Tuesday was supposed to be the final day for procedures at Fredericton’s Morgentaler Clinic, but CTV News has learned clinic staff will be performing abortions for at least one more day.
The Fredericton clinic is the last Morgentaler Clinic in the Maritimes, but it is set to close on Friday.
Abortion rights supporter Kathleen Pye says roughly 60 per cent of all procedures in New Brunswick are performed at the clinic, and its impending closure is already creating a backlog in the public system.
She believes that could create a health-care crisis for some women.
“They won’t get the referrals even to begin that process,” says Pye. “Some will have to start leaving the province in order to get access and I really worry that, in the long run, we might start to hear about women potentially hurting themselves because they’re really desperate for what is, unfortunately, legally their right to have.”
The clinic announced earlier this year that it would close this month, in large part because the province doesn’t fund the services it provides.
New Brunswick Health Minister Hugh Flemming says abortions are available through the public system.
“In both the Horizon and Vitalite health networks, on medically necessary, with two doctors, and it’s a situation that’s in place now and that will continue,” says Flemming.
A campaign is underway to save the Morgentaler Clinic, and supporters have raised almost $75,000 online.
“Knowing that people from all over, really the globe, are upset and they’re angry and they want to help us out in solidarity as much as they can, it’s really, really important, especially this week, where it is really difficult for a lot of us because the clinic is really important,” says Pye.
While the last abortions will be performed at the clinic on Friday, it will remain open through the end of the month to offer advice and help.
Clinic officials and those attempting to save the facility hope the telephone lines and advice will continue to be available even after the official shutdown at the end of the month.
With files from CTV Atlantic's Andy Campbell