The Silence After Birth: The Hidden Crisis of Forced Sterilization in Canada

She went in to give birth—she left unable to ever bear children again. She never consented. No one told her. And it happened in a modern Canadian hospital.

🕯️ A Nation’s Dark Secret

In a country celebrated for its healthcare system and progressive values, a silent scandal has been festering for decades. Now, it’s finally forcing its way into the national conscience.

Dozens—possibly hundreds—of Indigenous women across Canada allege they were forcibly sterilized in public hospitals, often immediately after giving birth. In many cases, these women say they were coerced, misled, or outright lied to, sometimes while sedated or in distress.

What’s even more chilling? Some of these sterilizations occurred as recently as the 2010s.

🔍 What Really Happened?

This practice, often cloaked in vague consent forms and medical jargon, disproportionately targeted Indigenous women, especially those seen as "high risk," poor, or young single mothers. Some survivors recall being told they couldn’t leave the hospital without signing sterilization papers.

Others say they were asked confusing questions while in labor or under anesthesia. Many of them didn’t realize what had been done—until years later, when they tried to conceive again and couldn’t.

In 2018, a class-action lawsuit representing more than 100 women in Saskatchewan brought the issue into national headlines. Yet the problem runs deeper and wider, with reports surfacing from British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec, and the North.

🧬 A Dark Legacy

This isn’t new. Canada's eugenics past runs back to the 20th century, when provinces like Alberta and British Columbia passed eugenics laws allowing sterilization of the "unfit." Those laws were repealed, but the mindset never fully disappeared.

Many experts argue that today’s sterilizations—though no longer legal without consent—are the continuation of an old colonial idea: that Indigenous women shouldn’t be mothers.

“This is not historic. This is happening now.”
– Senator Yvonne Boyer

⚖️ The Legal Fight for Justice

The lawsuits are mounting. Survivors are speaking up. And yet, no one has been held criminally responsible. The federal government has acknowledged the issue, but accountability remains elusive.

In 2022, the UN Committee Against Torture condemned Canada’s handling of the matter, labeling the practice as a form of torture.

Despite this, systemic change has been slow. Many survivors say they're still waiting for proper compensation, recognition, and most importantly—an apology.

💔 Why This Matters for All Canadians

This isn’t just an Indigenous issue. It’s a human rights crisis hiding in plain sight. It raises uncomfortable questions:

• Can a woman truly give consent during childbirth?
• Why are some women seen as “less worthy” of motherhood?
• How did we allow this to happen in hospitals meant to protect life?

These aren't abstract ideas. They're lived realities for Canadian women—in 2023, 2024, and today.

🗣️ Their Voices Must Be Heard

The truth is no longer hidden. Survivors are speaking. The question now is: Are we listening?

Canada must reckon with this dark chapter—not only to bring justice to those already affected but to ensure no woman ever has her body violated in silence again.

📢 Want to Help?

• ✅ Share this story.
• ✅ Write to your MP and demand accountability.
• ✅ Support organizations like Amnesty International Canada and Women of the Métis Nation.
• ✅ Believe women when they say: “This happened to me.”

Because if this can happen in Canada—where else is it happening in silence?