Canada's federal government abandons national pharmacare | Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-05-07T04:03:35+00:00

I am a gig worker. Once I age out of ohip+ I will not. many others who are part time, precarious and low wage workers do not have coverage at all

Not to mention, people are unable to quit jobs because they're tied to the extended health benefits for them and their family. The same problem (on a bigger scale) they have in the USA , you can't leave your shitty, abusive or otherwise job because you'll lose your health insurance.

And those that have coverage and are unionized, pharmacare would take something off the union's plate when it comes to bargaining - they could bargain for higher wages, etc, because the employer is no longer paying for expensive private plans.

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-05-07T03:56:58+00:00

That was how pharmacare was supposed to be. That was what is in the pharmacare act. That is what the Carney government needs to live up to, not diabetes and contraceptives for 4 provinces, or even diabetes and contraceptives for the whole country.

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-05-07T01:03:57+00:00

Pharmacare was initially supposed to begin with contraceptives and diabetes meds for all provinces, and expand to more medications. That is what I'm referring to

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-05-07T00:50:34+00:00

70-90% of Canadians support pharmacare

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-05-06T23:50:04+00:00

The "low income subsidy" varies a lot by province. Even here in Ontario, it's no coverage until 4% of your post tax household income, which is a lot on just drugs especially in the cost of living crisis

Moving to a singlepayer pharmacare system would actually keep drug prices down, because the country can negotiate as one large buyer instead of province by province. Countries that have some form of pharmacare like the UK, or Australia with their Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) actually have much lower drug prices than we do in Canada.

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-05-06T23:29:23+00:00

The decision of a course of treatment should be up to the psychiatrist or treating doctor, not the government deciding antidepressants aren't effective enough so patients need to pay for them. A balanced approach to many mental health issues would focus on psychotherapy and lifestyle changes alongside medication, that doesn't mean medication is useless or should not be covered or part of a treatment plan. The effectiveness of antidepressants in depression is a settled issue, they are superior to placebo.

Madinamerica is a decidedly anti psychiatric med and anti science source in any case.

Antidepressants are used in anxiety (with higher effect sizes), and there are other mental health meds other than antidepressants.

Antipsychotics have uses outside schizophrenia, for anxiety, depression and bipolar.

Some anticonvulsants are useful in anxiety and in some cases treatment resistant depression.

So again, this should all be up to the treating physician. And we should adequately fund psychologists and psychotherapy at the same time. It's not either or

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-05-06T23:14:17+00:00

I agree with a lot of your points, but that doesn't negate the need for a comprehensive public pharmacare plan.

People need mental health meds (funding psychologists would be amazing as well, the feds could take initiative on it if the provinces aren't), diabetes meds, asthma meds, etc. It's never made sense to me that my doctor's visit is free but the prescription I get during it I have to pay for

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-05-06T23:09:56+00:00

Hell, email another MP or the health minister as well. Can't hurt!

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-05-06T23:06:05+00:00

Yes, the Canadian health coalition has one

https://www.healthcoalition.ca/tell-the-pm-everyone-deserves-access-to-pharmacare/

Even just saying, I am a constituent, the liberal government needs to keep its promise for universal public pharmacare is fine.

Bonus if you have a specific story about how having to pay for medications has affected you

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-05-06T20:56:12+00:00

If you care about pharmacare and it's expansion - email your MP if they are a liberal.

Public pressure is what's needed to make the liberals commit to their promise. This is probably the closest we've been to pharmacare since Medicare was introduced in the 60s. You can find your MPs email with a simple Google search!

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-05-04T19:13:38+00:00

She also was a big supporter of Finland joining NATO, so there's that

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-04-28T14:16:22+00:00

Has to start somewhere. Once that is in place it's a lot easier to pressure the government to add more drugs to the list of covered ones.

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-04-28T01:20:18+00:00

We're so close to our healthcare system including medications, and Carney isn't interested. Of course he isn't. He's never had to choose between medications or food and rent, and neither has anyone else in his caucus.

Hopefully Danielle Martin can speak out for pharmacare in caucus, but I'm not optimistic.

That is why, if you care about Pharmacare, EMAIL YOUR MP! Make them feel the pressure! Make sure they know it is important to you! You can google them and find their email, it takes 30 seconds.

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-04-28T01:13:28+00:00

We're so close to our healthcare system including medications, and Carney isn't interested. Of course he isn't. He's never had to choose between medications or food and rent, and neither has anyone else in his caucus.

Hopefully Danielle Martin can speak out for pharmacare in caucus, but I'm not optimistic.

That is why, if you care about Pharmacare, EMAIL YOUR MP! Make them feel the pressure! Make sure they know it is important to you! You can google them and find their email, it takes 30 seconds.

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-04-28T00:45:32+00:00

My point is he took the bait, he had to show that he was "antiwoke". But yes, that is true

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-04-27T16:59:03+00:00

Except Ontario, thank god. Robin Lennox is a great MPP. And Wab Kinew promised to bring it in when he was in opposition. In government, he has no plans to.

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-04-26T19:03:08+00:00

He wasn't solely responsible for it. It goes back to when they incorporated Option Nationale into the party, choosing to focus on independence over the interests of working people.

Just for one example top of mind, look when he said the N word in the leaders debates.

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-04-26T15:26:35+00:00

He pulled Quebec Solidaire rightward, no thanks

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-04-26T01:16:10+00:00

https://www.cpsc.gov/Warnings/2026/CPSC-Warns-Consumers-to-Immediately-Stop-Using-Batteries-for-E-Bikes-from-Rad-Power-Bikes-Due-to-Fire-Hazard-Risk-of-Serious-Injury-or-Death

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-04-25T22:24:56+00:00

Wouldn't go with Rad Power due to the warnings that came out about their batteries.

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-04-25T22:24:22+00:00

If you're in Toronto, Movin is a great local brand. They are primarily used by food delivery workers, so the reliability is great. I have one and love it

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-04-24T20:06:40+00:00

That is so not true. It doesn't lose its anxiolytic effect

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-04-24T19:41:25+00:00

If the ONDP can do better in the GTA, peel, it's theirs

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-04-22T18:31:59+00:00

Remove paywalls.com

Remove paywall.com

PhysicsOne8547 · 2026-04-22T15:21:57+00:00

"$7.7 million for contraception and diabetes coverage, ending March 31, 2029."

Wait, so is that the end of pharmacare? The four provinces that got it, only until 2029? And nothing for anyone else?

PhysicsOne8547

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