Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights conducted an analysis of the ways in which sexual and reproductive health-related issues were addressed in Budget 2016. The analysis examines spending in the areas of: health care, Indigenous peoples, child care, Status of Women Canada and official development assistance. While Action Canada welcomes increases in spending in these areas, the budget fails to address: discrepancies in access to abortion services across the country, anticipated challenges associated with the upcoming roll-out of the gold-standard of abortion pills (Mifegymiso), rising rates of STIs in Canada (particularly among young people and Indigenous peoples), or the outdated Public Health Agency of Canada’s Sexual Health Education Guidelines.
On the global stage, Budget 2016 will increase Canada’s ODA by $128 million/year which, unfortunately, will continue to position Canada far from other OECD and G7 donors who are close to or have met the global 0.7% GNI target for ODA.