Reproductive Justice Rallies Across the Country: Sep 20

National Day of Action in Solidarity with New Brunswick and PEI: Equal Access Now!

NATIONAL – Reproductive justice activists across the country will be rallying this Saturday September 20 to stand in solidarity with the citizens of New Brunswick and PEI, who lack access to abortion. The former Morgentaler Clinic in Fredericton was forced to close in July for financial reasons, because the provincial government had refused to fund it for 20 years in violation of federal law and Supreme Court precedent. The province continues to refuse to improve access, even though many women are now being forced to travel out of province.

In Prince Edward Island, Health PEI blocked the application of three doctors willing to provide abortions at the Charlottetown hospital, saying “it was not in line with current government policies.” But the PEI government does not have a policy on abortion, or any other excuse. The proposal was cost-neutral, and lack of a provider has been the only barrier to providing services on-Island.

Across Canada, especially in northern, rural, conservative, and low-income areas, there is often a lack of access to basic sexual and reproductive health services (SRH) and information. The most vulnerable usually pay the highest price, including youth, LGBTQ people, Aboriginals, refugees, racialized communities, people with disabilities or health issues, and those of low income. To achieve equality and justice, women and marginalized communities in NB, PEI, and across Canada are demanding recognition of their rights, and Equal Access Now to services.

Reproductive justice includes a range of issues that are integral to equality for all, including not just access to SRH services, but also affordable childcare, pay equity, housing, stopping violence against women, defeating racism and colonialism, and transgender people’s right to non-discriminatory access to healthcare and employment. Saturday’s rallies will feature speakers on many of these issues.

Rally Information

Halifax: Equal Access Now Event–National Day of Action. 1pm, Victoria Park. https://www.facebook.com/events/780975405298334/  

New Brunswick: National Day of Action: Equal Access Now / Journée nationale d’action : Pour l’équité, dès maintenant. https://www.facebook.com/events/330343923809712/

• Rothesay: Rally, 9-10am, look for our red banner on Hampton Rd.
• Sackville: 12:30pm, Fall Fair Parade (starting from 165 Main Street)
• Fredericton: Photo booth at Farmers Market Boyce (8 am to 13 pm)

Charlottetown: Rally for Abortion Access at Province House. Noon, Province House. https://www.facebook.com/events/749681305098414/  

Montréal: Journée nationale d’action : La justice reproductive : Pour l’équité, dès maintenant. 2-4pm, Place Émilie-Gamelin. https://www.facebook.com/events/284717198387009/  

Toronto: Rally & March, Reproductive Justice: EQUAL ACCESS NOW! 11am. Lake Devo, Ryerson U. (corner of Victoria and Gould Streets). https://www.facebook.com/events/902219373124893/  

Vancouver: Reproductive Justice Solidarity Rally. Noon, Thornton Park, 1166 Main Street. https://www.facebook.com/events/1503188986585849/

Resources and Further Info:

• National Day of Action Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/551179511655500/
• Reproductive Justice New Brunswick website: http://rjnb.org/
• Abortion Access in New Brunswick (ARCC): www.abortionaccessnb.ca  

Media Contacts:

Joyce Arthur	Executive Director / Directrice générale, ARCC-CDAC, Vancouver	joyce@arcc-cdac.ca	604-351-0867
Dr./Dre Suzanne Newman	Abortion provider / Intervenante en avortement, Women’s Hospital, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg	snewman@cc.umanitoba.ca	204-477-1887
Carolyn Egan	Ontario Coalition for Abortion Clinics, Toronto	c.egan@sympatico.ca	416-806-7985
Peggy Cooke	ARCC-CDAC, Toronto	pedgehog@gmail.com	416-709-1457
Julie Lalonde (parle français)	ARCC-CDAC, Ottawa	julie.s.lalonde@gmail.com	613-301-2697
Patrice Powers (parle français)	ARCC-CDAC, Montréal	powerspat99@videotron.ca	514-486-6376
Josie Baker	PEI Abortion Rights Network, Charlottetown	peiabortionrights@gmail.com	902-368-7337
Christopher Kaposy, PhD	Ethicist, Memorial University / Éthicien, Université Memorial, St. Johns NL / T.-N.	christopher.kaposy@med.mun.ca	709-777-2338 (w / bur.)