different abortion doulas provide consists of assist arranging journey, pickup and drop-off at sexual well being clinics or abortion clinics, help arranging lodging if an individual has to go away their residence community to get the abortion, assist accessing accurate information, in addition to emotional help.

She advised International News on Tuesday that resources in lots of components of her province are already stretched.

“Access in Alberta is best than some places, however still not great,” she said. “We still have a tough time getting people in rural areas into the cities for his or her appointments, especially as a result of there are so few doctors which are but prescribing abortion remedy.”

Reinhardt-Simpson mentioned an inflow of people coming north could add to those challenges.

“We’re not really outfitted for dealing with Albertans who need abortion care. We can't even provide complete well being companies for girls or trans and non-binary individuals in our personal province,” she mentioned.

“So for positive, if folks did come up here in large numbers, there could be a very massive downside.”

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