Pharmacare Deal Approval - QP

CLAUDIA CHENDER: Speaker, yesterday the Premier sent a letter to the new Prime Minister outlining projects in this province that he is looking for federal partnership on. While many of these projects are badly needed for Nova Scotians, there was one that was notably absent: pharmacare. The federal government has already committed money on the table to get free birth control and diabetes medication for thousands of Nova Scotians.

If the deal on the table isn't good enough, why isn't the Premier advocating for a better one?

THE SPEAKER « » : The honourable Minister of Health and Wellness.

HON. MICHELLE THOMPSON « » : The pharmacare deal: We continue to be in discussion with the federal government through the departments - Health Canada and the Department of Health and Wellness. We know that there are opportunities, but we also know that that deal is potentially going to sunset in three years, and we need to ensure that we have the right things covered in that deal. We're working with local experts to understand what our current coverage is, what the potential is within the deal around diabetes care specifically. The discussions are ongoing, but we do have a responsibility to make sure that we have the right deal to ensure that Nova Scotians have access to the care that they need.

CLAUDIA CHENDER: Unfortunately, the Premier was silent on this priority in his letter. Nova Scotians have seen this government change and shift priorities very quickly. The things they campaigned on last Fall were not part of the agenda we have seen here, nor were many of them part of the letter that we saw sent to Prime Minister Carney. People are left wondering where this government stands on things like health care and housing. It is baffling that the Premier wouldn't mention pharmacare for the thousands of Nova Scotians who pay out of pocket for vital medication they could get for free when he was outlining priorities to the new Prime Minister. Why is this government making Nova Scotians wait for free diabetes care and contraception?

MICHELLE THOMPSON « » : I really do believe that Nova Scotians know that we have been consistently and persistently focused on health care since at least two years before the election in 2021 - as a party and now as a government.

We have a record number of investments. We have done a number of things. We're very focused on the ways in which we provide care to Nova Scotians, particularly proud of the Sensor-based Glucose Monitoring Program, which was cited by Diabetes Canada as the best in the country. We work every day to look at how best we can cover things that Nova Scotians need. We look at it in a variety of different ways in a mixed model. We'll continue to do that. We understand that there is a potential opportunity with the federal government. Just because it's not in the letter does not mean it is not top priority, certainly for myself and the Premier.

CLAUDIA CHENDER: Yet that letter outlined our priorities in working with the federal government. You know what? We don't need the federal government. If this were a priority - many governments provincially have covered the cost of contraception because they understand that removing barriers to accessing birth control is an equity issue. It is well documented that intimate partner violence is a problem in our province and making birth control free is one of many recognized steps governments can take to ensure that women in coercive and controlling relationships have more options. With this ongoing epidemic, the government must act urgently. What is this government waiting for?

MICHELLE THOMPSON « » : Certainly, we understand that there is urgency around a number of different things in relation to the health care file. We are not able to separate one part of that agreement from another. That bilateral agreement encompasses both. It's both birth control as well as diabetic care. We need to ensure that we have the right deal that is sustainable for Nova Scotians. It doesn't mean that in future budgets or in future times, if we are not able to sign the bilateral agreement, that we won't continue to expand programs. We have shown year over year that we expand where we can - the continuous glucose monitoring, the change in the pump program for insulin-dependent people living with diabetes. We'll continue to look at our programs and see how best to serve Nova Scotians.