December 5, 2019
As Trudeau prepares to deliver his throne speech, a leading Liberal strategist suggests national unity and climate change will be the two most important themes addressed. National unity is an important issue following a divisive, fracturing election, but some provinces are not feeling supported in their role.
Fredericton, New Brunswick has a private clinic called Clinic 554 which offers, among other things, abortion on demand up to 16 weeks gestation. They are running a campaign to put pressure on Premier Higgs to provide public funding for their privately provided abortion services. Along with other pro-abortion activists they have performed publicity stunts including threatening to close their doors due to lack of finances and looking to the federal government to put pressure on Premier Higgs. Green Party leader Elizabeth May and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh have called on Trudeau to include Clinic 554 in its priorities in this throne speech.
“What is crucial to understanding this issue is that the federal government would be using political pressure, not legal pressure, to try to force provinces to bend to Prime Minister’s fascination with abortion,” explained Tabitha Ewert, Legal Counsel for We Need a Law, a campaign advocating for legal protection for pre-born children. “If Trudeau invokes the Canada Health Act he would be doing so to pressure Premier Higgs to adopt his pro-abortion stance, in a province that does not have an appetite or a need for increased abortion access and funding.”
“Health care is under the jurisdiction of the provinces because they are in the best situation to understand the health needs of the people who live there,” continued Ewert. The Canada Health Act recognizes this and allows provinces to determine how funding is allocated. New Brunswick currently has three hospitals where abortion is available, meaning they have more abortion providers per capita than many other provinces.
“Many things that happen in a medical setting or are health related are not publicly funded – like dentistry, prescription drugs, and mental health services,” said Ewert. “Instead of considering the actual health needs of those in New Brunswick, these federal leaders are throwing their weight around to pressure the New Brunswick government into funding a political agenda.”
“Hopefully the Prime Minister and his party can address issues that are key to national unity in a way that respects provincial jurisdiction, Canadian’s real needs, and the varied opinions of Canadians,” concluded Ewert.
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