Rally in Edmonton calls on Liberals to keep their pharmacare promise

With the federal Liberal caucus meeting for their pre-session retreat in Edmonton this week, the Canadian Health Coalition joined Friends of Medicare and allies from Alberta and across Canada for a rally on Tuesday, September 9, calling on the federal government to keep its promise to implement and expand a national pharmacare plan.

“Canadians have been waiting decades for a national Pharmacare plan to cover their prescription medications. With so many struggling with affordability and with our health care systems under strain, we can’t afford to wait any longer,” said Chris Gallaway, executive director of Friends of Medicare and Canadian Health Coalition board member. “Multiple Liberal governments have repeatedly promised Pharmacare, and people voted for them last election expecting that promise to be fulfilled. We expect the Liberal caucus to leave these meetings with a clear public commitment to fulfil their promise of implementing national Pharmacare. Anything less is simply unacceptable.”

In October 2024, Bill C-64: An Act Respecting Pharmacare passed, setting the framework for universal, single-payer, first-dollar drug coverage for all Canadians, beginning with preliminary coverage of contraceptives and diabetes medication and equipment. This legislation was the culmination of decades of fighting, and represented the first major expansion of our public health care in over sixty years.

Bilateral agreements have since been signed by the federal government with Manitoba, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, and Yukon, to get coverage under way. But despite jurisdictions like Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Nunavut and the Northwest Territories indicating interest in negotiating deals, not one new agreement has been signed with a provincial or territorial government since the federal election this spring.

“The federal government is creating uncertainty for national, universal pharmacare that will provide free contraceptives to 9 million Canadians and diabetes medication to almost 4 million Canadians,” said Steven Staples, National Director of Policy and Advocacy of the Canadian Health Coalition. “We are urging Liberal MPs to ensure all Canadians, in every province and territory, have equal access to these medications.”

In spite of widespread support for pharmacare, stalled action and recent comments from the federal government have patients, health care workers and public health care advocates concerned about whether it intends to fulfill their promise to deliver much-needed relief when it comes to bringing down drug costs via a national public drug plan.

Prior to the rally, advocates gathered at Edmonton International Airport to greet arriving Liberal MPs and urge them to keep their pharmacare promise.

From left to right: Lesley Thompson, Steve Staples, and Judy Lederer speak with Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne

The rally saw activists, patients, health care workers, labour leaders and allies gather across from the Liberal Caucus meeting to send them a strong united message.

Pharmacare advocates chant “KEEP YOUR PROMISE” outside the Liberal Caucus meeting in Edmonton on Tuesday September 9th, demanding the federal government follow through on their commitment to national pharmacare.

Canadian Health Coalition Media Director Anne Lagacé Dowson speaks at Tuesday’s pharmacare rally in Edmonton, with National Director of Policy and Advocacy Steven Staples standing alongside her.

Friends of Medicare Executive Director and Canadian Health Coalition board member Chris Gallaway addresses the rally crowd on Tuesday.

Multiple media outlets were on hand to cover the rally, including CityTV Edmonton:

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Haylee Keyes is the National Director of Development and Community Engagement for the Canadian Health Coalition