NDP health critic holding out hope pharmacare bill could be tabled in next five days

Time is running out for the Liberal government to table pharmacare legislation before the end of the year, but the NDP's health critic says almost-daily phone calls are still giving him hope.

Still, if the Liberals need more time, New Democrat MP Don Davies says his party is prepared to give it. The Liberals and NDP signed a supply-and-confidence deal last year that sees the opposition party support the minority government on key votes in exchange for progress on New Democrat priorities.

The deal states that pharmacare legislation must be passed by the end of the year. That hope is now dashed, with the House of Commons set to break for the holidays at the end of this week.

Davies says the bill could still be tabled before the deadline, but there are issues the two parties haven't been able to resolve in their negotiations.