Friends,

If you joined our webinar February 17, you know how important this next four days will be when it comes to the long fight for a national, universal drug program for all. The federal Bill C213: An Act to Enact the Canada Pharmacare Act is gearing up for a historic vote on February 24!

National Pharmacare is a common-sense and long overdue measure that will not only save money but will most importantly save lives. The implementation of this plan would mark the first major expansion of our health care since the inception of Medicare over 5 decades ago and Canadians have been waiting ever since. Here are the facts:

  • We're missing out. Canada is the only country with universal health care that doesn't cover prescription drugs.
  • Our current system isn't working. 21% of Albertan households can't afford their medications, and COVID-19 has only made it worse. People are having to make impossible choices every day, like deciding between paying for food or rent, or filling their prescriptions.
  • Pharmacare would save lives. Hundreds of Canadians suffer premature deaths each year because they don't have access to the medications they need.
  • Pharmacare would save money. Projected yearly savings would amount to $9 billion for employers and $7.1 billion for households.
  • Pharmacare would mean better & safer drugs. A national formulary would be free from political and industry influence, so new pharmaceuticals would be produced based on the best medical evidence, not on corporate profits.
  • A fill-in-the-gaps model won't work. We already have a complicated patchwork of private and public plans, including 23 public plans in Alberta alone. Yet 1 in 3 working Albertans have no benefits, and those who do are faced with expensive deductibles, co-pays, and caps on remittances.

This is a pivotal moment for a long-awaited and urgently needed Pharmacare plan, and we need your help!


Take action for Pharmacare:
1.
Contact your MP!
Tell them you expect them to vote in support of Bill C213, and to show their commitment to finally ensuring that ALL Canadians have access to the medications they need. Call and keep calling! If they're not there, leave a message. Send an email and continue contacting them until you get a response.

To find your MP's contact info, click here.
2.
Show your support!
Download a Pharmacare sign or make one of your own, and take a photo of yourself holding it. Post it to your social media with the hashtag #PharmacareNow! (Make sure to tag us: @FriendsMedicare!)

Don't use social media? No worries! Email us your photo and we will tweet it starting Monday. We will only share your
first name.
3.
Join the watch party!
Bring your signs and join people from all across the country to watch this historic vote at an e-watch party hosted by Peter Julian, the MP who introduced Bill C213! Catch the watch party and post-vote rally on Zoom February 24, at 1:00 PM MST.

To RSVP, click here.
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Friends of Medicare
780-423-4581