NB Update #4: Universal pharmacare long overdue, says labour leader [video]

On this edition, the NB Media Co-op brings you perspectives from the labour movement about proposed anti-scab legislation, the travel nursing scandal, and rights violations faced by migrant workers.

We also take a closer look at Bill C-64, which proponents say is the first step towards a universal, single-payer national pharmacare program. The bill is currently held up in the Senate, which recently adjourned for its summer recess.

Daniel Légère, president of the NB Federation of Labour, noted an example of a man who was unable to retire because of costs associated with diabetes coverage. “When I retire, I won’t be able to keep my health coverage,” the man told Légère.

George Leaman of the Bakery, Confectionary, Tobacco Workers and Grain Millers Local 406 said the legislation would level the playing field for people who pay high prices for medication and related products. “Big Pharma will be arguing right straight through that this isn’t the way to go, but we know that there’s power in numbers,” he said.

The show is hosted by David Gordon Koch and includes a roundup of news briefs from the NB Media Co-op. The NB Update is a collaboration between the NB Media Co-op and CHCO TV.