Senator hears of mounting concerns about sterilization

OTTAWA — Increased national awareness about coerced sterilization of Indigenous women has resulted in mounting concerns about other vulnerable women who might have endured the practice, an Ontario senator says.

Sen. Yvonne Boyer, who has proposed a Senate committee study recent allegations of Indigenous women who say they were coerced into tubal ligations during childbirth, said her office also has heard concerns about reproductive rights of other marginalized women.

She said they come from women who are poor, racialized or have from mental and physical disabilities need to be looked at as well. “The door has widened.” Boyer garnered national and international attention last fall after she spoke out about concerns regarding allegations of modern-day sterilization of Indigenous women in Canada.

Prior to being appointed to the Senate, Boyer and Métis physician Dr. Judith Bartlett conducted an external review of complaints about coerced tubal ligations in the Saskatoon Health Region, which prompted a formal apology.

Her concerns about sterilizations involving additional marginalized women are also shared by Sen. Kim Pate.

“I think we are going to find this is something that happened to a lot of poor women, especially racialized and Indigenous women and especially women with mental-health issues,” Pate said in an interview.

Pate, who worked extensively as an advocate in the legal and penal systems for 35 years before being appointed to the upper chamber, said it is necessary to help identify and rectify the situation.

Both Boyer and Pate are also considering a separate study of concerns about women and girls sterilized while in prison.

Pate said the examination must unfold in a sensitive and supportive way in order to protect the privacy and integrity of women and girls who might have experienced this.