A confidence-and-supply agreement between the NDP and the Liberal Party of Canada could come to an end if the Liberals donsa国际传媒檛 agree on new legislation that would begin the process to create a universal pharmacare system.

The New Democrats gave the Liberal Party until March 1 to agree on the legislation, which would set the legal framework to a new, Canada-wide pharmacare plan, a policy the Liberals campaigned on in the 2019 election.

sa国际传媒淪eniors that Isa国际传媒檝e spoken to, in B.C., on [Vancouver Island], who are right now reeling with the high cost of groceries, rent and mortgage, theysa国际传媒檙e saying, sa国际传媒楬ow do we budget given how expensive everything is?sa国际传媒� Theysa国际传媒檙e also having to make really tough choices in their budgets between groceries or medication, and in a country thatsa国际传媒檚 as rich as ours that shouldnsa国际传媒檛 be a choice that a senior has to make,sa国际传媒� said Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party.

According to a Statistics Canada survey from 2021, 21 per cent of Canadians reported not having insurance to cover medication costs. Canada is also the only country in the world with a national health-care system that does not provide universal coverage for prescription drugs.

Singh said although his party is only looking for the sa国际传媒渓egislation to set us up to be in a position to eventually get this done,sa国际传媒� and is not requesting it to be included in this yearsa国际传媒檚 budget, the price calculated for the program would be sa国际传媒渏ust under $40 billion.sa国际传媒� He called it a sa国际传媒渂ig investment,sa国际传媒� but added that it would be offset by the long-term benefits.

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sa国际传媒淸Universal pharmacare] would lower costs for provinces, territories, and the federal government, it would eventually lower the costs for medication for everyone,sa国际传媒� he told the News Bulletin. sa国际传媒淚t would also mean for B.C., which already buys medication, you go to the hospital, the medications you receive, whether itsa国际传媒檚 painkillers or antibiotics, itsa国际传媒檚 covered, you donsa国际传媒檛 have to pay for that. For the same amount of money that B.C. already spends on medications in the hospital or in other scenarios, this program would cover every single person in the province.sa国际传媒�

The program would affect B.C.sa国际传媒檚 life sciences and pharmaceuticals sector; however, Singh said the industry would remain sa国际传媒渉ighly profitable.sa国际传媒� The federal government would be able to negotiate better prices and buy in bulk which would calm the current sa国际传媒渨ild westsa国际传媒� of pharmaceutical pricing, and sa国际传媒渋nsurance companies and pharmaceutical companies wouldnsa国际传媒檛 be able to rip off Canadians in the way that they have been.sa国际传媒�

Coming up to the given deadline, Singh said he doesnsa国际传媒檛 know whatsa国际传媒檚 going to happen, and the sa国际传媒渂all is in the Liberalssa国际传媒� court now.sa国际传媒� He says the Liberals are currently on the side of sa国际传媒渂ig pharmasa国际传媒� despite the research and a 2019 government-sponsored report that found sa国际传媒渢he best, most cost-effective, most efficient, best value for moneysa国际传媒� is universal pharmacare.

sa国际传媒淎re they going to back up people, or are they going to back up their buddies in the in the pharmaceutical industry? I donsa国际传媒檛 know, I guess wesa国际传媒檒l have to see,sa国际传媒� said Singh.

According to the Ministry of Healthsa国际传媒檚 2023-24 departmental plan, Health Canada has sa国际传媒渆ngaged extensivelysa国际传媒� since 2021 with provinces, territories and stakeholders on the potential scope and functions of a Canada Drug Agency as part of its work toward a Canada Pharmacare Act.

bailey.seymour@nanaimobulletin.com
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