Pro-choice rally held at U.S. consulate in Toronto in wake of Roe vs. Wade overturn
Dozens of people gathered outside the U.S. consulate in downtown Toronto Saturday to protest a landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court to overturn constitutional protection for abortion rights.
Protester carried placards and chanted slogans to protest the decision, which overturns the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade case, which legalized abortion.
The decision is expected to lead to abortion bans in roughly half of U.S. states.
Speaking with CP24 outside the consulate, the chair of Democrats Abroad Canada said she’s worried about what the move means for women’s health and freedoms.
She said she greeted the decision Friday with anger and fear but that has since turned to action.
“We’re mobilizing, we’re registering voters, we’re finding those Americans that are here,” Erin Kotecki Vest said, pointing out that there are more than half a million Americans living in Canada who are eligible to vote in the U.S.
She said the primary goal of the protest is to raise awareness about the decision.
“We need to get more people aware of what’s going on and to get those Americans that are here in Canada registered to vote because that’s the only thing that’s going to change this,” Kotecki Vest said. “Canadians voting and Americans voting, that’s the number one thing to do.”
She said while Canadians and Americans living here tend to feel insulated from the abortion debate south of the border, people should not take their freedoms for granted.
“One of the reasons we love living in Canada so much is that we think we don’t have to fear what’s happening south of the border, that we can kind of skirt that a little. But as you’ve seen it’s starting to creep up,” she said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Quebec judge orders bus driver to stand trial for 2023 daycare crash deaths
A judge has ordered a Quebec man to stand trial on charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of two children killed when a bus rammed into a Montreal-area daycare last year.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Calgary officer charged after allegedly assaulting handcuffed man
A Calgary police officer has been charged after allegedly assaulting a handcuffed man two years ago.