End of Roe c. Wade: a setback for women, says Ambassador Kirsten Hillman
Canada's Representative to the United States United says Ottawa will continue to support American women in defending their rights.
Canadian Ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman.
The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade's restriction of abortion rights is a “real setback to women's fundamental right to make decisions about their own bodies,” says Canada's Ambassador to the United States, Kirsten Hillman.
In an interview on the show L'Heure du mondeOn Wednesday, broadcast on ICI Premiere, Ms. Hillman agreed that the US Supreme Court ruling will have a very real impact on women in many states.
According to Ms. Hillman, her role as an ambassador of Canada is not only to promote the interests of our country but also to advance its values. She added that in this context, I am clear and unequivocal: we, our country, our government, support the right to choose and the need to provide women with safe and legal abortion services.
Ms. Hillman indicated that we will continue to support women [in the defense of] their rights. She said she was always willing to express that view, because that is [Canada's] position.
The issue of abortion has further divided American society since the recent Supreme Court ruling, Hillman said, but other polarizing issues worry the ambassador. In particular, she mentions Americans' concerns about the state of their democracy, particularly given the congressional hearings on the events of January 6, 2021.
Americans are fighting for their democracy, for their institutions, they're trying to really [understand] what happened that day, Hillman believes. However, the passing of the bipartisan gun control law is a sign of the advancement of American society, she continued.
“Canadians really need to focus on this: we, too, continue to be vigilant for our democracy, to make sure we have the country we want, to have meaningful discussions, to protect our institutions.
—Kirsten Hillman, Ambassador of Canada to the United States
The Canadian Ambassador to the United States approached the issue of inflation with restraint. We recognize that this is a global phenomenon, but that does not alleviate the difficulties felt [by] citizens, she said.
However, she has noted that there is a great conversation between Canada and the United States. She recalled that Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, Chrystia Freeland, met with US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen to discuss the issue of inflation in the two countries. They also spoke at the G20 finance ministers meeting in Bali, without specifying the nature of their exchanges.
Environmental protection in the United States is another thorny issue. Ms. Hillman insisted that the recent US Supreme Court ruling on the federal government's power to impose laws that promote nature conservation is not the end of efforts by our neighbors to the south to combat climate change.
Yesterday I was with [federal Environment Minister Steven] Guilbeault, we were at the White House to talk about environmental protection, Hillman insisted.
She pointed out that the United States federal government has other tools that it will be able to use to protect nature, and although the Supreme Court's decision limits the capabilities […], the policy of the [Biden] administration has not changed.
Ms. Hillman said she feels that the situation in the United States is difficult on many issues, but that Canada is having constructive discussions and that we must watch the reaction. n of American society, which is struggling to maintain its institutions despite the political and economic turmoil.
