ESSEX, Ont. - NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh highlighted his universal pharmacare pledge today, saying everyone should have access to the medications they need.

The New Democrats are proposing to spend $10 billion a year to ensure that all necessary medication is free at the point of care.

Singh, who was in the southern Ontario town of Essex, near Windsor, says the Liberals have long been promising pharmacare, but have not yet done it.

The NDP plan would start in 2020, and would look to examples from around the world and base coverage on the broadest formulary possible.

Singh also spoke about racism and inequality, following revelations this week that Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau has donned blackface and brownface on multiple occasions.

Singh says he wants to put the focus on people who are hurting because of those incidents, telling them they do belong, and are valued.