It's National Nursing Week, and I would like to acknowledge nurses for your dedication, initiative and high standard of excellence in providing healthcare to all Canadians across this country.
Nursing is one of the most challenging professions. It's also one of the most rewarding. Nurses are the frontline of healthcare and carry tremendous responsibilities.
Nurses are advocates for healthy living. You teach patients how to prevent illnesses and injuries. You heal wounds, offer compassionate care when we are most vulnerable, and you help us heal and get back to our families.
Nurses in First Nations and Inuit communities face unique and difficult challenges. In remote and isolated communities, they are quite often the only frontline providers of healthcare.
Our government is committed to improving the quality of healthcare for First Nations and Inuit. We're also working to increase the number of Aboriginal people pursuing healthcare careers, including nursing.
We have sponsored several initiatives over the years to recruit, retain and provide professional development to nurses working across Canada.
I remind all Canadians to join me in celebrating and thanking nurses for all that you do--and not just this week but all year long.
My message today to all nurses is to thank you for all of the work you do in our health care system. On behalf of the Government of Canada, we appreciate your contributions.
Thank you!
Rona Ambrose, Minister of Health
