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

Public Security Minister Marco Mendicino says he will likely be speaking with the Canada Border Services Agency to make sure its staff know Individuals searching for abortions can come to Canada for care.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Mendicino said individuals in the U.S. may be feeling doubt about whether they'll have the ability to access abortion if Roe v. Wade is overturned, as a leaked draft ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court docket recommended earlier this week is imminent.

NEW: Minister @marcomendicino says he’s speaking with @CanBorder to ensure there are clear tips so Individuals who may not have the ability to access an abortion can come to Canada to do so. Says potential to take action isn’t in question but he desires to make sure issues are clear. pic.twitter.com/qEqVQuUKJT

— Abigail Bimman (@AbigailBimman) May 4, 2022

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Mendicino stated the power of Americans to return to Canada for abortions shouldn't be in question, however he wants to ensure that position is evident to those working on the frontlines on the border.

“I’ve engaged CBSA, my workplace is presently working with them to ensure there are clear guidelines so that ladies who could not have the ability to entry healthcare together with abortions are able to come to Canada,” he stated.

“If some girls wish to come to Canada to entry these procedures, I've given them the directive to welcome them,” he added in French.

Mendicino billed the move as a “measure of warning” within the event Roe v. Wade is overturned and described the hope as being to “eradicate any ambiguity” that border officials could have as as to whether someone travelling to Canada for an abortion is eligible to enter the nation.

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What's unclear at the moment is whether any info on these people could be shared with American law enforcement or state officials trying to prosecute people for travelling for an abortion, as some experts have suggested might be next if Roe v. Wade falls.

Canada and the U.S. have intensive cross-border information sharing agreements designed to make it simpler to flag individuals who could pose a risk to nationwide security, or who are violating immigration guidelines.

Alexander Cohen, director of communications for Mendicino’s office, said the government does not share normal info regarding the purpose of travel for Individuals coming to Canada, “and that would come with those that come to Canada for reproductive well being purposes.”

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

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States like California have vowed to enshrine abortion entry more strongly of their laws within the wake of the leaked U.S. Supreme Court docket draft ruling on Roe v. Wade, while consultants are also raising the chance that for Americans close to the Canadian border, this nation may turn into their nearest safe haven.

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

“I believe the large challenges for Canadians are going to be ongoing entry to abortion if Canada turns into a safe haven of People,” stated Dr. Dustin Costescu, an associate professor at McMaster University as well as a household planning and sexual well being specialist.

Costescu mentioned all the data available right now suggests there'll stay abortion entry in a variety of states along the Eastern Seaboard if Roe v. Wade falls, including New York.

That may mean Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes could not see a “vital” stage of spillover.

“Michigan, on the other hand, becomes a little bit of a sizzling spot when it comes to whether abortion is accessible. As we transfer 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 thought of ‘frontier nation.’ These are giant distances. But when individuals have to decide on to go lots of of kilometers south or north [to access abortion], they could come up north.”

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Read extra: How abortion access differs across U.S. — and how overturning Roe v. Wade could change it

Autumn Reinhardt-Simpson is the founder of the Alberta Abortion Access Network, and works as what’s known as an abortion doula. That means her job helps individuals who want abortions entry them.

The help she and different abortion doulas provide contains help arranging journey, pickup and drop-off at sexual health clinics or abortion clinics, help arranging lodging if a person has to leave their residence group to get the abortion, help accessing accurate data, in addition to emotional support.

She advised International Information on Tuesday that sources in lots of parts of her province are already stretched.

“Entry in Alberta is healthier than some locations, but nonetheless not nice,” she mentioned. “We still have a tough time getting people in rural areas into the cities for their appointments, especially as a result of there are so few docs which are yet prescribing abortion treatment.”

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

“We’re probably not equipped for coping with Albertans who need abortion care. We cannot even present complete well being providers for women or trans and non-binary folks in our own province,” she said.

“So for sure, if folks did come up right here in massive numbers, there can be a very large drawback.”

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