BC Federation of Labour stands up for access to safe and legal abortions in BC On Saturday, October 20th, people will demonstrate inside the lobby of Waterfront Skytrain Station to demand equal access to abortion services in BC and across Canada. The BC Federation of Labour’s Women’s Rights Committee and the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada are part of a larger collective of groups and individuals working towards equal access for Canadian women to safe and legal abortions. October 20th is a pan-Canadian day of action organized by the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada and other groups across the country. This action will be one of many happening in cities in all provinces and territories on Saturday. In aboriginal communities across BC, access to safe and legal abortions is not available or is very difficult to access. Of the seven abortion clinics in BC, four are located in the Lower Mainland, one is in Victoria, one is in Kelowna, and one is in Rossland in the Kootenays. There are no abortion clinics in northern BC. Outside of these areas, there are doctors who provide abortion services in some areas around the province but not in the north, or in aboriginal communities where access to transportation is difficult. Areas such as Terrace, Nelson, Kaslo, Cranbrook, Bella Coola, Smithers, Atlin, Valemount and many more have no access to abortion services for more than 100 kilometers, making abortion almost impossible for residents of these communities, especially in winter months. BC Federation of Labour Secretary Treasurer Irene Lanzinger says, “this demonstration is an important part of standing up for women’s rights, and those rights include access to safe and legal abortion services.” Download letter here. | 
