The clock is ticking on pharmacare year-end deadline, NDP says

The Liberal health minister says work is still underway on pharmacare legislation, which the NDP say is a make-or-break part of the supply and confidence agreement.

Health Minister Mark Holland says he doesn’t think ultimatums are necessary as his NDP critic says the passage of single-payer pharamcare is a “red line” for the supply and confidence agreement keeping the Liberals in power.

“We have to make the decision based on reason and logic, what’s the best thing for our health system and what is possible in terms of the constraints we have fiscally,” Holland told reporters on his way into Tuesday morning’s cabinet meeting.

“So people can make ultimatums and draw lines, and all do all of those kinds of things, but you can’t lead from that place. You have to lead a place of what’s right to do.”

As part of the supply and confidence agreement between the Liberals and the NDP, the Liberals will advance some key NDP priorities in exchange for support on confidence votes in the minority Parliament until fall 2025, when another election must by law be held.

This includes passing legislation on pharmacare by the end of this year.

At their policy convention over the weekend, NDP delegates voted in favour of having this pharmacare provision be a make-or-break point in the supply and confidence agreement.

The agreement says the Liberals will introduce and pass the Canada Pharmacare Act by the end of 2023 and then task the National Drug Agency to develop a formulary of essential medicines and bulk purchasing plan by the end of the agreement, which runs to 2025.

“I think it was a crystal clear message to the government that we want public pharmacare and we expect the Liberals to deliver on the promise, and it’s going to be a red line for us,” NDP health critic Don Davies told reporters on his way into question period on Monday.