B.C. nurse 'heartbroken' over U.S. abortion ruling highlights ways to support Canadian reproductive rights
A nurse and sexual health educator from Nanaimo, B.C., says she's "heartbroken" about the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn its Roe V. Wade ruling, allowing for individual states to ban abortions.
Friday's vote could trigger abortion bans in roughly half of all U.S. states.
"I almost didn't believe it when I saw," said Nanaimo nurse Kassidy Delcaro. "It's really heartbreaking for everybody involved – all the providers, all the patients, it's heartbreaking."
Delcaro says the U.S. Supreme Court's decision won't stop women from getting abortions, but it will stop safe abortions from happening.
She added that the ruling will disproportionally impact minorities as well.
"I think it's just an overall feeling of powerlessness and loss of control that we're feeling right now," she said.
"As the world has continued we've gained a lot of rights [for women] in a lot of ways, but the fact that there's this really big one that they took away so easily, it's scary," said Delcaro.
The Nanaimo nurse says she's also concerned that the ruling endorses a sentiment that abortions are immoral.
"It's kind of giving [supporters] confirmation that it is wrong," she said. "It's the 21st century, it's ridiculous that I'm speaking here."
While the ruling was only made official Friday morning, Delcaro says there's already a local website which has resources on how to support and improve reproductive rights in Canada.
The website is home to what it calls the B.C. Reproductive Justice Manifesto, which lays out ways the provincial and federal governments could improve access, funding and protection for abortion and contraceptive services in B.C. and Canada.
"There's a lot of different things you can sign, a lot of differing organizations you can sign up for," said Delcaro.
"I think just knowing that there's a huge amount of people in a lot of different groups, and lot of different people and providers who are going to keep fighting for this right [is important]," she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.