e-4516 (Health)

Petition to the Government of Canada

• A federal policy for free prescription birth control in Canada is projected to create money, with studies showing up to $9 saved in managing unplanned pregnancies for each $1 invested in universal contraception;
• Furthermore, fiscal benefits are predicted to be achieved quickly, with cost neutrality at year one and significant net savings within two years of implementation;
• Reproductive rights are human rights and cannot be left to the whim of changing provincial governments;
• Reproductive rights are currently being systematically dismantled south of Canada’s border in the United States at an alarming rate;
• Worldwide, Canada ranks poorly compared to 46 European nations in universal access to contraceptive supplies, counseling and information;
• British Columbia offers universal coverage of contraception, Quebec provides 80% coverage, while other provinces have programs that are patchy or difficult to access;
• There exists an equity issue within Canada in accessing contraception;
• Now is the time for the Government of Canada to introduce a federal policy for the universal coverage of contraception and reaffirm its commitment to reproductive rights for all Canadians;
• Canada is the only country worldwide with universal healthcare that lacks coverage for prescription drugs;
• The Government of Canada has committed to the implementation of a national pharmacare program; and
• A federal policy for the universal coverage of contraception in Canada could be an important, immediate and symbolic first step in the implementation of a national pharmacare program.