FLIP Saint John is inviting everyone to attend a rally in support of safe abortion access and LGBTQ+ healthcare in New Brunswick. The rally will be held in Rothesay Common, near the office of Ted Flemming, Minister of Health.

Despite being directly and repeatedly informed by the Federal Minister of Health and others that New Brunswick is in violation of the law by refusing to fund medically-necessary healthcare (abortion) in a clinic setting, Premier Blaine Higgs continues to shirk his responsibilities to the constituents of this province and refuses to strike down regulation 84-20 2a.1, which states that Medicare will not fund abortions performed outside of a hospital setting. Because the Higgs government will not take action on this issue, New Brunswick stands to lose its only clinic that performs abortion up to 16weeks, and which also provides additional essential health services to pregnant people, 2SLGBTQIA+people, people with addictions, and thousands of other patients for whom this clinic is their Family Doctor.

If Clinic 554 closes, thousands of patients will be left without access to medical services in the initial stages of a global pandemic, and even more will be forced to travel widely between provincial zones in order to access necessary care. Refusing to recognize the burden this will place on our already-overloaded healthcare system and the danger this presents to vulnerable populations in NB is completely unconscionable behavior on behalf of the Higgs government and we will not stand for it.

Notes:
– Please wear a mask and socially distance at 6+ feet whenever possible to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19
– If you are not able to make the event yourself but want to show your support in other ways, check out Save Clinic 554 and the Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada on FB, Twitter, and Instagram to stay up-to-date with the latest news and other ways to get involved!