Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the Nova Scotia Black Cultural Centre in Cherry Brook, Nova Scotia, on Saturday and held a roundtable discussion with the African Canadian Health Association and other community leaders.
The roundtable was held after Trudeau announced in Truro, Nova Scotia on Friday that the federal government will cover the cost of birth control and diabetes medications for Canadians.
“To protect the integrity of Canada's universal health care system, we will stand up to those who seek to privatize it,” Trudeau said Friday.
Prime Minister Trudeau spoke Saturday about the specific health care policies the federal government will provide to Canadians.
“Specific efforts like the Black Mental Health Initiative reach out to community organizations to provide mental health resources in ways that serve Black communities,” Trudeau said.
Trudeau also mentioned other federal programs such as the National Drug Insurance Program and the Canada Dental Insurance Program.
“Since May 1, more than 100,000 seniors have received dental care, many of them for the first time, so this is a game changer not only for healthcare but also for people to afford it,” Trudeau said.
Sharon Davis-Murdoch of the African Canadian Health Association said the association wants to build infrastructure outside of Metro Halifax and across the province.
“We are leaders in Black health in this province. It's a priority for both Nova Scotia and the country.”
The association said it wants the government to come up with a 10-year health plan for the black community.
“We want to see nationally that we have a 10-year national plan for improving the health of Black people in Canada, so that we can assess our progress every six months and make course corrections,” Davis-Murdoch said.
Saturday is Africa Day, and in a statement released by the federal government, Prime Minister Trudeau said this year's theme is “Education for the 21st Century.”
“In the spirit of this year's Africa Day theme, 'Education for the 21st Century,' we are working with African countries to support quality education across the continent, including sexual and reproductive health. Canada also welcomes tens of thousands of students from African countries each year, who bring talent and innovation to our countries.”
