SUSAN LEBLANC « » : Manitoba has made history as the first province to sign the federal pharmacare agreement. Manitoba will now get $219 million over the next four years to cover medications like birth control. Providing free birth control would save Nova Scotians money. It would help address the gender-based violence epidemic. We have reminded this government about this opportunity countless times but we have yet to see any action. Why is Nova Scotia dragging its feet on signing this deal and giving Nova Scotians access to the medications they need?
HON. MICHELLE THOMPSON « » : Again, I'll answer the question that we are in active negotiations with the federal government regarding the deal. We need to make sure that this is a financially sustainable approach. We appreciate the opportunity that is before us, but we also have economic realities here that we need to ensure that if that money sunsets - and we expect that after three to five years it will - that we are going to have the capacity to continue to provide the same amount of coverage. In order to do that, we need to look at how we look at the natural resources in this province, how we generate economic development, how we do all of these things; but the Opposition have had nothing good to say about it since we started. I am very committed to looking at this deal and negotiating, but we need to look at the economic opportunities in this province.
SUSAN LEBLANC « » : I know the minister knows this, but reproductive health is an economic opportunity for Nova Scotians. It's all connected. Manitoba didn't wait for the federal money to come in. The province started covering birth control in the Fall because it knew it was the right thing to do, and it was economically sound. We are telling the government that there is money for them on the table right now and every day they delay, Nova Scotians are forced to spend more of their own money to cover this medication. My question is: Will the government ensure that Nova Scotians will have access to the medications they need?
MICHELLE THOMPSON « » : Again, there are a number of ways that people can access birth control through this province. We've talked about them before. Certainly if there is a financial barrier, through the Department of Opportunities and Social Development people have access to birth control. We have the Nova Scotia Family Pharmacare Program. Some people have private insurance - all these different ways to support people who require birth control. We are actively negotiating with the federal government. We cannot rush this negotiation. We cannot get a bad deal for Nova Scotians. We've seen that in the past with other deals when they've been rushed. We need to take our time. We need to ensure that we're doing the right things, that there is economic stability moving forward when and if that money sunsets, which we expect it will.