Women & Girls Deserve Better Than Abortion

Girls and Women really do deserve much better than abortion and should not be denied a second chance at choice. Here’s why you need to believe it and get the message out!!!!

Currently, I am researching how Ontario abortion facilities, which are not hospitals, are inspected, who is empowered to conduct these inspections and how often they occur. A reference to Kermit Gosnell in an article a few weeks ago, reminded me of a project AFLO conducted in 2011 and I thought that it was time for a follow up. What I have found is disconcerting to say the least. For example, in Ontario there are 23 facilities on a list that is managed and updated by the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, yet one facility in my city and a satellite site at a nearby local foodbank, which both provide medical abortion, are not listed.

Of the 23 on the list when I checked the inspection data, I discovered 6 which are attached to hospitals, four are listed as inspected under the Independent Health Facilities Act, 4 are listed under the Ontario Out of Hospital Premises Inspection Program, yet a whopping 9 plus the 2 not included do not appear on either inspection  list!!! I have requested some assistance from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, which is empowered to conduct these investigations, and am currently waiting for its response. I was also assisted by the Independent Health facilities Act office, but I have way more questions now than before.

Lastly, on this topic, and why it is so important with medical abortion on the scene, I have also found out that under the OHPIP (Out of Hospital Premises Inspection Program) under Staff Qualifications and Nurse Qualifications,

“For the purpose of this requirement a pregnant teenager in an abortion clinic will be considered an adult, therefore PALS certification [Pediatric Advanced Life Support] as noted in the core standard is not required”

The PALS certification is important because “The bodies of children and infants respond differently than those of adults. In life-threatening situations, it is critical that health professionals understand the best practices for treating pediatric patients” (birth to 16) However apparently not when it comes to abortion!

“Paediatricians provide a wide range of services for children, youth and their families. One day they might be taking care of a very sick newborn baby, while on another they may be treating a teenager who’s been involved in a car crash.”

In Ontario the definition of a minor is a “Person under 18 years” and “child” means a person under the age of 16. Yet Ontario abortion clinics did not report statistics for minors or children 17 and under and yet they perform 73% of all the abortions in our province. Ontario Hospitals reported 236 induced abortions on minors/children 17 and under which means that approximately 600 were performed in clinics!

Inspections are supposed to be undertaken every 5 years yet, under the OHPIP, of the four facilities listed, one facility had not been inspected for six years and two for 7 years. Goodness knows about the other 11 – where there appears currently no evidence that they have been inspected, yet they provide medical abortion!

Is this really an ethical level of care? Minors and children treated like adults, premises apparently not inspected and information regarding the chance of a second chance at choice after medical abortion still being denied to Canadian girls and women.

The following update contains two wonderful videos and important information which really needs to reach your community and especially your health professionals.

Abortion is not health care nor is it any care at all – our girls and women deserve way better in 2022.