Wed Sep 18 23:06:52 UTC 2024: ## Health Minister Urges Senate to Quickly Pass Pharmacare Bill
OTTAWA – Health Minister Mark Holland has pleaded with a Senate committee to swiftly pass a bill laying the groundwork for a national pharmacare program. Holland, who negotiated the bill with the NDP earlier this year, stressed the importance of avoiding further tweaks, arguing that the legislation is already “balanced on a pinhead.”
The bill would allow the minister to negotiate with provinces and territories to cover certain medications, starting with diabetes and contraceptives. It represents a major step toward a potential national, single-payer pharmacare program.
Holland expressed his respect for the Senate’s role in reviewing legislation but cautioned against extensive amendments. “Every syllable, every word in this bill was debated and argued over,” he said, emphasizing the delicate balance achieved during the negotiations.
He also warned that delaying the bill’s passage would fuel Conservative critiques that the pharmacare program is unrealistic. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has repeatedly dismissed the program as a “fantasy,” a claim Holland hopes to counter by quickly enacting the legislation.
The minister also sought to address Senate concerns about the program’s practical implementation by highlighting a preliminary agreement reached with British Columbia. This agreement outlines how the province will utilize funds from the pharmacare bill to expand its existing public contraceptive coverage.
Holland emphasized that this agreement is non-binding and that further negotiations with provinces will be necessary once the bill is passed, regardless of any changes the Senate might make. However, he believes that the agreement with B.C. demonstrates the program’s feasibility.
The Senate’s social affairs committee is currently reviewing the bill before it can be passed into law.
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