NDP tables pharmacare bill to pressure government

In what party leader Jagmeet Singh describes as an effort to pressure the Liberal government on the file, the NDP has tabled legislation to establish a universal single-payer pharmacare system in Canada.

"This is a first step towards universal medication coverage for all," Singh told a news conference.

"We believe no one should have to choose between buying their medication or buying their groceries, and this bill will move us towards that."

The creation of a national universal pharmacare program by the end of the year is a condition of the House of Commons supply-and-confidence agreement between the Liberals and the NDP.

NDP health critic Don Davies sponsored the private member's bill, titled the Canada Pharmacare Act. The legislation has little chance of passing through Parliament without the support of the Liberal government, but Singh encouraged the Liberals to turn it into a government bill.

"We want to keep the pressure up," Singh said.

"We found that with this government, even if we've got things in writing, it's not a guarantee."

In 2018, the Liberals appointed Dr. Eric Hoskins, a former Ontario Liberal health minister, to chair an advisory council to assess a national pharmacare plan. The council's report, released the following year, recommended the establishment of a universal, single-payer public pharmacare system.

The council estimated the yearly cost of the program to be $15 billion.

Davies said the bill follows the council's recommendations and the principles of the Canada Health Act. He said the proposal allows the government to negotiate with provinces and territories on a pharmacare plan, and would allow Ottawa to withhold funding from provinces if they don't comply with the act.

"So far, the Liberals have not been clear on where they are on this. We have been and we are today," Davies said.

"We look forward to working together with [the] Liberal government to close this long overdue gap and fulfil the dream of Tommy Douglas and many others to provide head-to-toe health care for Canadians."

Singh acknowledged the legislation has gaps the government would have to fill, such as a plan for bulk purchasing of drugs and clarity on which drugs would be covered.

He said he's optimistic about the prospect of a universal pharmacare plan passing Parliament by the end of the year.

"We're going to be continuing to put pressure on this," Singh said. 

"This is something we really believe in. We believe people will save money. This will save money for families, this will save money for provinces and territories, this will save money for the federal government."

NDP blasts health minister over drug prices

Though they hope to work together with the government on pharmacare, Singh and Davies criticized Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos on drug prices at the news conference. Duclos has been under fire over allegations that he interfered in the work of the Patented Medicine Prices Review Board (PMPRB) by asking it to suspend reforms intended to bring down the price of patented drugs.

Duclos has denied wrongdoing, saying he asked for the delay because he had not been included in conversations about the changes.

But Davies said Duclos put the interests of pharmaceutical companies ahead of the public interest.

"The health minister suspended measures that would lower the cost for Canadians because the pharmaceutical industry demanded it," Davies said.

"When pressured, this government, once again, put corporate profits above patients' health. We need to reverse this trend."

Duclos did not commit to supporting the bill Tuesday. He said there are consultations and other work to be done before the government brings forward a pharmacare bill — legislation he said may not pass before the end of the year.

"This is a minority government. We don't obviously control the House of Commons, but we'll do all we can to be able to both table and to pass the bill by the end of this year," Duclos told reporters.