Nurses mark 42 years of the Canada Health Act with “cake, not cuts”
On April 17, 1984, the Canada Health Act received Royal Assent and became law. On Friday, nurses from across Alberta and Canada marked the 42nd anniversary of legislation meant to give everyone access to health care regardless of ability to pay with cake and a strong message to Ottawa: enforce the Canada Health Act.
On the anniversary, more than 50 unions and organizations in Alberta and across Canada sent a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney and federal Health Minister Marjorie Michel urging them to enforce the Canada Health Act to protect Canada’s public health care in light of the government of Alberta passing Bill 11.
Bill 11 allows physicians to decide whether they charge patients or the public system for care. Some patients will now be allowed to pay for priority access to health care while others will be forced to wait even longer than before for care.
The letter, spearheaded by the United Nurses of Alberta and Friends of Medicare, concludes, “Is today – April 17, 2026 – going to be the last anniversary of the Canada Health Act? The answer is in your hands. Canadians will remember what you did.”
Here are some photographs of nurses across Alberta and Canada marking the anniversary of the Canada Health Act with cakes and cupcakes with messages that said, “Don’t sugarcoat the cuts!” and “Patients Over Profits.”
Canadian Health Coalition Chair Jason MacLean was able to celebrate the anniversary with Saskatchewan Health Coalition’s Neena Saxena.
Nurses in PEI also ate cake, making sure to tag Carney and Michel on their social media photos in support of enforcing the Canada Health Act.
The Alberta Federation of Labour and others from across Canada got in on the cake action for the Canada Health Act.
In Moncton, the New Brunswick Health Coalition marked the Canada Health Act anniversary by rallying outside MP and former Health Minister Ginette Petitpas Taylor’s office.
