Last week, Alberta’s nurses were heroes, working through the COVID-19 pandemic to keep Albertans safe. This week, with Bill 32, our government wants to silence us.

Alberta’s nurses have always been advocates for public health care and safe patient care. Now, just as the United Conservative Party is pushing greater privatization, they’re trying to take our voice away.

The UCP’s Bill 32 is an attempt to make it difficult for nurses in Alberta to advocate on issues that improve safe patient care, our working conditions, and our communities.

Bill 32 would make Alberta the only jurisdiction in Canada to require nurses to opt in to having a portion of their union dues used for what politicians decide are political activities. In reality, this is red tape meant to create an administrative burden aimed at stopping nurses and their union from defending public health care and opposing policies that undermine it.

Nurses are advocates for strong public health care. It’s their professional responsibility.

The Canadian Nurses Association Code of Ethics calls for nurses to maintain an awareness of major health concerns, such as poverty, inadequate shelter, food insecurity and violence, while working for social justice (individually and with others) and advocating for laws, policies and procedures that bring about equity.

The College and Association of Registered Nurses of Alberta requires nurses to promote safe delivery systems, quality practice environments that provide appropriate human and other resources; and social justice, resources to address broad determinants of health, and services that reduce disparities and improve access to care for the vulnerable.

For more than four decades, United Nurses of Alberta has advocated for a robust, publicly funded and publicly delivered health care system. Given that the UCP has also introduced sweeping changes to increase health care privatization, it is no surprise that the government wants to silence those who know the system best: Alberta's nurses.

Please contact your MLA and help nurses stand up for you.

For more information about Bill 32, visit defendworkerrights.ca.

SUGGESTED VERSION OF A LETTER TO YOUR MLA:

Dear [NAME OF MLA]:

I am writing you today to express my deep concern about the UCP Government’s decision to try to silence nurses and other health care workers’ advocacy for their professions, their patients and our public health care system through Bill 32, called the Restoring Balance in Alberta’s Workplaces Act.

As a Registered Nurse working in Alberta, I am a member of a profession that understands the benefits of a robust, publicly funded and publicly delivered health care system.

It is obvious to me that the real purpose of Bill 32 to keep people like me from speaking out effectively through our union for the benefits of public health care and many other issues that determine the health of all citizens. Bill 32 would make Alberta the only jurisdiction in Canada that uses bureaucratic red tape to stop nurses and other health care workers from defending public health care.

If find this very troubling. I believe it is a violation of my Charter right to free association. I urge you to do the right thing and speak out in the Legislature against Bill 32, and lend your vote to supporting Alberta’s health care heroes, rather than ignoring them and stifling their voices.  

I look forward to your response and an explanation of what you and your party are doing to ensure our public health care system, one of the great benefits of Canadian citizenship, is preserved, protected and enhanced.

Sincerely,

[NAME]

You can find your MLA at streetkey.elections.ab.ca.

United Nurses of Alberta represents more than 30,000 Registered Nurses, Registered Psychiatric Nurses and allied workers in Alberta. Since 1977, UNA has been an effective advocate for nurses, the nursing profession and Canada’s fair and efficient public health care system.