US Supreme Court Justices Say 'Challenge' Post-Roe v. Wade Could Be Financing A Trip To Canada

U.S. Supreme Court justices have said Roe v. Wade being overturned could mean Americans having to face the "challenge" of financing a trip to Canada for abortion access.

In a joint dissent issued by Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Stephen Breyer on June 24, the Justices spoke about the court's decision to no longer require abortion to be a right in the U.S..

"[The] decision, the majority says, permits 'each State' to address abortion as it pleases. [...] That is cold comfort, of course, for the poor woman who cannot get the money to fly to a distant State for a procedure," they said.

Sotomayor, Kagan and Breyer said that people who lack financial resources will suffer because of the court's decision.

"After this decision, some states may block women from traveling out of state to obtain abortions, or even from receiving abortion medications from out of state," they said.

Then, they also noted how there isn't anything in the decision that stops the federal government from outlawing abortion nationwide at the moment of conception with no exemptions.

"If that happens, 'the views of [an individual state's] citizens' will not matter. The challenge for a woman will be to finance a trip not to 'New York [or] California' but to Toronto," the justices said.

"Whatever the exact scope of the coming laws, one result of [the] decision is certain: the curtailment of women's rights, and of their status as free and equal citizens," they continued.

After the leak of a draft opinion by the U.S. Supreme Court in May that suggested Roe v. Wade could be overturned, a Canadian politician was asked if the government would ensure Americans could come to Canada for an abortion.

"I don't see why we would not. If they, people, come here and need access, certainly, you know, that's a service that would be provided," said Karina Gould, the minister of families, children and social development.

A Canadian federal government official also told Narcity that "Americans accessing health care services in Canada, including abortion services, would continue to have to pay for the service out-of-pocket or by their own private insurance."

That payment would be needed if Americans aren't covered by provincial health insurance, the Interim Federal Health Program or the Non-Insured Health Benefits.

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