The Canadian government has announced funding to improve access to abortions as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces questions about his direction on abortion rights in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court disclosure on Roe v. Wade.
Trudeau is under pressure to make good on his promises to expand access to abortion services since POLITICO reported last week on a draft of a majority opinion that would overturn the landmark decision.
The Liberals have also used the opportunity to point fingers at their rival Conservatives, accusing them of wanting to undermine abortion access in Canada, where there is broad public support for the right to choose.
“We will stand up and ensure that women’s rights are always protected in this country,” Trudeau told reporters Wednesday.
Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos announced C$3.5 million for projects by two nonprofit organizations that will help remove barriers to abortion access and provide accurate information about reproductive health. The funding is a small fraction of the C$45 million promised in last year’s budget to improve access to abortion services, the majority of which has not been allocated or released.
“The legal debate over the right to abortion is closed in this country but that doesn’t mean that the fight is over,” Duclos said. “Access, that is where our efforts should be focused.”
R&I – FS
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