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Phone Zap: Tell Your Premier, We Want Pharmacare, Not Privatization!

With the resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a federal election looming, the future of pharmacare is hanging in the balance.

Since the Pharmacare Act was passed in October 2024, the federal government has been in negotiations with provinces and territories to deliver the program, but no details have yet been released of any progress.

Pierre Poilievre and the Conservatives, riding high in the polls, are threatening to ‘reject’ single-payer pharmacare if they get elected.

Our best shot at making pharmacare “election-proof” is to have as many provinces as possible sign on and start providing access to free medications before the next federal election.

Call your premier and MPP/MLA/MHA today to say you want national pharmacare now.

TALKING POINTS / SAMPLE CALL SCRIPT

Hi, my name is [name], I live in [city/riding] and I’m a supporter of the Council of Canadians. 

(Mention any support you may have given the MP / their party in the past, if relevant: voting, donating, volunteering, etc.)

I am calling because I fully support the new national pharmacare program laid out in the Pharmacare Act, and with a federal election soon I want to see [province] implement this program as soon as possible.

Across Canada, more than one in five people cannot afford their medications. That’s 8.8 million people who are skipping doses, splitting pills, or not filling their prescriptions.

And since people who can’t afford much-needed medications often get sicker and end up in the ER, this is putting greater pressure on our province’s health care system.

High drug prices and inadequate coverage are making the health care crisis worse and causing millions of Canadians to suffer needlessly.

(Share any experiences you or someone close to you from your province may have had with lack of coverage or unaffordable drug costs)

The federal government’s new national pharmacare program, starting with coverage for contraceptives and diabetes drugs, will help change that.

There’s absolutely no reason for [your province] not to support this new program. I know you may be hearing false narratives from Big Pharma or insurance lobbyists about pharmacare. I’m calling to let you that people in [your province/your riding] are paying attention, and expect to see [your province] negotiate in good faith with the federal government to roll out pharmacare as quickly as possible.  

Step-by-step instructions

  1. Have your phone handy and open your computer.
  2. On your computer, go to this link to access the calling tool: https://canadians.org/action/pharma-phone-prov/.
  3. Enter your information in the web form.
  4. Get your phone ready and then, on your computer, click ‘Make the Call’.
  5. Your phone will ring. Answer it! At the same time, scroll down on the web page to see the phone script.
  6. Your phone will now automatically connect you. Leave a message on each answering machine using the script (feel free to modify as you see fit!).
  7. After each message you leave, DON’T HANG UP! Press * and you’ll automatically be connected to the next target number.
  8. Repeat until the end. When you’ve left a message for all targets you’re ready to hang up.

Targets

Alberta

  • Danielle Smith, Premier 780-427-2251
  • Adriana LaGrange, Health Minister 780 427-3665

British Columbia

  • David Eby, Premier (250) 387-1715
  • Josie Osborne, Health Minister (250) 953-3547

Manitoba

  • Wab Kinew, Premier 204-945-3714
  • Uzoma Asagwara, Health Minister 204-945-3731

New Brunswick

  • Susan Holt, Premier (506) 453-2144
  • John Dornan, Health Minister (506) 646-1805

Newfoundland & Labrador

  • Andrew Furey, Premier (709) 729-3570
  • Tom Osbourne, Health Minister (709) 729-3124

Nova Scotia

  • Tim Houston, Premier 902-424-6600
  • Michelle Thompson, Health Minister 902-424-5818

Nunavut

  • P.J. Akeeagok, Premier 867-975-5050
  • John Main, Health Minister (867) 975-5151

NWT

  • RJ Simpson, Premier 867-767-9141
  • Lesa Semmler, Health Minister (867) 767-9143

Ontario

  • Doug Ford, Premier 416-325-1941
  • Sylvia Jones, Health Minister 416-327-4300

PEI

  • Dennis King, Premier 902-368-4400
  • Mark McLane, Health Minister 902-368-5250

Quebec

  • Francois Legault, Premier 418-643-5321
  • Christian Dube, Health Minister 418-266-7171

Saskatchewan

  • Scott Moe, Premier 306-787-9433
  • Jeremy Cockrill, Health Minister 306-787-7345

Yukon

  • Ranj Pillai, Premier 867-393-7418
  • Tracy-Anne McPhee, Health Minister 867-393-7488