“we must remember that no country is immune: your voice matters. your vote matters,” joly tweeted, while trudeau said he wanted “women in canada to know that we will always stand up for your right to choose.”
the canadian civil liberties association called the decision “an appalling step back in the ongoing struggle for equality,” warning that “the consequences for the health and dignity of women, girls and trans individuals who need abortions will be dire.”
the ccla said that in canada, most canadians have access to abortion services through their provincial health care system, with the exception of new brunswick, where 90 per cent of residents don’t have adequate access.
the new brunswick government only funds surgical abortion services in three hospitals, located in two cities. the ccla has launched a court challenge over lack of access in that province.
during last year’s federal election, the liberals promised to update the canada health act to regulate access to abortion services across the country, and said they would use federal health transfers to make sure provinces follow the new rules.
ndp leader jagmeet singh issued a statement saying women “will die as a result of this devastating decision” and warned: “you cannot make abortion illegal; you can only make safe abortion illegal.”