Overturning of Roe v. Wade condemned at Vancouver rally
About a hundred people gathered in downtown Vancouver on Sunday afternoon denouncing the U.S. Supreme court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, which secured constitutional protection for abortion rights in the country for nearly 50 years.
It was one of many similar rallies that took place across Canada and around the world over the weekend.
"Keep your laws off our bodies!" The crowd chanted as they marched to the U.S. consulate.
Unlike the U.S., there is no mechanism to suddenly outlaw or even restrict abortion in Canada. However, the country had laws restricting and in some cases criminalizing abortion on the books until 1988 when they were struck down for being unconstitutional. Nothing replaced those laws and there is currently nothing legally guaranteeing or protecting the right to abortion.
Korena Bergen, a pro-choice mother, said not enough people are speaking up.
"What's happening in the United States is so frightening and it could happen just as easily here," she said.
Bergen got an abortion 23 years ago and said she's grateful for it.
"If that service wasn't available to me, I may have had a baby with someone who was not a respectful man. And it would've changed my whole life," she said.
Melanie Mark, MLA for Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, also attended the rally and said she worries about the impact the decision will have in Canada.
"When I heard the news, it was devastating. I asked myself, 'What year is it? What year are we living in?'" she said.
"I'm worried about the system. Everyone's talking about the safety of people's lives right now," she continued.
Michelle Fortin, the executive director of Options for Sexual Health, and one of the organizers of the protest, said Canada and British Columbia still have a long way to go in regards to equitable access to abortion.
"People in rural communities, Indigenous folks, racialized folks, people in the 2+LGBTQIA community do not get access as quickly as white cis woman would," she said.
Fortin fears the decision could lead to devastating consequences as eight states south of the border have already moved swiftly to ban abortions.
"People are going to die because when people don't want to be pregnant, they find a way not to be pregnant," she said.
She urges anyone concerned to look for ways to help and donate to clinics that offer birth control and reproductive health-care services, including abortion providers.
She also said she'll continue to speak up until everyone gets fair access to abortions and encourages others to join in on the fight.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
A healthy lifestyle can mitigate genetic risk for early death by 62%, study suggests
Even if your genetics put you at greater risk for early death, a healthy lifestyle could help you significantly combat it, according to a new study.
When you have a moment's notice to evacuate, what do you take?
Knowing what to have at home, or take with you for an evacuation, can be useful and even life-saving.
B.C. brings in law on name changes on day that child killer's new identity revealed
The BC NDP have tabled legislation aimed at stopping people who have committed certain heinous acts from changing their names.
No, a best-selling American writing duo didn't pen a Galen Weston romance novel
You would be forgiven for thinking Christina Lauren's latest romance novel stars a hunky reimagining of Loblaw chairman Galen G. Weston.
Avs forward Valeri Nichushkin suspended at least six months
Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin was suspended for at least six months without pay and placed in Stage 3 of the league's player assistance program.
Sunchips, Munchies recalled by Frito Lay Canada for possible salmonella contamination
Frito Lay Canada is recalling two of its most popular snacks due to a possible risk of salmonella contamination.
Ellen DeGeneres addresses the 'hurtful' end of her talk show in new stand-up set
Ellen DeGeneres is reflecting on how her talk show came to an end in her newest Netflix special, 'Ellen's Last Stand ... Up Tour.'
Western University researchers unlock potential 'cure' for ALS
New research out of London, Ont.'s Western University is shedding light on a potential cure for ALS, in which the targeting of the interaction between two proteins can halt or fully reverse the disease's progression.
Police release 3D images of young child found in an Ontario river two years ago
Police have released a three-dimensional image of a young child whose remains were discovered in the Grand River in Dunnville, Ont. almost two years ago.