2021 Federal Election

Before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a nursing shortage across the province. According to the provincial government’s own projections from before the pandemic, nearly 24,000 more nurses will be needed to staff BC’s health-care system by 2029 (BC’s 2019 Labour Market Outlook). Broken down that is over 19,000 more RN/RPNs and nearly 4,300 more LPNs. Read more.

BC’s nurses are calling for federal funding to support the provincial government in developing a recruitment and retention plan to employ nurses now and in the future, and to retain the nurses who are currently providing care under extremely difficult circumstances.

By the year 2031, nearly one-in-four people in BC will be over the age of 65. A national seniors' strategy is necessary to help address:

• The need for federal seniors’ care legislation to bring long-term care into the public health care system and regulate it in accordance with the principles of the Canada Health Act;
• The need for a pan-Canadian framework of enforceable national standards for long-term care, creating conditions for obtaining federal funding; 
• The lack of skilled health-care workers to care for the fast-growing population; 
• The understaffing and underfunding of long-term care facilities, especially in profit versus non-profit long-term care; 
• The lack of affordable and inclusive housing options for seniors. Many seniors live in poverty and struggle to cover their monthly expenses.

BC continues to experience one of the worst overdose crises in the country despite being the province with the most progressive harm reduction policies and practices including the Take Home Naloxone program and supervised injection sites. 

BCNU supports growing demands to decriminalize people who possess controlled substances for personal use.

BCNU is committed to a genuine and just reconciliation with Indigenous communities based on the Truth and Reconciliation Committee of Canada’s Calls to Action document.

BCNU is calling on the federal government to take a leadership role to ensure that the Truth and Reconciliation Committee of Canada’s Calls to Action continue to be addressed. This includes having all levels of government commit to working with Indigenous communities to identify and close the gaps in health outcomes between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities, and ensure cultural competency training is provided to all health-care professionals.

Nurses are calling for the medicare umbrella to be expanded to include prescription drugs. As caregivers, nurses often see first-hand the consequences of not having a national pharmacare program: sicker Canadians and wasted health-care dollars.

Canada is the only developed country in the world with a universal health-care program that does not include a universal prescription drug plan. Universal pharmacare would extend prescription drug coverage to every single Canadian while saving the public billions every year. It will allow millions of Canadians who are struggling to pay for medication receive the support they need.

Violence in BC health-care facilities continues to be a devastating problem, and nurses are bearing the brunt of a systemic disregard for their safety. Read more.

Violence should not be part of any nurse’s job. BCNU is calling for tougher sentences for criminal assaults against health-care workers and supports the amendment of the Criminal Code, Section 269.01(1). BCNU is also seeking targeted federal funding to enhance protections for health-care workers through violence-prevention programs and infrastructure.

This year, British Columbians have dealt with the effects of climate change, including unprecedented wildfires and a historic heat wave. BCNU is calling for federal policies and legislation to address climate change, and protect our environment so that air, soil, water, forests and other parts of our ecosystems are clean and remain in their natural state. Nurses believe when environmental conditions improve, population health improves.