Vice President Report: “Choose to be the advocate you wish for.”
BCNU Vice President Tristan Newby began his Convention 2025 report by asking delegates to actively participate during the week - and in the union’s work ahead.
“I invite you to participate so that we can prepare our next steps and move forward with intention,” he said, adding that members can use their Convention 2025 experience to “be prepared, united and responsive - instead of reactive - when hard times come.”
Newby described how member participation has helped improve priority areas of the union’s work over the past year. He emphasized how decentralizing decision-making among the union’s equity caucuses and networks has empowered activists, increased participation and enhanced collaboration.
On the national stage, he reported how BCNU leaders have embraced the union’s renewed position in the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU) to lead a successful motion to increase funding for Indigenous nursing student scholarships.
Newby also spoke to BCNU’s growing participation in the labour movement throughout the year, noting how BCNU members joined fellow workers on the picket lines at Canada Post and LifeLabs strikes. Newby remarked on the significance of this growth in solidarity. “In the last decade, this never would have happened,” he said.
BCNU’s regional lobby coordinators also expanded their efforts, connecting with local elected officials, mayors, councillors and area directors across the province and collected more than 118 pledges from candidates running in last fall’s provincial election to support the implementation of minimum-nurse-to patient ratios. Newby said the lobby coordinators’ hard work has helped raise awareness of ratios with the general public and elected representatives.
Newby reminded delegates that they can be a part of this critical work, and that all members have a role to play in their union. He challenged those in attendance to step back and ask: what if everyone at convention was a leader?
Newby concluded by encouraging attendees to choose how they will “show up” during convention. “Choose to be the advocate, mentor and leader that you wish for at your worksite. The only way to sustainably do that is by choosing your intention.”