The 2025 Canadian federal election campaign is taking place in the context of a global crisis and a serious threat to national sovereignty. Health care is a well-documented concern of Canadians in recent years although not the highest priority at this crucial moment. In an article in the Globe and Mail (April 8, 2025), Health Columnist André Picard writes about the opportunity for reform: The federal election is a chance to reform health care, if we would be so bold. He notes that this period of national unity is a chance to save and enhance medicare to improve primary care access and overcome system capacity issues. As Mr. Picard states “This is an ideal time to shore up medicare, to embrace and bolster a program that distinguishes us from Americans like no other. That’s what political leaders should be vowing to do.”

The Canadian Nurses Association has developed a comprehensive Election Platform with the tagline: “A Healthier Canada, Powered by Nurses: A Vision for 2025 and Beyond.” The platform outlines five priorities from CNA’s current policy work and feedback from members through a 2024 survey and pre-election webinars.   

Five Key Priorities for Federal Action:

1. Improve Access & Quality by Implementing Bold Policy Levers
   Modernizing regulatory requirements and federal legislation will enable nurses to work to their full potential. This includes the development of national licensure, supporting ethical international recruitment, and strengthening data-driven workforce planning at the federal level.
2. Unleash the True Value of the Nursing Workforce to Meet Population Health Needs
   Expanding team-based and nurse-led models of care, alongside increased investments in nursing leadership, education, and digital health, will achieve better outcomes at lower costs. This will help create a more responsive health system.
3. Invest in the Well-Being of the Health Workforce & Prioritize National Workplace Protections
   Protecting nurses from workplace violence, moral distress, and mental health challenges is critical. CNA is calling on the federal government to implement national workplace protections and mental health supports for nurses.
4. Tackle Social Determinants of Health & Invest in Planetary Health
   Addressing environmental factors such as housing, food security, and income stability, as well as reducing the health sector’s carbon footprint, is key to improving long-term health outcomes. Nurses are critical partners in this work.
5. Strengthen Our Public Health System & Combat Mis-/Disinformation
   Strengthening pandemic preparedness, enhancing disease surveillance, and investing in public health infrastructure will ensure that Canada is ready for future health challenges. CNA also calls for increased efforts to combat misinformation about health, particularly with nurses leading evidence-based public education campaigns. (Source CNA 2025 Election Platform Summary).

CNA has prepared a guide for nurses: Tips to Get Involved in the Federal Election. In a webinar for members just before the election call, we were encouraged by the CNA team to be ready to amplify key messages, become active on social media, and use our own local networks. I acknowledge the work of our national nursing association in preparing for the election and in facilitating action by nurses at all career stages and settings.

The tips are useful and here’s the most important one: “Your vote is your voice. Make sure you are registered and take part in the election. Encourage your colleagues and those in your networks to do the same.” The need to combat misinformation and disinformation is increasingly important as emphasized in the platform and tips. I’m grateful for the role of our national professional association at this time and to acknowledge, also, the work of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, provincial and territorial organizations, and other national organizations including the Canadian Public Health Association and the Canadian Medical Association.

The Canadian Association of Schools of Nursing (CASN-ACESI) has released its election platform Educate Nurses, Elevate Care with excellent messages from leaders in nursing education. A central message is: “Meeting the current health care needs starts with investing in quality nursing education” as the platform makes the case for preparing future nurses for roles in primary care, promoting healthy communities, and in advancing health equity.

This election reminds me of following/tracking campaigns and results in the last decade. During past federal elections (2015 & 2019), I worked with colleagues Susan Duncan and Patrick Chiu to examine activities of our nursing organizations in the campaigns with a view to member engagement strategies and key policy messages. Our work at that time led to conference presentations and two publications:

Whyte, N.B., & Duncan, S.M. (2016). Engaging nursing voice and presence during the federal election campaign 2015. Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership, 29(4): 19-34. https://doi.org/10.12927/cjnl.2016.24986

Chiu, P., Duncan, S., & Whyte, N. (2020). Charting a research agenda for the advancement of nursing organizations’ influence on health systems and policy. Canadian Journal of Nursing Research, 52(3), 185-193. https://doi.org/10.1177/0844562120928794

It was interesting to revisit our papers recently and to note our conclusions that nursing’s collective influence must be situated in policy research on health systems and ongoing political advocacy for health equity. Returning to Mr. Picard’s article, I echo his belief that this is the opportune time to reform the Canadian health system in a bold spirit of unity.

By Nora Whyte – April 8, 2025

Note – Edited April 9, 2025 to include the CASN platform published on this date.

I acknowledge with respect that I live and work on the Unceded traditional territory of the K’òmoks First Nation.