WATCH: Published emails have shown the reason Moncton was chosen to be the only English speaking location for abortion services came down to cost. Laura Brown reports.
FREDERICTON – The CEO of the Horizon Health says when the network was tasked with providing abortion services, staff wanted it done right.
“One message was very clear, it was…don’t ask us to get involved with this service unless you’re prepared to do it the right way,” John McGarry said during a press conference Friday.
“We’re not going to skim off the top and try to do this on the cheap or in a back corner or in an inappropriate setting.”
Emails between McGarry and employees published by the Globe and Mail reveal the reason why abortion services within the English-speaking health network were placed only in Moncton, where services were already being offered by the French network Vitalité.
While Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton hospitals were willing, the cost of providing the service properly in each was high.
McGarry said each location was estimated to cost between $800,000 and $1 million. In addition, Fredericton’s Everett Chalmers Hospital was already dealing with major congestion problems.
He said Friday he felt responsible to both the patient and the taxpayer.
“Frankly I’m quite puzzled as to why people think we should have spent more money, given the situation we’re in,” he said.
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But those who have been pushing for access call it “heartbreaking.”
“It was heartbreaking and alarming to see how close we came to having a far more comprehensive network of places where people could access services across the province,” said Reproductive Justice spokesperson Jessi Taylor.
McGarry also made comments in his emails that he was surprised Saint John was willing, because of the city’s “very significant Irish Catholic community.”
“In my mind I was somewhat surprised when Saint John said they’d be interested to consider this,” McGarry said. “I’m just going back in my experience in health care for 35 years. Saint John has never been a provider of this service to any extent.”
When asked about how heavily the cost weighed in to this decision and if they would consider other options in the future, the province’s Department of Health deferred the inquiry to Horizon Health.
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