‘Nonsense fearmongering:’ Health minister slams Poilievre for ‘lies’ on pharmacare bill

The federal health minister is accusing Pierre Poilievre of spreading ‘lies’ after the Conservative leader claimed to CityNews the government’s legislation on pharmacare would ban workplace health coverage.

Speaking with ‘Now You Know with Rob Snow,’ Poilievre took aim at the bill, claiming the legislation will replace private insurance options for Canadians.

“The pharmacare bill Trudeau’s brought forward would ban that and require you move over to a federal government plan, not a workplace plan, a federal government plan,” said Poilievre. “I will not be supporting any plan like the one in the Liberal government’s bill that would ban you from having a workplace drug coverage.”

Bill C-64 contains no specific measures to regulate private medical insurance options, and the Trudeau government was quick to push back with federal Health Minister Mark Holland calling Poilievre’s comments “nonsense fearmongering.”

“It’s bad enough that Pierre Poilievre wants to block women from getting access to universal contraceptives or stop diabetes patients from getting the medication they need, that’s fine if you want to vote against that. But spreading what are out and out lies and misinformation is reckless and totally irresponsible,” Holland tells CityNews.

The legislation is aimed at setting up a national pharmacare program, following negotiations with the provinces, beginning with diabetes and contraception medications. The spring budget tabled on April 16 sets aside $ 1.5 billion over five years to pay for the initial coverage.

“I will not be supporting any plan, like the one in the Liberal government’s bill, that would ban you from having a workplace drug coverage because that will make you worse off at higher cost to Canadian taxpayers,” Poilievre said, repeating his claims when explaining his opposition to the bill.

Minister Holland argues the public program will complement private insurance.

“You’re going to have a choice. If you want to get your universal contraceptives and use your private insurance plan, go for it, no problem,” Holland says. “But if you’re someone who doesn’t have insurance or is underinsured and you want to use a public program that we’re going to work with provinces and territories to create, you’re going to have that option.”

When asked for clarification on Poilievre’s comments, an official in his office tells CityNews the references in the legislation to a “single-payer” model and public statements by NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh demanding universal drug coverage, justifies the Conservative leader’s comments. The NDP helped negotiate the bill.

“It’s the dishonesty, to me, that is so reprehensible,” says Holland. “If you’re against it and you don’t believe that we should cover people and you don’t believe people should get the medicine or the oral health they need, then have the courage of your convictions and be honest about what your arguments are.”

The pharmacare legislation is currently at second reading in the House of Commons.