Canada will ensure border officials know Americans can travel for abortion: Mendicino – National

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

Talking with reporters on Wednesday, Mendicino said individuals within the U.S. may be feeling doubt about whether they are going to be capable to entry abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, as a leaked draft ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court docket steered earlier this week is imminent.

NEW: Minister @marcomendicino says he’s talking with @CanBorder to verify there are clear guidelines so Individuals who may not be capable of access an abortion can come to Canada to take action. Says capacity to do so isn’t in query but he wants to verify issues are clear. pic.twitter.com/qEqVQuUKJT

— Abigail Bimman (@AbigailBimman) Could 4, 2022

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Mendicino said the ability of Individuals to come back to Canada for abortions shouldn't be in query, however he needs to guarantee that position is clear to these working on the frontlines on the border.

“I’ve engaged CBSA, my office is presently working with them to make sure there are clear tips so that women who could not be capable of access healthcare including abortions are in a position to come to Canada,” he mentioned.

“If some girls need to come to Canada to access 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 occasion Roe v. Wade is overturned and described the hope as being to “remove 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's unclear at the moment is whether or not any info on those individuals could be shared with American law enforcement or state officers seeking to prosecute individuals for travelling for an abortion, as some specialists have suggested could be next if Roe v. Wade falls.

Canada and the U.S. have intensive cross-border data sharing agreements designed to make it easier to flag people who may pose a danger to national security, or who're violating immigration guidelines.

Alexander Cohen, director of communications for Mendicino’s workplace, stated the government does not share general data regarding the aim of journey for People coming to Canada, “and that would come with those that come to Canada for reproductive health purposes.”

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In the context of abortion rights, jurisdictions that provide entry to those exterior their borders are sometimes called “secure havens.”

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States like California have vowed to enshrine abortion entry extra strongly in their legal guidelines in the wake of the leaked U.S. Supreme Courtroom draft ruling on Roe v. Wade, whereas consultants are additionally elevating the possibility that for Americans close to the Canadian border, this country might develop into their nearest safe haven.

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

“I think the large challenges for Canadians are going to be ongoing entry to abortion if Canada turns into a secure haven of People,” said Dr. Dustin Costescu, an associate professor at McMaster College as well as a household planning and sexual well being specialist.

Costescu stated all the knowledge accessible proper now suggests there will stay abortion access in plenty of states along the Jap Seaboard if Roe v. Wade falls, together with New York.

That would imply Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes might not see a “important” level of spillover.

“Michigan, then again, becomes a bit of a hot spot by way of whether abortion is accessible. As we move westward into the U.S. Midwest, that’s the place 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 individuals have to decide on to go tons of of kilometers south or north [to access abortion], they may come up north.”

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Learn extra: How abortion entry differs across U.S. — and the way overturning Roe v. Wade could change it

Autumn Reinhardt-Simpson is the founder of the Alberta Abortion Access Network, and works as what’s referred to as an abortion doula. Which means her job helps people who want abortions entry them.

The help she and different abortion doulas supply includes help arranging journey, pickup and drop-off at sexual health clinics or abortion clinics, assist arranging accommodations if a person has to go away their home neighborhood to get the abortion, help accessing correct info, in addition to emotional assist.

She told International Information on Tuesday that assets in many elements of her province are already stretched.

“Entry in Alberta is healthier than some locations, but still not great,” she said. “We still have a tough time getting individuals in rural areas into the cities for their appointments, particularly as a result of there are so few medical doctors which are but prescribing abortion medication.”

Reinhardt-Simpson stated an influx of individuals coming north might add to these challenges.

“We’re not likely equipped for dealing with Albertans who want abortion care. We can not even present comprehensive well being providers for ladies or trans and non-binary people in our personal province,” she said.

“So for positive, if folks did come up here in large numbers, there would be a really huge drawback.”

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