Declaring that the nation’s Liberal government “firmly supports a woman’s right to choose,” Canadian Health Minister Jane Philpott has pledged to pursue new ways to expand “access” to abortion.
“We know that abortion services remain patchy in parts of the country, and that rural women in particular face barriers to access,” Philpott told CBC News. “Our government will examine ways to better equalize access for all Canadian women.”
Government spokesmen did not elaborate on specific policies they would promote, though Canadian pro-abortion activists have called for lifting training and registration requirements on physicians and pharmacists who dispense the RU-486 abortion drug and for including mifepristone in federal drug coverage programs.
University of Waterloo political scientist Emmett Macfarlane also predicts direct funding of abortion services and subsidies to help rural women travel for abortions.
In October, Liberal member of Parliament Justin Trudeau, an avowed abortion supporter, was elected Prime Minister of Canada. Jim Hughes, president of the Canadian pro-life group Campaign Life Coalition, has called on Trudeau “to represent all Canadians and allow his MPs to vote their conscience on moral issues, issues that many of their constituents feel very strongly about.”
