A U.S. Supreme Court draft opinion revealing that a majority of justices are in favour of striking down the landmark Roe v. Wade abortion-rights ruling has one side of the pro-life/pro-choice argument hopefully and another worried.
Heather Hail, the executive director with Saskatoon Sexual Health, said what is happening south of the border isn’t surprising.
“I think this is something reproductive justice circles have been seeing for a number of years. There has been a significant commitment by folks in the United States to overturn Roe v Wade, and while it’s devastating, it’s not surprising.”
Despite the news not being surprising, Hail said she still does worry about the effects it could have in Canada.
“I think I am always worried about reproductive justice in Canada. I think reproductive justice is fundamental, and it’s impacted by social determinants of health and the changing structure of qualities that have an impact on individuals,” she said. “I think we are always working towards a better society where people can access the services they need to make choices about their own bodies.”
“There continues to be pressure in the Canadian system, that includes things like private member bills that continue to attempt to restrict abortion in Canada, and anti-abortion is trans-national, it is well funding, and really looking to continue to organize and challenge the rights to abortion in Canada,” she added.
Valerie Hettrick, the past president of the Saskatchewan Pro-Life Association, said that she is hopeful a ruling in favour of striking down the abortion rights ruling could have effects in Canada.
“We’ve not had an abortion law all of these years, and something has to happen,” she said. “We are allowing babies to be killed under the moment of conception; that’s nine months. I think it is vital, and I think it will spark something eventually.”
Despite being hopeful, she did have concerns about the draft being leaked to the public.
“It’s a bit pre-mature to even speak to the Supreme Court decision because they haven’t officially decided one way or the other,” she said. “It’s a landmark ruling, and because it is such an emotionally and politically charged issue, why was this story leaked, and to what end?”
