Canada’s health minister, Mark Holland, delivered a powerful message on Wednesday to tobacco companies attempting to market nicotine pouches to children: “Stay the hell away from our kids.” Speaking to reporters in Ottawa, Holland argued that flavoured nicotine pouches are attracting young Canadians into a dangerous addiction and emphasized the need for stringent regulations to … Read more
It’s “extremely appropriate” that two scientists who lost their jobs due to dealings with China remain under investigation, Health Minister Mark Holland said Wednesday. The National Microbiology Laboratory researchers were fired in early 2021 after their security clearances were revoked over questions about their loyalty and the potential for coercion by China. Records tabled in … Read more
As measles continues its slow spread across communities in the country, health officials are urging Canadians to stay vigilant and keep their vaccinations up-to-date. Speaking at a media conference on Monday, Health Minister Mark Holland said he is “deeply concerned” with the global measles outbreak and its potential impact on Canada. “We’re seeing a lot … Read more
Health Minister Mark Holland has tabled the legislation to create the framework for a national single-payer pharmacare program Thursday afternoon. This legislation is a key piece of the supply and confidence agreement that sees the NDP support the Liberals on confidence votes in exchange for advancing key priorities including pharmacare. Federal Health Minister Mark Holland … Read more
Health Minister Mark Holland has put the pharmacare bill on the House of Commons notice paper, bringing one step closer the tabling of the long-awaited legislation and central piece in the government’s deal with the NDP. This makes it possible to introduce the legislation on Thursday or Friday, as government bills need at least two … Read more
Health Minister Mark Holland says he’s excited about introducing pharamcare legislation, but that some are “jumping the gun” and raising “premature” worries after the NDP announced they have a deal on Friday. This comes on the heels of the Alberta government saying it already intends to opt out of pharmacare, instead requesting its share of … Read more
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says his party is getting close to giving the Liberals their final offer on a single-payer pharmacare plan as the negotiation deadline quickly approaches. “We’re getting very close to a final position, and when we submit our final position on this, that will be it,” Singh told reporters at a press … Read more
Less than a week after B.C. restricted the sale of flavoured “nicotine pouches” in a bid to keep them away from kids, the federal government has confirmed its own action on the oral pouch products is coming soon. Federal Health Minister Mark Holland said Monday the details of that announcement will be released “in the … Read more
Provincial leaders were frantic about the ailing state of their health care systems last year when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sat them down and offered $46.2-billion worth of urgent treatment. It wasn’t enough, but most of the provinces grudgingly accepted the broad terms of the deal and returned home to negotiate the finer points behind … Read more
Health Minister Mark Holland says the government must be respectful of “a challenging fiscal framework” where Ottawa can’t spend “an enormous amount of money” in trying to strike a deal on pharmacare. This comes as NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has redrawn a line in the sand in the confidence and supply agreement with the Liberals, … Read more
