The President of the Canadian Bar Association, John Stefaniuk, K.C., marked International Women’s Day by sending a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to inform him of a recent resolution adopted by CBA members on protecting and realizing abortion rights in Canada.
The resolution, which was sponsored by the CBA’s Women Lawyers Forum, makes it CBA policy to oppose any efforts to restrict abortion rights and access in Canada. It also commits the CBA to working with governments and other stakeholders to expand abortion access across Canada.
“Abortion rights are fundamental to bodily autonomy, and enable people to control their futures, shape their families, and fully participate in society, in accordance with principles of reproductive justice,” Stefaniuk says.
The letter notes the prime minister raised awareness of those issues during Sexual and Reproductive Health Awareness Week in February 2024. “We also applaud the government’s collaborative efforts to expand coverage for contraception, another pillar of reproductive justice,” reads the letter, co-signed by WLF chair Catherine Ewasiuk.