https://www.cna-aiic.ca/fr/blogs/ic-contenu/2025/04/17/partis-federaux-demeurent-silencieux-sur-les-soins
April 17, 2025 (Ottawa, Ontario) – As health care remains one of the most important issues for Canadians, the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) is deeply concerned by the lack of attention given to health during the federal election campaign.
Despite widespread public concern about the state of our health system, health care was not included as a dedicated topic in either of the federal leaders’ debates. During the French-language debate on April 16, health received only brief mentions, though one party leader attempted to raise the issue during the discussion and in post-debate remarks.
“With over $340 billion spent annually on health care, Canadians deserve more than vague references,” said CNA president Dr. Kimberly LeBlanc. “Our health system is under pressure, our population is aging, and people across the country are struggling to access care. We need clear, actionable commitments—not silence.”
To support political action, CNA released a nurse-informed federal election platform: A Healthier Canada, Powered by Nurses: A Vision for 2025 and Beyond. It calls on all parties to commit to bold reforms that improve access, modernize models of care, and fully leverage the expertise of Canada’s largest group of health professionals.
“The health workforce represents 70% of health budgets,” said CNA CEO Dr. Valerie Grdisa. “We cannot afford to maintain outdated systems that fail to meet today’s needs. Nurses are ready to lead the transformation—but they need political will and policy change to make it happen.”
As health care costs rise and population needs grow more complex, CNA is urging all federal parties to commit to implementing evidence-informed policies that optimize the nursing workforce and deliver better outcomes for Canadians.
Together, we can build a stronger, healthier Canada—by implementing bold change that unleashes nurses’ true value, invests in our future, and responds to the evolving needs of our society.
-30-
About the Canadian Nurses Association
The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) is the national and global professional voice of Canadian nursing. Our mission is to advance the nursing profession to improve health outcomes in Canada’s publicly funded, not-for-profit health system. CNA is the only national association that speaks for all nurses in all sectors and practice settings across all 13 provinces and territories. We represent unionized and non-unionized nurses, retired nurses, nursing students, and all categories of nurses (licensed and registered practical nurses, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and registered psychiatric nurses).
For more information, please contact:
Amber Morley
Media and Communications Coordinator
Cell: 613-282-7859
Email: amorley@cna-aiic.ca
#news-release