Women in Canada Entitled to Taxpayer-Funded Abortions Judge Says 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
December 28, 2004
Winnipeg, Canada (LifeNews.com) — A Canadian judge says women who obtained abortions that were not paid for at taxpayer expense are entitled to compensation from the government. The judge ruled that two women should have had their abortions paid for with tax money.
A Court of Queen’s Bench judge ruled last week that the funding system in place in the province of Manitoba violated the rights of women by not paying for their abortions.
Justice Jeffrey Oliphant ruled that the province must pay for all so-called medically necessary abortions and women who paid for such abortions on their own in the past should be able to obtain refunds.
Earlier this year, but after the woman obtained their abortions, Manitoba changed its policy that previously allowed funding only in cases where such abortion occurred in a public hospital.
The two women in the case each tried to obtain taxpayer-funded abortions but faced significant delays, according to a CBC News report.
Because they felt the delays would cause health problems, they paid for abortions on their own at private abortion businesses.
"Paying for an abortion service at a private clinic is now deemed to have been wrong and they have a remedy, they can seek compensation for that," Chris Wullum, the women’s attorney, told the CBC.
Manitoba officials plan to look at the ruling but have not decided if they will appeal. Health Minister Tim Sale says the provincial government has one year to make its decision.
