(Ottawa) The leader of the Bloc Québécois, Yves-François Blanchet, protests that the Liberals and the New Democrats are giving divergent answers regarding the possibility for Quebec to withdraw from the national drug insurance program to be announced in by the end of the week.
“Get along with the rest of you,” he said Wednesday during a press briefing. Before announcing the marriage, go to a restaurant for dinner. But there, they do not agree on the very basis of whether there is or is there no right of withdrawal with full compensation without conditions. »
Mr. Blanchet initially believed that Quebec would have such a right of withdrawal after having been “clearly” assured of this by the deputy leader of the New Democratic Party (NPD), Alexandre Boulerice, on observed, “can be used for something other than taking the trash to the side of the road”.
In a press scrum in parliament, Mr. Boulerice added more by assuring that Quebec’s right of withdrawal is an element of his party’s program “for a long time, since [l’ancien chef] Jack Layton.
At the same time, he insisted that “the offer would be so advantageous for workers” that it would at least be worth a discussion “to see the impact it will have on people’s wallets”.
The Bloc leader, however, was disillusioned when she heard the federal Minister of Health, Mark Holland, answer questions relating specifically to the right of withdrawal.
Both in the House and in front of journalists, Mr. Holland called for “not to criticize” a bill whose content has not been revealed and instead to wait for its tabling.
According to Mr. Blanchet’s reading, this amounts to saying that “it is not clear” that Quebec will be able to avail itself of a right of withdrawal with full compensation.
He mentioned that this “very small” drug insurance program only covers “matters already covered” by the Quebec government, so that it has “no added value.”
A spokesperson for Quebec Health Minister Christian Dubé told The Canadian Press that the province intends to exercise its right to withdraw from both the drug insurance program and the dental care program.
“We want full financial compensation, without conditions,” continued press secretary Audrey Noiseux. We will continue to defend Quebec’s areas of jurisdiction and work to improve the health services offered to Quebecers. »
Questioned on Wednesday on the subject, the leader of the government in the House of Commons, Steven MacKinnon, reiterated that Quebec and Alberta – the other province which wants to withdraw from the possible program – “have not even seen still the wording of the bill.
He said he was convinced that the Minister of Health will have “fruitful discussions with all the provinces”.
The Bloc leader also warned the government that his party will not support the federal budget “if there is a cent […] which serves to intrude into the jurisdictions of Quebec without complete and unconditional compensation.”
And to those who believe that he no longer has a balance of power now that the government’s survival is assured, he “strongly suggests […] to listen to what Quebec is asking.”
“And what Quebec is asking will not be conveyed by the NDP, will not be conveyed by the Conservatives, and the Liberals should listen to what Quebec is asking,” he added.
The tabling of a bill on drug insurance is one of the pillars of the “support and confidence” agreement that the New Democrats and Liberals concluded in order to keep Justin’s minority government in power. Trudeau.
The two parties recently agreed on the content of this bill. Coverage of contraceptives and “most” medications to treat type 1 and 2 diabetes should initially occur under a universal, single-payer program.
The bill should also define the framework so that, in the longer term, a complete universal drug insurance system can be put in place.
A New Democratic source who spoke to The Canadian Press specified that the legislative document will specify that the formula chosen must respect the Canada Health Act, and that this law provides for universality so that a province receives from the federal its “full financial contribution” for the health services it delivers.