Ontario Nurses' Association: Statement on the Passing of Justice Archie Campbell

    TORONTO, April 18 /CNW/ - The 53,000 registered nurses and allied health
professionals of the Ontario Nurses' Association (ONA), its elected local and
provincial leaders, wish to express sincere condolences to the family and
colleagues of Justice Archie Campbell.
    "Justice Campbell's work investigating the SARS outbreak in Ontario was
superb," says ONA President Linda Haslam-Stroud, RN. "His thorough and fair
investigation, and his thoughtful, thorough and insightful report were very
heartening to nurses in this province and demonstrated that employers must put
more focus on keeping RNs safe in the workplace."
    ONA Chief Executive Officer Lesley Bell, RN, adds that, "ONA members will
be forever grateful to Justice Campbell for his work and his compassion."
    ONA members were interviewed at length by Justice Campbell during his
investigation. He praised front-line nurses in his report for their courage in
the face of the outbreak and credited front-line caregivers for helping to
halt the outbreak.
    "We join our members in mourning the loss of Justice Campbell," says
Haslam-Stroud. "We hope his family and friends take some comfort in knowing
that his work has helped the province's nurses and that we too will miss this
fine man whose commitment has helped so many. We will continue to work to
ensure that the recommendations Justice Campbell made to prevent another
SARS-like tragedy are implemented."

    ONA is the union representing 53,000 front-line registered nurses and
allied health professionals working in Ontario hospitals, long-term care
facilities, public health, the community and industry.

For further information:

For further information: Sheree Bond, (416) 964-8833, ext. 2430,
Cellular: (416) 986-8240; Melanie Levenson, (416) 964-8833, ext. 2369