Senator Kim Pate

Bill C-64 & Pharmacare for All

As the Senate sponsor of the government’s historic pharmacare legislation, Bill C-64, I am excited to be part of Canada’s first and vital steps toward a universal, public, single-payer pharmacare system.

Bill C-64 outlines a plan to work with all Indigenous Peoples, provinces and territories willing to provide universal, public, single-payer coverage of necessary medicines, starting with essential contraceptive and diabetes medications. This reflects a step-by-step process recommended by the expert Advisory Council on the Implementation of National Pharmacare in 2019. Moreover, it brings Canada into line with most other wealthy countries that provide universal coverage of necessary medicines as part of their Medicare system. 

Despite Canada’s commitment to the principle that a person’s access to timely and adequate healthcare must not depend on the amount of money in their pocket, Canadians increasingly struggle with the high costs of necessary medications. More than 1 in 5 adults in Canada do not have drug coverage adequate to ensure access to medications that they need, failing Canadians and exacerbating poverty and inequality in Canada.

A pharmacare system working in tandem with such other poverty reduction measures as the national housing strategy and a guaranteed livable income could reduce the cost of health care by addressing the root factors that lead to poor health. Economists and doctors agree that income and housing are key social determinants of health.

The 2019 report of the Advisory Council on national pharmacare (Hoskins Report) concludes and I agree that, "at the heart of every decision about pharmacare are people, residents of this great country, who deserve to be treated fairly and to have equal access to the best care we can give. It’s time to close the gap between our values and our reality. It’s time for universal single-payer public pharmacare."

Status of Bill C-64

Text of the Bill
Speeches
Hoskins Report

News Releases