Health

In question period, the Conservative health critic asked about the cancelled PrescribeIT e-prescribing program, saying it cost taxpayers $300 million despite low usage, that its CEO received high pay and a bonus, and that ministers should take responsibility. The parliamentary secretary replied that the program was launched by the previous government with the aim of becoming self-funded, that uptake did not meet expectations, and that the government redirected funding toward other digital health priorities. Conservatives also accused the government of blocking study of the matter at the health committee and asked that the block end; the government said it is refocusing health spending toward national health data standards. No other members spoke on the topic in the sampled exchanges.Written by AI from the debate. Updated .

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3 statements

Michael Cooper, St. Albert—Sturgeon River

Conservative
“The government spent $300 million on a prescription program that nobody used and then cancelled it. The head of the program was paid $1 million a year, plus a $215,000 bonus. I want the health minister to take responsibility for this wasted money.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal’s PrescribeIT program has been a total debacle, costing taxpayers $300 million for a program that effectively no one used and that the government has since been forced to cancel. We have learned that the CEO of the program was being paid $1 million a year, including pocketing a $215,000 bonus. This happened under the health minister’s watch. Will she accept responsibility for this latest outrageous abuse of taxpayer dollars?

Michael Cooper, St. Albert—Sturgeon River

Conservative
“The minister let $300 million of public money be wasted, and executives got large bonuses. I want to know who else got that money.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, the previous government is the same old Liberal government, and the buck stops with the minister. However, the minister has admitted that she asked no questions as 300 million tax dollars went up in smoke. In addition to the CEO, several other executives were paid handsomely and walked away with $60,000- and $70,000-bonuses. Who else got rich while taxpayers got hosed as the minister was asleep at the switch?

Burton Bailey, Red Deer

Conservative
“The Liberals are blocking the health committee from investigating a failed 300-million-dollar prescription program. They want to give that same group more money. I want the Liberals to stop blocking the committee so we can get answers.”
Official Hansard

Mr. Speaker, it is week three of Liberal obstruction at the health committee on the $300-million prescribeIT scandal. The Liberals are desperately shielding their buddies and covering up a decade-long disaster of failed programs that did not fill prescriptions but padded the pockets of Liberal insiders. Now the Liberals want to reward failure by giving Canada Health Infoway even more cash to blow in the future. Canadians are done with the Liberal money-laundering schemes. When will the Liberals end the obstruction so Conservatives can get accountability for Canadians?

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