Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott
MPP Arnott Chides Federal Liberals for their Broken Health Care Promise
Waterloo-Wellington MPP Ted Arnott spoke to the issue of prescription drugs in the Legislature on June 27, 2001, raising Ontario's increased investments for drugs, the federal Government's unkept promise to introduce a national pharmacare program, and the lack of a substantial response to his letter to Prime Minister Jean Chretien.
Mr. Arnott informed the House that the Liberal Party of Canada has yet to live up to their election promise to introduce a national pharmacare program. Their pre-election promise in 1997 indicated that they would introduce a program designed to ensure that "all Canadians have access to medically necessary drugs within the public health care system."
They went on to commit to working with the provinces and other stakeholders to “…develop with these groups the timetable and fiscal framework for the implementation of universal public coverage for medically necessary drugs." Both of these quotations came from the ‘Red Book' – the Federal Liberal campaign promises for the 1997 election.
“There have been two federal elections since this promise was made, and there has been no follow up from the Government of Canada as was confirmed in the Minister's response to my question,” declared Mr. Arnott who wrote to the Prime Minister in February of this year to ask for a status report on the promise and later raised a question in the Legislature with Ontario's Health Minister on May 3, 2001.
“I wrote to the Prime Minister on this subject about four months ago, and I have received no meaningful reply to my request for a status report, just an acknowledgement from an assistant that my letter had been received,” he explained to the House.
Mr. Arnott noted that since 1995, the Ontario Drug Benefit Plan has been expanded to offer 1,216 more products, up to a current total of 3,100 products that help seniors and people on social assistance obtain medicine prescribed by their doctors. He also reported that spending on the Ontario Drug Benefit Program has risen by almost 70 per cent since 1995, from just over $1 billion to $1.8 billion this year.
Mr. Arnott also reminded Legislators that these spending increases happened in spite of reductions in federal support for health care in Ontario that has slipped from 18 cents on the dollar in 1994/95 to a current level of 13 cents.
“The need to reverse the federal cuts and introduce an escalator clause to increase federal support to keep pace with rising costs for health care was supported by members from all three parties in this House when my private member's resolution passed last year,” Mr. Arnott said.
“The Premier is continuing that call for an escalator clause by asking for an immediate commitment from the Government of Canada to cover 50 per cent of increasing costs for health care. I that hope all members will continue to support this initiative,” he concluded.
Mr. Arnott's provincial riding of Waterloo-Wellington includes all of Wellesley, Wilmot and Woolwich Townships, a southwestern part of the City of Kitchener, and much of Wellington County.
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Further Information:
Ted Arnott, M.P.P.
Waterloo-Wellington
(519) 787-5247 / 1-800-265-2366
Enclosed:
· Hansard excerpt of Member's Statement and from Question Period
· Mr. Arnott's letter to the Prime Minister of Canada
· The acknowledgement letter
· The Red Book excerpt
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