Abortion is legal in Canada, but access remains uneven, and misinformation is growing. In this episode of Strength in Practice, host Monika Goodluck speaks with Frédérique Chabot, Executive Director of Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights, about what’s really shaping abortion care across the country.
Together, they unpack where access breaks down (including rural/remote gaps and “patchwork” policies), how conscientious objection and disinformation can delay or obstruct care, and why Canada’s framework, treating abortion as health care under the Canada Health Act—matters. Frédérique also explains why calls for an “abortion law” can be risky, and how anti-choice tactics can enter through “backdoor” issues and narrative shifts.
The conversation highlights the role of midwives in normalizing abortion as part of the full spectrum of reproductive health care—and what it takes to protect access through advocacy, collaboration, and compassionate, evidence-based support.
RESOURCES
SOGC HUB – Abortion
https://sogc.org/en/en/content/events/HUB-Pages/Abortion.aspx?
Action Canada : Abortion in Canada must be accessible — not just legal
https://www.actioncanadashr.org/abortion-access?
Abortion in Canada is legal for all, but inaccessible for too many
https://policyoptions.irpp.org/2022/08/abortion-access-canada/
Medical abortion in Canada: behind the times
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3883814/
The Truth about Crisis Pregnancy Centres
https://www.missinformed.ca/post/the-truth-about-crisis-pregnancy-centres
Crisis pregnancy centres mislead women, report says
https://globalnews.ca/news/2703632/crisis-pregnancy-centres-mislead-women-report-says/
The Next Infodemic: Abortion Misinformation
https://www.jmir.org/2023/1/e42582/
Sharevski et al. (2023) TikTok abortion misinformation: Rampant Content, Lax Moderation, and Vivid User Experiences
https://arxiv.org/pdf/2301.05128
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Strength in Practice is produced by the Canadian Association of Midwives, in collaboration with Bespoke Podcasts.
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