National pharmacare bill can’t come soon enough: Canadian Labour Congress
Posted November 27, 2023 11:36 am.
A new report says the federal NDP is open to extending a crucial deadline with the minority Trudeau government, which would eliminate the risk of a possible election in the new year.
With only three weeks left in the House of Commons calendar, it is unlikely the federal Liberals will meet the New Democrat demand in the supply-and-confidence deal that calls for a national pharmacare act to be passed by the end of this year.
There have been questions about whether this would end the agreement and possibly see the Liberal government at risk of falling in 2024 with a federal election. However, an NDP source tells the Globe and Mail the party is willing to extend the deadline if it means getting a better quality bill before MPs.
Siobhan Vipond, executive vice president of the Canadian Labour Congress, spoke on Parliament Hill Monday, urging the government to move quickly.
“The clock is ticking and we need to see a delivery of a good … universal pharmacare system,” Vipond said, noting “this is an an important program that Canadians are waiting for.”
“This will help all folks. This will help those who already have partial coverage, it’ll help those who don’t, it’ll help our systems. So it is time now,” Vipond added.
The NDP rejected an early draft of the bill, saying it was too much on the side of big pharma.
The supply-and-confidence deal between the NDP and Liberals calls for “progress toward a universal national pharmacare program” and the passage of initial legislation before the end of the year. However, NDP health critic Don Davies said in October the first draft of the bill didn’t meet expectations.
“It doesn’t meet the New Democrats’ red lines at this point,” Davies said. “We’re waiting for a next draft to come to us.”
He also said last month that pulling out of the deal would not necessarily mean the NDP would push to trigger an election but instead would consider whether to support Liberal legislation one vote at a time.
The next federal election must occur no later than Oct. 20, 2025.
Negotiations between the NDP and the Liberals are ongoing.
