The Health Professions Regulatory Advisory Council (HPRAC) has wrapped up a series
of public hearings across the province examining changes in legislation that will
expand the scope of practice for nurse practitioners and allow them to work more
autonomously. RNAO members participated in the hearings, which were held in Hamilton, Ottawa, London, Thunder Bay and Sudbury. RNAO President-Elect Wendy Fucile appeared before the Toronto hearing on November 20th. She shared RNAO’s view that changes proposed by the College of Nurses of Ontario will help RNs in the extended

This provincial election has seen a unique convergence of ideas with two political parties promising to introduce full-day kindergarten. The strategy delivers a double benefit. First, it provides free access to consistent quality programming for all four and five year olds. Second, it releases almost 42,000 child care spaces and 17,000 subsidies to address the child care needs of other age groups.

August 15, 2007
Summary of Recommendations

1. Reverse the GST tax cut and do not implement additional tax cuts.

2. Immediately begin a public consultation process to develop and implement an anti-poverty strategy, which should include: increasing the minimum wage to $10 per hour; increasing the Canada Child Tax Benefit; increasing transfers to provinces and territories on early living and child care; and increasing spending on social housing.

The Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario (RNAO) is the professional organization for registered nurses who practice in all roles and sectors across Ontario. Our mandate is to advocate for healthy public policy and for the role of nursing in shaping and delivering health services. RNAO is pleased to provide this submission on Bill 171, An Act to improve health systems by amending or repealing various enactments and enacting certain Acts, 2006, to the Standing Committee on Social Policy.

We will limit our submission to Schedules B, F, K, M, and Q of the Bill.