Speaker: Ms. May
Time: 12/05/2022 14:00:15
Context: Statements
Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP): Madam Speaker, it is an honour to rise virtually. This is May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, and, hence, the focus on nurses this week and nursing. I want to mention that Florence Nightingale, in the 19th century, was a leader. If she had been a man, she would be known as the father of public health science, she would be known as one of the trailblazers in the use of statistics, but the misogynistic lens of history does not end there.
Fast forward to 2022 and our nurses are struggling. The website of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions states, “nurses and health care workers are experiencing a silent mental health crisis. Short staffing, punishing workloads, widespread violence – these are everyday realities”. That is not good enough.
I know all parliamentarians in this place would like to join me in saying thanks to all the women and men in the nursing profession. We thank them, we stand with them and we owe them so very much.