The Alberta NDP supposedly held hearings around the province last fall on health care. Apparently they believe more access to abortion is a major health care issue. I would think wait times, shortage of long term care facilities, doctors etc. would be high on the priority list as would the most of Albertans feel, I presume. But then again who am I to judge what the most important health care issues are. I'm after just a lowly Alberta citizen that doesn't know what is important to me as far as health care goes. On the other hand the Dippers know better. They seem to think it's access to abortion.
The Dippers decided that there is not enought access to abortion facilities especially in rural areas. (h/t) Edmonton Sun
"Women are concerned over the lack of abortion services available in the province, according to an Alberta NDP health report released Wednesday.Three abortion clinics operate in Alberta – one in Edmonton and two in Calgary – forcing many women in surrounding areas to travel hours to get the procedure, said NDP MLA Rachel Notley.
The report, compiled from public hearings and titled Alberta’s Health Care: What People Want, recommends the province add more abortion services in rural areas.
“Many women do have to travel and often travel expenses and accommodation expenses are a barrier to accessing the services for some women,” said Laura Wershler, executive director of Sexual Health Access Alberta. “It’s been a problem for a long time.”
For example, Fort McMurray women must travel for nearly five hours to the nearest clinic, Women’s Health Options, in Edmonton.
Edmonton used to have two abortion centres. But in 2005, Royal Alexandra Hospital’s clinic was closed.
Adding to the problem is that abortion procedures are not taught to all medical students, says the NDP report.
Some students elect to not learn the process, Notley said. But she argues abortions fall in the spectrum of health services provided by the province.
“This is a women’s health issue and it’s very frustrating. It’s somehow underground and not openly talked about."
A 2006 Canadians for Choice report found just 6% of Alberta hospitals provide abortions, the third lowest rate in the country.
In Alberta, the rate of reported abortions has remained steady since 1996.
In 2005, there were 14.4 induced abortions per 1,000 females in the province, according to the latest Statistics Canada figures.
An Alberta Health and Wellness spokesman was not available for comment"
We need fewer abortion facilities not more IMHO. We do not need more places where babies get butchered. We need to encourage women to have more babies not fewer. Those who want to abort, encourage them to give the little one up for adoption.
In the coming years as our population ages, we are going to face a worker shortage. The current birth rate is Canada is 1.54 children. That is not enough. We need at least a birth rate of 2.1 children just to maintain current population level.
In Alberta the latest record I could find from the Government was in 2008, a record 50,543 babies were born in the province. That is good. We need to keep it up.So I don't know what the Dippers are smokin'. They like the social welfare programs. Well how in the heck do they get paid for? The taxpayer pays for them, that's who.
Immigration is not going to totally solve a future worker shortage.
Dippers, are you listening? We need these babies and more! We need more future workers, the taxpayer of tomorrow to pay for the social programs you demand! We need more Albertans! So no more abortion facilities!
NDP ,on your side, really? Not mine! Better slogan, NDP out of touch!
