The leader of Canada’s New Democrat Party (NDP) stopped in Coquitlam today, Feb. 16, to turn the screws on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Jagmeet Singh, also MP for Burnaby South, was outside the Barnet Pharmacy to tell media that the Liberal leader “will face consequences” if he misses the deadline on the pharmacare bill.
The two parties were expected to deliver the legislation by December 2023; however, that target was pushed to March 1, 2024, to continue negotiations.
When asked by the Tri-City News, Singh said that the "consequences" of not meeting the deadline will result in a loss of NDP votes in the House of Commons.
“They can no longer count on any of our votes,” he said.
“None of the supports that were there in the agreement will continue. They will have broken their promise.”
He declined to say if his party’s move for non-co-operation would prompt an election.
Singh talked about the need for a national pharmacare bill that would include free contraception, as in B.C.; he hopes the same model can be used across the country.
Singh said access to birth control pills, IUDs and other methods to avoid pregnancy are vital for Canadian women, especially as the rights of U.S. women have been eroded through recent state policies.
Singh said Trudeau has two weeks to make good on his promise.
He was joined at the news conference by NDP MP Bonita Zarrillo (Port Moody–Coquitlam) as well as Laura Dupont, the NDP's candidate for Coquitlam–Port Coquitlam and a former Port Coquitlam city councillor.
School District 43 (SD43) trustee Jennifer Blatherwick and Port Moody Coun. Amy Lubik were also on hand for the announcement.
Singh claimed the governing Liberals have met more times with pharmaceutical companies than with the federal NDP on the pharmacare proposal and “the Liberals have really chosen a side on this.”
He also spoke about how Canadian families are needing prescription drugs, but are having to forgo them as a result of the cost.
