Gord Johns, Courtenay—Alberni
“The government promised free diabetes medicine and birth control for all Canadians, but only four provinces and territories have deals. Most Canadians are still left out. The government needs to make deals with the other provinces so everyone can get the medicine they need.”
“Mr. Speaker, just like last week, and just like the week before, I am here tonight to drag the government in here to hold it to account and to ensure that it protects and enhances our public health care system and follows through with its promises. I will just serve notice that I will be dragging the government back in here again next week if it does not take some action. No one in Canada, not our kids, parents or grandparents, should have to worry about the cost of medication they need to stay healthy, but that is exactly what is happening today. Canadians were promised the beginning of a national pharmacare program. We actually voted on it. They were promised a single-payer system that serves people, not a patchwork system that leaves millions behind. The promise was that we were going to start with universal free access to diabetes medicine and birth control. It was highly celebrated by the Liberals. Right now, only three provinces and one territory are covered. That is about 17% of Canadians. More than four out of five Canadians cannot access the federal pharmacare plan today. This means access to life-saving diabetes medicine or birth control coverage depends on where someone lives. It depends on their postal code. While I hate to do this, I must mention that this inaction comes while many Liberal MPs are bragging about a national pharmacare program that their own constituents cannot even access. In Newfoundland and Labrador, for example, the provincial health minister said that the federal Liberal government has closed the door on negotiations. Meanwhile, the Liberal MP for Labrador defends pharmacare as putting money back in Canadians’ pockets. On Prince Edward Island, the federal government has moved slowly, and its provincial health minister says that the federal government has told them that pharmacare funds will expire in 2029 and will not be renewed. Meanwhile, the member for Cardigan claimed that pharmacare is a key program for all Canadians. Nova Scotia is ready to negotiate, but it is still waiting for an invitation. Meanwhile, the member for Cumberland—Colchester described pharmacare as an essential service that Liberals will continue to protect. Their premier says he cannot even get a meeting to negotiate a deal. These provinces want in. They are ready to work, but they are being shut out while these Liberals pat themselves on the back. That is not nation building. The Prime Minister was just on CBC two days ago touting his commitment to pharmacare. Even today in question period, he rightly criticised the Conservatives for voting against pharmacare, but only three provinces and one territory actually have an agreement. Yesterday we saw that, in the spring economic update, the word pharmacare is mentioned only once. It signals that the Liberals are walking away from their commitment to the national pharmacare plan they ran on during the last election. This has real consequences. People are skipping prescriptions. They are cutting pills in half. They are choosing between paying rent and filling a prescription. In a country as wealthy as Canada, this should never happen. This is not what Canadians were promised, like I said in the last election. New Democrats in the House and across Canada are fighting to ensure Canadians can access the medicine they need while the Liberals continue to delay and side with powerful industry interests. In B.C., pharmacare coverage began on March 1 because the B.C. NDP government pushed for it and the provincial health minister Josie Osborne acted quickly. She signed a deal. Families in B.C. are getting that relief, but families in the rest of the country are still waiting. They are waiting because the federal government is refusing to negotiate. A truly national pharmacare program would guarantee the security Canadians need at a time of economic uncertainty. If the Liberals fail to meet their commitment, they are going to have to explain to Canadians why they are breaking yet another promise. The question is simple: Will the government reopen negotiations with provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia? Will it commit to expanding pharmacare to every province and territory that wants in, or will it continue down this path where access depends on one’s postal code or where one lives? Canadians deserve better than this patchwork.”
Mr. Speaker, just like last week, and just like the week before, I am here tonight to drag the government in here to hold it to account and to ensure that it protects and enhances our public health care system and follows through with its promises. I will just serve notice that I will be dragging the government back in here again next week if it does not take some action. No one in Canada, not our kids, parents or grandparents, should have to worry about the cost of medication they need to stay healthy, but that is exactly what is happening today. Canadians were promised the beginning of a national pharmacare program. We actually voted on it. They were promised a single-payer system that serves people, not a patchwork system that leaves millions behind. The promise was that we were going to start with universal free access to diabetes medicine and birth control. It was highly celebrated by the Liberals. Right now, only three provinces and one territory are covered. That is about 17% of Canadians. More than four out of five Canadians cannot access the federal pharmacare plan today. This means access to life-saving diabetes medicine or birth control coverage depends on where someone lives. It depends on their postal code. While I hate to do this, I must mention that this inaction comes while many Liberal MPs are bragging about a national pharmacare program that their own constituents cannot even access. In Newfoundland and Labrador, for example, the provincial health minister said that the federal Liberal government has closed the door on negotiations. Meanwhile, the Liberal MP for Labrador defends pharmacare as putting money back in Canadians’ pockets. On Prince Edward Island, the federal government has moved slowly, and its provincial health minister says that the federal government has told them that pharmacare funds will expire in 2029 and will not be renewed. Meanwhile, the member for Cardigan claimed that pharmacare is a key program for all Canadians. Nova Scotia is ready to negotiate, but it is still waiting for an invitation. Meanwhile, the member for Cumberland—Colchester described pharmacare as an essential service that Liberals will continue to protect. Their premier says he cannot even get a meeting to negotiate a deal. These provinces want in. They are ready to work, but they are being shut out while these Liberals pat themselves on the back. That is not nation building. The Prime Minister was just on CBC two days ago touting his commitment to pharmacare. Even today in question period, he rightly criticised the Conservatives for voting against pharmacare, but only three provinces and one territory actually have an agreement. Yesterday we saw that, in the spring economic update, the word pharmacare is mentioned only once. It signals that the Liberals are walking away from their commitment to the national pharmacare plan they ran on during the last election. This has real consequences. People are skipping prescriptions. They are cutting pills in half. They are choosing between paying rent and filling a prescription. In a country as wealthy as Canada, this should never happen. This is not what Canadians were promised, like I said in the last election. New Democrats in the House and across Canada are fighting to ensure Canadians can access the medicine they need while the Liberals continue to delay and side with powerful industry interests. In B.C., pharmacare coverage began on March 1 because the B.C. NDP government pushed for it and the provincial health minister Josie Osborne acted quickly. She signed a deal. Families in B.C. are getting that relief, but families in the rest of the country are still waiting. They are waiting because the federal government is refusing to negotiate. A truly national pharmacare program would guarantee the security Canadians need at a time of economic uncertainty. If the Liberals fail to meet their commitment, they are going to have to explain to Canadians why they are breaking yet another promise. The question is simple: Will the government reopen negotiations with provinces like Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia? Will it commit to expanding pharmacare to every province and territory that wants in, or will it continue down this path where access depends on one’s postal code or where one lives? Canadians deserve better than this patchwork.
