So Many Things Left

Still here, still angry. Still too cynical to tell y'all my in depth feelings about recent developments. I am currently reading Olivia Chow's memoirs and the message I am taking away is the same that permeated Jack Layton's last letter - hope is better than fear. I am trying to be loving, hopeful and optimistic. I am not always succeeding.

Today the announcement came that a new clinic is opening in Fredericton. I am genuinely happy that underserved populations will be seen - prioritized, in fact - at this clinic.

I am hopeful that those who care about abortion and reproductive health care in New Brunswick - myself, as always, included - can now turn to the real work of organizing for universal access, and for the complete repeal of all anti-choice rules and regulations.

I have a postcard, sent a few years ago by a dear friend, now displayed (perhaps unwisely) in my hall. Last time I wrote, the chant 'The system isn't broken, it was built this way' echoed in my head. Today it is the words on the postcard that I hear - 'There are so many things left to do'.

I am working on making this an optimistic and hopeful message to myself.

Apologies for the vagueness of this post.

Boiling Over

This week so far has been like a strange dream that I have floated through. The decision out of Ferguson did not surprise me but it stunned me, and ever since I have been detached and numb. It can't help that I had my IUD removed (more on that in another post!), had a flu shot, went to the Ferguson solidarity rally here in Toronto and screamed my frustration and anger and hopelessness into the cold air. And now this announcement - the newly-elected New Brunswick Liberals have taken a baby step towards improving access to abortion in NB by getting rid of the infamous "two doctor rule". What does this mean?

First, you might wonder why I write on the blog so infrequently these days. I have my reasons, but mostly the frustration of being outside of New Brunswick - but still caring very much what happens there - has made me somewhat cynical. And when I offer my input, being treated as a "from away" who doesn't understand the issues has made me somewhat bitter. Typical Fredericton, of course (love ya New Brunny!). Not entirely unjustified. But still, there it is.

I want to be as hopeful and idealistic as I always was, and failing that, I want to keep my cynicism off this blog. Its home is in my weekly calls with my mum, where we indulge in it together as family tradition dictates.

So anyway, this is big news, and full credit should go to the hardworking activists who have been pushing for years/decades - yes, including me; I may have come from away and left again but I did work hard and still do - and not to the ultimately cynical (glass houses I know) Liberal Party, who did this out of strategy and practicality and nothing more, which, fine, that's how politics works. Let's just try not to pretend it's anything it ain't.

And of course there's more to do, as wisely pointed out in the RJNB press release. This means nothing without more doctors - the two that have been performing abortions in hospitals have been turning people away since they started because the demand is simply too high. And the "only in a hospital" rule needs to go. The Liberals are being dicks even as they give us a victory, blindsiding us with the announcement to elicit the outpouring of unexamined gratitude. Well fuck that. The response is, as it should be, "Thanks - finally! Now what about the rest?"

The words "the system isn't broken, it was built this way" have been echoing through my head since last night at the rally. Here is yet another example. Failing tearing down the whole system, each piecemeal improvement has to be relentlessly fought for, and even then, who does it help? Those on the margins, the rural, poor and the racialized, can no more get to one of the two hospitals than they could to the clinic. For many New Brunswickers those hospitals may as well be on the moon.

A system couldn't be built to be impenetrable, so it had to be built in such a way that each small change, each tiny capitulation, needed to be ripped and squeezed over lifetimes, on the backs of those with the heaviest burdens.

Anyway, I am still angry.

National Day of Action for Access - September 20, 2014

The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada (ARCC-CDAC) is hosting a National Day of Action this Saturday - come on out if there is an event in your city! If not, I highly recommend you get in touch with ARCC or with RJNB for tips on how you can help in the battle for abortion access in the Maritimes.

The Toronto event will be featuring a speech by yours truly! (Exciting, I know). Here is the ARCC release in full:

Reproductive Justice Rallies Across the Country: Sep 20

National Day of Action in Solidarity with New Brunswick and PEI: Equal Access Now! 

NATIONAL – Reproductive justice activists across the country will be rallying this Saturday
September 20 to stand in solidarity with the citizens of New Brunswick and PEI, who lack
access to abortion. The former Morgentaler Clinic in Fredericton was forced to close in July for
financial reasons, because the provincial government had refused to fund it for 20 years in
violation of federal law and Supreme Court precedent. The province continues to refuse to
improve access, even though many women are now being forced to travel out of province.

In Prince Edward Island, Health PEI blocked the application of three doctors willing to provide
abortions at the Charlottetown hospital, saying "it was not in line with current government
policies." But the PEI government does not have a policy on abortion, or any other excuse. The
proposal was cost-neutral, and lack of a provider has been the only barrier to providing services
on-Island.

Across Canada, especially in northern, rural, conservative, and low-income areas, there is often
a lack of access to basic sexual and reproductive health services (SRH) and information.
The most vulnerable usually pay the highest price, including youth, LGBTQ people, Aboriginals,
refugees, racialized communities, people with disabilities or health issues, and those of low
income. To achieve equality and justice, women and marginalized communities in NB, PEI, and
across Canada are demanding recognition of their rights, and Equal Access Now to services.
Reproductive justice includes a range of issues that are integral to equality for all, including not
just access to SRH services, but also affordable childcare, pay equity, housing, stopping
violence against women, defeating racism and colonialism, and transgender people’s right to
non-discriminatory access to healthcare and employment. Saturday’s rallies will feature
speakers on many of these issues.

Rally Information

Halifax: Equal Access Now Event--National Day of Action. 1pm, Victoria Park.
https://www.facebook.com/events/780975405298334/

New Brunswick: National Day of Action: Equal Access Now / Journée nationale d’action :
Pour l’équité, dès maintenant. https://www.facebook.com/events/330343923809712/

• Rothesay: Rally, 9-10am, look for our red banner on Hampton Rd.
• Sackville: 12:30pm, Fall Fair Parade (starting from 165 Main Street)
• Fredericton: Photo booth at Farmers Market Boyce (8 am to 13 pm)

Charlottetown: Rally for Abortion Access at Province House. Noon, Province House.
https://www.facebook.com/events/749681305098414/

Montréal: Journée nationale d’action : La justice reproductive : Pour l’équité, dès maintenant.
2-4pm, Place Émilie-Gamelin. https://www.facebook.com/events/284717198387009/

Toronto: Rally & March, Reproductive Justice: EQUAL ACCESS NOW! 11am. Lake Devo,
Ryerson U. (corner of Victoria and Gould Streets).
https://www.facebook.com/events/902219373124893/

Vancouver: Reproductive Justice Solidarity Rally. Noon, Thornton Park, 1166 Main Street.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1503188986585849/

Resources and Further Info:

National Day of Action Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/events/551179511655500/
Reproductive Justice New Brunswick website: http://rjnb.org/
Abortion Access in New Brunswick (ARCC): www.abortionaccessnb.ca

Without Access there is No Choice

On September 20th, ARCC is hosting a National Day of Action on Reproductive Justice, the theme being Equal Access Now! Check out the Facebook event here for details.

Something that is often missed in the mainstream pro-choice movement is the fact that abortion being legal does not make it accessible - and the same goes for other reproductive and sexual health care. Stigma, accessible facilities, a strong support network, a solid financial situation, relationship status, systemic oppression - these are all factors in the accessibility of reproductive health care.

At the recent Abortion: The Unfinished Revolution conference in PEI, many of the international delegates were shocked to find that Canada was not the abortion haven they had all pictured, this free and easy abortions-on-demand paradise of reproductive justice. Just because there is no abortion law does not make things rosy for Canadians looking to exercise their rights over their bodies. Check out this video from PEI Pro-choice:




And for more info on how a lack of access affects our ability to "choose" our pregnancy outcomes, check out this paper: Travel and Access to Abortion.

Join us on September 20 - and check out ARCC's new page on abortion access in New Brunswick for more info on how you can help. RJNB also has the latest on their campaign to repeal the restrictions on abortion there.

If Not Now, Then When?

Today it was announced in Fredericton that the Morgentaler Clinic will be shutting its doors after 20 years. From the press release:

The Morgentaler Clinic is closing for the following reasons:
• Many women are unable to pay for their abortions. As a result, the clinic revenue has never met expenses. Shortfalls were made up by Dr. Morgentaler personally.  In the past ten years the clinic has contributed over $105,400 to subsidize abortions for women unable to pay the full amount.
• The 2008 flood caused damage to the clinic totalling more than $100,000.  Many downtown businesses received some compensation but the clinic was denied any because it was not owned by a resident of New Brunswick.  Had Dr. Morgentaler not paid for the required repairs to keep the clinic open, the clinic would have closed in 2008.
• The clinic cannot continue to provide abortion services that are not publically funded.

As a former employee of the clinic, I can vouch for all three of these reasons. Every week I made appointments for women who didn't have any of the money to pay, or only had part of it. Of course we tried as much as possible to help direct them to funds, and we even sometimes tried payment plans, although of course this was a futile effort. I'm actually surprised the amount subsidized was not more than $105,400.

After the 2008 flood we spent hours in the basement of the clinic, trying to rescue as many patient files as possible, and using a borrowed ShopVac to frantically bail out the water. The city was compensating businesses affected by the flood; I was there when the government employee charged with inspecting the damage pulled up to our building, and, upon learning what kind of business it was, got back into his car and drove away without conducting the inspection. 

A clinic like this could never continue unfunded in a province like New Brunswick, and anyone who believed it could was dreaming. I think the provincial government may feel a sense of relief upon hearing the news of the clinic closing, but what they don't recognize is that this will only hurt the province - socially and economically - in the long term. 

The silver lining is that the clinic's closure may be the impetus needed to finally push the province into action. We must strike when the iron is hot; it is time for the people of New Brunswick to organize. In the wake of this news I would love to see two things:

1. Some kind of referral/support network for providing folks seeking abortion with the immediate care they need, just like in the bad old days when abortion was illegal. There needs to be a network where people can go and find out: sympathetic referral doctors; doctors who will provide medical abortions (when RU486 becomes available); funds to travel out of province for abortions; and people who can help with transportation and accommodations in that regard. It is important that people who need abortions continue to be able to access them.

2. Grassroots, hardcore protest action. Not standing outside the clinic with candles, because why would any legislator give a shit? I mean identifying specific targets and taking actual, stand-up-and-take-notice action. Set up a tent on the lawn of the Legislature and start providing abortions in it. Hang bloody coat hangers on the mailboxes of anti-choice MLAs. Abortion caravan that shit, chain yourselves to seats in the Legislature. They won't listen to reason, so get radical. Lives are at stake.

I hope that New Brunswick finds the energy and the spirit to fight back. If not now, then when?

Keeping the Pressure On

A bold group of students from Saint Thomas University in Fredericton have created an online petition that is getting some attention. The aim is to ask/force/demand the government of New Brunswick to pay for abortions performed at the Fredericton Morgentaler Clinic, and runs thusly:

For more than 25 years, the New Brunswick government has been enforcing a regulation that allows Medicare coverage for abortions only to be done at hospitals (in Moncton),by an Ob/Gyn, and approved by two doctors in writing as "medically required". This violates the Morgentaler Supreme Court decision of 1988, which ruled that restrictions like these are unconstitutional because they violate women’s rights. The regulation also violates the Canada Health Act, which Health Canada has said mandates full funding of abortions at both clinics and hospitals. Over 60% of NB women needing abortions are forced to pay out of pocket for abortion care at the Morgentaler Clinic in Fredericton, because hospital access is inadequate. The cost for the procedure at this clinic ranges from $700-$850 for women that are up to 16 weeks in their pregnancies. This discriminates against women, especially those of lower socio-economic status. 

Women who are considering an abortion should not have to worry about covering the costs of the procedure. 

Lets inform our apathetic government that they need to make women's reproductive rights a priority! 

*Also, for those who are wondering about their tax paying dollars, this procedure would cost approximately $2.21 per annum.   

We call upon the New Brunswick government to fully fund abortions at the Morgentaler Clinic in Fredericton, and repeal the provincial law restricting abortion payment (Regulation 84-20, Schedule 2 (a.1), of the Medical Services Payment Act).

Now I feel like I have articulated my position on petitions before, but I feel like, hey, it costs you nothing to sign this - it will take maybe 30 seconds of your time - and it does show that there is a demand for this, and that we are not going away.

Click here to sign the petition.

Someone Notices a Problem

Check out this article on abortion access in Canada on VICE, of all places, with a nifty chart (below)! They're not totally clear on the New Brunswick situation in terms of hospital provision vs. clinic provision, and I wish they'd gone more in depth with additional barriers like race (particularly the challenges often faced by First Nations people trying to access abortion), but overall it's good the issue is getting this exposure.

Another Roadblock for Abortion in New Brunswick

Bad news in New Brunswick: remember way back in 2008, when an anonymous doctor filed a complaint with the NB Human Rights Commission about how the abortion policy in New Brunswick discriminated against her female patients? Apparently the HRC handed that case off (somewhat bizarrely) to the Labour and Employment Board - a development I wasn't even aware of - and they decided that while the doctor couldn't bring a complaint on behalf of her patients, there was merit in having an inquiry into the accessibility of abortion in the province.

So of course the provincial government saw the wheels of justice turning a little too quickly and last week the Court of Queen's Bench ruled there wasn't enough evidence to conduct such an inquiry, and hey, back off Labour and Employment Board, why can't you be a little more useless like the HRC? And believe me, an inquiry is just about the height of usefulness in New Brunswick politics.

This is a frustrating decision for a number of reasons. First, it is unclear to me why the HRC would think this had more to do with labour and employment than with human rights, as it is clearly about the right of the patients to access abortion, with the doctor simply acting on their behalf when filing the complaint. They should have heard the case and not foisted it off on the LEB - is the HRC afraid of controversy? Isn't that their whole thing - human rights?

Secondly, I am curious as to why the LEB felt the doctor couldn't bring this complaint; surely when it went in front of Labour and Employment it was about the doctor's ability to refer patients being threatened? Anyway, while an inquiry is the bare minimum of solutions, at least it would have pushed the issue further into the public eye.

Which brings us to the most frustrating aspect: that there is no moving forward on this issue in New Brunswick without at least some cooperation from the provincial government, as they have every possible legal route to justice at their disposal. Could it be that the only way forward is the election of a progressive government in New Brunswick? Could this ever even happen?

Quick Hit: NB Media Co-op on "Status Quo?"

Do yourself a favour and check out Tomi Gbeleyi's article for NB Media Co-op today entitled "A province stuck in time?". It's about Status Quo? but mostly talks about the New Brunswick abortion restrictions covered in the film. They got some additional quotes from me as well as some of the folks doing the work in NB, and it's a really well put together piece.

Check it out!

How to Get an Abortion in New Brunswick: Flow Chart Edition!

So, after my post last week on how to get an abortion in New Brunswick, I was contacted by a reader who went ahead and made a flow chart version! So here it is in all its glory, with much thanks and total credit to Ash Furrow:

UPDATE: Now that the Fredericton Morgentaler Clinic is closed, CHECK OUT THIS NEW FLOW CHART

How to Get an Abortion in New Brunswick

So, as someone who has gained some notoriety for my involvement in New Brunswick abortion politics, I get contacted a lot about, well, that. Sometimes by the media, most often by Masters students, and every now and then by a friend, acquaintance or stranger looking for information on how to get an abortion. So I thought it was about time I put this information out there to the general public in case you don't feel comfortable contacting me in person to ask. Also, I no longer live in New Brunswick - things may change (and may have already). So please feel free to comment with updates, critiques and further advice.

Having an unwanted pregnancy and living in New Brunswick is not the easiest situation to be in. I wish that every person in this situation could feel supported and loved, but that is not the case. So first of all I just want to say: You are not alone. You are not the first or the last person to be facing this situation. There is help and support for you. You have done nothing wrong and deserve compassion and care. You have the right to be safe and to make whatever choice is right for you. Please contact me if you need a compassionate ear or further advice/information at pedgehog[at]gmail[dot]com.

NOTE: This information is for people who have decided they are going to have an abortion. If you are undecided, please see the bottom of the post for some decision-making resources. Do not feel you have to have an abortion if that is not what you want. You have the right to choose whether or not to continue your pregnancy.

***EDITED September 2014 in response to recent closure of the Fredericton Morgentaler Clinic***

More up to date information is here. I STRONGLY encourage you to check out this info put together by Reproductive Justice New Brunswick now that the clinic is closed. CLICK HERE

How to Get an Abortion in New Brunswick:

1. Are you pregnant? Find out! I know it sounds silly, but a lot of people freak out and don't confirm the pregnancy, which can mean a lot of trouble for nothing. If it is possible for you, confirm your pregnancy by a urine test (available over the counter without prescription at any drug store, or grocery store with a pharmacy section), or by a blood or urine test at your doctor's office.

2. How far along are you? If you do not have access to an ultrasound appointment (and most people don't), try counting from the FIRST DAY of your LAST NORMAL PERIOD. If you know this day, use it - it is a much more reliable measure than the day you think you conceived. Trust me, the body works in mysterious ways.

This is where it gets flow chart-y:

3. If you suspect (or have confirmed) that you are past 16 weeks gestation, you need to act fast! Call the Morgentaler Clinic in Fredericton (contact info at the bottom of the post) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and let them know the situation. Depending on how certain you are of your dates, they may either refer you out of province (probably to Quebec or Ontario) or bring you in for an ultrasound. It is really, really important that you don't lie or stretch the truth to try and get a clinic appointment. They will not perform an abortion if you ultrasound at 16 weeks or over, and you will just waste time in a very time-sensitive situation (not to mention taking up an appointment that could have potentially gone to someone else). The more you are upfront and clear with the clinic, the easier it will be for them to help you.

4. The above is also true if you are close to 16 weeks - I would say anything above 12 weeks is reason to call the clinic right away. You will be too far along for a hospital abortion, so it's important to try to get into the clinic as soon as you can.

5. If you think you are below 12 weeks, you may have a choice in where to go. Let's talk about the clinic vs. the hospital!

CLINIC: The Morgentaler Clinic in Fredericton is the only private abortion clinic in the Maritimes. It is licensed, safe, discrete and confidential, and clean, and the staff there is compassionate and professional. Obviously I worked there and am totally biased, but I don't mind saying that it is the gold standard in abortion care, and I stand by that.
PROS: Specialized - it will only be abortion patients; amazing staff and supportive atmosphere; totally confidential; up to 16 weeks gestation.
CONS: Protesters; located in Fredericton (a con if you live elsewhere in the province); the procedure costs $600-$800 and is not covered by Medicare.

HOSPITAL: As far as I know there is only one hospital in NB still performing abortions - possibly two. In order to have a hospital abortion you need to have a referral from two doctors; a GP and an OB/GYN.
PROS: Totally covered by Medicare; easier to be discrete if that is your thing (there are lots of reasons to go to a hospital).
CONS: Only goes up to 12 weeks; much harder to get in (waiting list); NEED TWO REFERRALS; not specialized (ie you might be hanging out in the waiting room with expectant mothers of wanted pregnancies).

6. Let's go to the hospital! First, go to your family doctor and explain the situation. Tell them you are pregnant, you are firm in your decision to terminate the pregnancy, and you require a referral for a hospital abortion (if they are supportive they will usually be able to help you get the second referral as well).
i. Don't have a family doctor/have a horrible anti-choice family doctor? If you are a student, go to the Student Health Centre on campus for a referral.
ii. Not a student? Try calling the Sexual Health Clinic and/or the Morgentaler Clinic for a doctor in your area.
PLEASE NOTE: While if you have a family doctor this IS worth a try, your chances are slim for getting in to the hospital. There are a lot of people trying to do so, and the doctors are turning people away. My advice is to set up a clinic appointment first; then you can call and cancel it if you get into the hospital.

7. Let's go to the clinic! Call the clinic. Have your information ready - demographic info, first day of your last normal period or ultrasound date if possible, height, Medicare number. They only do clinic days one day a week so be prepared to lose a work/school day for this appointment.
i. Don't have any money? Call anyway! It's always possible that you will be able to work something out or get a great resource for financial support; sometimes the clinic can even help you find those resources. It's important to lock an appointment down, though - you can always call and cancel if you change your mind.

ETA: Here it is in flow chart form

Here are some resources for further help:

SEXUAL HEALTH 

sexualityandu.ca: online resource for birth control questions and information on STIs, sexual and reproductive health, health education, etc.

UNBF Student Health Centre
Phone: (506) 453-4837
Email: shc@unb.ca

UNBSJ Student Health Centre
Phone: (506) 648-5656

U de Moncton Student Health Centre
Phone: (506) 858-4007
Email: sante@umoncton.ca

Mount Allison Student Health Centre
Phone: (506) 364-2163
Email: health@mta.ca

Fredericton Sexual Health Clinic
Phone: (506) 453-5200

Saint John Sexual Health Centre
Phone: (506) 658-3998

Moncton Sexual Health Centre
Phone: (506) 856-3310

FINANCIAL AID

National Abortion Federation hotline: 1-800-772-9100

DECISION MAKING AND REFERRALS

Fredericton Morgentaler Clinic
Phone: (506) 451-9060
Email: nbclinic@nb.aibn.com

Canadian Federation for Sexual Health
Pregnancy options guide

National Abortion Federation hotline: 1-877-257-0012
Decision making guide

Canadians for Choice
Phone: 1-888-642-2725
Email: info@canadiansforchoice.ca

ACTIVISM

Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada

Canadians for Choice

ABORTION CARE

Fredericton Morgentaler Clinic

Phone: (506) 451-9060
Email: nbclinic@nb.aibn.com

Fighting Back for Ol' New Brunswick

So y'all probably know that I live in Toronto these days, and you might also know that I'm originally from Halifax, NS. So really, I technically have no reason to care about what is happening in New Brunswick - except that my family lives there, a lot of my friends live there, and I spent twelve years of my life there. And while those twelve years might not have been the best ever, and while I may have been in a great hurry to escape NB, I still care about what happens there. And right now I care a lot about the defunding of the NB Advisory Council on the Status of Women.

Oh what does this have to do with abortion, you might ask. Well, a lot. The ACSW was one of the few avenues through which women's concerns could reach the provincial government, and in a province like New Brunswick, women have a lot of concerns. Abortion access is abysmal in NB. So is access to sexual health and education, and health care in general. This is a feminist issue. Getting rid of the ACSW serves only to silence the women of New Brunswick. It is a HUGE step backwards for the feminist and progressive movements in NB. The ACSW not only provided research, resources, events and networking opportunities, it was a tireless advocate for women and a link between disenfranchised people and their government.

If you are pissed off about this, good. You should be. Here are some things you can do:

- Write about it. Facebook notes, emails, blog posts, tweets, letters to the editor, etc. etc. If you're not sure what to write, ask. Email advisoryactionconseil@gmail.com to offer your help or find out who to contact.

- Join the photo project! Self identified women, take a picture of yourself with tape over your mouth with "Alward" written on it, to symbolize the people the Alward government is silencing. Post it to Twitter, Facebook, etc. but don't forget to send it to advisoryactionconseil@gmail.com and post it to the Facebook group.

- Email or write to David Alward (david.alward@gnb.ca) and/or your MP. Send your photo!

- Sign the petition.

- If you are in Moncton or can get there, join the rally.

- If you're not in Moncton or can't make tomorrow's rally, organize one in your own city.

So far the mobilization around this has been amazing. I've always been impressed with New Brunswick's activist community, who manage to make a big noise with small numbers. If you live in New Brunswick or have ties to the province, please step up and help out with this. It is a big deal and we need to fight back.

Edited to add: ARCC's statement on the issue.

Things You Think Are Choice, But They Aren't

Always good to see major media sources focusing on problems with access to reproductive health care, as in this CBC piece on the lack of abortion services on PEI. I'm even more pleasantly surprised than usual, because this isn't just another filler issue on "abortion is legal but there's still lots of hurdles, etc. etc." but actually spotlights a problem that even some pro-choice people don't know about: there are NO ABORTION SERVICES AT ALL on PEI. Not a one.

It also touches on the complexity of the issue: the "choice" between travelling to Halifax to have a government-funded abortion, or travelling to Fredericton to have the guaranteed confidentiality of a Morgentaler Clinic abortion, costing the woman $600 - $800. Of course, neither is an option to women who, for whatever reason, are unable to make either trip. But assuming travel was not a problem, it still isn't a choice and there are a lot of class issues here: either you get privacy, or a free abortion. Only women with $600 to spare are allowed to have privacy. That's fucked. The right to privacy is one of the foundations of the decision to decriminalize abortion in this country. All three provinces in this case (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island) are essentially spitting on R. v. Morgentaler by making their own judgements on who can and can't access abortion, and how and where and when and by whom. This is not choice.

I know that of these two non-options, many women choose privacy despite the cost. When I worked at the clinic in Fredericton there were not many clinic days when we didn't see one or two women from PEI. Our appointments were all in the morning, before 10am, so most of these women and their partners had woken up at some ungodly hour to drive for four or five hours, or stayed overnight at their own expense the night before, only to make the drive back afterwards. Depending on your own life experience and privilege (or lack thereof), this might not seem like such a hardship, but it really should not be a reality in a country fully capable of funding abortion providers in every province. Even one doctor providing abortions one day a week on PEI would make a world of difference.

So there are a lot of issues here: class (definitely), regional disparity, lack of abortion training in medical schools, lack of incentive to be any kind of doctor in the maritime provinces (the ol' "brain drain"), degree equivalency for new Canadians, race, and of course gender. Of course of course. Stephen Harper does not care about women; nor, I guarantee you, do the premiers of the three provinces in question - at least, not as much as they care about votes, the retention of power, and their own ridiculous careers.

In some ways, abortion's decriminalization in this country is a curse, in that it makes us think the work is done. Well, it isn't done. Not by a long shot. Just ask the women of PEI.

"An Insulting and Useless Gesture"

Go right now and read this great piece on clinic protesters in Canada. It sums up the situation in Fredericton to a T (although it is based on a different clinic).

The clinic I work in now has an injunction, so we don't get protesters, but I think the author is right to suggest that municipal legislation (like they have in BC) would better serve the clinic staff and patients. People who work in abortion care exist in a small bubble - we know each other and fear for each other, and knowing that people at other clinics in the city and across the country are safe from anti-choice violence would make me feel a lot more at ease. We need to work as a team to provide safe and accessible abortion services to women in this country, and universal protection is necessary.

Honestly at this point I can't figure out why people still do sidewalk counselling; I have never ever seen it work, not even once in the three years I worked at the Fredericton clinic. People coming in have either already made up their minds to have the abortion, or they stop and talk to the protesters because they've made up their mind not to have it and they're looking for a way out. The ones that decide not to have an abortion - either while they're in the clinic or out on the sidewalk - were never going to have one anyway, whether the protesters were there or not. You start to get a feeling for who is going to go through with it; I can usually tell now just talking to them on the phone. I wish they would stay for long enough to talk to the clinic's counsellor, just to work through whatever issues they might be dealing with, or to get set up with some information and resources on adoption and/or parenting, but it's ok: you can't make people's choices for them. That's part of the whole "trust women" thing that the pro-life movement just does not seem to be able to grasp.

One Step at a Time, Sweet Jesus

So, the New Brunswick Human Rights Commission has decided to launch an investigation into NB's abortion policy - you know, the illegal policy that contravenes the Canada Health Act, forcing women to either pay out of pocket for an abortion or obtain a referral from to doctors and go to one of two hospitals in the province performing the procedure.

While it's great to focus attention on this policy, I'm not sure what the HRC can do when the actual lawsuit against the province on this matter seems hopelessly stalled. How much power does the HRC have in terms of legislation - any legal- or policy-minded readers feel like enlightening me?

Oh well, either way, props to whoever launched the complaint. It seems the best we can do right now is to keep the pressure on.

More on this at FMF.

Queen, Blue Skies and Lies

I just want to start with something that isn't about abortion. Since when is Fredericton on Google Streetview?? I spent a good half hour googling all my friends' houses. Creepy? I like to think so. I was sad that they managed to capture the one moment of the day when neither of my cats are in the window. I googled the clinic because I'm quite visible at work; my office window is huge and faces the street. I hoped to catch myself doing something mildly embarrassing like adjusting a bra strap or making a puppet show with the speculums (speculi?), but no such luck. What use is this if it doesn't allow our ugliest moments to be trapped forever on the internet?

Anyway. Clinic was not too bad this morning. The weather was excellent for this time of year - zero degrees! In February! Amazing. The protesters were not out until around 8:00, which means half an hour's worth of patients came in unharrassed. Of course, when the protesters did finally come out they were in top form; I saw Pink Hat yabbering away at people from my window. One of the volunteers tells me that after a woman ignored her advice not to "kill [her] baby" and came in anyway, Pink Hat muttered "Another one bites the dust". These people love drama, and it doesn't get any more dramatic than Freddy Mercury. Trust me.

One woman who had been harrassed on her way in stopped to talk to me as she was leaving. She wanted to know who she could write to about the abysmal situation in New Brunswick, so I wrote out a contact list for her - the premier, the minister of justice, the minister of health, the local paper, etc. She is a single mother of FIVE CHILDREN. Now, I believe that every woman, regardless of her situation, has the right to make decisions about her body, but if I had to hand out abortions on a merit basis, this woman would be right up there. I can't imagine raising five children on my own, and then being faced with another pregnancy. Yikes.

I had a woman call yesterday to make an appointment. She said she had already talked to someone at the "abortion counselling centre" and had another appointment to go there later in the week, but that she had decided to have the procedure and wanted to go ahead and book it now, did I think that was alright? I was like, whoa, what are you talking about? She went to get the counsellor's card, and when she came back she told me that it was Martha something. Crazy Legs. I had to explain to her that the Women's Care Centre was not affiliated with us (something Crazy Legs had, I would guess deliberately, forgotten to mention) and that they were, in fact, anti-choice. The woman was quite surprised by this information, although she admitted that she thought it was rather strange that Crazy Legs was so adamant in trying to convince her not to abort. I told her not to be surprised to see her "counsellor" out protesting when she comes in for an abortion. Honestly, it is so easy for them to trick people! Volunteer AL summed it up best: "That is one of the worst experiences that I can imagine. Going to see someone you think is a professional, and it's Crazy Legs."

So while I'm blogging away, I do want to remind you, if you are an abortion provider or involved in abortion care in any way (as a doctor, nurse, clinic staff member, volunteer, future provider, etc.) to submit your story to the "I Am Dr. Tiller" project. I know it's kind of hypocritical for me to be talking this up since I haven't done it yet, but I do plan to! It is sitting in my inbox; it's just a matter of sitting down and writing it out. Anyway, it's always great to have Canadian voices in projects like these, so get to it!

Who Jesus Loves

I didn't blog last week. I don't even have an excuse, I've just been too hot. I've mostly been surviving on popsicles and the fact that the clinic is air-conditioned. I would sleep here if there were popsicles.

So I missed a classic opportunity to shamelessly self-promote, but here it is: go check out the piece I wrote for Feminists For Choice.

Also, while I'm dishing out the news, I hope you've all seen this. It seems the province of New Brunswick, in perhaps the only good decision they've ever made about anything, are not going to appeal the decision to give Dr. Morgentaler standing to sue. So, on to the trial (at some point). Discuss.

Clinic the last two weeks has been as interesting as ever. This week one of the protesters was taking pictures of the escorts, so look for some familiar faces on the cover of Evil Baby-Killers Monthly. Last week Lady in Red asked a couple escorts if they had ever seen pictures of "aborted babies" on the internet. To which EN replied that yes, they sure do have a lot of crazy things on that internet.

This week there was a lot of reassuring us that Jesus loves us. One of them told TO this as she was leaving, to which she replied that yes, she knew, being a Catholic. Well, you know that confuses them. When they tried to tell AD that Jesus loves her, she replied with what they described as an "evil cackle". Excellent. I seem to be the only one Jesus doesn't love, however. As I was unlocking my bike to leave, I heard Monochrome tell a departing couple that Jesus loved them. But when I rode by her (slowly) a couple seconds later, she just glared. I guess the big guy in the sky finally gave up on me, which is kind of a relief.

It's that time of year when things switch over - I have a couple escorts leaving, a couple returning. I guess I should enjoy this horrific, sweltering weather while I can, since soon it will be time to start complaining about the cold again.

It's Those Front Lines Everyone Talks About...

Ok, so the protesters are getting really bad. Like, I would say even as bad as it was when I first started two years ago - before we started seriously going after the bubble zone, back when Crazy Legs would throw herself at cars. It's a different technique that they have now, but it's bad.

First of all, not only was the lady who dresses all in red out there, there was another one, all dressed in white! So from now on, it'll be Lady in Red and her sidekick, Monochrome. Peter Ryan was out there. The Mad Chatter had a sign that said "I regret my abortion" which was quite distressing. I just wanted to go out and say, "ok, let's talk about that". But we all know what the real intention of signs like that are. And the Mary statue was there, the statue Peter likes to cradle in his arms in a weird mother-and-child tableau I don't even want to begin to analyze.

And if that wasn't enough, Suzie Ryan was out (AFTER all the patients were in and the escorts went home), with her big stupid fetus sign that's as tall as she is. Of course, school is out so she thinks no one will call the cops. Well, we'll see.

They are just being awful, and it's not just the signs. It's screaming at the clinic manager: "How many abortions have you had??" It's saying things to the escorts. It's being just a couple steps over the line of human decency.

Right now I'm in the process of working out a support system for the escorts so they have an outlet for the frustration/discomfort of putting up with this crap. But it's a good group, and I have a couple more people starting in the next few weeks, so as always, we will prevail.

Something cool for y'all to check out: Randy McKeen calling for a bubble zone on Capital FM! (Go listen soon, because it probably will rotate off the site).

Also, NB provincial government cabinet shuffle - what does everyone think? If you get a sec, maybe shoot Mary Schryer an email and let her know how much you're looking forward to her being the new Minister for Health and working with us on improving abortion access. ;) mary.schryer@gnb.ca

Keep up the struggle, friends!

I've Got to Admit, It's Getting Better

Ohhhh yes. Sorry I didn't blog last week. I actually meant to, even though there wasn't a clinic, but I just never got to it. It was March Break (or Reading Week or whatever) last week, but not being a student, this meant little to me. I was here a lot, working. And I was doing a lot of gumboot dance practice. But that's a whole other story.

The protesters were just crazy yesterday. Spring is in the air, I suppose. It's hard to know when they are going to suddenly be very aggressive, so we just have to be consistent and do the best we can. Our escorts were wonderful of course, and handled the situation with class. It can be pretty stressful out there with those jackasses yelling at women. And crying and praying and gnashing their teeth, etc.

I am in good spirits today because I just interviewed a new escort, and also because the Chatelaine article I was interviewed for FINALLY came out! Check it out.

I am super stoked! Publicity is always good, because people really need to know what's going on in New Brunswick. And I am so honoured to be featured with some of my best colleagues and biggest heroes in pro-choice activism; Jessica Yee, Patricia LaRue, Jessica Shaw, and others. SO AWESOME.

I was at a potluck brunch for International Women's Day this weekend, which was very heartening as there was a great turnout. I learned about some very cool groups including Birth Matters, which is a group advocating for midwifery in New Brunswick. You should definitely check them out. I was there on behalf of ARCC but also repping the NB Rebelles, as always. I met some very cool ladies (and dudes) and I got a "gig" out of it; I'm being interviewed for the CHSR FM show Barely Legal. I'll let you know when it airs; you can listen online!

So, lots of good news. Thanks JJ for sending the high-fives my way. :)

A Case of Pedge

So yesterday's clinic was a trial run for my new three-shift system for the volunteers. It's just for the cold weather; instead of two shifts lasting an hour and a half each, I've divided it into three one-hour shifts. It means I need more escorts to be available each week, but it also means they don't have to stand out there for as long. And a half hour in the cold makes a big difference.

It seemed to work out, although three quarters of my early shift didn't show up so EO was there alone. Which definitely sucks. Unexplained absences come with the territory when coordinating volunteers, and I don't really get too hung up on it because it can happen to anyone. For the most part, the work they do is too valuable to make it really frustrating when they occasionally slip up.

I went with a couple colleagues to see the appeal yesterday - when the court granted Dr. Morgentaler standing last August to sue the province, the province appealed, so yesterday was the hearing. Or whatever you call it, I'm not that up on my law terms. It was actually streamed live on to the internet by the CBC (you can read more about that here), so that was kind of cool.

I could only stay for the first half of the hearing because I had to get to my other job, but as we were leaving during the lunch break, some journalists stopped us and asked for interviews. I'm not sure how they surmised that we were from the clinic (and ARCC), unless they recognized JB's face (or mine, I suppose). Regardless, I got to do a fun media-scrum-on-the-courthouse-steps interview, and CTV and Global both used my comments on the local news last night. There was also an article in CanWest, which you can read here.

The news (I can't remember which one) said that they would rule on it within a month, which would be awesome. I didn't get to see Henry's lawyer in action this time but I'm fairly confident that he'll be awarded standing. And then the trial....well it should be interesting, if we ever get to it. The wheels of justice turn pretty slowly.