RNAO’s ongoing media profile: Your July 2025 report
This month, RNAO was featured in media stories related to RNAO's BPSO® Indigenous-focused Symposium, the ongoing fraud investigation at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and the increase in overdoses since the closure of supervised consumption services (SCS) sites in Toronto.
The second BPSO Indigenous-focused Symposium was held in Thunder Bay from July 8 to 10. In a media advisory (July 4), RNAO CEO, Dr. Doris Grinspun said that RNAO is “committed to standing with Indigenous Peoples as their voices must be heard, ensuring mitigation measures to protect the environment and accommodation measures to respect their rights.” Maxine Lesage, primary care manager at Baawating Family Health Team and a member of the symposium’s planning committee, told TBnewswatch (July 9) the event is “an opportunity to listen to Indigenous voices and perspectives to improve health-care outcomes. This gives us a place to hear our voices and to speak to the programs we’re running and the needs we see in our communities.” On CBC Radio (July 10), BPSO co-lead at Confederation College and member of the symposium planning committee Jamis Robins shared that working with Indigenous communities is crucial to provide better care. “We need to build relationships. We need to find a balance between traditional Indigenous medicines and western medicine. We need to prioritize supporting spiritual health instead of just the western model of health that tends to focus on the physical,” said Robins. Learn more about RNAO’s work to support Indigenous health on our In Focus page.
This month, it was announced that LHSC was suing five of its former executives, alleging they took part in a fraudulent scheme. RNAO has spoken out about the issues facing the hospital on numerous occasions. Grinspun told CBC News (July 11) that the lawsuit and allegations could lead to public mistrust in the hospital and the health-care system as a whole. “It creates more instability for LHSC and spills over into the rest of the system. We need to clean up things and see if there are other organizations where this is happening and tackle it head on,” Grinspun explained.
In a letter to the editor published in the Toronto Star (July 24), Grinspun comments on the rise in overdoses since the government closure of four SCS sites in Toronto. She highlights that while “Homeless and Addiction Recovery Treatment (HART) Hub model — and this may benefit some individuals by linking them to housing and primary care — it fails to address a critical reality: people are dying in the streets, and most of these deaths are preventable.” Grinspun highlights that two key services are missing from the HART Hub model: supervised spaces where people can use substances safely and needle exchange programs that help prevent the spread of HIV and hepatitis by discouraging needle sharing and reuse. Sign RNAO’s Action Alert to call on the premier to reverse his decision to close SCS sites.
Grinspun spoke out in an article about the federal government’s zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) availability mandate and the need for this type of environmental policy to help protect the health of Canadians. The federal government’s mandate requires ZEVs to make up 20 per cent of sales in 2026 and 100 per cent by 2035. However, there is concern that automakers will pressure the government into giving up this mandate. “We are devastating the future generation,” Grinspun warned in Canada’s National Observer (July 29). She also indicated that pollution not only kills, but that hospitalizations impose significant costs on the health-care system. Sign RNAO’s Action Alert to call on Prime Minister Mark Carney to stand firm on climate and honour his promises.
RNAO continues to speak out alongside its members on topics related to nursing and health. Stay up-to-date on media coverage by visiting RNAO in the news. If you’re interested in speaking with reporters on issues related to nursing, health and health care, take our short survey.
