I met hundreds of people who stopped by the BC Greens tent at the Saanich Fair on Labour Day weekend. We talked about a lot of different topics and covered a lot of ground.
One group I met were from an advocacy organization called Access BC – a youth-run initiative to get free prescription contraceptives for all British Columbians, similar to programs in European countries like Great Britain, Germany and Italy.
Earlier this year the Canadian Pediatric Society called for everyone under the age of 25 to get access to free contraception however the push is on the BC Government to broaden the scope.
Good reasons to provide free contraception
The Access BC website makes a strong case for their advocacy highlighting solid social and economic reasons to expand a potential contraceptive program. The social cost of unplanned pregnancies is high and there are many additional barriers in rural communities that increase the challenges for women and their reproductive health. Let’s reconcile the gender equality issues. Men can get free access to condoms and vasectomies are covered by MSP, yet contraceptive options for women can range from $20-$350. Studies have shown that a program covering contraception costs for everyone who wants it will be revenue positive and could save the provincial government approximately $95 million per year.
Personally, I support this initiative. Similar to the program announced earlier this year to provide free menstrual products in our schools, this is a critical and important step forward for our society. I hope (and encourage) the provincial government to be bold and deliver a program more expansive than to just people under the age of 25.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments section below.
I agree. Underlying all our present social and environmental problems is the fact of an overburdened blue dot struggling with an unsustainable population of homo sapiens. C’mon UN, get going with a global contraception emphasis. The Chinese tried, but ran into a huge cultural hurdle with the preferred gender issue. Let’s let us oldsters die off and drastically slow down the birth of others.
DO IT!
Of all the things we can do for people, this is one of the most important and easiest and cheapest.
I recall working for the US military overseas, and going into some office, and seeing a candy bowl on the receptionist’s desk, filled with condoms, free for the taking. If the US Air Force has the resources for this, surely Canada does!
If we as a species have any future on this planet, we have to reduce our numbers below that currently supported by fossil sunlight, to a number that is supportable by current sunlight. Or nature will do it for us.
Access to free contraception is a GREAT thing!!
Yes, so agreed Adam, women and girls shouldn’t have to be burdened totally with the financial, emotional, energy …costs. And yes unfortunately some people will only pay attention to financial/however the stats are clear-it saves money folks!