Letter: Former NDP candidate criticizes Cons over birth control

Better healthcare. Greater affordability. These are values many of us share. Unfortunately that does not include Pierre Pollieve and his Conservatives.

Since 2023, universal access to birth control has saved hundreds of dollars a year for British Columbians. Not having to choose between the medicine you need and other essential expenses results in better health outcomes, easing strain on the health-care system. 

It also gives women the freedom to make choices about their reproductive health and control over their bodies.

That’s why, earlier this year, Manitoba’s NDP premier Wab Kinew followed the BC NDP’s example and introduced free birth control in that province — because New Democrats understand that access to birth control is a vital support to women, particularly those without access to drug plans.

Meanwhile, here in Ontario, women are stuck with their provincial Conservatives. Women have been looking to Jagmeet Singh and the federal NDP to make the federal government do the right thing and provide universal access to these important medications.

Finally on Oct. 10, parliament passed Bill C-64, An Act Respecting Pharmacare, in spite of opposition from Pierre Pollieve and his Conservatives. Pollievre does not believe that women deserve affordable access to improved medical care, and is anxious to prevent Canadians from seeing the program implemented.

While they bluster about affordability, Tories would rather women pay out of pocket for medically necessary birth control than make it universally available. Luckily, the NDP have the best interests of women in mind.

Nadia Verrelli
Former federal NDP candidate