On poor prescriptions

Just last week, I discussed the CIHI's call for a national pharmacare program, with the note that such a program would offer a great opportunity for the Cons to present themselves as a government capable of strengthening health care in Canada. But sadly if predictably, leadership isn't in the cards on this one...at least judging from the Cons' response to a smaller-scale effort in Ontario:

(T)he Conservative government in Ottawa is keeping its distance from the opposition to Smitherman's plan...

Industry Minister Maxime Bernier's office would not comment on the matter, saying the Tory government wants to respect the jurisdiction of the provincial governments and the matter is clearly in provincial jurisdiction.

As I'd mentioned in the previous post, Canada's premiers have already agreed to work toward a pharmacare program in the future...meaning that the jurisdictional excuse is even less reasonable than usual. But unfortunately, the Cons seem all too happy to use any excuse imaginable to avoid accomplishing anything positive. And both individual Canadians and the health-care system will continue to face needlessly high drug costs as a result.