The Canadian Pharmacists Association has received money from the CEWS Program, which is the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy. Now, it doesn’t say how much, but that information is available elsewhere. According to the Federal Lobbying Registry, the CPA has received $191,387.49 from the Canada Revenue Agency. This group is expected to receive more in 2021. Now, as most people know, the CEWS is run by the CRA, so it’s fair to assume that the bulk (or all) or it is from CEWS.
Now, another group getting taxpayer subsidies is hardly news worthy. That being said, what the CPA is pushing for is definitely worth talking about.
Subject Matter Details
Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution
-CONTROLLED DRUGS AND SUBSTANCES ACT: Amending the CDSA to add pharmacists as practitioners (Opioids)
-Pre-budget consultation: Federal investments to improve the health care system and the health of Canadians
Legislative Proposal, Bill or Resolution, Regulation
The Cannabis Act, with respect to the medical cannabis regime and the role of pharmacists in dispensing and managing medical cannabis.
Policies or Program
-Distribution and administration of COVID-19 vaccinations
-Health Canada — Emergency Preparedness/Pandemic Planning with respect to implications for the practice of pharmacy
-Health Canada — Error reporting by community pharmacy into the the Canadian Medication Incident Reporting and Prevention System (CMIRPS)
-Health Canada — First Nations and Inuit Health – Non-Insured Health Benefits program (NIHB) with respect to implications for the practice of pharmacy
-Health Canada — Foreign Credential recognition Program, Health Canada Health Human Resources (HHR) Strategy – working with the department to understand the entry of foreign-trained pharmacists to Canada
-Health Canada — Post-market surveillance of pharmaceutical products with respect to implications for the practice of pharmacy
-Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Finance Canada, Health Canada – Prescription drug cost containment strategies with respect to implications for the practice of pharmacy
-Supports and resources for pharmacists and health care practitioners in response to COVID-19.
-The implementation of pharmacare in Canada, with respect to the practice of pharmacy and the role of pharmacists in pharmacare
Policies or Program, Regulation
-Health Canada — Working with Health Canada to implement measures to respond to national drug shortages, and responding to US proposals on importation
-Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Finance Canada, Health Canada — E-health / electronic health records policy with respect to implications for the practice of pharmacy
Regulation
-Health Canada – COVID-19 and the role of pharmacists in administering COVID-19 vaccinations
-Health Canada – Influenza vaccination and the role of pharmacists in administering flu vaccines in 2020
Something few know about, the CPA has long been a proponent of medical marijuana, and has also supported its legalization. The reasoning is simple: weed is a commodity from which money can be made.
A noteworthy item is that the CPA is pushing to make it easier to bring foreign trained pharmacists to Canada. Like with most professions, if you increase the supply, it ultimately drives down wages. And it’s not like have an abundance of university graduates who struggle to find well paid work.
For reference, here is what the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act currently says. It also explicitly defines a “practitioner” for the purpose of being exempt from punishment.
practitioner means a person who is registered and entitled under the laws of a province to practise in that province the profession of medicine, dentistry or veterinary medicine, and includes any other person or class of persons prescribed as a practitioner; (praticien)
If the CPA were to get its way, pharmacists would be able to prescribe, or at least renew prescriptions for things like opiods.
Back in August, the CPA sent out a media release that some 2,000 pharmacies were ready to provide rapid testing kits in various Provinces across Canada. Now, was this done with public safety in mind, or were they simply trying to push a very profitable product onto the market?
The CPA also weighed in on the recent Federal election. Presumably, they support electing candidates who will promise some or all of the following:
- COVID testing: Creating a national testing strategy in parallel with Canada’s vaccine program that will provide Canadians with broad access to at-home rapid COVID-19 tests.
- Opioids: Amending federal regulations to enable pharmacists to provide safe opioid-related care to patients by making the CDSA exemptions permanent and enhancing access to safe supply.
- Indigenous health: Improving access to key health services through the Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program.
- Pharmacare: Implementing a universal national pharmacare plan that features a blend of public and private plans.
- Drug shortages: Addressing drug shortages by reducing the frequency of shortages and supporting health professionals in managing those that do occur.
Yeah, there’s no conflict of interest here at all.
Also, the CPA has spoken out about Ivermectin. They claim lack of proof that it works, and risks of side effects. Strangely, there seemed to be no objections over vaccines, and over the same issues. Now, there is also no proof this “virus” exists, but that has been covered elsewhere.
The CPA claims to have thousands of sponsors and industry partners, but doesn’t seem to actually name them. However, we can probably guess a lot of the names.
If one wants to be a “Gold Sponsor”, all it costs is $10,000. Seems pretty cheap, doesn’t it. As for the politicians that they gain access to (in Ottawa), this is quite the list.
Anyhow, this is what we have: a trade association lobbying for laws to grow their market. At the same time, the taxpayers are footing the bill to keep the lights on for them. One would think that Pfizer, Moderna or AstraZeneca would be able to fund that.
(1) https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/hacc/cews/srch/pub/bscSrch
(2) https://lobbycanada.gc.ca/app/secure/ocl/lrs/do/vwRg?cno=2®Id=914369
(3) https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/c-38.8/fulltext.html
(4) https://www.pharmacists.ca/
(5) https://www.pharmacists.ca/news-events/news/more-than-2000-pharmacies-ready-to-provide-rapid-covid-19-tests-to-small-and-medium-employers-in-alberta-saskatchewan-manitoba-and-ontario/
(6) https://www.pharmacists.ca/industry-partners/sponsorships-affiliates/
(7) https://www.pharmacists.ca/industry-partners/
(8) CPA Lobbying In Ottawa
OTHER LOBBYING BY BIG PHARMA IN CANADA
- B.C. Pharmacy Association
- Capital Hill Group
- Counsel Public Affairs (Georgakopoulos)
- Counsel Public Affairs (Prevost, Lavigne)
- Counsel Public Affairs (Ruddy)
- Counsel Public Affairs (Ruddy)
- Counsel Public Affairs (Federal)
- Crestview Strategy
- Crestview Strategy (Blais)
- Crestview Strategy (Arsenault)
- Crestview Strategy (The Gang)
- Crestview Strategy (GlaxoSmithKline & Medicago)
- Ensight Canada (Shoppers Drug Mart)
- Enterprise Canada/Sussex Strategy (Lantsman et al.)
- Harbourview Public Affairs (Batherson)
- Loyalist Public Affairs (Mader, Froggatt)
- Magnet Strategy Group (Danielle Peters)
- McKercher LLP (VIDO-InterVac, Douglas Richardson)
- Rubicon Strategy (Letersky)
- Rubicon Strategy (Kory Teneycke)
- Wellington Advocacy (Curran et. al)
- Various Nova Scotia Lobbying (Iain Rankin, Strang)
- Various Ontario Lobbying, Bill 160 (Disclosing Payoffs)
- Various Ontario Lobbying Keeping Province Closed
- Ford STILL being lobbied, Summer 2021, Various