A confidence-and-supply agreement between the NDP and the Liberal Party of Canada could come to an end if the Liberals don鈥檛 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.

鈥淪eniors that I鈥檝e spoken to, in B.C., on [Vancouver Island], who are right now reeling with the high cost of groceries, rent and mortgage, they鈥檙e saying, 鈥楬ow do we budget given how expensive everything is?鈥� They鈥檙e also having to make really tough choices in their budgets between groceries or medication, and in a country that鈥檚 as rich as ours that shouldn鈥檛 be a choice that a senior has to make,鈥� 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 鈥渓egislation to set us up to be in a position to eventually get this done,鈥� and is not requesting it to be included in this year鈥檚 budget, the price calculated for the program would be 鈥渏ust under $40 billion.鈥� He called it a 鈥渂ig investment,鈥� but added that it would be offset by the long-term benefits.

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鈥淸Universal pharmacare] would lower costs for provinces, territories, and the federal government, it would eventually lower the costs for medication for everyone,鈥� he told the News Bulletin. 鈥淚t would also mean for B.C., which already buys medication, you go to the hospital, the medications you receive, whether it鈥檚 painkillers or antibiotics, it鈥檚 covered, you don鈥檛 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.鈥�

The program would affect B.C.鈥檚 life sciences and pharmaceuticals sector; however, Singh said the industry would remain 鈥渉ighly profitable.鈥� The federal government would be able to negotiate better prices and buy in bulk which would calm the current 鈥渨ild west鈥� of pharmaceutical pricing, and 鈥渋nsurance companies and pharmaceutical companies wouldn鈥檛 be able to rip off Canadians in the way that they have been.鈥�

Coming up to the given deadline, Singh said he doesn鈥檛 know what鈥檚 going to happen, and the 鈥渂all is in the Liberals鈥� court now.鈥� He says the Liberals are currently on the side of 鈥渂ig pharma鈥� despite the research and a 2019 government-sponsored report that found 鈥渢he best, most cost-effective, most efficient, best value for money鈥� is universal pharmacare.

鈥淎re they going to back up people, or are they going to back up their buddies in the in the pharmaceutical industry? I don鈥檛 know, I guess we鈥檒l have to see,鈥� said Singh.

According to the Ministry of Health鈥檚 2023-24 departmental plan, Health Canada has 鈥渆ngaged extensively鈥� 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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