Roe v. Wade fallout: Improve abortion access in Saskatchewan, advocates urge province

The U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the Roe v. Wade ruling that has secured constitutional protections for abortion in the U.S. for nearly 50 years. While this decision does not affect Saskatchewan's access to abortion services, it has many worried about the stability of these rights in Canada. 

"Unfortunately, the efforts to undermine Roe v. Wade … we know that those efforts don't always respect borders and that those efforts are transnational," said Heather Hale, executive director of Saskatoon Sexual Health.

"I think there really are some opportunities for us in Canada to take steps to improve abortion access in Canada." 

The historic ruling, a draft of which was leaked last month, has the potential to claw back abortion access across the country by allowing individual states to restrict or outright ban the procedure.

Angie Kells, executive director of Saskatoon Abortion Support Network, a group of volunteers who assist people before, during and after abortion, says she does not believe Canadians are at risk of having their right to abortion overturned. 

"But we certainly have ongoing issues with respect to accessing abortion," she said. "Barriers exist, and governments are not moving to remove those barriers."

Kells says one of those barriers is that not all Saskatchewan doctors will prescribe the abortion pill known as Mifegymiso in Canada, and not all pharmacies will stock or fill a prescription for it. She also says access to surgical abortions in northern Saskatchewan is needed.

Right now these can only be accessed in Regina and Saskatoon. 

Hale says steps need to be taken against misinformation surrounding abortions. There are also inconsistencies between Saskatoon and Regina concerning referrals and the period in which an individual can get a surgical abortion. 

North Dakota is among the states that have "trigger laws," which will ban abortion within 30 days.

Andra Broussard, executive director at the Options Pregnancy Centre in Regina, says Saskatchewan could see North Dakota residents cross the border to get abortions. 

"I would say that it is definitely possible. Abortion is still something that women will be looking for, so being that we're close, I'm sure women will come here to find it," Broussard said. 

The centre provides counselling, free pregnancy tests and information about abortion and adoption to women and girls who are pregnant or think they're pregnant. 

"I know that people will do their best to support women when they come, and that's really all that we can do," Broussard said.