Description: Martha Paynter, nurse and scholar, explains how abortion is governed in Canada without an abortion law and why experts advocate against one.
Brief description:
Dr. Martha Paynter has worked to advance abortion access in Canada for over twenty years. A writer, nurse and public scholar, she is recognized internationally for her expertise at the nexus of reproductive justice and prisoner health. She is an associate professor at the University of New Brunswick Faculty of Nursing, where her research addresses the health rights of people experiencing incarceration, as well as sexual and reproductive health care in Canada and around the world. She is the author of Abortion to Abolition: Reproductive Health and Justice in Canada (Fernwood, 2017) and has published extensively in national magazines (Chatelaine, Briarpatch) and scientific journals. Paynter is a keen advocate for increasing the influence of women and gender-diverse people in news media and participates regularly in interviews with national and international print, radio and TV press (CBC/Radio-Canada, Global, CTV). She values and fosters collaborations with community organizations and lived-experience experts in reproductive health and prison justice. Paynter is a recipient of the 150th anniversary medal from the Senate of Canada for her volunteer service to the country (2017) and the King Charles III Coronation Medal for service to the nursing profession (2025).
Review Quotes: "Clear, rigorous, and deeply grounded in both scholarship and practice, Lawless is an essential resource for anyone working to make abortion access real. Drawing on her brilliance as a teacher and researcher, Paynter demystifies the different layers--legal, clinical, political, and social--that shape abortion care in Canada. This book is not only a must-read for scholars and activists in Canada, but also a powerful guide for global advocates seeking to understand what it takes to move from legal frameworks to meaningful access."--Diana Moreno, Advocacy Director, Profamilia