Write letters to protect NB Morgentaler Clinic from anti-abortion interference

From the NB Advisory Council on Status of Women:

BUBBLE ZONE LEGISLATION: PLEASE WRITE LETTERS!

The Morgentaler Clinic staff and other pro-choice organizations are pressing for the provincial government to pass “Bubble Zone” legislation.

A Bubble Zone bars anti-choice demonstrations in certain places, typically the immediate area around an abortion clinic and also around the homes and other workplaces of clinic staff. Such legislation provides a basis for police to act against the type of conduct described above. Ontario and British Columbia have had Bubble Zone legislation for many years. In those provinces the legislation has been effective in protecting clinic clients and clinic staff from precisely the kind of harassment they are experiencing here in New Brunswick.

The Minister of Justice is currently considering Bubble Zone legislation for New Brunswick. Please contact him to show your support for this important legislative initiative!

Hon. Thomas J. Burke, Q.C.
Attorney General, Minister of Justice and Consumer Affairs
Phone: (506) 462-5100
Fax: (506) 453-3651
T.J.Burke@gnb.ca

Mailing address:
Centennial Building
P. O. Box 6000
Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1

Constituency Office:
Phone: (506) 453-3365
Fax: (506) 453-5469
tjbconstituency@hotmail.com

Mailing address:
288 Union Street
Fredericton, NB E3A 1E5

ONGOING HARASSMENT AT THE MORGENTALER CLINIC

Tuesdays are ‘clinic day’, the day when women from around the province who have been denied publicly funded abortions come to the Fredericton Morgentaler Clinic. On arrival, they are forced to endure a gauntlet of anti-choice demonstrators in order to access their right to an abortion. Although the antis claim that they behave in a peaceful manner, they are in fact extremely aggressive. Here is an account of today’s events from a member of the Clinic staff:

“The "antis" were horrible today. The sign that the police once confiscated (very disgusting) is now in their hands again. They had another one as well. These are the same signs that the Show the Truth people used when in town. We saw close to 20 people today and many walked in crying and extremely upset. Needless to say, it creates a less than comfortable environment in here. People settle down once they get inside but it takes a while!

“I called … the police department and [the officer I spoke to] told me that there's nothing more they can do. They did try and apparently didn't have enough evidence or whatever they needed to make the conviction stick. A couple of people (not sure who they were) were involved in shouting matches with the antis and I said to [the police officer], that I was concerned this could lead to an incident. I believe he understood but said well if there's an incident, call the police….