Mr. Speaker, there is no such abandonment of the commitment to national pharmacare in budget 2021. Although it may not be fully implemented in the document, the commitment made in the previous throne speech remains. The reality is that the budget actually flags specifically our intent to work with provinces and territories to advance national pharmacare.
However, the allegation that there has been no action on this file rings hollow in the face of $500 million toward a rare disease strategy; in the face of changes to the regulations for patent medicines, which has reduced the cost of medications across Canada; and in the face of the commitment made in a previous budget, with funding allocated for the establishment of a Canada drug agency that would oversee a national formulary.
I remain personally committed to a national pharmacare system that will take advantage of the systemic savings, of ensuring the federal government has a role in the procurement of these expensive medications, so families do not have to choose between paying their rent and paying for their medicine. It is time that we move forward with it, and I will continue to advocate for national pharmacare as long as I have the opportunity to serve in this capacity.