University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law

Marina Bredin University of Ottawa, Faculty of Law January 13, 2024 Towards Decolonial Reproductive Justice in Canada: Situating the Practice of Forced Birth Evacuation as a Tool of Modern Colonialism 2 Forced birth evacuation (FBE) is the movement of Indigenous pregnant persons living in remote communities in Canada to urban centres during the final weeks of their pregnancies to facilitate their. [...] In this essay, I will consider FBE through a decolonial reproductive justice lens, arguing that the practice undermines Indigenous self-determination, stands in the way of reconciliation, and should be situated as a tool of modern colonialism.3 Excavating the very different reproductive experiences of Indigenous people in Canada and their complex histories of reproductive oppression requires takin. [...] There are many instances of Indigenous reproductive oppression that coincided with reproductive rights victories but are forgotten from the mainstream narrative, including the forced sterilization of Indigenous people, and the covert prescription of birth control to Indigenous women before it was legalized in Canada, for the purposes of population control.4 Decolonial reproductive justice attends. [...] Despite the persistence of FBE throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, birth outcomes are still much worse for Indigenous people than for non-Indigenous Canadians.20 The lack of empirical data available from the federal government about FBE is striking, and, without it, any claims that the practice has positive effects for Indigenous families are disingenuous at best.21 At its core, the colonial p. [...] Call 22 of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action, requires that the government “effect change within the Canadian health-care system to recognize the value of Aboriginal healing practices and use them in the treatment of Aboriginal patients in collaboration with Aboriginal healers…”.29 Allowing Indigenous families to grow and thrive, to decide where they will receive care, and.