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Opinion: This Burnaby candidate sure loves him some Big Pharma

On Thursday night, candidates vying for the riding of Burnaby South took part in an all-candidates’ meeting.
al rawdah
Burnaby South People's Party of Canada candidate Al Rawdah speaking Thursday night. Screenshot

On Thursday night, candidates vying for the riding of Burnaby South took part in an all-candidates’ meeting.

It wasn’t quite “all candidates” because Conservative candidate Jay Shin skipped it and federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was on Vancouver Island campaign, which is what national leaders have to do.

I wasn’t able to make the event, but NOW reporter Kelvin Gawley is posting a wrap-up story today about what people said.

I do, however, want to mention a clip I saw posted on Twitter of People’s Party of Canada candidate Al Rawdah giving a crazy-bad answer about health care.

He was asked what his health-care vision is. You can see the clip in the tweet attached to this blog.

Rawdah responded with something about needing more “businessmen” involved. First, nice sexism, Al. Second, I don’t know what someone in business has to do with health care.

 

Then Rawdah mentioned wanting “people in the pharmaceutical industry, people who know how to work a deal properly.”

Oh, people in the “pharmaceutical industry” sure know about making deals – mostly in order to rip off regular folks with absurd prices for drugs that people need. Big Pharma has also been complicit in the spread of the opioid crisis in our country.

Yeah, we really need more of these altruistic folks involved to improve health care in Canada.

Good grief. Imagine being that clueless to say that in front of a group of voters.

It’s too bad Singh wasn’t there because he has feasted on this issue during the campaign.

The federal NDP is promising to bring in a universal and comprehensive national pharmacare program targeted to begin in 2020 if the party wins the next federal election. The legislation would be modeled on the Canada Health Act and provide an annual pharmacare transfer to the provinces and territories, with provinces paying about 60 per cent of the total cost and the federal government providing the remaining 40 per cent.

Singh has rightly attacked Big Pharma for its predatory practices.

I don’t know many people who think Big Pharma is a good thing. This seems like a losing strategy for the PPC.

Follow Chris Campbell on Twitter @shinebox44.