Health ministers in Alberta and Saskatchewan said they haven't been approached by Ottawa about signing up to the federal drug-health program since the spring election.
Saskatchewan Health Minister Jeremy Cockrill said he hasn't discussed the province's involvement in the program since former federal minister Mark Holland took over.
Adriana Lagrange, Alberta's Minister of Primary and Preventive Health Services, also said she has not received any indication that the City of Ottawa is still considering entering into further agreements.
Both spoke at the end of a meeting of provincial health ministers across the country in Calgary, ahead of another meeting with federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel on Friday.
Lagrange said he expects pharmacare to feature “as a side note” in Friday's discussion.
Three provinces and one territory have signed up to the program so far, with Ottawa funding coverage for contraceptives and diabetes medications.
Mr. Michel's office said the federal government monitors existing pharmacare agreements and is committed to respecting them.
A spokeswoman for Lagrange, who co-chaired the two-day conference in Calgary with Michel, said Lagrange is seeking federal involvement in existing health funding programs and strategies to address health worker shortages.
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His office said it also wants a commitment from Ottawa to give Alberta a “fair share” of the province's pharmaceutical health funding without the province signing up to a national plan.
Lagrange said he believes Alberta's existing coverage plan is sufficient and the province would like to see Ottawa use the money to strengthen the provincial program instead.
While in Calgary, ministers will also meet with national doctors' and nurses' organizations, calling for collaboration at both levels of government on new ways to support and retain health workers.
Linda Cyrus, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, said she will press ministers to take action against the abuses nurses receive on the job.
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“We really need to get a commitment from the health minister to commit to changing the culture of medicine,” Cyrus said in an interview.
“It's simple. Ministers need to instruct health care employers that if a nurse or health worker is assaulted, the patient (or) family will be held accountable.”
Silas said her organization has been pushing for change for decades.
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“It's almost embarrassing,” she said. “As a society, we know that you should never assault a police officer because you will automatically be prosecuted. That attitude does not exist in our medical practice.”
The Canadian Medical Association, which represents doctors across the country, released survey data this week suggesting that doctors also suffer abuse from patients and their families.
The study was completed earlier this year by approximately 3,300 physicians, residents, and researchers. Preliminary results show 74% have experienced bullying, harassment or discrimination at work, down from 78% in 2021.
Dr. Margot Burnell, president of the association, said in a statement that more work is needed to help doctors “succeed within a health care system that supports health care providers while providing care to patients.”
Some 46% of respondents also reported “high levels” of burnout, down from 53% four years ago.
Burnell said that while the study suggests meaningful improvements in some areas, doctors “still feel the burden of a strained health system.”
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