National Abortion Federation Blog: Saporta Reporter

Two out of three Canadians either support or somewhat support NAF member Dr. Henry Morgentaler’s appointment to the Order of Canada, according to an opinion poll released this week. The poll, conducted for Canwest News Services and Global National, showed 65% of Canadians supported the decision, with women, Quebecers, and people under age 35 as being most likely to favor Morgentaler’s award.

"Two-thirds support is very solid," said John Wright, senior vice president of Ipsos Reid, the polling firm that conducted the survey.

According to the Governor General's website, Morgentaler was made a member of the Order of Canada for "his commitment to increased health care options for women, his determined efforts to influence Canadian public policy and his leadership in humanist and civil liberties organizations."

Following the announcement last week, abortion opponents have asked the Governor General to revoke this award. Today, Action Canada for Population and Development (ACPD) has launched a petition to urge the Governor General to stand firm by her decision to award Morgentaler with this honor.

>Learn more about Dr. Morgentaler’s appointment to the Order of Canada.
>Sign ACPD’s petition.

Labels: Canada, Dr. Henry Morgentaler, poll

We are extremely pleased that Dr. Henry Morgentaler has been awarded the Order of Canada. Dr. Morgentaler exemplifies the ideals and principles of the Order of Canada with his lifetime commitment to women’s reproductive freedom. Canadians owe him a tremendous debt of gratitude for standing up for women’s lives and health at great personal sacrifice and risk.

Dr. Morgentaler, a survivor of the Holocaust, has made a positive lasting impact on the lives and health of Canadian women for more than 40 years as a physician and advocate. He came forward publicly in 1967 and testified that women should have access to safe and legal abortion care at a time when abortion was illegal and countless women were sacrificing their lives and health to end an unplanned pregnancy. In 1988, Dr. Morgentaler won a significant victory for Canadian women in the Supreme Court of Canada in R v. Morgentaler, the ruling that decriminalized abortion in Canada. This landmark decision changed the legal landscape in Canada, and was named one of the most important and influential Charter cases of the last 25 years.

Dr. Morgentaler’s determination and tireless efforts on behalf of women have never ceased. He has survived numerous threats on his life, a clinic bombing, prison, and constant harassment by protesters. Despite challenges and obstacles, Dr. Morgentaler has persevered, and he continues to provide leadership in the current struggle to ensure that women have access to funded abortion care.

Throughout his career, Dr. Morgentaler has received numerous awards, including an honourary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Western Ontario and a scholarship named in his honour by the Canadian Federation of Sexual Health. The National Abortion Federation (NAF), the professional association of abortion providers in Canada and United States, has awarded Dr. Morgentaler its highest honour, the Christopher Tietze Humanitarian Award, as well as a special award designating him a National Treasure.

Labels: Canada, Dr. Henry Morgentaler

While Plan B has been approved to be sold on drugstore shelves instead of behind-the-counter in Canada, many women may still face challenges in accessing the drug in a timely manner. A reporter with the Edmonton Sun anonymously called 10 drug stores in the Edmonton area and found that none of them offered the medication on pharmacy shelves, only behind the counter. The National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities approved Plan B (also known as emergency contraception) for over the counter sale in Canada in mid May.

>Learn more about emergency contraception.

Labels: Canada, Contraception, Plan B

Today, Stéphane Dion, leader of the Liberal Party of Canada, vowed to block passage of Bill C-484, which would create a new crime of causing injury to or the death of a foetus.

Dion indicated that he shares the view that the bill would reopen the abortion debate and said: "We will not allow that to happen."

>Learn more about why NAF opposes Bill C-484.

Labels: C-484, Canada

Today, the Canadian Labour Congress awarded NAF member Dr. Henry Morgentaler with its highest honour, the Award for Outstanding Service to Humanity, for his work to promote health and equality for women.

“It is more than fitting that as we celebrate Dr. Morgentaler’s historic legal victory for women in the Supreme Court of Canada 20 years ago – we honour his amazing contribution to the advancement of human rights, women’s equality, and progressive change,” Ken Georgetti, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, told delegates.

For more than 40 years, Dr. Morgentaler has worked as a physician and advocate for women’s reproductive freedom. He was one of the first doctors to provide abortion care in Canada and won a significant victory for Canadian women in the Supreme Court of Canada in R v. Morgentaler, the ruling that decriminalized abortion in Canada in 1988.

>Learn more about legal abortion in Canada.

Labels: Canada, Dr. Henry Morgentaler

Today we released the following statement in response to Advertising Standards Canada’s (ASC) declaration that an anti-abortion ad campaign launched in January by Life Canada is “deceptive”:

We concur with the decision of Advertising Standards Canada to reject this
deceptive ad campaign. These ads violated standards for acceptable advertising
by using misleading images and misinformation to advance an agenda of banning
abortion. We commend ASC for affirming that advertisements must be truthful and
accurate.

The controversial ads featured an image of a pregnant woman with text that read, “Nine months: the length of time abortion is allowed in Canada. No medical reason needed. Abortion, have we gone too far?”

Eighty-two percent of abortions in Canada are provided during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, according to Statistics Canada. In reality, doctors in Canada only provide abortion care after 23 weeks 6 days from a woman’s last menstrual period if a woman’s health or life is at risk or the fetus has a lethal anomaly.

Cities across Canada including Fredericton, New Brunswick and Kelowna, British Columbia refused to run these ads due to their “offensive” and “controversial” nature. The ads were also pulled from public transportation in Hamilton, Ontario prior to this decision by ASC.

Women facing an unwanted pregnancy deserve accurate information, not this type of politically motivated propaganda.

NAF provides unbiased, factual information about abortion care through our toll-free Hotline (1-800-772-9100) and website (www.prochoice.org).

Labels: advertising, Canada

Today, Statistics Canada released abortion data for 2005. According to the data, a total of 96,815 abortions were provided to Canadian women that year, which was down 3.2 percent from 100,039 in 2004.

The agency reported that abortion rates fell in every age group except among women aged 35 to 39, where it remained the same. Women in their early 20s accounted for the largest age group—at 31 percent—of women who obtained abortion care in 2005.

These numbers include all abortions provided in hospitals and clinics in provinces and territories, except Manitoba clinics, which have not had data available since 2004. Abortions obtained by Canadian women in some U.S. states are also not accounted for by the data.

Labels: Canada, studies

This week, the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) has accepted a recommendation and approved Plan B (also known as emergency contraception) for over-the-counter sale. Under current rules in Canada, women who want to buy Plan B have to ask pharmacy staff for the drug, a condition critics say may discourage some women from using it to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

Allowing Plan B to be sold on drugstore shelves instead of behind-the-counter will give Canadian women the ability to easily access the medication in time for it to be an effective option.

NAPRA advises Canada's provincial regulatory authorities, which will have final say in adopting the new policy in their own regions.

>Learn more about emergency contraception.

Labels: access, Canada, Contraception, Plan B

> Read my op-ed in the Ottawa Citizen on Saturday, April 26 explaining why NAF opposes bill C-484.

Labels: C-484, Canada

Yesterday, the legislative assembly in Quebec voted unanimously against federal Bill C-484, which would create a new crime of causing injury to or the death of a foetus. This bill would elevate the foetus - even an embryo only weeks old - to a status equal with that of the adult woman, and could be used to erode abortion rights in Canada.

Earlier this week, Quebec's Federation of Specialist Doctors, came out against this legislation.

>Learn more about Bill C-484.

Labels: C-484, Canada

Today we released the following statement supporting the recommendation of the National Drug Scheduling Advisory Committee (NDSAC) to the National Association of Pharmacy Regulatory Authorities (NAPRA) to allow Plan B (also known as emergency contraception) to be sold over-the-counter:

The recent NDSAC recommendation is an important endorsement to allow Canadian women the ability to easily access Plan B in time for it to be an effective option. In August 2007, NAF sent a letter to NAPRA supporting the request to allow Plan B to be sold over-the counter.

Changing the status of Plan B from behind-the-counter to over-the-counter would allow more women to prevent unintended pregnancies. Additionally, allowing Plan B to be sold over-the-counter would also reduce the cost, since a consultation with a pharmacist would not be required.

Plan B contains a concentrated dose of the progestin hormone found in daily birth control pills, and reduces the risk of pregnancy by up to 89 percent when taken within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse.

Labels: access, Canada, Contraception, Plan B

In Canada, training in comprehensive reproductive health care including abortion is not currently offered as part of the core training in undergraduate medical education or as a part of required training in all ob/gyn or family practice residency programs. This limits the ability of physicians to provide comprehensive reproductive health care to their patients. Medical schools must provide training opportunities for medical students and residents to ensure that future generations of Canadian women have access to quality abortion care.

RH Reality Check examines this issue today on their blog and notes, "Without properly trained doctors, compassionate medical staff, and adequate facilities, women in Canada are not able to access the abortion services that they need."

To address these issues, NAF is reaching out to medical schools and residency programs to offer NAF's educational resources to help ensure that abortion is included in their curricula.

Labels: access, Canada

Although several cities across Canada have pulled controversial anti-abortion ads, a misleading billboard remains in London, ON. This billboard is part of a national anti-abortion ad campaign, which features misinformation about abortion and unsubstantiated claims.

In response to media coverage of the billboard, I wrote a letter to the editor of The London Free Press.

Labels: advertising, Canada

The Order of Canada, the highest civilian honour, was established to recognize outstanding lifetime achievement and service. Please sign this petition to the Advisory Council of the Order of Canada, which has repeatedly overlooked Dr. Morgentaler for this distinguished award.

Take Action Now: http://www.nafresources.org/petition_can.html

About Dr. Morgentaler:Dr. Morgentaler, a survivor of the Holocaust, has made a positive lasting impact on the lives and health of Canadian women for more than 40 years as a physician and advocate. He came forward publicly in 1967 and testified that women should have access to safe and legal abortion care at a time when abortion was illegal and countless women were sacrificing their lives and health to end an unplanned pregnancy. For his beliefs and actions to ensure safe abortion care, he was imprisoned. In 1988, Dr. Morgentaler won a significant victory for Canadian women in the Supreme Court of Canada in R v. Morgentaler, the ruling that decriminalized abortion in Canada. This landmark decision, that changed the legal landscape in Canada, was named one of the most important and influential Charter cases of the last 25 years.
Dr. Morgentaler’s determination and tireless efforts on behalf of women have never ceased. Now in his eighties, he continues to provide leadership in current struggles to ensure that women have access to funded abortion care.

He has received several awards in his lifetime, but Canada’s highest award has never been bestowed upon him. This is a significant omission.

Labels: access, Canada, Dr. Henry Morgentaler

Today we issued the following statement concerning proposed legislation in Canada:

The National Abortion Federation (NAF) opposes C-484. On its face, this bill creates a new crime of causing injury to or the death of a foetus. The dangerous reality of the bill, however, is that it could elevate the legal status of the foetus to that of an adult human being. This is unprecedented in Canadian law. The involuntary loss of a pregnancy is a tragedy, but solutions should be real, not political. Bill C-484 is not the right solution.

This bill elevates the foetus – even an embryo only weeks old – to a status equal with that of the adult woman who suffers the primary injury to her body, along with the additional harm of losing or damaging her pregnancy.

By recognizing a developing foetus as a victim of a crime, this legislation could erode Canadian women’s right to a safe and legal abortion by treading closer to the line of recognizing fetal personhood, a concept clearly at odds with existing Canadian law. Such a law could create tension with numerous Supreme Court rulings finding that a person must be born to have legal status in Canada.

The sponsor of this legislation claims that this bill is not about abortion because it exempts legal abortions, some medical treatment, and the conduct of women. But, it is impossible to separate this proposed legislation from its sponsor, a known opponent of legal abortion.

Nowhere in the bill is the harm to the woman resulting from an involuntary termination of her pregnancy mentioned. Violence against women continues to be a significant problem in Canada, and violence often increases when a woman is pregnant. Instead of focusing on real solutions to violence against women, the bill deliberately shifts the focus away from the women who are truly the victims of these heinous crimes.

NAF fully supports a woman’s right to choose to carry a pregnancy to term. Because this bill does nothing to protect women and because its possible consequences include casting doubt over well-established Canadian law, NAF opposes C-484. We believe that the Canadian government should adopt a more reasoned approach that would protect women from violence and offer concrete solutions to the problem of violence against women.

Therefore, NAF calls on the Federal Government to increase funding to programs for the prevention of violence against women. We further ask the Government to eliminate the restrictions they have put in place on research and advocacy groups requesting funding for issues relating to violence against women.

Labels: C-484, Canada

Yesterday we issued the following the release:

National Abortion Federation Denounces Misleading Anti-Abortion Ad Campaign in Canada

Saporta: This is another example of an anti-abortion organization using misleading images and misinformation to advance their agenda of banning abortion.

Toronto, ON - Today, the National Abortion Federation (NAF) condemned Life Canada's national anti-abortion ad campaign.

The image in the ad is of a nine-month-pregnant woman and the text of the ad states, "Nine months: the length of time abortion is allowed in Canada. No medical reason needed. Abortion, have we gone too far?"

"This is another example of an anti-abortion organization using misleading images and misinformation to advance their agenda of banning abortion. Doctors in Canada only provide abortion care up until 23 weeks 6 days from a woman's last menstrual period unless a woman's health or life is at risk or the fetus has a lethal anomaly," said Vicki Saporta, President and CEO of NAF. "These types of tactics and propaganda used by anti-abortion advocates often backfire and even those who oppose abortion often object to the misleading images and misinformation."
The cities of Fredericton, New Brunswick and Kelowna, British Columbia have refused to run these ads on public transportation and Hamilton, Ontario has decided to pull the ads, citing that they were "offensive" and "controversial."

"Women deserve accurate information when making decisions about an unintended pregnancy," said Saporta. "Groups that peddle misinformation in the hope of dissuading women from obtaining abortion care are doing women a great disservice."

NAF provides unbiased, factual information about abortion care through our toll-free Hotline (1-800-772-9100) and website (www.prochoice.org ).

Labels: advertising, Canada

Today we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of R v. Morgentaler, the Supreme Court decision that decriminalized abortion by striking down Canada's abortion law as unconstitutional. Since then, Canada has become one of a small number of countries without a federal law restricting abortion.

The Morgentaler decision has undoubtedly protected the health and saved the lives of countless Canadian women. However, as we reflect on this decision’s impact, we are reminded that in some provinces and territories women are still denied equal access to abortion care. Even though abortion is considered a safe, legal, and insured service, access is variable across the country. For example:

• There are no abortion services available in Prince Edward Island.
• In New Brunswick, a woman can only obtain a publicly funded abortion if provided by an ob/gyn in a hospital with written approval from two doctors.
• Abortion is not part of the inter-provincial billing agreement. Therefore students attending school in another province, or women who have recently moved and are in the process of transitioning their health care benefits, are forced to pay the full cost of their abortion care or incur additional expenses traveling back to their home province. Abortion is the only time sensitive service that is de-listed and its exclusion remains a significant barrier to care for many women.
• The majority of abortion care is provided in urban centres. Women living in rural communities often face challenges in accessing care.
  

Now more than ever, it is important that we don’t lose sight of the women who continue to face these obstacles in order to obtain the abortion care they need. We must continue to work together to ensure that women have the same access to abortion care regardless of where they live.

It is critical to the lives and health of Canadian women that abortion is safe, legal, and accessible. We must remain vigilant in preserving reproductive freedom so that we never have to return to the days of back alley abortions where our sisters, mothers, and friends had to risk their health—and sometimes even their lives—to end an unwanted pregnancy.

Labels: access, Canada, Dr. Henry Morgentaler

A Canadian anti-abortion group has launched a national ad campaign, which attempts to mislead the public about abortion care in Canada. The ads have been getting national media attention and in some cases have been removed due to their content.

The cities of Fredericton, New Brunswick and Kelowna, British Columbia have refused to run these ads on public transportation and Hamilton, Ontario has decided to pull the ads, citing that they were "offensive" and "controversial." This is another example of an anti-abortion organization using misleading images and misinformation to advance their agenda of banning abortion.

Doctors in Canada only provide abortion care up until 23 weeks 6 days from a woman’s last menstrual period unless a woman’s health or life is at risk or the fetus has a lethal anomaly. These types of tactics and propaganda used by anti-abortion advocates often backfire and even those who oppose abortion often object to the misleading images and misinformation.

Labels: advertising, Canada

The Edmonton Sun published an article today detailing how women in Alberta are facing wait times of up to three weeks when seeking abortion care. This wait time can be attributed to the province’s growing population, a shortage of staff and facilities, and a lack of political will to make abortion more accessible.

Delaying abortion care can lead to increased risks and is often stressful for women, as one clinic administrator explains. “Once women have decided they want to terminate the pregnancy, they call the clinic and they want it tomorrow," said Celia Posyniak, executive director of the Kensington Clinic in Calgary. "It's always a shock for them to learn they have to wait."

Waiting times for abortion care continue to increase throughout Canada. Last week, an article in The Ottawa Citizen revealed that women in the province were being forced to wait up to six weeks in order to obtain abortion care.

Labels: access, Canada

Yesterday the Ottawa Citizen ran an article about the long wait times many women face when seeking abortion care in Ottawa.

The average wait for abortion in Canada is an estimated two weeks…and in
Toronto, a woman can usually have the procedure within about eight days. The
average wait time in Ottawa is generally at least four weeks.

In Ottawa, abortion care is provided at an independent clinic two days a week and the Ottawa Hospital one day each week. Abortion access is especially limited during the summer as the Ottawa Hospital closes down and does not provide abortion care the entire month of August. Surgical abortion is one of the safest types of medical procedures, and the earlier an abortion is provided the less complicated and safer it is. Therefore, it is important that women who decide to get abortions can do so without unnecessary delays.

Today, party leaders responded to the story. Premier Dalton McGuinty said increased hospital funding will eventually provide easier access to abortion.

Although access to health services is guaranteed by the Canada Health Act, access to abortion care continues to be a problem for many Canadian women.

>Learn more about access to abortion in Canada.

Labels: access, Canada

The Canadian Centre for Bio-Ethical Reform (CCBR) has launched a national anti-abortion campaign, which uses a truck plastered with graphic and misleading images in the hope of advancing their beliefs.

These tactics frequently backfire and even those who oppose abortion often object to these images. According to an article in this weekend’s National Post, earlier this year, Calgary Bishop Fred Henry withdrew his support from CCBR over opposition to its practices.

NAF member and executive director of Calgary's Kensington Clinic, Celia Posyniak, told the Post such "scare tactics," don't work, since women seeking an abortion have "very compelling reasons" for doing so and will only be upset, not influenced, by the billboards.

>View our press release.

Labels: Canada

The National Abortion Federation (NAF) presented a special award to Dr. Henry Morgentaler during NAF’s Annual Meeting held last month in Boston.

Canadian women owe Dr. Morgentaler a tremendous debt of gratitude for standing up for their lives and health at great personal sacrifice and risk. He is a legend, a hero, and a national treasure in both our countries.

Dr. Morgentaler challenged the Canadian criminal code by founding the first free standing abortion clinic in Canada. He was tried and jailed for providing safe abortion care to women. His challenges eventually led to the 1988 landmark Supreme Court of Canada decision that gave women the right to obtain abortion care. When Canada’s top Charter experts compiled a list of the most important and influential Charter cases, not surprisingly R. v. Morgentaler was included.

Since then, Dr. Morgentaler has worked to increase women’s access to quality abortion care in Canada. He has survived numerous threats on his life, a clinic bombing, and constant protests.

Dr. Morgentaler has been the recipient of numerous awards over the years, including NAF’s highest honour, the Christopher Tietze Humanitarian Award. The Tietze Award honours significant, lifetime contributions in the field of abortion care or policy.

Dr. Morgentaler’s determination and tireless efforts on behalf of Canadian women have never ceased. He has changed the legal landscape in Canada. And, he continues to provide leadership in current struggles to ensure that women have access to publicly funded abortion care.

Labels: access, Canada, Dr. Henry Morgentaler

A New Brunswick judge heard arguments Wednesday to determine if NAF Member Dr. Henry Morgentaler has standing to bring his latest court challenge against the government. Dr. Morgentaler is suing the New Brunswick government for its refusal to fund abortions at his clinic. According to Canadian law, an individual must have standing in order to bring a case forward. New Brunswick prosecutors have challenged Dr. Morgentaler’s standing due to the fact that he is not a woman.

In Canada, access to health services is guaranteed by the Canada Health Act. Abortion is funded under provincial and territorial health plans, and coverage varies regionally. In New Brunswick, in order to have a publicly funded abortion, a woman has to have approval from two doctors and obtain abortion care in a hospital. Only two hospitals in the province offer abortion care, which is not sufficient to meet the needs of women. Therefore, more than half the women who need abortion care in New Brunswick, get their care at the Morgentaler Clinic. The government’s refusal to fund abortions provided in a clinic setting is in direct violation of the 1988 Supreme Court decision, which decriminalized abortion in Canada.

"The women of New Brunswick are entitled to medically safe abortions that are covered by medicare," Dr. Morgentaler wrote last year. "The government has not only refused to cover abortions at the Morgentaler Clinic, it has not taken the appropriate action to advise the medical profession, nor New Brunswick women seeking abortion services, where this essential service will be available."

>Learn more about access to abortion in Canada.

Labels: access, Canada, Dr. Henry Morgentaler

The CMA should not allow physicians to treat abortion referrals differently than referrals for other health care services.

Today, the National Abortion Federation (NAF) sent a letter to the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) calling on them to change their policy of allowing physicians to refuse to refer patients for abortion services noting that, "a physician's religious and moral beliefs should not jeopardize a patient's access to needed care." The complete letter follows:

Dear Dr. Colin McMillan, Dr. Louise M.C. Cloutier, and Dr. Jeff Blackmer:

The Canadian Medical Association's (CMA) policy of allowing physicians to refuse to
refer patients for abortion services is a violation of CMA's own Code of Ethics,
which requires physicians to first consider the well-being of the patient; to
practice medicine in a manner that treats the patient with dignity; to disclose
and resolve conflicts of interest in the best interest of patients; not to
discriminate against any patient on grounds such as gender or medical
conditions; and to provide patients with information they need to make informed
decisions about their medical care. Your policy treats women unfairly and
impedes women's access to critical health care guaranteed through the Canada
Health Act.

As you know, abortion is a safe, legal, and insured service under the Canada Health Act and should be treated the same as all other medical procedures. In fact, all provinces and territories have recognized that abortion is a medically necessary procedure. A physician's religious and moral beliefs should not jeopardize a patient's access to needed care.

If doctors do not wish to refer and inform patients about their comprehensive medical options, including abortion care, then they should not participate in the public system. Refusing to refer women for abortion care could result in delays that could force women to have later abortions at an increased risk to their
health.

Women in Canada deserve to have access to a full range of safe reproductive health care options. The CMA should not allow physicians to treat abortion referrals differently than referrals for other health care services. A patient's needs must remain paramount.

The National Abortion Federation (NAF) is the professional association of abortion providers in Canada and the United States. Our members include health care professionals at clinics, doctors' offices, and hospitals, who together care for more than half the women in both countries who choose abortion each year. We set the standards for quality abortion care in North America, and we have played a leading role in advocating for increased access to quality abortion care throughout Canada.

The National Abortion Federation calls on the Canadian Medical Association
to change your policy to come into compliance with your own ethical standards.
By not doing so, you abdicate your moral authority to set policies regarding
health care in Canada.

Labels: access, Canada

The Government of Quebec has established a claims process and will begin paying women who won a class-action lawsuit over supplementary fees they were required to pay for abortions between 1999 and 2006. In August the government was ordered to repay over $13 million to approximately 45,000 women who paid additional fees for their abortion care at private clinics and health centers. The Quebec Superior Court ruled that the women should not have incurred additional charges since abortion is covered under the Quebec Health Insurance Act.

>Find forms and learn about the claims process.
>Learn more about abortion access in Canada.

Labels: access, Canada

Sunday marked the 19th anniversary of the Supreme Court of Canada case that struck down Canada’s abortion law as unconstitutional, and made Canada one of the few countries without a law restricting abortion. The Chronicle Herald featured a profile of NAF member Dr. Henry Morgentaler and his involvement with this landmark case.

Abortion is among the health services guaranteed by the Canada Health Act and is funded under provincial and territorial health plans. However, access is variable across the country and women in New Brunswick lack the same access to publicly funded abortion care as women in the rest of Canada. NAF has been actively working in New Brunswick to improve women’s access to reproductive health care services.

>Learn more about access to abortion in Canada.

Labels: access,