Trudeau's Liberals 'not pulling the fire alarm' on NDP deal, health minister says
Health Minister Mark Holland says he has “every confidence” his government can deliver pharmacare legislation by the promised March 1 deadline, and that the Liberals are “not pulling the fire alarm” on their confidence-and-supply deal with the NDP over the issue.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said this week there will be “repercussions” if the Liberals don’t table a sufficient piece of pharmacare framework legislation by next month, and signalled he’ll consider a missed deadline to mean they’ve “walked away” from their confidence-and-supply agreement.
The pact sees the NDP prop up the Liberals until 2025 in exchange for progress on key priorities, including pharmacare, for which the parties have already extended the deadline once before.
Despite Singh’s statements, Holland told CTV’s Question Period host Vassy Kapelos, in an interview airing Sunday, that he will meet the deadline.
“I have every confidence it will be (tabled on time),” Holland said. “I appreciate negotiations aren't easy, and some of that spills out publicly. But (NDP health critic) Don Davies has been a great partner to work with, we've had a lot of back and forth.”
“So I'm confident that we'll be able to find a solution and that we'll have legislation tabled before that deadline,” he added.
While Holland insists the federal government can deliver on its pharmacare deadline promise, he wouldn’t give specifics about the contents of the plan.
This week, when asked for a status update on the talks and the overarching economic restraints on the government given the estimated multibillion-dollar price tag on a universal drug program, Holland acknowledged the federal government "can’t afford this to be a massively expensive program."
The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) estimates the total spending on prescription drugs under a single-payer universal drug plan would be $33.2 billion in 2024-25, rising to $38.9 billion in 2027-28, according to a report released last October.
“We can't do everything at once, I think is a fair thing to say,” he told Kapelos.
When pressed on whether the framework legislation will pave the way for a single-payer system — and whether he personally believes it should — Holland wouldn’t say, but added he’s not “ideologically bound to any one option.”
“I think the end state has to be that every person, everywhere in the country, is covered, and is able to afford their drugs,” he said.
Liberals not ‘pulling that fire alarm’ on NDP deal
And when asked whether the confidence-and-supply agreement continues to serve the government — despite hard lines being drawn and warnings from the NDP about their deal breakers — Holland said it “absolutely” does.
“It's a great starting point,” he said. “It doesn't mean that we work with the New Democrats on everything, sometimes we work with other parties, but it creates predictability.”
Holland also said he won’t speculate publicly about the future of the deal.
“It's not how I operate,” Holland said, pointing to his time as government house leader, when he was asked frequently whether one issue or another could be the one to fatally damage the agreement. “And I never speculated. I just don't think it's useful.”
“But I don't think Canadians want us pulling that fire alarm,” he added.
While Holland insists the pact with the NDP still has its advantages, some panelists on CTV’s Question Period’s weekly strategy segment said now might be an opportunity for the parties to change the parameters of the deal.
Holland in his interview also discussed the recently signed $3.1-billion health-care deal with Ontario, which both the federal and provincial governments say will increase access to primary care and reduce wait times.
With files from CTVNews.ca’s Senior Digital Parliamentary Reporter Rachel Aiello
IN DEPTH
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6922467.1718138898!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'Not the result we wanted': Trudeau responds after surprise Conservative byelection win in Liberal stronghold
Conservative candidate Don Stewart winning the closely-watched Toronto-St. Paul's federal byelection, and delivering a stunning upset to Justin Trudeau's candidate Leslie Church in the long-time Liberal riding, has sent political shockwaves through both parties.
'We will go with the majority': Liberals slammed by opposition over proposal to delay next election
The federal Liberal government learned Friday it might have to retreat on a proposal within its electoral reform legislation to delay the next vote by one week, after all opposition parties came out to say they can't support it.
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6850735.1713368648!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6958682.1720639670!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Canada to announce plan to reach NATO target, spend 2% of GDP on defence: sources
After facing months of pressure, senior government sources tell CTV News that Canada will unveil its plan on Thursday on how to reach its NATO commitment to spend two per cent of its GDP on defence.
His brother was found dead, his mother was arrested before this baby was found crawling by a highway
A Louisiana sheriff says a one-year-old 'miracle baby' survived two days of sometimes stormy weather before a truck driver spotted him crawling along a roadside the day after his four-year-old brother was found dead and his mother was arrested in Mississippi.
Coolers seized from Vancouver encampment during heat wave
Rangers seized two coolers from a person living in a tent in Vancouver's CRAB Park Tuesday as a heat wave scorched the city, the park board has confirmed.
Frank Stronach's granddaughter seeks company docs related to misconduct allegations
The granddaughter of billionaire businessman Frank Stronach is asking an Ontario court to order the family business to disclose any documents that might exist related to complaints of sexual misconduct against him and settlements involving complainants.
Video shows police officer taking firefighter's hose, spraying people in East Vancouver
The Vancouver Police Department is defending the actions of an officer who was recorded taking a firefighter's water hose and spraying two people in the head on Canada Day.
Actor George Clooney, a high-profile Biden supporter and fundraiser, asks president to leave race
Movie star and lifelong Democrat George Clooney added his voice to calls for Joe Biden to leave the presidential race on Wednesday, just weeks after headlining a fundraiser that brought in a record single-night haul for the president's reelection campaign.
Ellen DeGeneres is 'done' after her Netflix special
Ellen DeGeneres has reportedly said she's ready to tap out of performing. The former daytime talk show host let that be known during a recent standup show at the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa, California.
Costco to increase annual membership fee to $65 this September
Costco is increasing its annual membership fees in Canada and the U.S. this fall to $65.
Family of 3 killed in tragic collision on B.C. highway, RCMP say
A family of three was killed in a tragic head-on collision with a tractor trailer in B.C.'s Fraser Valley this week, authorities have confirmed. The deceased are two adults and an infant.
Local Spotlight
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6958241.1720624905!/httpImage/image.jpeg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpeg)
Little free Blockbuster set up in Winnipeg
One man is bringing a blast from the past to a Winnipeg community.
'Her whole future ahead of her': Sask. photographer captures Manitoba graduate posing on iceberg
Some say a photograph is simply a memory frozen in time – and a high school graduation photo taken in Churchill, Man. takes that adage to a completely new level.
'Tears come to my eyes': Track star and family granted extension to stay in Canada after deportation order
A rising track and field star overcame a big hurdle in his dream to represent Canada at the Olympics.
B.C. buyers who backed out of home purchase ordered to pay more than $350K in damages
Would-be homebuyers who backed out of a deal to purchase a B.C. property in a hot real estate market have been ordered to pay the seller the difference between what they offered and what he was able to sell the home for when the market cooled.
Look at this photograph: Ottawa city councillor meets his rock star idols Nickelback
Ottawa city councillor Tim Tierney has waited decades for the chance to meet his rock-star idols Nickelback.
'Incredible honour': Mick Jagger dines at famous Vancouver restaurant
A rock 'n' roll legend made an appearance at a popular Vancouver restaurant over the weekend.
Escaped inmate found south of Edmonton 1 month later
A convict who escaped an Edmonton correctional service more than a month ago has been caught.
Ottawa woman, 49, wins $70 million, plans to help community
An Ottawa woman, who has survived cancer and has overcome addiction, has won $70 million with Lotto Max.
Calgarians allowed to water by hand, some pools open as city eases outdoor restrictions
Calgary is easing outdoor water restrictions as the city continues work to help its water infrastructure recover following a major feeder main break.