Ontario announces plan to ban pro-life protesters outside abortion clinics

Ontario's Attorney General has announced plans to introduce a legislation that would prohibit pro-life protesters and sidewalk counselors from standing in front of abortion clinics in the province.

Yasir Naqvi, Ontario Attorney General and Ottawa Centre MPP, said that his proposal would create safe zones around abortion clinics in the province and ensure that women will have "safe access to healthcare services."

The attorney general said during a press conference that he believes that every woman in the province "has the right to make decisions about her own health care and she deserves to do so freely without fear, without fear for her safety, privacy or dignity, without fear of being judged or publicly humiliated because of her choice, without fear of being threatened with violence, harassment, or intimidated."

Naqvi, who made the announcement alongside Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and Coun. Catherine McKenney on Monday, said his ministry will consult with advocacy groups, local clinics as well as legal and health care experts to determine the details of his proposal. He will also be looking into similar laws that are already in place in British Columbia, Quebec, Newfoundland, and Labrador as a model for his legislation.

Jim Hughes, National President of Campaign Life Coalition, described the proposal as an attack on free speech.

"Once again we see the heavy-handed people on the left attempting to remove the right of free speech from those they disagree with," he told Life Site News, adding that "heaven only knows" how many women have received help and how many children have been spared from abortion because of the counselors outside abortion clinics.

Naqvi noted that his proposed legislation would have to stand up to any court challenges based on the rights of the protesters. "We [have to ensure] that we protect the right to free speech," he said.

CBC reported that Watson had asked the province last week to create a law to protect women's access to abortion services. He pointed to reports of patients and staff being confronted outside the Morgentaler Clinic on Bank Street.

"We've seen harassment over the years on Bank Street at the clinic but it was starting in many ways to get worse," he said.

Louise Harbour, executive director of the pro-life group Action Life Ottawa, suggested that there should be an investigation into the alleged harassment outside the clinic before limiting the rights of the protesters.

A 1994 court injunction prohibits protesters from going 150 meters near three abortion clinics in Toronto, but the facility in downtown Ottawa is not covered by the order because it was not open at the time.