Friday August 27, 2021 | NATIONAL
by Mary P Brooke, Editor | Island Social Trends
“To make sure Canadians can afford their medication.” That’s the simple summary that NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh gave today on the campaign trail while announcing how the NDP would negotiate with each of the provinces to establish Pharmacare across Canada.
The buying power of all the provinces would mean lower pharmaceutical medication costs for Canadians, Singh explained.
The NDP plan to make free prescription medication available to everyone in Canada would save an average family $550 per year, he claimed in today’s announcement on the campaign trail from Thunder Bay, Ontario.
Presently, Canadians pay the third-highest prices for prescription drugs in the world.
Today Singh pointed out the oddity about how Canada operates its health care system: “Canada is the only wealthy country in the world that has a universal health care system without universal prescription insurance coverage.”
Singh pledged today to begin working with provinces immediately to deliver a universal, single-payer, public Pharmacare program for all Canadians, with a start date of 2022.
Promising for years:
But as singh pointed out about the Liberals promising a national child care program for about 30 years, it’s the same with the promise about Pharmacare (for 20 years). It comes up at election time then goes back on the shelf. “It’s their patterned technique, to promise something and then not do it,” says the NDP Leader about the Liberals.
The Liberals have held government for the past six years (first as a majority since 2015, then as a minority since October 2019), and of course for many years within the past 30 years. When the Conservatives had a majority government (2008 through 2017) it was tougher to go up against that wall.
Health challenge of expensive medications:
“Millions of Canadians can’t afford to take the medications they need. They skip doses, cut their pills in half, or even go without medication entirely,” said Jagmeet Singh via Zoom from Thunder Bay today.
Expanded health care, under the NDP, would include quality prescription drug coverage for all Canadians “regardless of their job, age, location, health status or income”.
Saving money for employers:
Free pharmaceuticals would also help business, probably small and mid-size business in particular:
“By negotiating prices with pharmaceutical companies, an NDP government would help make prescription drugs free. This would also save provincial health systems money, help employers save money on employee benefits, and help Canadians stay healthy.”
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