National Abortion Federation
Encyclopedia
The National Abortion Federation (NAF) is an organization of abortion
providers. Though originally a U.S.
group, NAF has expanded to include practitioners in Canada
and Australia
as well as many European countries and Mexico
. According to their web site, half of all abortions performed in the United States and Canada are performed by NAF members.
NAF was established in 1977 with the merger of the National Association of Abortion Facilities (NAAF), founded by Merle Hoffman
, and the National Abortion Council (NAC). One of its founders was Frances Kissling
, later president of Catholics for a Free Choice
. They participate in a variety of activities, including lobbying
efforts, public outreach campaigns, and a helpline referral service to member practitioners. The organization annually holds a meeting to address areas of concern to abortion facilities such as political challenges, staffing, and legal issues. Since 1981 NAF has also held an annual Risk Management Seminar to address clinical aspects of abortion practice. They also publish clinical guidelines for practitioners.
NAF indicates that "In order to become a member, a clinic must complete a rigorous application process. Member clinics have agreed to comply with our standards for quality and care, updated annually in our Clinical Policy Guidelines, which set the evidence-based standards for abortion care in North America
. NAF periodically conducts site visits to confirm that our clinics are in compliance with our guidelines."
, Federal MP and former Minister of State for Health Carolyn Bennett
and NDP Status of Women Critic Irene Mathyssen
. The program offers Canadian women abortion referrals, options counseling and post-abortion counseling through the NAF toll-free helpline, and French language website support .
Canada is unique among nations in being without an enforceable criminal abortion law. The 1988 Supreme Court ruling R. v. Morgentaler
found the 1969 criminal code provisions unconstitutional with the majority decision turning on s. 7 (life, liberty and security of the person) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
(Judge Wilson's decision was based on s. 15). To date, the Canadian Federal Parliament has not been successful in enacting replacement abortion legislation nor has it repealed criminal code sections 287 and 288. Provinces govern how abortion service is delivered and though they don't have authority to criminalize abortion and may face penalties if they contravene the Canada Health Act
they still enjoy considerable political latitude on the abortion issue. This grey area of law and health policy has led to some provinces enacting their own legislation to control access and service delivery. Further evidence of provincial claims to autonomy are seen in the variance that exists throughout Canada in availability of abortion service and in how components of care are delivered (facility, counseling, timeliness of care, referral process, cost, quality of provider care). The NAF Canadian Public Policy and Outreach Program seeks to address this variance through working to promote compliance with its Clinical Policy Guidelines.. Their efforts in this regard can be seen by some to compete unfavourably with policy standards of the Canadian Medical Association
(CMA) and provincial Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons.
NAF has taken issue with the Canadian Medical Association
's (CMA) abortion referral policy which allows physicians to refuse to refer women to abortion providers in accordance with their conscience and CMA Policy - Induced Abortion. If pressed, a physician must indicate alternative sources where a woman might obtain a referral.. NAF has lobbied to force Canadian physicians to opt out of provincial healthcare plans entirely if they do not refer for abortion . According to those opposed to abortion, this does not respect the grey area of law and policy which leave abortion as a free decision of each individual Canadian. They believe that there is no legal obligation to provide elective abortion, nor is there any law compelling a person to participate in abortion.
Some people in some regions of Canada do not like the policy of abortion-on-request and do not approve of clinic abortion. New Brunswick
is one province with restrictive abortion regulations. New Brunswick Regulation 84-20 under the Medical Services Payment Act only funds abortions performed by a specialist in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology in a hospital facility approved by the jurisdiction in which the hospital facility is located and two medical practitioners certify in writing that the abortion was medically required.. New Brunswick does not fund clinic abortion at all and so far no citizen of New Brunswick has ever challenged their government to do so, though pro-choice groups have continually lobbied against the strict regulations. In 2001, the federal government began insisting that New Brunswick fully fund abortion services, but was slow to take official steps toward remedying the situation. It has never withheld transfer payments from New Brunswick for its violation of the Act (Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, 2005. Clinic Funding—Overview of Political Situation. Position Paper 3. www.arcc-cdac.ca). In April 2005, then-Federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh began a dispute avoidance resolution process with the government of New Brunswick, but it lost momentum with the election of a Conservative government, and Federal Health Minister Tony Clement has decided not to pursue it (Morrison, Campbell. 2006. N. B. Opposition MP’s Urge Minister to Enforce Canada Health Act, The Daily Gleaner, 20 May, A5). Currently NAF member Henry Morgentaler
is appealing a decision in New Brunswick but the chance of his success is not assured. On the other hand, there are signs that provinces are indeed required to fund abortions in private clinics, for in August 2006 a court judgment ordered the government of Quebec to refund 13 million dollars to the approximately 45,000 women who had paid some fees for their abortions in women’s health centres and private clinics between 1999 and 2006 (Carroll, Ann and Dougherty, Kevin. 2006. Province to Refund Abortions. Montreal Gazette, 19 August.).
NAF exists by donation only and is a registered charity.
In conclusion, the Canada Health Act
guarantees Canadians access to necessary healthcare services, but provinces have autonomy in the delivery of healthcare service and some think they can decide whether abortion is medically necessary. The Federal Government has disagreed with this position in the past, as indicated by the multiple demands that New Brunswick fully fund abortion services. The debate about this issue continues, but nowhere more so than in New Brunswick, which arguably has some of the most restrictive abortion regulations in the country.
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
providers. Though originally a U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
group, NAF has expanded to include practitioners in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
as well as many European countries and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. According to their web site, half of all abortions performed in the United States and Canada are performed by NAF members.
NAF was established in 1977 with the merger of the National Association of Abortion Facilities (NAAF), founded by Merle Hoffman
Merle Hoffman
Merle Hoffman is a women's health pioneer, activist, political organizer, publisher and author.Hoffman is the founder, president and CEO of CHOICES Women's Medical Center, one of the nation's largest and most comprehensive women's medical facilities, and the publisher and editor-in-chief of On...
, and the National Abortion Council (NAC). One of its founders was Frances Kissling
Frances Kissling
Frances Kissling is scholar and activist in the fields of religion, reproduction and women's rights. She was President of Catholics for a Free Choice from 1982 until 2007 when she turned over the reins to Jon O’Brien. She is now a Visiting Scholar at the Center for Bioethics at the University of...
, later president of Catholics for a Free Choice
Catholics for a Free Choice
Catholics for Choice , formerly Catholics for a Free Choice , is a Catholic pro-choice organization based in Washington, D.C. that was founded "to serve as a voice for Catholics who believe that the Catholic tradition supports a woman's moral and legal right to follow her conscience in matters of...
. They participate in a variety of activities, including lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
efforts, public outreach campaigns, and a helpline referral service to member practitioners. The organization annually holds a meeting to address areas of concern to abortion facilities such as political challenges, staffing, and legal issues. Since 1981 NAF has also held an annual Risk Management Seminar to address clinical aspects of abortion practice. They also publish clinical guidelines for practitioners.
NAF indicates that "In order to become a member, a clinic must complete a rigorous application process. Member clinics have agreed to comply with our standards for quality and care, updated annually in our Clinical Policy Guidelines, which set the evidence-based standards for abortion care in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. NAF periodically conducts site visits to confirm that our clinics are in compliance with our guidelines."
Canadian Public Policy and Outreach Program
NAF launched a Canadian Public Policy and Outreach Program on May 16, 2006 with the support of Senator Lucie PépinLucie Pépin
Lucie Pépin is a former Canadian politician, who served in both the House of Commons and Senate.-Career:A Registered Nurse by profession, in the 1960s, Pépin served as head nurse in the gynecology department and then at the family planning clinic of Notre-Dame Hospital in Montreal, and was...
, Federal MP and former Minister of State for Health Carolyn Bennett
Carolyn Bennett
Carolyn Ann Bennett, PC, MP is the Member of Parliament for the riding of St. Paul's, a constituency located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is a member of the Liberal Party of Canada, and was formerly a candidate for its leadership....
and NDP Status of Women Critic Irene Mathyssen
Irene Mathyssen
Irene R. Mathyssen is a Canadian politician and a Member of Parliament in the Canadian House of Commons...
. The program offers Canadian women abortion referrals, options counseling and post-abortion counseling through the NAF toll-free helpline, and French language website support .
Canada is unique among nations in being without an enforceable criminal abortion law. The 1988 Supreme Court ruling R. v. Morgentaler
R. v. Morgentaler
R. v. Morgentaler [1988] 1 S.C.R. 30 was a decision of the Supreme Court of Canada wherein the abortion provision in the Criminal Code of Canada was found to be unconstitutional, as it violated a woman's right under section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms to "security of person"...
found the 1969 criminal code provisions unconstitutional with the majority decision turning on s. 7 (life, liberty and security of the person) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms is a bill of rights entrenched in the Constitution of Canada. It forms the first part of the Constitution Act, 1982...
(Judge Wilson's decision was based on s. 15). To date, the Canadian Federal Parliament has not been successful in enacting replacement abortion legislation nor has it repealed criminal code sections 287 and 288. Provinces govern how abortion service is delivered and though they don't have authority to criminalize abortion and may face penalties if they contravene the Canada Health Act
Canada Health Act
The Canada Health Act is a piece of Canadian federal legislation, adopted in 1984, which specifies the conditions and criteria with which the provincial and territorial health insurance programs must conform in order to receive federal transfer payments under the Canada Health Transfer...
they still enjoy considerable political latitude on the abortion issue. This grey area of law and health policy has led to some provinces enacting their own legislation to control access and service delivery. Further evidence of provincial claims to autonomy are seen in the variance that exists throughout Canada in availability of abortion service and in how components of care are delivered (facility, counseling, timeliness of care, referral process, cost, quality of provider care). The NAF Canadian Public Policy and Outreach Program seeks to address this variance through working to promote compliance with its Clinical Policy Guidelines.. Their efforts in this regard can be seen by some to compete unfavourably with policy standards of the Canadian Medical Association
Canadian Medical Association
The Canadian Medical Association , with more than 70,000 members, is the largest association of doctors in Canada and works to represent their interests nationally. It formed in 1867, three months after Confederation...
(CMA) and provincial Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons.
NAF has taken issue with the Canadian Medical Association
Canadian Medical Association
The Canadian Medical Association , with more than 70,000 members, is the largest association of doctors in Canada and works to represent their interests nationally. It formed in 1867, three months after Confederation...
's (CMA) abortion referral policy which allows physicians to refuse to refer women to abortion providers in accordance with their conscience and CMA Policy - Induced Abortion. If pressed, a physician must indicate alternative sources where a woman might obtain a referral.. NAF has lobbied to force Canadian physicians to opt out of provincial healthcare plans entirely if they do not refer for abortion . According to those opposed to abortion, this does not respect the grey area of law and policy which leave abortion as a free decision of each individual Canadian. They believe that there is no legal obligation to provide elective abortion, nor is there any law compelling a person to participate in abortion.
Some people in some regions of Canada do not like the policy of abortion-on-request and do not approve of clinic abortion. New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
is one province with restrictive abortion regulations. New Brunswick Regulation 84-20 under the Medical Services Payment Act only funds abortions performed by a specialist in the field of obstetrics and gynaecology in a hospital facility approved by the jurisdiction in which the hospital facility is located and two medical practitioners certify in writing that the abortion was medically required.. New Brunswick does not fund clinic abortion at all and so far no citizen of New Brunswick has ever challenged their government to do so, though pro-choice groups have continually lobbied against the strict regulations. In 2001, the federal government began insisting that New Brunswick fully fund abortion services, but was slow to take official steps toward remedying the situation. It has never withheld transfer payments from New Brunswick for its violation of the Act (Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada, 2005. Clinic Funding—Overview of Political Situation. Position Paper 3. www.arcc-cdac.ca). In April 2005, then-Federal Health Minister Ujjal Dosanjh began a dispute avoidance resolution process with the government of New Brunswick, but it lost momentum with the election of a Conservative government, and Federal Health Minister Tony Clement has decided not to pursue it (Morrison, Campbell. 2006. N. B. Opposition MP’s Urge Minister to Enforce Canada Health Act, The Daily Gleaner, 20 May, A5). Currently NAF member Henry Morgentaler
Henry Morgentaler
Henry Morgentaler, CM is a Canadian physician and prominent pro-choice advocate who has fought numerous legal battles for that cause.-Early life:...
is appealing a decision in New Brunswick but the chance of his success is not assured. On the other hand, there are signs that provinces are indeed required to fund abortions in private clinics, for in August 2006 a court judgment ordered the government of Quebec to refund 13 million dollars to the approximately 45,000 women who had paid some fees for their abortions in women’s health centres and private clinics between 1999 and 2006 (Carroll, Ann and Dougherty, Kevin. 2006. Province to Refund Abortions. Montreal Gazette, 19 August.).
NAF exists by donation only and is a registered charity.
In conclusion, the Canada Health Act
Canada Health Act
The Canada Health Act is a piece of Canadian federal legislation, adopted in 1984, which specifies the conditions and criteria with which the provincial and territorial health insurance programs must conform in order to receive federal transfer payments under the Canada Health Transfer...
guarantees Canadians access to necessary healthcare services, but provinces have autonomy in the delivery of healthcare service and some think they can decide whether abortion is medically necessary. The Federal Government has disagreed with this position in the past, as indicated by the multiple demands that New Brunswick fully fund abortion services. The debate about this issue continues, but nowhere more so than in New Brunswick, which arguably has some of the most restrictive abortion regulations in the country.