“We therefore hold that the constitution does not confer a right to abortion… and the authority to regulate abortion must be returned to the people and their elected representatives.”
What does the overturning of Roe v. Wade mean?
On Friday morning, Roe v Wade was overturned in the Supreme Court of the United States with a 6-3 vote. This officially means that the legislation on abortion is given back to each state to vote on democratically. Abortion is no longer considered a constitutional right in the States. Many abortion facilities have already shut down their clinics.
But the overturning does not mean abortion is fully illegal in all States. Some States, such as California, are pushing access to make it a “safe place” to have abortion.
This means that abortions cannot be accessed in certain states. It means that the US is pretty much at the same place as Canada is with no laws, allowing the people to have more of a say in laws.
But the pro-life movement is gaining momentum in the States. People are beginning to support opening crisis pregnancy centers and care for women experiencing unplanned pregnancy.
What does this mean for Canada?
Many people are caught up in all the information and misinformation.
Unfortunately Justin Trudeau has continued to say that no one has the right to say what a woman can “do with her body." He has also given another 3.5 million to make abortion more accessible in Canada.
We are still in the same legal state that the US is in, with no specific law on abortion. Since 1988 , Canada has had no law on abortion. This also means that Canada does not recognize abortion as a right.
For Canada, this has opened up the topic and could help the pro-life movement gain momentum to support giving women the proper information.
What are some of the responses to this overturning?
Pro-abortion advocates are supporting a "summer of rage" in the States by going to Senators’ houses and protesting, along with other events. President Joe Biden is even telling his country to promote Democrats and says that “this is not over.”
Since many people have been taught the pro-choice value, it can be disturbing for them that the government is now saying otherwise. So many people are not educated on this subject and have been taught about “woman’s reproductive rights” like “my body, my choice.”
Many people are claiming that this doesn’t stop abortion, rather this is only stopping safe abortion. Susan Penner @ life culture responds:
-Abortion has never been 100% safe
-The baby will always die
-Roe v Wade was almost something that made people think that abortion was okay
-Dr. Bernard Nathanson admitted that numbers were incorrectly given
-In the year prior to Roe the Centre for Disease Control reported 39 women died from illegal abortion and 24 died from legal abortion
-90% of illegal abortions were performed by physicians
What can life affirming Canadians do?
Throughout this, people who have had an abortion may suddenly feel condemned now that the law has been changed.
The pro-life movement was never about condemning the woman who accesses it, it’s about protecting the life in the womb and showing compassion, proper information and care for the woman with an unplanned pregnancy.
Yes, we should be heartbroken for all the children that were lost due to abortion, more than ever we need to direct women to pregnancy resource centers and care for them.
This is our time more than ever to stand up for those in the womb, and show compassion to those who may be hurting.