RNAO presses the federal government to drop court appeal and reinstate full refugee health program
TORONTO, Nov. 3, 2014 /CNW/ - Ontario's registered nurses, nurse practitioners and nursing students are pressing the federal government to stop wasting time and resources in court seeking to deny adequate health care to refugees. Members of the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) have seen the harm from cuts to the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) firsthand, and the association is asking Prime Minister Stephen Harper to drop the federal appeal and reinstate care for some of Canada's most vulnerable residents.
Since the federal government made cuts to the IFHP in 2012, RNAO and other health organizations have been asking for cuts to be reversed. The IFHP changes were struck down by the Federal Court as "cruel and unusual" in July, yet the government insists on appealing this decision.
On Friday, the Federal Court of Appeal also denied the government's attempt to delay the ruling, which gives the feds until Nov. 4 to introduce new refugee health policy.
"Canadians have spoken – we are a country that protects and cares for all its residents," says RNAO Chief Executive Officer Doris Grinspun "So why is our government fighting so hard to change this?"
The Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario (RNAO) is the professional association representing registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and nursing students in Ontario. Since 1925, RNAO has advocated for healthy public policy, promoted excellence in nursing practice, increased nurses' contribution to shaping the health-care system, and influenced decisions that affect nurses and the public they serve. For more information about RNAO, visit our website at RNAO.ca or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
SOURCE: Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario
or to interview a nurse, please contact: Daniel Punch, Editorial Assistant, RNAO, (416) 408-5610, [email protected]
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