To my colleagues in nursing across Canada,
As we move into March 2026, I continue to reflect on the profound significance of Black History Month. While February has ended, our commitment to honour Black nurses who shaped and continue to fortify our health systems is ongoing. While February provides a dedicated space to celebrate Black excellence, this excellence is not a seasonal event — at the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA), it is an ongoing, year-round commitment to professional integrity and health equity that we must recognize every day of the year.
This week is Black Mental Health Week and I would like to echo Minister Marjorie Michel’s continued commitment to supporting Black Canadians. As nurses, we must also recognize that many Black youths are navigating mental health challenges without the benefit of early interventions and support. Our role is to be advocates who understand that a youth’s mental health is inseparable from their experience of anti-Black racism and ableism. We must learn from the community-led models the federal government is now championing — shifting our practice from “working for” racialized and disabled communities to “working with” them.
We would also like to congratulate the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) on the launch of the historic best practice guideline (BPG), Addressing Anti-Black Racism in Nursing. This landmark document is a vital step for the profession, driven by the collective expertise of scholars, leaders, educators and many others including our CNA Vice President Dr. Bukola Salami, as the expert panel co-chair for this BPG. We celebrate this monumental achievement and the essential impact it will have on equity across health systems.
International Women’s Day is on March 8. As Women and Gender Equality Canada states, “International Women’s Day is a global day to recognize the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women and girls, and to reflect on the work needed to achieve gender equality.” Nursing is a profession uniquely shaped by the experiences of those who identify as women. Our challenges are unquestionably gendered; from the “double burden” of caregiving to the historic undervaluation of “care work,” nursing sits at the intersection of gender equity and labour rights. That is why nursing leadership must be present — and heard — at decision-making tables in government and across health systems, shaping policy, funding, and workforce decisions that directly impact patient care and the health of all Canadians. From striking down unconstitutional wage caps, safe nurse-to-patient ratios, ending violence in nursing, to resisting the declassification of nursing as a ‘professional degree’ in the U.S., our struggle is clear. We as nurses must continue to fight to ensure the skill and leadership of nurses are no longer obscured by gendered expectations.
I would be remiss to speak of “women in nursing” without acknowledging the intersections of gender, disability, and ethnicity. We celebrate those who identify as women — including those living with visible and invisible disabilities — not just for their caring and compassion, but for their expertise as scientists, innovators, leaders and policy-makers. Our professional spaces must be inclusive by design, recognizing that a nurse’s lived experience is a profound asset to not only our clinical insight but for health system transformation and the future health of the people we serve, and a healthier environment and Canadian society.
As I stated in my New Year’s message, 2026 is a year of “Renewing Our Power.” We cannot have power without equity. Whether we are celebrating the legacy of Black nursing pioneers, supporting a colleague, or advocating for mental health and wellness, our expertise must be matched by our commitment to health justice and human rights.
Thank you for your courage, your brilliance, and your unwavering dedication to the health of all Canadians.
Yours in nursing,
Valerie Grdisa, RN, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
Canadian Nurses Association