Madam Speaker, the Liberals have promised to deliver universal public pharmacare to Canadians for 24 years. While the Liberals talk a good game, the fact is they have failed to follow up with action time and again. The fact is, the Liberals have delivered red book after red book of broken promises. In 1997, it was a campaign promise. In 2019, it was a pledge to implement the Hoskins report. In 2020, it was in the throne speech and most recently it was made at their own convention.
Liberal members prioritize pharmacare as their number one policy resolution, yet when offered the opportunity to vote for the NDP’s Canada pharmacare act last February, Liberals voted it down. Budget 2021 is no different. It includes no new funding or measures to implement universal public pharmacare. It is clear that the Prime Minister has abandoned any intention of meeting the Hoskins advisory council’s call for the establishment of a national pharmacare program by the end of 2021.
With millions of Canadians without pharmaceutical coverage and more Canadians losing their employment-based benefits every week because of COVID-19, this is unconscionable. The lack of coverage results in one in five Canadians being unable to afford the medication their doctors prescribe. Sixteen percent of people in Canada went without medication for heart disease, cholesterol or hypertension because of the cost. At a time when the need is so great, it is inexcusable that the Liberals refuse to get Canadians the affordable life-saving medicines they need. It is clear that Canadians cannot trust the Liberals to deliver on the promise of universal public pharmacare that has overwhelming support from the Canadian public.
Related to universal public pharmacare, I am also calling on the Liberals to provide dental coverage to millions of Canadians who cannot afford to visit the dentist. The NDP has proposed a plan that is completely costed by the Parliamentary Budget Officer and would benefit 6.7 million people in Canada whose household income is less than $90,000 a year. No one in this country should have to go without dental care because of the cost. Right now, one in three Canadians do not have access to dental coverage and more than one in five say the cost stops them from visiting a dentist. Left untreated, poor dental hygiene is linked to many serious health conditions like cardiovascular disease, dementia, respiratory infections and diabetic complications.
Emergency rooms across the country are struggling to meet the demand caused by COVID-19, yet every nine minutes, in Ontario alone, someone visits an emergency room for dental pain when what they really need is to see a dentist. The estimated cost of these visits across Canada is more than $150 million per year. It does not have to be this way. The NDP's dental plan proposal will help precarious workers, people who are self-employed and seniors across the country. Getting these people dental coverage will unquestionably increase their overall health. Our dental care plan is a down payment on Tommy Douglas’ vision: comprehensive dental care as part of our health care system. It is time to get it done.