To Canada’s frontline nurses,
No matter where you go in the world, there are nurses going above and beyond, just like you do. Caring for patients, too often in near-impossible conditions. Working together to support their communities. Fighting back against privatization to protect patient care. Nurses everywhere are pillars of their communities and stewards of health.
In Canada, nurses are rightfully one of the most trusted professions in the country. That means your voice and your experiences hold immeasurable power.
I know, being powerful doesn’t mean you don’t feel the strain of a health care system buckling under pressure. Nurses across the country are facing the same crises: workplace violence, unsafe staffing and health care privatization. The demands on nurses grow while the resources dwindle, always doing more with less. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Same shift, different day.
We see the challenges firsthand, but we also see the solutions. We are pushing governments and employers to act on concrete evidence-backed solutions to prevent violence against health care workers, ensure staffing levels that keep patients and nurses safe through minimum nurse-patient ratios, and strengthen our public health care system for all.
I encourage you to speak up, share your experiences and share our solutions. When you speak truth to power, you speak up for what’s right – for yourself, for your patients, for the world.
Our fight for a healthier world doesn’t stop in our workplace, our communities, our province, or even our country. When we use our collective power as a united force, we all win.
Let this National Nursing Week remind you of the power you hold, and the power of this caring profession. Remember, you are part of the largest movement of unionized nurses in North America. Together, we will build on our collective wins and create a healthier future everywhere.
No words are enough to express gratitude for the care you give to patients, for your contributions to your communities and for the courage it takes to never let up. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for everything you do. I pledge to keep fighting for a better future for all, and hopefully I’ll see you at the next rally.
In unwavering solidarity,
CFNU President Linda Silas