By Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada
September 18, 2019

To all federal Party leaders and candidates in the 2019 federal election:
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We, the undersigned, ask you to affirm our positions and needs, and to accomplish them if you are elected:

WE RECOGNIZE abortion as a fundamental human right. We know that equality cannot be achieved without control over one’s fertility.

WE AFFIRM that everyone is entitled to equal and non-discriminatory access to abortion and other sexual and reproductive healthcare, including women and men, youth, the LGBTQ2 community, and sex workers.

WE KNOW that restricting abortion violates the Charter rights of pregnant persons as per the 1988 Supreme Court Morgentaler decision, which found that inability to access the service puts people’s lives and health at risk.

WE OPPOSE the introduction of any law or policy that could criminalize or negatively affect reproductive rights and access, including abortion.

WE CALL UPON the government of Canada to enforce the Canada Health Act by ensuring that all provinces and territories make abortion care fully accessible throughout their regions. In particular, we ask the government to require New Brunswick and Ontario to fully fund abortion in all facilities that provide them, including private clinics and practices.

WE CALL FOR greater availability of the abortion pill Mifegymiso, and ask the government of Canada to support provinces to expand the number of prescribing family doctors, permit nurse practitioners and midwives to prescribe the drug, and facilitate the use of telemedicine so that patients do not have to travel outside their communities.

WE CALL UPON the government of Canada to implement universal coverage of contraception, in particular free contraceptive access for youths as recommended by the Canadian Pediatric Agency.

WE CALL UPON the government of Canada to continue its role as a global leader in funding sexual and reproductive healthcare in developing countries, including safe abortion.

We, the undersigned individuals and organizations, pledge to defend the legal right to abortion, and to advocate for improved access to abortion and other sexual and reproductive healthcare.