With International Trade Minister Ed Fast in Belgium this week for trade talks with the European Union, British Columbia NDP Leader Adrian Dix is calling on the federal government to reject the EU's proposed changes to Canada's drug patent laws.
"It's very important that provincial health systems and medicare in general are protected against an unnecessary increase in costs," Dix said in an interview. "The costs and consequences are borne by provincial governments and also patients and the sick."
The Canadian Press reported last week that anonymous government and industry sources said Fast was willing to at least partly meet E.U. demands for increased patent protection for brand name drugs as part of negotiations for the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement.
The EU has sought to have patents not start until a drug receives regulatory approval, extend patent protection to 10 years from the current eight, and strengthen legal rights for appeals on patent decisions. The CP said government documents estimated the cost of those changes to Canadians at as much as $2 billion a year.
An earlier report had put the cost to B.C. alone at $250 million a year.
A spokesperson for B.C.'s jobs, tourism and skills training ministry, which is responsible for the international trade file, did not respond to a call by posting time.
Premier Christy Clark has previously said the province would like to be reimubursed if the federal government signs a deal that adds to B.C.'s drug tab.
"They keep talking about compensation," said Dix. "They forget there's only one taxpayer."
Meeting the E.U.'s demands would also add costs for private health insurance plans and individuals, particularly those with chronic illnesses, he said.
Andrew MacLeod is The Tyee’s Legislative Bureau Chief in Victoria. Find him on Twitter or reach him here.
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the real ODB
26 weeks ago
free trade...
...isn't it wonderful!
Skywalker
26 weeks ago
Who was it anyway that claimed ......
...this federal bunch had any sense?
ken280
26 weeks ago
Just another day in the sell out of Canada
where are all you supporters of BC Liberals and Harper! Maybe you are just licking your chops over the sick,old and the poor going to pay more for drugs,well us taxpayers will pay through the nose.The pharmaceuticals that sit on the board in BC to pick what drugs will be covered under Pharmacare,the fox in the chicken coop no less! They must have stock options for not being here complaining about the NDP. Now we have the EU up our butt. How I remember the beatings on the(WTO)protesters and the right wing supporter calling those people all kinds of names in the media,with MSM doing what they do so best(nothing)God Damn I'm not going to take it anymore!At the very least lay me down before the scr*wing.
Fiat lux
26 weeks ago
The history of all of these
The history of all of these "free trade" rackets, ever since Mulroney's first FTA, always has been more destruction, more enslavement and more poverty forced on Canada, in the name of "prosperity", "free enterprise" and "individualism".
Just ask our resident "conservatives" how beautiful things are?
So, why should the CETA and the coming TPP be any different except more tightening of the ropes around our necks ? In the name of "freedom" of course.
Ed Deak.
Van Isle
26 weeks ago
Isn't it about time that we
Isn't it about time that we have a general strike across this land? If I had my druthers it should have happened years ago.
Van Isle
26 weeks ago
An open letter to Chairman Steve
Dear Mr. Harper; I request that you repeal the capital punishment law and bring back the death penalty. In the future we may want to to hang treasonous politicians.
catchingupagain
26 weeks ago
Domestic value-added, and a new source for EU energy
Other Parties in Canada would do well to circle the wagons to unite a program for procurement of pharmaceuticals, thus lessening costs per province or territory.
The 'compensations' if CETA goes through will only come out of our own taxes.
I lived in Northern Europe from the early nineties through 2007, a time when individual EU countries and their 'municipalities' were exposed to water privatization resulting in massive increases in costs and untimely service responses to flood and roadwork administrative backups.
I had pharma clients who had to relocate to other countries, or weekly commutes, to train and service when administrative process changes were imposed by big pharma takeover of other nations chains ( Belgium to France) Likely, in Canada, this would be the equivalent of losing provincial 'diversity'.
Nafta was bad for Canadian manufacturing. CETA will decimate administrative uniqueness, dismantling while singing from the hymn sheets of beneficial efficiencies.
Canada is a young country which has not yet had the opportunity to unite our diverse strengths to our public purpose.
Rally together to better ourselves.
CETA is steroids for the divisive global market elite.
It is an 'financial' scandal to walk into such talks without the safe mechanisms, acumen, and timely expertise of a Federal Regulator to assist our 13 disparate regulators. We are an orchestra without a conductor.
And the Harperites are pushing this along faster than is healthy. I question their loyalty to young Canada's viability.
Where is the PUBLIC INQUIRY for the 2011 Election bodily intimidation at old folks homes, the abuse of public purpose of telecommunication, and deceptive platform on fighter jet costs?
Canada need rally in the streets before capital misallocation turns to perpetual bailouts for the elite. Our resource rich country needs no austerity, we need Crown corporations training and mentoring bringing our young and old together to better and bequeath our skills.
CETA locks us in to demoralizing helplessness. The EU is in for a very difficult decade, we would do them better to refine our 'oil' in Quebec and offer the EU some respite from their Russian and Arab energy masters.
this just out:
http://www.neurope.eu/article/eu-canada-closer-conclude-trade-agreement
Suees
25 weeks ago
MSM doing what they do so
MSM doing what they do so best(nothing)God Damn I'm not going to take it anymore!At the very least lay me down before the scr*wing.
http://www.margaritamachinehq.com/