On August 20th, CFUW National President Linda Sestock sent the following message to the Honourable Health Minister, Marjorie Michel

Available as a PDF in English and French

Dear Minister of Health,

I am writing on behalf of CFUW (Canadian Federation of University Women), a national, self-funded organization founded in 1919. With 90 Clubs across Canada and more than 6,700 members, we work nationally and within our communities to achieve equality and social justice through continuous learning and empowerment, granting more than $1 million a year in scholarships and awards.

We are writing today to inquire about the pharmacare agreements promised last year to Canadians. In 2017, CFUW-FCFDU resolved as a national body to urge the federal, provincial, and territorial governments to deliver universal pharmacare, a publicly funded and financially sustainable drug plan that would cover medically necessary prescription drugs for all Canadians, regardless of their ability to pay. After years of campaigning from non-governmental organizations, patient groups, and other members of the public, we were pleased to see that this long-awaited pharmacare program would include universal and single-payer coverage.

We are now joining in on the concerns raised by Canadian health advocacy organizations regarding the implementation of the pharmacare agreements throughout Canada. So far, only three provinces and one territory have signed on, while negotiations with the rest have seemingly stalled.

Minister Michel, when asked about the lack of new pharmacare negotiations with the provinces at a press conference in Fredericton, you remarked that, “it’s a new government, and we are in a new context, and we have to have discussions with the provinces to see how we can support them.” While we may be in a new context, Canadians’ need for pharmacare remains unchanged. Moreover, your government pledged in its platform to protect dental care and pharmacare, highlighting that these are critical services and key parts of a strong public health care system. As you know, affordable medication is an essential element of a high-quality healthcare system. For far too long, Canadians have been paying higher prices for prescription drugs than most other developed countries, resulting in unacceptable financial burdens on patients. In particular, federal funding of contraceptive and diabetes medications for patients is paramount to the health and well-being of Canadians.

We would appreciate any information you can provide about moving forward with signing pharmacare agreements with the remaining provinces and territories. Canadians are facing many challenges, and your government has the opportunity to ensure that their ability to afford medication is not among them.

Yours sincerely

Linda Sestock

National President, CFUW

Présidente nationale, FCFDU