Silas: Public health care is in crisis; it is time to celebrate our leaders and champions.
April 9, 2025 (Ottawa, ON) – Over the next few months, Linda Silas, President of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU), will be announcing CFNU’s Health Care Champions, including 10 political leaders during Canadian Public Health Week (April 7 to 11), and 12 health care leaders during Nurses Week (May 12-18).
“Our public health care system is one of Canada’s most cherished treasures, and it’s the best investment of our tax dollars. That’s why political leaders who use their voice and power to defend public health care and fight for strong policy outcomes are champions in my books. Standing up for the care and systems we all rely on is something to celebrate,” explained CFNU President Linda Silas.
The first of CFNU’s Health Care Champions will be named this week, starting with NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Green Party Co-Leader Elizabeth May.
“Canadian Public Health Week is a reminder that we can’t take our public health care system for granted, and we need to champion it,” said Silas. “Thank you to every leader, from politicians to health care workers and patient advocates, for supporting public health care.”
The CFNU President will continue to announce CFNU’s Health Care Champions throughout the week, during Nurses Week in May, and will honour recipients at CFNU’s 26th Biennium this June.
-30-
The CFNU is Canada’s largest nurses’ organization, representing 250,000 frontline unionized nurses and nursing students in every sector of health care – from home care and LTC to community and acute care – and advocating on key priorities to strengthen public health care across the country.
For more information, please contact Adella Khan, media@nursesunions.ca, 613‑807‑2942.