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11/05/2005

Ottawa Mayor Celebrates Nursing Leadership

Ottawa – May 11, 2005 – Lucille Auffrey, executive director of the Canadian Nurses Association (CNA), was honoured for her many years of dedication and outstanding achievement as a leader in the nursing and health community by Ottawa Mayor Bob Chiarelli. The event coincided with National Nursing Week.

“Lucille Auffrey is a nurse leader whose extraordinary capacity for critical thinking is surpassed only by her compassion, caring, commitment and passion for nurses, the nursing profession and the health of Canadians,” said Mayor Chiarelli. “Her contributions to the health system are significant and her actions are reflective of her values and beliefs.”

As executive director of CNA, she has increased the status of nurses in Canada and around the world by strengthening CNA’s international policy and development programs and promoting partnerships with other national nursing organizations.

In addition, Auffrey has championed progressive health-care reform, spearheading innovative solutions, such as the sustained integration of nurse practitioners, to address some of the challenges to health system access.

“Lucille’s commitment to nurses and to the health of Canadians is unwavering,” said Deborah Tamlyn, CNA president. “She has always believed that nurses need practice environments that are professional, safe and conducive to promoting high quality care. She has recognized the important link between quality work environments and better patient outcomes. Since becoming executive director of CNA, she has made enhancing work life environments for nurses a priority. We join Mayor Chiarelli in recognizing her significant accomplishments publicly.”

“I am honoured and humbled that Mayor Chiarelli would recognize my contributions in this way,” said Auffrey. “My drive comes from a fundamental belief that a universally accessible, publicly funded, not-for-profit health system is the most equitable form of health care available. Canadians deserve access to quality health care based on need, not on their ability to pay. I will continue to work toward this vision by advancing the nursing profession.”

CNA is the professional voice of registered nurses in Canada. It is a federation of 11 provincial and territorial professional associations and regulatory bodies for registered nurses. CNA believes that the sustainability of a publicly funded, not-for-profit health system rests upon a vibrant nursing workforce.

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For additional information, please contact:

Joanna Filion
Communications Specialist
Media Relations
Canadian Nurses Association
Tel.: (613) 237-2159 ext. 312
Cell: (613) 240-7830
E-mail: mailto:jfilion@cna-aiic.ca