Tag

PrescribeIT

2 articles

AccountabilityMay 6, 20266 min read
Liberals Used Their New Majority to Vote a $298M Health Hearing Behind Closed Doors. The Vote Was 6–5.
On April 28, 2026 — the first day the Liberals’ new House majority took effect — two House of Commons standing committees voted to go in camera on motions involving public-interest accountability. At HESA (Health), Liberal Parliamentary Secretary Maggie Chi moved to take the meeting in camera while a Conservative motion to ask the Auditor General to audit PrescribeIT was on the floor. The vote was 6–5: six Liberals YEA, four Conservatives plus one Bloc MP NAY. At ETHI (Ethics), Liberal members made an identical move on a Conservative motion that would have required the Privy Council Office to provide regular updates on the Prime Minister’s ethics screen. The pattern triggered a public defence from Liberal House leader Steven MacKinnon, who pledged "open committees" the next day.
AccountabilityApril 29, 20266 min read
Ottawa Spent $298M on PrescribeIT. Telus Kept 85% of the IP. The Service Shuts Down May 29.
PrescribeIT, the federal e-prescribing service operated by Canada Health Infoway and built primarily by Telus Health, will go offline at 11:59 PM EST on May 29, 2026. Health Canada has acknowledged "more than $290 million" in federal spending on the program over 10 years; Conservative MPs use the rounded "$300 million" figure. Roughly $98 million of that flowed to Telus Health, which retained approximately 85% of the underlying intellectual property. Adoption never broke 5% of Canadian prescriptions. On April 27, 2026, four Conservative MPs on the House of Commons Health Committee — led by Conservative health critic Dan Mazier — formally asked the Auditor General to investigate. The Conservative Party stated that on the same day, "Liberal Members filibustered the health committee to block the release of those documents." Bloc Québécois MP Maxime Blanchette-Joncas endorsed the audit request. Health Canada told the committee that detailed PrescribeIT spending is not centrally tracked.

Liberals Used Their New Majority to Vote a $298M Health Hearing Behind Closed Doors. The Vote Was 6–5.

On April 28, 2026 — the first day the Liberals’ new House majority took effect — two House of Commons standing committees voted to go in camera on motions involving public-interest accountability. At HESA (Health), Liberal Parliamentary Secretary Maggie Chi moved to take the meeting in camera while a Conservative motion to ask the Auditor General to audit PrescribeIT was on the floor. The vote was 6–5: six Liberals YEA, four Conservatives plus one Bloc MP NAY. At ETHI (Ethics), Liberal members made an identical move on a Conservative motion that would have required the Privy Council Office to provide regular updates on the Prime Minister’s ethics screen. The pattern triggered a public defence from Liberal House leader Steven MacKinnon, who pledged "open committees" the next day.

Ottawa Spent $298M on PrescribeIT. Telus Kept 85% of the IP. The Service Shuts Down May 29.

PrescribeIT, the federal e-prescribing service operated by Canada Health Infoway and built primarily by Telus Health, will go offline at 11:59 PM EST on May 29, 2026. Health Canada has acknowledged "more than $290 million" in federal spending on the program over 10 years; Conservative MPs use the rounded "$300 million" figure. Roughly $98 million of that flowed to Telus Health, which retained approximately 85% of the underlying intellectual property. Adoption never broke 5% of Canadian prescriptions. On April 27, 2026, four Conservative MPs on the House of Commons Health Committee — led by Conservative health critic Dan Mazier — formally asked the Auditor General to investigate. The Conservative Party stated that on the same day, "Liberal Members filibustered the health committee to block the release of those documents." Bloc Québécois MP Maxime Blanchette-Joncas endorsed the audit request. Health Canada told the committee that detailed PrescribeIT spending is not centrally tracked.