Winnipeggers join pro-choice rally in solidarity with American protests

Winnipegger's took to the steps of the Manitoba Legislature Saturday afternoon in solidarity of U.S. abortion protests. (Source: CTV News/Zach Kitchen)

WINNIPEG -

Pro-choice Winnipeggers gathered at the Manitoba Legislature Saturday afternoon in solidarity with demonstrations across the U.S.

The rally saw a couple of hundred Winnipeggers holding signs saying things like "Mind your own uterus" and "My body, my choice."

"Women's March America put a call out to folks to gather, march and rally all across the U.S. and all across North America," said Nahanni Fontaine, an NDP MLA who was at the rally.

Fontaine and other speakers wore shirts adorned with "1973," a reference to the landmark Roe v. Wade decision which made abortion legal for generations of American women.

Many at the rally were motivated by Texas' new abortion law, which began in early September and banned most abortions in the state. It's one of a series of cases that will give the nation's divided high court occasion to uphold or overrule Roe v. Wade.

"We are gathering as a province to stand in support and solidarity of Texas, but not only Texas," said Fontaine. "There are 12 other states that have similar legislation to that end which is effectively banning abortion."

Fontaine said that the right to abortions can't be taken for granted in Manitoba.

"Access to abortion isn't comprehensive, and it's not robust across the province," she said. "We have 16 pregnancy crisis centres across the province and only four providers of abortion services in the province. So there is a huge discrepancy in accessing abortion here."

The Winnipeg rally coincides with a large Women's March in Washington, D.C., which saw thousands head to the U.S. Supreme Court on Saturday.

According to Women's March, hundreds of these rallies took place across North America.