Accept Healthcare Funding - QP
CLAUDIA CHENDER: Last week, the Premier sent a letter to the Prime Minister outlining priorities for the Province that require federal partnership. Unfortunately, the thousands of Nova Scotians who use birth control and diabetes medication and devices didn't quite make the Premier's list. While people in other provinces can access the health care they need free of charge, the government is making Nova Scotians pay directly through expensive copays for their medications. At a time of increased financial insecurity, why isn't this government taking the money on the table and getting Nova Scotians a break on medication costs?
THE PREMIER « » : Indeed, I sent that letter to two party leaders, the two party leaders who have the potential to be Prime Minister of the country. I sent that to the Liberal Party of Canada and to the Conservative Party of Canada, outlining the priorities for Nova Scotians: building the economy, creating jobs, getting us to a better place. There are other issues that the Province is working on with the federal government. We did a deal a couple of weeks ago for rare disease medication. We'll continue to work with the federal government. If the deal works for Nova Scotians, it works for us. We just need to make sure we get the right deal.
CLAUDIA CHENDER: There's a third federal party that got pharmacare passed for all Canadians, and yet this Premier has dragged his feet on taking the money that's on the table, and Nova Scotians are paying the price. Diabetes medication isn't a luxury item for thousands of Nova Scotians who rely on it, and copays can be thousands of dollars. Barrier-free birth control gives women and gender-diverse people options about their bodily autonomy and their health - especially when they find themselves in controlling relationships. The Premier is denying the people of this province free medication. What does he have to say to the people who are paying out of pocket for medication when they don't have to?
THE PREMIER « » : I did send the letter to the people who have the potential to be the Prime Minister of the country. Those are the ones we wanted to focus on. I would just say to the member that as the government, we have a responsibility to Nova Scotians. We have a responsibility to make sure it's the right deal because we have seen also what happens when the wrong deal is signed. Members of this House will remember the Liberal government on the eve of an election signing a child care deal. We're still trying to clean that mess up. We have to make sure it's the right deal for Nova Scotians. We're doing that. We will continue to do that work. We'll try to clean up the Rankin government child care mess as well. That's an awful shame. We can't make the same mistake as they did. (Interruptions)
THE SPEAKER « » : Just a reminder: We can't say members' names who are still sitting in the House.
The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition.
CLAUDIA CHENDER: Cheap shots at the federal party don't change the fact that the window for securing free diabetes and birth control for the people in this province has likely closed. British Columbia made contraception free years ago and signed a pharmacare deal six months ago to get the money on the table. Manitoba and Prince Edward Island have signed since then, and every week that goes by without a deal means Nova Scotians are paying out of pocket. The Premier has been to Ottawa three times this session. Why couldn't he find time to sign on the dotted line and get free medication for Nova Scotians?
THE PREMIER « » : How socialist to just say, "Take the deal, take the deal". We have a responsibility to Nova Scotians to make sure that we get the right deal. We led the way on diabetes and providing care for those living with diabetes. We're leading the way on the health care file in general - incredible progress we're making. We want to make sure that it is the right deal for Nova Scotians, that it's a deal that's sustainable for Nova Scotians, and we will not look away from our obligation to Nova Scotians. We will do what is necessary. We will continue to do that.