'Watching rights erode away': U.S. woman moving to B.C. over abortion rights
A Virginia woman is packing up her life and moving her family to Vancouver Island in response to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
Jo Kreyling says she's moving to Nanaimo, B.C., because she and her husband want a better life for their young child.
"People were kind of watching rights erode away," Kreyling told CTV News on Thursday.
One of those rights includes the right to choose an abortion.
"People in a situation where they may have a miscarriage or an ectopic pregnancy were having the decisions regarding their pregnancies made by people who medically didn’t even understand those concepts," she said.
While abortion is currently legal in Virginia, Kreyling says she's still concerned about the future and the fragmented range of laws in the U.S.
"Just by crossing state lines, will I be able to get medical assistance? Will I be able to get help if my pregnancy goes wrong?" she said. "It feels dangerous to start trying to have a family."
Abortion-rights protesters fill Indiana Statehouse corridors and cheer outside legislative chambers, Friday, Aug. 5, 2022, as lawmakers vote to concur on a near-total abortion ban, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Arleigh Rodgers)
Kreyling, a video game developer, hopes to move to Nanaimo by the spring. She says she understands that moving to Canada is a privilege.
"The thought of a life in Canada has given me more hope than I’ve had all pandemic," she said.
'ALREADY A STRESSED SYSTEM'
Meanwhile, in Nanaimo, a local nurse who works at a clinic that offers abortion services says she expects to see more U.S. residents coming to Canada for help.
"We’re going to see a lot of people crossing a lot of borders to seek abortion care," said Kassidy Delcaro, a nurse at Women's Vita Medical Clinic.
"It’s already a stressed system and it’s already difficult for somebody, even locally, to find abortion care," she said.
Kreyling hopes American abortion rights are re-instated so that others won't have to take such a drastic measure going forward.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
LeBlanc says he plans to run in next election, under Trudeau's leadership
Cabinet minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to run in the next election as a candidate under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's leadership, amid questions about his rumoured interest in succeeding his longtime friend for the top job.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
U.S. vetoes a widely supported UN resolution backing full membership for Palestine
The United States has vetoed a widely backed UN resolution that would have paved the way for full United Nations membership for the state of Palestine.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.