U.S. Supreme Court’s abortion ruling shocks Rota
Nipissing-Timiskaming Liberal MP Anthony Rota said he was shocked by Friday’s U.S. Supreme Court’s abortion ruling.
The court ruled to overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that recognized a woman's constitutional right to an abortion and legalized it nationwide.
“These are rights that people fought for,” Rota told reporters following a Saturday afternoon funding announcement.
The decision, which is expected to lead to sweeping abortion bans in more than 20 states, has deeply divided the U.S. on its views on abortion. Reaction from faith and political leaders ranges from elation to anger.
“When we see something like that in the United States where one president has changed the makeup of the Supreme Court, we see a judgement change and rights taken away. It’s worrisome,” Rota said.
“From Canada, we don’t have the same system as the U.S., but we have to be careful here that we don’t lose rights.”
Abortion was decriminalized in Canada in 1988.
It is treated like other medical procedures and regulated through provincial/territorial and professional bodies.
“My concern is what we’re seeing is a strong right-wing movement in the United States that wants to bring us back 50 years,” Rota said.
Rota pledged to stand by a woman’s right to choose whether or not she wants to have an abortion.
“It is her body and she has the right to make that decision. It’s important that it be legal.”
In early May, the Liberal government announced it will spend $3.5 million to improve abortion access in the country.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Luxury cruise line selling world cruise suite for US$1.7 million
Luxury operator Regent Seven Seas Cruises is raising their price tag to eye-watering levels, with a suite on an upcoming 140-day world voyage costing US$1.7 million.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
A Filipino villager is nailed to a cross for the 35th time on Good Friday to pray for world peace
A Filipino villager has been nailed to a wooden cross for the 35th time to reenact Jesus Christ’s suffering in a brutal Good Friday tradition he said he would devote to pray for peace in Ukraine, Gaza and the disputed South China Sea.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
'Oppenheimer' finally premieres in Japan to mixed reactions and high emotions
'Oppenheimer' finally premiered Friday in the nation where two cities were obliterated 79 years ago by the nuclear weapons invented by the American scientist who was the subject of the Oscar-winning film. Japanese filmgoers' reactions understandably were mixed and highly emotional.