The NDP tabled Private Member’s Bill C-213, An Act to Enact the Canada Pharmacare Act, in February. Bill C-213 was groundbreaking new federal legislation, modelled off the Canada Health Act, to establish a universal, single-payer, comprehensive and public pharmacare plan that would have delivered better healthcare and improved the health and lives of millions of Canadians. Unfortunately, most Liberal and Conservative MPs voted against this Bill.
No doubt, the MPs’ vote has devastating effects on the hopes of millions of Canadians who are making impossible choices every day because they can't afford their prescription medication. A no vote, of course, also meant that MPs were rejecting:
- Public and universal Pharmacare being included under the Canada Health Act framework.
- The clear recommendations made by the Hoskins’ report to establish with provincial governments a universal, public Pharmacare program.
- The Liberal Party’s 2019 election promise to deliver universal Pharmacare.
Canada is falling behind, being the only high-income country that has a universal healthcare system, but does not include universal coverage of prescription drugs. The lack of coverage results in 1 in 5 Canadians being unable to afford the medication their doctors prescribe. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us all the gaps in our healthcare system. Millions of Canadians have lost their jobs and are struggling to make ends meet. In a recent survey conducted by the Angus Reid Institute, nearly 9 in 10 Canadians support a national pharmacare plan like Bill C-213. It is clear, Canada’s healthcare system is falling behind. We need universal pharmacare to ensure that all Canadians can access the medication they need.
You can help by signing our petition to support pharmacare.
For more information or if your organization would like to endorse our plan for National Pharmacare please contact Pharmacare Campaign Organizer Doris Mah at [email protected].
