The CEP is taking part with the Canadian Health Coalition in a lobby of federal MPs to press for a universal public drug plan.
Provincial health coalitions, seniors groups and others will be lobbying their MPs for Pharmacare during these weeks. Meet with your MP to tell them about the importance of a drug plan that will cover everyone and control costs.
In Ottawa, the members of the Board of the Canadian Health Coalition, including CEP, have lobbied key MPs on the issue.
This lobby is based on the release of a new report by the Canadian Health Coalition, called “Life Before Pharmacare”. The report tells the real stories of Canadians who are having problems with prescription drugs, including CEP members.Click here to download the leaflet on Life Before Pharmacare. Put it on your bulletin boards. Click here for the full report.
What you can do
Contact your constituency office and ask for a meeting. Read our 5 steps to lobbying about how to handle a meeting with your MP, by clicking here.
For briefing notes for the lobby, a one page outline of the problems and what we need, click here.
Send a letter or an email to your MP. To send an email immediately click here. To see a sample letter, click here.
Photocopy the leaflet on Life Before Pharmacare. Put it on your bulletin board and distribute it to your members.
Gather information on problems your members have experienced. Also think about what your collective agreement does or does not cover on drugs and any problems you’ve had negotiating drug and health benefit coverage. This information is really useful when you lobby politicians, whether by letter or in person. You can use your own stories and experiences to tell politicians why this is an important issue.
You can raise the campaign for discussion at your local union meetings, educate your stewards, hold an education session – whatever ways are useful to let your members know about the issue.
CEP Research Department
Sign this Petition! Get a drug company VP off our public research health council.(Petition)
Pharmacare Campaign