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By James Peters

Two & Out

PETERS: Overturning of Roe v. Wade could have repercussions for Canada

Jun 24, 2022 | 10:52 AM

IN THEIR CONFIRMATION HEARINGS for the United States Supreme Court, Justices John Roberts, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett all stated support for the legal precedent established by Roe versus Wade.

They gave no inkling that they would team up to overturn a woman’s right to an abortion in the United States.

It was all deception.

Friday, the court overturned Roe v. Wade, a 50-year legal precedent that upheld a woman’s autonomy over their reproductive choices.

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Instead of making their decisions based on legal precedence, as they swore under oath they would, the majority of conservative justices made their decision based on personal beliefs.

It will now be up to individual states to institute bans on the medical procedure. Missouri already has.

What opponents of abortion have consistently failed to understand is that where they stand ideologically on the issue is far removed from the reality of the matter.

It’s very easy to take an ideological stand when you only deal in hypotheticals.

For a woman faced with making an actual decision about obtaining an abortion, ideology falls to the wayside.

Making abortion illegal in the United States will not stop abortions from taking place; it will stop them from taking place in a safe, regulated manner.

And, as usual, it will have the largest impact on the poor and marginalized.

People with money who are seeking abortions will simply travel to jurisdictions where abortion is still legal  like Canada — and get the procedure there. People without those resources will obtain abortions from shadowy, illegal clinics or back-alley providers.

Why is this worth talking about here in Canada?

Because those who are elected to the House of Commons in Canada and who ideologically oppose abortion have consistently been asked about their intentions.

Most of them have said they have no intention to revisit the abortion issue in Canada’s halls of power.

Just like those conservative Supreme Court justices in the United States.

If you think it can’t happen here, think again.

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Editor’s Note: This opinion piece reflects the views of its author, and does not necessarily represent the views of CFJC Today or Pattison Media.