Alberta’s NDP government has introduced a motion, M-514, to look into increasing abortion access in remote areas of the province. Alberta has many rural and northern communities where health care access is an on-going issue.
Who’s asking for increased abortion access?
Apparently no one is actually asking for this increased access to abortion. In 2015, a review was conducted of health care in Alberta’s remote communities. When stakeholders in those communities were questioned, they made no mention of abortion access as a primary (or even secondary!) concern. Instead, they listed priorities such as better access to mental health practitioners, and specialists such as respiratory technologists.
Residents of rural and northern Alberta often travel lengthy distances for trauma care, cancer treatment and other necessary services. With limited funding available, these are the types of services we should be striving to increase access to. We cannot expect all services to be available in all areas across our vast country. A controversial, elective procedure such as abortion should never take priority.
No one is asking for abortion access to be a funding priority. Yet the NDP is trying to make it a priority, taking valuable time and money from things remote communities actually want and need. Pushing the agenda of a small minority at the expense of the greater good needs to be called out and stopped.
Call to Action
If you live in Alberta and don’t want to see increased abortion access in your province, please join us in taking action against Motion 514.
- Contact your local representative. Call their office, or use our Simple Mail on Abortion Access in Alberta. This email can be personalised/changed as much as you like and sent off in less than 10 minutes!
- Sign this petition asking the Members of the Legislative Assembly to defeat this motion.
This motion is expected to come up for vote before the summer. Please take the time to make your voice heard!