By Canadian Press

New Brunswick premier critical of Trudeau comments on abortion services

Oct 16, 2019 | 12:58 PM

FREDERICTON — The premier of New Brunswick says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is playing politics with the issue of abortion services in the province.

The comments from Blaine Higgs come a day after Trudeau promised that a re-elected Liberal government would come to the rescue of an abortion clinic in Fredericton.

Clinic 554 says it could be forced to shut down without provincial funding.

Trudeau said he would sit down with Higgs to remind him his province has an obligation to fund out-of-hospital abortions — and of the fact that Ottawa has the power to enforce such requirements under the Canada Health Act.

But the Tory premier says New Brunswick provides abortion services at hospitals in Bathurst and Moncton and does not fund private clinics — as was the case under the previous Liberal government of Brian Gallant.

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Higgs says he makes decisions based on the facts and requirements and not on political pressure from a “prime minister that’s trying to find any way possible to get a vote.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2019.

The Canadian Press