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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, M ay 17 ,2 01 8 | 6 The Oakville Beaver, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 80 community publications across Ontario. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the newspaper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. Phone: 416-340-1981 Web: www.mediacouncil.ca editor@oakvillebeaver.com facebook.com/OakvilleBeav @OakvilleBeaver ABOUT US Oakville Beaver 901 Guelph Line Burlington, ON L7R 3N8 Phone: 289-293-0617 Classifieds: 1-800-263-6480 Digital/Flyer/Retail: 289-293-0624 Letters to the editor All letters must be fewer than 200 words and include your name and telephone number for verification purposes. We reserve the right to edit, condense or reject letters. Delivery For all delivery inquiries, please e-mail kmossman@metroland.com or call 905-631-6095. CONTACT US VP, Regional Publisher Kelly Montague kmontague@metroland.com | 289-293-0614 Director Advertising Daniel Baird dbaird@metroland.com | 289-293-0624 Regional Managing Editor Catherine O'Hara cohara@metroland.com | 289-293-0615 Regional Manager Digital Content Karen Miceli Director of Distribution Charlene Hall Circulation Manager Kim Mossman kmossman@metroland.com | 905-631-6095 Director of Production Mark Dills Regional Production Manager Manny Garcia WHO WE ARE OPINION • EDITORIAL • When the Greenbelt plan was first established in 2005 there were cries it would stifle development and prevent future growth around the Greater Toronto Area, Hamilton and the Golden Horseshoe. While over the years developers and some rural residents have complained about the plan's restric- tions, for the most part the Greenbelt has saved mil- lions of acres of land that would have been paved over for roads, houses and shopping plazas.for roads, houses and shopping plazas.f So it was with stunning consternation when Pro- gressive Conservative leader Doug Ford revealed in a February 2018 video that he would "open up" the Greenbelt to make way for residential homes. But in record time, Ford reversed course on his idea to destroy the Greenbelt once his intentions be- came known to the public. The Progressive Conservatives have a history of trying to build on environmentally sensitive land. When Mike Harris led the party, he proposed to allow developers to build on the Oak Ridges Moraine. Soon after the backlash began and the PCs in 2001 backed away from the idea. The Greenbelt plan has proved exceptionally bene- ficial to Ontario residents, protecting about 800,000ficial to Ontario residents, protecting about 800,000f hectares of land from Niagara to Port Hope, along the Niagara Escarpment. The idea then and still is to limit urban sprawl and preserve environmentally sensitive land. It ensures that at least 60 per cent of all new resi- dential developments in municipalities are in existing built up areas, an increase from the previous 40 per cent. In Halton, the Greenbelt plan is protecting 42,330 square hectares of land - beautiful and in some parts ecologically-sensitive green space that may otherwise have been developed. The Greenbelt document has forced developers to build on land they have been sitting on for years, such as along the Lake Ontario shoreline. Development has also been going at a breakneck pace in others areas of Burlington, Milton and Oakville. It is projected that the Greater Golden Horseshoe, which includes Hal- ton, will grow by about four million people over the next 25 years. But as the Greenbelt and other provincial planning policies have shown, and what Ford and his ilk should be aware of, building within the confines of an urban area is preferably and more cost effective than dig- ging up farmland to build the next shiny new big box store. Protecting the Greenbelt No Canadian should go without prescription medi- cines because they cannot af- ford them. ford them. f Yet this is the reality todayYet this is the reality todayY for one in five Canadians. Notfor one in five Canadians. Notf taking prescribed medica- tions puts that individual's health at risk and can lead to more serious health prob- lems. Canada is the only coun- try with universal health care that lacks coverage for prescription medications. It is imperative that we ex- pand our current system to cover prescription medica- tions. Lives depend on it. For example, 700 people die pre- maturely every year in Onta- rio from complications of dia- betes because they cannot af- ford treatment.ford treatment.f How would a national pharmacare system become a reality? The federal govern- ment would need to amend the Canada Health Act to in-the Canada Health Act to in-t clude necessary prescription drugs as an insured health service. The current patch- work of prescription insur-work of prescription insur-w ance plans would be replaced with a single plan adminis- tered by the provinces and territories. This plan would cover all Canadians with a list of necessary medicines (known as a formulary). Medicines would be provided based on health needs, not the ability to pay.the ability to pay.t Canadians pay some of the highest prescription drugthe highest prescription drugt prices in the world. By mov- ing to pharmacare with a na- tional formulary, we can ne- gotiate much lower druggotiate much lower drugg prices. A national pharma- care could save the country $4.2 billion annually in drug costs. The long-held Canadian assumption that employers will provide prescription cov- erage is no longer valid. Most private employers do not pro- vide full drug coverage, and employee co-payment amounts are already unaf- fordable for low wage earn-fordable for low wage earn-f ers. A universal plan will en- sure that all Canadians can fill their prescriptions andfill their prescriptions andf improve their health out- comes, regardless of their employment arrangements. For too long, many Cana-For too long, many Cana-F dians have struggled to af- ford their medications. Nowford their medications. Nowf is the time to implement a universal pharmacare sys- tem that leverages the buy- ing power of a country to ben- efit everyone. It will take time and expertise to implement this shift properly, but now isthis shift properly, but now ist the time to ensure that everythe time to ensure that everyt Canadian has access to the medicines they need. - John Oliver is the member of Parliament for Oakville. Visit for Oakville. Visit f johnoliver.mp or email John.Oliver@parl.gc.ca.John.Oliver@parl.gc.ca.J Now is the time for national pharmacare 'Expand current system to cover prescription medications,' urges MP JOHN OLIVER Column