Don Davies says the NDP has been negotiating with the Liberal government on legislation that would enshrine into law the first national program to cover medication costs in Canada.
But while these negotiations have been constructive, Davies says the last draft of the bill presented to the New Democrats was “not where we want it to be.”
Don Davies, NDP MP for Vancouver Kingsway, told CBC News he fears Health Canada is "missing the mark."
"I'm a little bit concerned that Health Canada is not putting the focus where they should, which is on greater inspection and enforcement of the regulations that they have, because this is a really well-regulated industry," he said.
"It is crucial that the legislation be clear that the system is universal, comprehensive and entirely public, so no one will have to pay out of pocket for their medication," Davies said in a media statement.
"Only a single-payer pharmacare system will achieve the savings, efficiencies and fairness that is the hallmark of Canadian medicare. Anything less will be unacceptable to Canadians and the NDP."
A series of articles in a leading medical journal calling for a national public inquiry into Canada’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic are “sobering” and should serve as “a catalyst” for the Liberal government to take that step, says NDP health critic Don Davies.
“We have one of the most respected, oldest medical journals in the world clearly calling for an independent national inquiry in Canada, which the NDP has been calling for—for a significant amount of time,” said Davies (Vancouver Kingsway, B.C.).
The office of Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos would not say when the government plans to table the legislation, but it could be as early as this fall.
The NDP said the Liberals have been slow to act. Health critic Don Davies said for-profit care homes had among the worst outcomes in the country.
"This is because they were more concerned with profit margins than the quality-of-care seniors received or the working conditions of their employees," Davies said in a written statement.
NDP MPs Don Davies and Heather McPherson organized a ‘Create Your Canada’ contest in their respective ridings, where students can propose ideas that are tabled in the House of Commons as private member’s bills.
OTTAWA -
No longer content to wait for the Liberals to make good on their promise, the New Democrats tabled their own pharmacare legislation in the House of Commons Tuesday.
The NDP and Liberals struck a confidence-and-supply agreement last year that would see the NDP support the government on key votes to hold an election off until 2025 in exchange for progress on NDP priorities.
The minister has defended his actions, stating he does not provide direction to the board but does participate in consultations before new guidelines for drug prices are issued. On Tuesday, Duclos’s office said it was the minister’s “duty to work with all actors, from patients and … the industry, to make sure Canadians have access to the medication and vaccines they need.”
Even so, there’s “no doubt that Minister Duclos and the Liberal government are being pressured by other forces,” Davies said.
“What we want to do is add some pressure on the other side of this. Do I trust them? Yes. And I hope that they will do the right thing.”