Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Minister and staff, for being here at this early hour.
Minister, of course you know that, after two years of study and hearing from almost 100 witnesses and receiving more than 30 written submissions, this committee released our final report, called “Pharmacare now: prescription medicine coverage for all Canadians” on April 18.
After consideration of many different policy proposals, this committee concluded that the best way to move forward is by expanding the Canada Health Act to include prescription drugs dispensed outside hospitals as an insured service under the act—in other words, to make pharmaceuticals part of our single-payer public system. That was the considered recommendation after two years of study at this committee.
I'm interested if, as health minister, you agree with that recommendation.