Canada will guarantee border officials know Individuals can travel for abortion: Mendicino – National

Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino says he can be talking with the Canada Border Companies Company to verify its workers know People in search of abortions can come to Canada for care.

Talking with reporters on Wednesday, Mendicino said folks within the U.S. may be feeling doubt about whether or not they will be capable of access abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, as a leaked draft ruling from the U.S. Supreme Courtroom urged earlier this week is imminent.

NEW: Minister @marcomendicino says he’s talking with @CanBorder to verify there are clear tips so Individuals who may not be capable to access an abortion can come to Canada to take action. Says potential 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 said the power of Individuals to come back to Canada for abortions just isn't in query, but he wants to make sure that position is clear to those working on the frontlines on the border.

“I’ve engaged CBSA, my workplace is at the moment working with them to verify there are clear guidelines so that ladies who could not have the ability to access healthcare together with abortions are capable of come to Canada,” he said.

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

Mendicino billed the move as a “measure of warning” in the event Roe v. Wade is overturned and described the hope as being to “remove any ambiguity” that border officials might have as to whether somebody travelling to Canada for an abortion is eligible to enter the country.

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What's unclear presently is whether or not any data on those individuals could be shared with American law enforcement or state officers looking to prosecute people for travelling for an abortion, as some consultants have recommended could possibly be subsequent if Roe v. Wade falls.

Canada and the U.S. have in depth cross-border information sharing agreements designed to make it simpler to flag people who could pose a risk to national safety, or who are violating immigration guidelines.

Alexander Cohen, director of communications for Mendicino’s workplace, said the government doesn't share common info relating to the aim of journey for People coming to Canada, “and that would come with those that come to Canada for reproductive health functions.”

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Might Canada develop into an abortion 'safe haven'?

Within the context of abortion rights, jurisdictions that provide entry to those exterior their borders are often referred to as “secure havens.”

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States like California have vowed to enshrine abortion access more strongly in their laws in the wake of the leaked U.S. Supreme Courtroom draft ruling on Roe v. Wade, while experts are also raising the likelihood that for Americans close to the Canadian border, this nation might grow to be their nearest safe haven.

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

“I think the massive challenges for Canadians are going to be ongoing entry to abortion if Canada becomes a protected haven of Americans,” said Dr. Dustin Costescu, an affiliate professor at McMaster University as well as a household planning and sexual health specialist.

Costescu stated all the information out there right now suggests there'll remain abortion access in numerous states alongside the Jap Seaboard if Roe v. Wade falls, together with New York.

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

“Michigan, on the other hand, becomes a bit of a hot spot in terms of whether abortion is accessible. As we move westward into the U.S. Midwest, that’s where we see pockets of states that may fall when Roe v Wade falls,” he added.

“Geographically, this is considered ‘frontier country.’ These are giant distances. But when individuals have to choose to go lots of of kilometers south or north [to access abortion], they could come up north.”

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Learn more: How abortion access differs throughout U.S. — and how overturning Roe v. Wade may change it

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

The assist she and different abortion doulas offer contains assist arranging journey, pickup and drop-off at sexual health clinics or abortion clinics, help arranging lodging if a person has to go away their home community to get the abortion, help accessing correct info, as well as emotional assist.

She instructed World News on Tuesday that sources in many components of her province are already stretched.

“Entry in Alberta is best than some places, however nonetheless not nice,” she stated. “We nonetheless have a tough time getting people in rural areas into the cities for his or her appointments, especially because there are so few medical doctors which are but prescribing abortion medicine.”

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

“We’re not really outfitted for dealing with Albertans who want abortion care. We can't even present comprehensive well being services for women or trans and non-binary people in our personal province,” she stated.

“So for positive, if people did come up here in large numbers, there can be a very huge drawback.”

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