Mr. Speaker, it is interesting that during testimony at the health committee's study of pharmacare, a study that the New Democrats prompted by moving a motion, members heard from a number of employer groups who said uniformly they wanted a universal pharmacare system. The reason is that employers across this country who provide extended health plans for their employees are finding it increasingly expensive. It is a cost of business for them to provide those benefits to their employees, and since pharmaceuticals are among the fastest-rising costs in the health care system, they are finding it very expensive to provide these plans to employees and increasingly are abandoning these plans and leaving their employees without any coverage. That is not good for them, as the number of sick days is increasing and their employees are not as healthy as before. Quite surprisingly, they say as a result that they want a universal pharmacare system to cover everyone and save money.
Would my hon. colleague comment on that? Would the businesses in her community share that perspective articulated at the health committee?