“In the last few years in particular, nurses had our backs, and today, we reaffirm that we will have their backs, too. Earlier this year, we made a plan to improve health care for Canadians by increasing health care funding by more than $198 billion over the next 10 years, including to support our health care workforce and address backlogs in the system. Last year, we announced the appointment of Dr. Leigh Chapman as the new Chief Nursing Officer of Canada, and she has since been working with key partners, including provinces and territories, to improve health care for Canadians by addressing challenges related to nursing, like labour shortages. And to help more international health professionals begin working in Canada more quickly, the Government of Canada is working with provinces and territories to streamline foreign credential recognition for internationally educated health professionals.
“Nurses are there for us when we need it most. On this first day of National Nursing Week, we thank our hardworking nurses for the lifesaving work they do day in and day out with such care and compassion – and we work to build a health care system that works for all Canadians.”