PHARMACARE PHONE BLITZ: Click to call Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland

TALKING POINTS / SAMPLE CALL SCRIPT

Hi, my name is _, I’m a supporter of the Council of Canadians, and I’m calling to urge you to support public, universal pharmacare.

I was very disturbed to hear government officials saying we can’t afford to implement pharmacare.

This is exactly what pharmaceutical and insurance company lobbyists opposed to pharmacare have been saying.

Yet every serious study has shown that public, single-payer pharmacare will save us billions in lower drug costs and other efficiencies.

How is it that your government can afford to spend $74 billion on F-35 fighter jets, but can’t find the money to ensure everyone has access to essential medicines?

Covering essential medicines for all Canadians will cost just $3.5 billion per year. There’s no excuse for not taking this first step towards a comprehensive national public drug plan, as called for by your government’s own expert panel in 2019.

(2 sentence personal story if you have one!)

I know that the Council of Canadians has requested a meeting with you and you haven’t responded yet – I’m asking you to set a meeting date as soon as possible.

I urge you and your government to pass legislation for a universal drug plan immediately.

Thank you.