By Hannah Alberga Survivors of forced or coerced sterilization – many of whom are Indigenous – are pushing for legislation that would explicitly criminalize the procedure, but several physician and legal groups worry the bill could lead doctors to hesitate when a patient’s life is at risk. The intent of the bill – to condemn sterilization without informed consent – has unanimous support, including from medical groups who have raised concerns about its potential unintended consequences during House of Commons committee hearings. The Survivors Circle for Reproductive Justice estimates between 12,000 and 15,000 Indigenous people have been sterilized without consent in Canada since the 1890s, some as recently as last year. That’s based on historical research, lawsuits, studies, medical billing records and applications to the group’s national registry, which launched…
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