Nursing and the Political Agenda

Advocacy Last Updated: 2012/1/17

CNA brings health and nursing issues directly to parliamentarians

 
 

CNA president Judith Shamian, second from left, was joined by nurse MPs Greg Rickford, Christine Moore and Cathy McLeod at the reception.

On November 22, 2011, CNA’s board of directors, along with CNA staff members and advisors, met parliamentarians on the Hill to raise important health and nursing issues.

During 40 separate meetings with MPs and senators, CNA delegates advocated for issues such as:

  • the need for a new pan-Canadian health accord that would invest in chronic disease prevention and health promotion; and
  • greater integration and support for nurse practitioners, particularly the need to remove federal barriers to their scopes of practice.

In the evening, Senator Carolyn Stewart Olsen, who is an RN, partnered with CNA to host a reception on Parliament Hill for MPs and senators. CNA president Judith Shamian and National Expert Commission co-chair Maureen McTeer addressed a crowd of over 50 parliamentarians, senators and staff. Shamian and McTeer described the Commission’s work and the important role that nurses can play in transforming the health system. Watch a video of the speeches.

Urging governments to adopt guiding principles for health-care transformation

CNA and the Canadian Medical Association (CMA) together have defined a set of principles to guide health-care transformation in Canada. We’re working together to encourage provincial, territorial and federal governments to use these principles as they begin to build a successor to the current health accord, which expires in 2014.
 
Building on the five pillars of the Canada Health Act, these principles are meant to steer the transformation of Canada’s health-care system toward one that is publicly funded, sustainable, adequately resourced and able to provide universal access to quality care. These principles have been endorsed by health organizations from across the country, a powerful expression of their relevance and resonance.

The principles are summarized as follows:

  • Patient-centred: Patients must be at the centre of health care, with seamless access to the continuum of care based on their needs.
  • Quality: Canadians deserve quality services that are appropriate for patient needs, respect individual choice and are delivered in a manner that is timely, safe, effective and according to the most currently available scientific knowledge.
  • Health promotion and illness prevention: The health system must support Canadians in the prevention of illness and the enhancement of their well-being, with attention paid to broader social determinants of health.
  • Equitable: The health-care system has a duty to Canadians to provide and advocate for equitable access to quality care and commonly adopted policies to address the social determinants of health.
  • Sustainable: Sustainable health care requires universal access to quality health services that are adequately resourced and delivered across the board in a timely and cost-effective manner.
  • Accountable: The public, patients, families, providers and funders all have a responsibility for ensuring the system is effective and accountable.

Download Principles to Guide Health Transformation in Canada.

Make your voice heard

Why meet with your MP? It is always important to raise health-care issues at the federal level.

  • All political parties want to hear your views as they develop and review their policies

This information is part of CNA’s ongoing efforts to serve the nursing community in Canada. For information about current MPs and Senators, visit www.parl.gc.ca.