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From June 5-9, more than 1,000 nurses from across Canada, and other nurse leaders as far as Australia, the UK and USA, descended on PEI (in person for the first time in four years) for the biennial convention of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, hosted by the Prince Edward Island Nurses Union.
“After years of working short-staffed and overcapacity on the front lines of a deadly pandemic, nurses were riled up and ready to make a bold statement to governments while on the ground in PEI,” said Linda Silas, CFNU President. “The energy of nurses from across the country ready to work together is incredible. The crisis in health care is real, and we need concrete action now. But nurses know, together, we got this.”
The theme Together We Got This speaks to the crucial role solidarity plays in creating positive change in our communities and health care systems broadly.
On June 5th, hundreds of nurses participated in a Healthy Walk through the streets of Charlottetown before being welcomed by Prince Edward Island Nurses’ Union President Barbara Brookins at an opening night reception.
Tuesday’s plenary session began with a discussion and video series focused on human rights and equity. The day’s plenary speaker was Martha Chaves, an award-winning comedian, writer, and actor who describes her as "smart, sassy, provocative, and very funny." Her humour brought down the house from the minute she took the stage.
The laughs kept coming, courtesy of David Granirer, a presenter on Wednesday, June 7th. He’s a counselor, stand-up comic, author, keynote speaker, and founder of Stand Up For Mental Health (SMH), a program teaching stand-up comedy to people with mental health issues. David, who lives with bipolar disorder, uses his award winning and sincere brand of humour and advocacy to share stories. Important messages with a lighthearted delivery. Also, that day, educational sessions focused on the global scale of the nursing shortage, with a panel discussion on nurses mobilizing around the globe by experts from Canada, Ireland, Australia, and the United States.
Over the two education days, convention delegates had the opportunity to attend workshops on topics ranging from psychological health and safety for nurses, the social determinants of health, truth, and reconciliation, and protecting and advancing public health care.
The business of the Biennium commenced on Thursday, June 8 followed by President Linda Silas’s address and an open forum with nurse union leaders from across the country.
The CFNU National Executive Board panel then answered members' questions about workplace violence, agency nursing, unsafe staffing and so much more.
Following union business on Friday, nurses held massive rally and die-in in downtown Charlottetown to highlight the urgency and seriousness of Canada’s nursing crisis, and the impact decision-makers have on the lives of nurses and their patients. Hundreds of CFNU delegates took to the streets to underscore the need to improve staffing levels, stat!
“Staffing shortages create unsafe situations for both nurses and patients. Nurses across the country are working record-high levels of overtime, doing their best to make sure patients get the care they need,” explained Linda Silas. Nurses staged a die-in demonstrating the impact unsafe staffing has on nurses and patients.
Linda Silas was unchallenged in her role as CFNU president, and therefore acclaimed to serve for another two-year term. With Pauline Worsfold’s retirement as Secretary Treasurer of the CFNU, Angela Preocanin will take on that position. A big congratulations and thank you to Pauline for her years of dedication and commitment to the CFNU. She will be missed.
To learn more and view other materials go to nursesunions.ca/convention2023/.
