MEDIA RELEASE
APRIL 5, 2018
FRIENDS OF MEDICARE APPLAUDS ALBERTA GOVERNMENT FOR PROTECTING WOMEN'S ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE SERVICES
Friends of Medicare is extremely pleased to see the introduction of Bill 9: The Protecting Choice for Women Accessing Health Care Act, which will ensure that women in Alberta can freely exercise their right to safely access health care services.
This bill would establish 50 metre 'access zones' at Alberta's two non-hospital abortion clinics in Calgary and Edmonton, as well as prohibit anyone from taking photos, video, or audio of anyone within the zone.
Alberta will now join Ontario, BC, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Quebec in providing women who are seeking an abortion safe access to healthcare services without fear of harassment, intimidation, or interference. "An access zone puts some very important space between emotionally vulnerable people and those who seek to shame them" said Sandra Azocar, Executive Director of Friends of Medicare.
"An access zone does not mean that anyone is shutting down debate on access to abortion, or violating anyone's right to protest. It will simply mean that they can no longer do it in a manner which will interfere with women who are about to undergo a very private, personal, and perfectly legal medical procedure," indicates Azocar.
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