Access to health care top of mind for Ottawa women's march

An organizer with this weekend's Ottawa women's march says access to reproductive health care is a top concern this year.

Lyse-Pascale Inamuco, a co-vice chair for Women's March Ottawa, is sending a special invitation to women and families affected by the temporary closure of the Pontiac Hospital obstetrics unit in Shawville, Que. 

"If one or two could come, even more, that would be great because we could then have the opportunity to see how we could better support them," said Inamuco on Thursday.

That birthing and maternal care unit has struggled with staffing shortages and is expected to remain closed for months, sending patients further away to other hospitals.

• Pontiac Hospital's birthing unit closed for at least 6 months

The theme of this year's march is bodily autonomy, which includes reproductive health, access to abortion, sexual wellness and other issues related to the body. 

The closure of the Pontiac Hospital's birthing unit is an example of women's health being sidelined in the Ottawa region, Inamuco said. 

"We want to come together and speak loud and clear that our rights are being threatened and we should not take the progress that we have made and our rights for granted," she said.

"We still need to march, we still need to take action so that our rights are respected."

Inamuco also cited missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, rates of sexual assault and access to shelters as other key issues to address.

The first Women's March was held on Jan. 21, 2017 in Washington, D.C., after the inauguration of President Donald Trump. 

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Inamuco said organizers in Ottawa decided to hold the event later in the winter this year when the weather tends to be a little milder.

"We heard participants say that it was really cold and the march was long," she said.

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About 2,000 people are expected to gather at Parliament Hill Saturday at 10:30 a.m. and march to City Hall, meaning rolling road closures on Bank, Somerset and Elgin streets.

At City Hall there will be free workshops and a keynote speech from Ottawa author and trans rights advocate Amanda Jetté Knox starting at about 12:30 p.m..