NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON, July 23, 2013 /CNW/ - The CFNU President Linda Silas and representatives of Canada's provincial nurses unions will be present in Niagara-on-the-Lake during the Council of Federation meetings this week. They will be urging the premiers to continue the important work they started on health care at last year's Council of the Federation meeting.
On Thursday, July 25, the CFNU will host a breakfast where health care experts Dr. Marc-André Gagnon and Dr. Steve Morgan will brief the media and political advisors about the need to create a national Pharmacare program. The briefing will take place from 7:00 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. in the Olde Library at the Pillar and Post Hotel in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
"Nurses believe that implementing a universal Pharmacare program, enhancing innovative services for continuing care, and developing a coordinated health human resource strategy are essential components in building a strong economy," said Silas.
Nurses unions representatives will also participate in the Shadow Summit organized by the Ontario Health Coalition, Niagara Health Coalition and Canadian Health Coalition on July 24 and 25 at St. Mark's Anglican Church in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
"Our governments spend more than 200 billion dollars each year on health care, more than in any other single area, yet there is only 30 minutes on the official agenda devoted to discussing how our governments can better work together to provide quality health care," said Silas.
Silas urged the premiers to be bold and to continue to work together to create a national Pharmacare program that meets the needs of Canadians and to press the federal government to negotiate a new health accord with the provinces.
The Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) is Canada's largest nurses organization representing almost 200,000 nurses and student nurses.
SOURCE Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions
