November 4, 2022 (Ottawa) – Canada’s nurses were disappointed not to see any new measures from the federal government to address critical shortages of nurses and other health workers, as Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland announced the Government of Canada’s priorities in the 2022 Fall Economic Statement.
“Nurses need to know that the federal government is making serious efforts to recognize and take concrete steps to tackle the immense challenges facing our health care system and our health workforce, that are suffering the effects of a nationwide staffing shortage,” said Linda Silas, president of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU).
“While we welcome the government’s announcement of a new dental care benefit for children from low-income families, we also hoped to see action to address the crushing workloads, routine overtime and rampant violence that health care workers face as they care for sick and vulnerable patients across the country. However, these and other measures to strengthen our health care system were absent from the Fall Economic Statement.”
While the Government of Canada previously committed to laying out a path toward health care agreements with the provinces and territories in Budget 2023, no details were contained in yesterday’s announcement.
“Nurses and health care workers once again urge the federal government to act quickly to repair our ailing health care system. The CFNU will continue to work with the provinces and territories on lasting and concrete solutions to the health care crisis,” concluded Silas.
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The CFNU is Canada’s largest nurses’ organization, representing Canada’s frontline nurses in every sector of health care – from home care, to LTC, community and acute care, including nursing students – and advocating on key health priorities and federal engagement in the future of public health care.
For more information, please contact:
Adella Khan, media@nursesunions.ca, 613-807-2942