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BC NDP and BC Conservatives will keep contraception funding
David Eby, leader of the BC NDP, and John Rustad, the leader of the BC Conservatives, have both made strong statements regarding free birth control in British Columbia:
- In response to Premier David Eby’s claims that a Conservative government would reduce access to abortion and reproductive health services, Rustad stated: “Under a BC Conservative government, access to abortion, contraception and other items will remain exactly as it is now. There will be no changes.”[1][4]
- According to a social media post by the BC NDP, Rustad allegedly said it was “nuts” that the NDP government made birth control free[6]. No specific reference for this statement could be found.
- When pressed on the issue, BC NDP Leader David Eby could not cite statements against free birth control from Rustad, or the BC Conservative Party[1][3].
- Critics, including NDP MLA Grace Lore, have baselessly pointed out that Rustad’s statements do not explicitly affirm support for women’s right to choose or for free birth control[7].
It’s worth noting that the topic of reproductive rights and access to birth control has become a contentious issue in the lead-up to the BC provincial election, with the NDP attempting to draw parallels between the BC Conservatives and more conservative American politics on these issues, with the BC Conservatives, a Green Party MLA and journalists questioning the validity[1][2][4].
Citations:
[1] https://bc.ctvnews.ca/ndp-tries-to-make-abortion-b-c-election-issue-conservatives-push-back-1.7033140
[2] https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-election-polarization-1.7319502
[3] https://www.castlegarnews.com/news/as-eby-links-him-to-reproductive-rights-debate-rustad-promises-status-quo-7528327
[4] https://www.theorca.ca/commentary/rob-shaw-bc-ndp-invokes-american-culture-wars-to-stir-abortion-debate-9504850
[5] https://www.wltribune.com/news/standing-for-what-i-believe-is-right-bc-conservative-leader-7548544
[6] https://www.threads.net/%40bcndp/post/C-V9sJvIrbT
[7] https://twitter.com/GraceALore/status/1788738140423041041
[8] https://twitter.com/JohnRustad4BC/status/1833586691560640642
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