Quebec promises new points of service and a more accessible abortion pill
To improve access to abortion, the Quebec government plans to deploy new points of service and make the abortion pill more accessible.
"All over the world, we are seeing a decline in women's rights," said Martine Biron, Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie and Minister responsible for the Status of Women, at a press conference Monday morning.
Maintaining that "nothing is taken for granted" and that "we must always be vigilant," she presented her Government Action Plan on Access to Abortion 2024-2027, articulated around four axes: facilitating access to abortion in the regions, combating misinformation, strengthening information on contraception and promoting research.
The first part of the plan targets improving access to abortion. To achieve this, Quebec wants to support the development of new abortion service points, particularly in the Capitale-Nationale region. Currently, delays can reach up to five weeks, says Ms. Biron.
The "underused" abortion pillAnother aspect of the plan aims to make the abortion pill more accessible by deploying a telehealth service to facilitate access to it throughout Quebec and allow it to be prescribed by a greater number of health professionals.
"We can see, according to statistics, that it is little known and definitely underused in Quebec," saysMs. Biron. She points out that 17% of abortions take place with the abortion pill in Quebec, compared to 72% in France and 32% in Ontario.
Quebec also wants to raise awareness among the general public of the importance of free choice and strengthen funding for pro-choice groups to better support women and fight misinformation.
La Presse reported Monday that the prescription of a treatment to "reverse" an abortion, promoted by anti-abortion groups across Canada, is obtained in a simple phone call, and the drug itself in a few hours1.
"It shows that there are anti-choice groups that are active in the territory. Some work with a raised visor and others work in a sneaky way," said Minister Biron.
Addressing gapsMartine Biron had announced in the spring of 2023 her intention to table a bill to protect the "sacred" right to abortion. The Barreau du Québec had expressed reservations, considering that this initiative risked opening certain breaches.
The minister finally abandoned her desire to legislate, instead announcing her intention to address the "gaps" in access to abortion, particularly in certain regions outside of Greater Montreal, where the number of abortion clinics is more limited.
An interministerial committee was set up in the spring of 2023 to propose actions to be put in place to improve this access.
Various events have fueled concerns about access to abortion. In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which had guaranteed the constitutional right to abortion since 1973. This decision now allows American states to ban or restrict it. "It created a lot of uncertainty," said Minister Biron.
"All over the world, we are seeing a decline in women's rights," said Martine Biron, Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie and Minister responsible for the Status of Women, at a press conference Monday morning.
Maintaining that "nothing is taken for granted" and that "we must always be vigilant," she presented her Government Action Plan on Access to Abortion 2024-2027, articulated around four axes: facilitating access to abortion in the regions, combating misinformation, strengthening information on contraception and promoting research.
The first part of the plan targets improving access to abortion. To achieve this, Quebec wants to support the development of new abortion service points, particularly in the Capitale-Nationale region. Currently, delays can reach up to five weeks, says Ms. Biron.
The "underused" abortion pillAnother aspect of the plan aims to make the abortion pill more accessible by deploying a telehealth service to facilitate access to it throughout Quebec and allow it to be prescribed by a greater number of health professionals.
"We can see, according to statistics, that it is little known and definitely underused in Quebec," saysMs. Biron. She points out that 17% of abortions take place with the abortion pill in Quebec, compared to 72% in France and 32% in Ontario.
Quebec also wants to raise awareness among the general public of the importance of free choice and strengthen funding for pro-choice groups to better support women and fight misinformation.
La Presse reported Monday that the prescription of a treatment to "reverse" an abortion, promoted by anti-abortion groups across Canada, is obtained in a simple phone call, and the drug itself in a few hours1.
"It shows that there are anti-choice groups that are active in the territory. Some work with a raised visor and others work in a sneaky way," said Minister Biron.
Addressing gapsMartine Biron had announced in the spring of 2023 her intention to table a bill to protect the "sacred" right to abortion. The Barreau du Québec had expressed reservations, considering that this initiative risked opening certain breaches.
The minister finally abandoned her desire to legislate, instead announcing her intention to address the "gaps" in access to abortion, particularly in certain regions outside of Greater Montreal, where the number of abortion clinics is more limited.
An interministerial committee was set up in the spring of 2023 to propose actions to be put in place to improve this access.
Various events have fueled concerns about access to abortion. In 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which had guaranteed the constitutional right to abortion since 1973. This decision now allows American states to ban or restrict it. "It created a lot of uncertainty," said Minister Biron.
