New Westminster-Burnaby MP Peter Julian hand delivered letters this week to local city councils to lobby for their support of his private member’s bill on universal drug coverage.
Bill C-213 was tabled on Feb. 24 and has the backing of federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh.
“New Democrats know that sky-high prices put enormous pressure on the provinces. In fact, prescription drugs are now the second largest spending category in Canadian healthcare, costing more than physicians’ services,” said Singh. “This isn’t right. New Democrats are committed to doing better. We’re proud to be beginning 2020 by bringing forward ground-breaking federal legislation to establish a universal, comprehensive and public pharmacare plan that will deliver better healthcare for all Canadians.”
According to the NDP, one-in-five Canadians – close to 7.5 million people – either has no drug coverage at all or effectively has no coverage due to high deductibles and co-payments. As a result, nearly three million Canadians do not take their medication as prescribed because they cannot afford it, said the NDP.
“Pharmacare will save the provinces money and will free up significant room in future provincial health budgets. Even though Justin Trudeau once promised to negotiate a new Health Accord with provinces and territories, his government has preserved Stephen Harper’s misguided cut to the Canada Health Transfer escalator,” added Singh.
Julian delivered letters to New West Mayor Jonathan Cote and Burnaby Mayor Mike Hurley this week, asking them to back his bill.
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