Media Advisory - Meeting of Canadian nurses' union leaders set to begin tomorrow in Toronto

TORONTO, June 3, 2013 /CNW/ - More than 800 nurses' union leaders from across Canada will gather tomorrow morning at the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel in Toronto to begin four days of training and business focusing on the future of nursing and other important health care issues.

The opening training day of the national convention of the Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions tomorrow will begin in the hotel's Metropolitan Ballroom with a plenary discussion of equality at work and in society led by United Nurses of Alberta Educator Murray Billett, a former chair of the Edmonton Police Commission and a prominent member of the Alberta capital's gay community.

Media are welcome to attend the plenary session, which runs until 9:45 a.m.

The theme of the convention, which marks CFNU's 32^nd anniversary, is "Taking the Lead," and there are a number of events throughout the four-day event that may be of media interest:

• Nurse leaders are participating in a rally for mental health, commencing at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, June 5
• Formal opening of the CFNU's biennial business meeting is scheduled for 8:30 a.m., Thursday, June 6
• Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne will bring greetings from the host province at 8:30 a.m. on June 6
• CFNU President Linda Silas will address all delegates at 9:30, June 6
• Former Governor General Michaëlle Jean will address delegates at 1:30 p.m., June 6
• Conservative MP Dr. Colin Carrie, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health, will bring greetings from the federal government at 8:30 a.m. on Friday, June 7.
• PhD economist and demographer David Foot, co-author in 1996 of Boom, Bust and Echo, How to Profit from the Coming Demographic Shift, will address delegates at their final session at 1:30 p.m. on June 7

Nurses at the convention will also take part in sessions on such important issues as sustaining Canada's public health care system, improving the social determinants of health for Canadians and the future of the country's health care system beyond acute care.

Conference delegates will have the opportunity to participate in 30 workshops on such diverse topics as ending workplace violence and standing up to bullying, retirement preparation, using social media responsibly, dealing with addictions and this history of the labour movement.

Silas is scheduled to close the convention with her final remarks at 3:30 p.m. on June 7.

Media are welcome to attend open plenary sessions of the convention. A full agenda will be posted on CFNU's website, www.cfnu.ca.

SOURCE: Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions

Journalists who wish to arrange an interview with CFNU President Linda Silas or other conference participants should contact:

Anil Naidoo, Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions, 613-986-5409, [email protected]

David Climenhaga, United Nurses of Alberta, 780-717-2943, [email protected]