Queen’s Park Day 2026: Action, advocacy and a landmark guideline

RNAO’s 26th annual Queen’s Park Day (QPD) brought members, nursing leaders and partners together to speak out for nursing and speak out for health.

A defining moment was the release of RNAO’s landmark best practice guideline (BPG), Addressing Anti-Black Racism in Nursing during a press conference  at Queen’s Park. The event was moderated by RNAO President NP Lhamo Dolkar and included remarks from Past President Dr. Angela Cooper Brathwaite; BPG Co-Chair Dr. Bukola Salami, Canada Research Chair (Tier 1) in Black and Racialized People Health at the University of Calgary; and Guideline Development Methodologist Dr. Stephanie Buchanan. They emphasized the urgency of dismantling anti-Black racism in nursing and advancing equity across the health system.

Later at RNAO’s home office, a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Stephanie Buchanan brought together leaders from across the profession and regulatory bodies: Anuradha Lokre, provincial president of the Ontario Nurses’ Association; Damilola Iduye, president of the Canadian Association of PeriAnesthesia Nurses; Sandra Porteous, executive director of professional practice at the College of Nurses of Ontario; Safeyah Raji, executive director of the Canadian Black Nurses Alliance; Dr. Shelly Phillip LaForest, representing the Ontario Black Nurses Network; and Lori Zozzolotto, chair of Black Nurses Leading Change at RNAO. Panelists discussed shared accountability and concrete steps toward implementation.

QPD also featured a Black History Month documentary segment led by Lori Zozzolotto and RNAO Multimedia Content Producer Raul Pinto, highlighting the leadership and excellence of Black male nurses in Ontario. In closing remarks, President Lhamo Dolkar reminded members that meaningful change requires sustained implementation.

Read the Feb. 26 media release and watch the press conference and panel discussion on the QPD webpage. Additional coverage is available on RNAO’s In Focus page.