Opinion: Provinces must align on health care, not just trade

Montreal Gazette

a day ago

Op Eds
We can borrow a line from Charles Dickens to describe our current state of politics in this country: 'It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.'
The 'worst of times' describes the international trade turmoil caused by Donald Trump's fluctuating tariffs and erratic deal-making, with significant implications for our economy. What is less frequently discussed is 'the best of times' impact — the unity the U.S. president's actions has created among premiers and the federal government.
Pan-Canadian trade barriers are falling, and interprovincial project ideas abound. This is good news for Canada, even as a possible trade deal with the United States presumably wends closer.
As patient-partners in health research, and part of a non-profit organization that helps cancer patients receive essential treatments, we ask: If we can find equal footing among the provinces and territories on trade, why not on health care?
Why can't we streamline access to medically necessary treatment for patients across the country who are badly in need of them?
For many, this is a matter of life or death.
At the moment, provincial and territorial governments make their own decisions about what drugs to reimburse for eligible people and under what conditions. There are many instances across the country where governments don't reimburse people for essential medications at all, leaving patients to find the money on their own.
This includes cancer treatments.
Sometimes this means people must go without necessary drugs or necessary food. This is the 'choice' our so-often-called 'patchwork quilt' of coverage sometimes provides.
The federal government also has its own drug plans for groups under its jurisdiction — and recently, for contraceptives and diabetes medication through the 2024 Pharmacare Act (in provinces that have finalized their agreements with the federal government).
Now that we have decided to become Team Canada on trade, there is no reason not to extend this to drug access.
During his election campaign, Prime Minister Mark Carney talked about 'Canada Strong,' his plan to unite, secure, protect and build Canada, including comprehensive measures to build and protect our health care system. He talked about adding doctors, building hospitals and delivering better mental health services. He said we would build a stronger health care system.
A stronger health care system includes ensuring that people in Canada have equal access to medically necessary services, and that the coverage is portable across the country. These are among the five key principles underpinning the Canada Health Act.
Provinces are already on board for getting people medically necessary treatments. Last month, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who heads the Council of the Federation, comprising all provincial and territorial premiers, said one of their aims is to accelerate getting life saving medications to people who need them.
So if every level of government supports the need for medically necessary services — and drug treatments should surely fit into that category — why are we not tearing down the barriers to our patchwork quilt of public drug reimbursement plans?
Where you live in the country should not determine whether or not you receive essential medications. Access to health care in Canada — including life-saving medications — should be seamless across provincial and territorial borders.
It is not only the right thing to do for patients, but it is also a boon to the economy — getting people healthy and contributing to our society in any way they can.
So we ask Carney and the Council of the Federation: If we can find practical solutions to remove trade barriers that are bad for our economy, why can't we find a practical solution to the barrier of unequal access to medically necessary treatments across this country, too?