NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s commitment Sept. 3 to reverse Justin Trudeau’s health care cuts means families in Sudbury and Nickel Belt will get more access to health care when and where they need it, said NDP candidates, Nadia Verrelli (Sudbury) and Andréane Chénier (Nickel Belt).
The NDP’s commitment to strengthen and expand the public health care system includes bringing in a national pharmacare program and hiring more front-line workers.
“Families who are paying out of pocket for the high cost of their prescription medication need support,” said Verrelli. “Justin Trudeau refused to bring in pharmacare after six years in government. New Democrats will support people and families by covering the cost of their prescription medication.”
“Northern families need more access to health care, not less," said Chénier. "Justin Trudeau kept cutting the budget for our health care leaving us in a crisis even before the pandemic hit.
"Health care workers have been there for us in our time of need. They are exhausted and they need support. New Democrats will provide relief by hiring more front-line health care workers to take care of people and their families.”
In 2011, the Harper Conservatives cut the annual Canada Health Transfer increase in half. When Justin Trudeau took office in 2015, he continued the cuts and abandoned his promise to bring in pharmacare. Today, he barely mentions pharmacare in his platform and provides no funding for it.
Singh pledged to end decades of Liberal and Conservative neglect with a commitment to reverse the health care cuts so Canadians can get the care they need, where and when they need it.
He promised to establish a national pharmacare program that would eliminate prescription drug fees for every Canadian. This commitment would save the provinces $4 billion a year in health care costs and would save the average family $550 a year in medication costs.
