Pharmacists and OHIP

I live in Ontario, Canada, where we have public health insurance through OHIP. During recent years, our government has cut back on the services covered by OHIP, claiming that the system is short of money. One of the cutbacks included visits to the optometrist. For someone whose entire family is nearsighted that was a big ouch.
However, it then turned out that our government had a surplus budget. What was one of the things they did with this largesse? Provided free half hour consultations with pharmacists, covered by OHIP. That's right. Now we can go to our local pharmacist, and talk to them for free.
I am aghast. I once trained to be pharmacist but quit when I discovered that the job is primarily one of shopkeeper. Around here pharmacists get paid upward of $12 per prescription filled. Plus the money they earn from their stores. And they need more? At taxpayer expense?
As it is, I find it hard to get out of the store with my anti-depressant medication without being assaulted by a chatty pharmacist, brimming with questions such as “Have you used this medication before?” I can’t imagine paying them extra for their time. Isn’t that what the $12 fee already covers, or is counting pills really that difficult?
We have a newly-elected government in Ontario now, and the first thing I’d like to see them do is remove this silliness from the OHIP program, and restore our eye care coverage.