1988

Through the R v Morgentaler decision, the Supreme Court strikes down all legal restrictions of abortion in Canada

Dr. Henry Morgentaler was a long-time advocate for women’s reproductive rights. Throughout the years when women couldn’t legally obtain abortions, he established illegal abortion clinics across Canada and challenged the federal and provincial governments to repeal their abortion laws.

In the landmark 1988 Morgentaler decision, Canada’s Supreme Court declared the abortion provisions in Canada’s Criminal Code unconstitutional. Though the decision effectively struck down Canada’s abortion law, it did not recognize a woman’s constitutional right to abortion. Since the ruling, there have been no criminal laws regulating abortion in Canada.