Women’s march highlights need for abortion services in York Region

By Michelle Poirier

The first-ever Georgina March for Women’s Rights, which took place on July 9 in Keswick, was in part a show of support for the millions of U.S. women who lost their constitutional right to an abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned its 1973 landmark legal decision, Row v. Wade, on June 24.

But it was also intended to highlight the lack of abortion services in York Region, which forces pregnant women to travel to Toronto or Peel to obtain a legal abortion.

Keswick resident Elena Rinne, a social justice advocate and grade 11 student at Keswick High School, organized the march after watching media reports about the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court decision on women’s reproductive rights.

While Rinne had hoped to attract close to a hundred participants, just over a dozen people showed up at the Georgina Ice Palace to demonstrate on Woodbine Ave. Still, they got quite a few honks of support from passing motorists.

Before the march, several speakers shared their personal stories and support for women’s rights.

“Many of you may be asking, how does this affect Canada? What does this have to do with me?” Rinne said.

“Last year, 81 of 119 Conservative MPs voted to restrict abortion rights in Canada, and three PC candidates in the last Ontario provincial election said there are “no circumstances” in which a woman should have access to abortion.”

Rinne said access to abortion is a huge issue in Canada, as some provinces and territories have only one provider.

Kendra Mullings, former Chair of Georgina’s Equity and Diversity Advisory Committee, reiterated that although abortion is legal in Canada, legal does not mean accessible.

“America’s decision will reduce access to local and safe abortions here in Canada. And it’ll greatly impact wait times at clinics and other services that are already struggling to meet healthcare needs right here in Canada. Not to mention the massive impact on the stigma around abortions,” Mullings said.

“As Canadians, we need to advocate for our federal and provincial governments to help clinics with more funding, to improve access for Canadians. As Canadians, we need to ensure that access to abortion is enshrined into our law so that we are never forced to be in the same situation that pregnant American women are now in.”

Madison Oliver, a volunteer with the Women’s Support Network of York Region, attended the march with her partner and two children.

Oliver, who volunteers on the women’s crisis line, is upset that in York Region, with a population of more than 1.2 million, pregnant women still have to travel to get an abortion.

“We shouldn’t have to go to Toronto. And, if that’s what’s happening in York Region, what’s happening in some of the smaller towns in Ontario and across the country? I think the message today is around accessibility in Canada,” she said.

While York Region’s sexual health clinics provide information about pregnancy options for clients, they do not offer abortion services.

“York Region continues to provide pregnancy testing and options to support our clients who are pregnant, including referral for clients who require abortion services,” Lindsay Rosien, a public health nurse and team lead for York Region’s sexual health clinics, told the Post.

“We also actively promote and provide contraception and emergency contraception services in our five York Region clinics, which includes the Georgina Sexual Health Clinic, located at the Link in Sutton.”

Rinne still holds out hope things may change.

“Even though we are a very small community, we can still make an impact,” she said.

And while the turnout for the march was less than she expected, Rinne hopes to continue to educate and bring different perspectives to the issue.

“If a march like this will get somebody to do a Google search or take a picture and try to learn more, then that’s a good thing. I hope that more people will learn from today,” she said.