BCNU Joins Nurses from Across the Country at CFNU Convention

Close to 1,200 unionized nurses from across Canada are gathered in in Niagara Falls, Ontario this week for the biennial convention of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions (CFNU). Hosted by the Ontario Nurses’ Association, this year’s convention brings together nurses from BCNU and the other provincial nurses’ unions in the CFNU’s membership.

The event’s theme, All In, reflects nurses’ commitment to their profession and their communities – and their desire to fight for a public health care system that leaves no one behind, from seniors in long-term care homes to Indigenous people who must leave their communities to access health care.  

Delegates began the convention with a sunrise ceremony led by an Indigenous Elder and Knowledge Keeper to acknowledge the land and each other. The first plenary session featured an Indigenous health panel that explored the themes in CFNU’s new report, Beyond Equity: Taking Action to Address Indigenous-Specific Racism in Nursing. BCNU regional council member Candi DeSousa, who is Lheidli T’enneh, took part on the panel and shared the journey and work of the BCNU Indigenous Leadership Circle.

CFNU National Executive Board members, including BCNU President Adriane Gear and Vice President Tristan Newby, shared a formal apology to First Nations, Inuit and Métis Peoples for the harms they face in health care and the harm caused by nurses’ silence, and reconfirmed their commitment to do better as allies.  

The convention also featured a night of celebrations and inspiring speakers, including Canada’s Chief Nursing Officer Dr. Leigh Chapman and President of the Canadian Labour Congress Bea Bruske.

Over the two education days, convention delegates took the opportunity to attend a range of workshops, including psychological and emotional wellness for nurses, the social determinants of health, nurse-to-patient ratios, understanding the migrant worker experience, and fostering diversity and equity in health care. One of the event’s plenary sessions focused on the use of artificial intelligence in different health care settings, with a panel titled, “AI Health: Today & Tomorrow.”

A number of workshops were co-facilitated by BCNU representatives. BCNU North West regional council member Teri Forster was joined by fellow member Stacy Neilson and Nicole Simms of the University of Toronto’s Collaborative Centre for Climate, Health and Sustainable Care to lead a workshop discussion on the impacts of climate change on nursing and health-care practice.  

Tarya Morel, BCNU’s acting manager of professional practice and advocacy, was joined by representatives from CFNU, the Nova Scotia Nurses’ Union and the California Nurses Association to present on the positive patient outcomes associated with nurse-to-patient ratios. The panel spoke about their respective journeys to implement ratios and shared the critical role nurse-to-patient ratios play in delivering safe, high-quality care. The session highlighted evidence-based strategies for improving ratios, including policy advocacy and innovative care models that support patients and all health-care professionals.  

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The convention ends June 6. BCNU will host the CFNU biennial convention in 2029.