ONA Provincial President Erin Ariss talks to Premier Doug Ford about the serious issues facing Ontario’s health-care system, such as RN cuts, staffing ratios and violence in the workplace, at the CFNU’s policy breakfast at the Council of the Federation meeting in Charlottetown, PEI this past July.
ONA Provincial President Erin Ariss isn’t one to miss an opportunity.
Especially when he’s staring her right in the face.
During the recent Canadian Federation of Nurses Unions’ policy breakfast at the Council of the Federation meeting in Charlottetown, PEI, attended by the country’s premiers, Ariss was seated next to Premier Doug Ford, someone she has had a lot to say to over the years and continued at this gathering.
Because Ariss isn’t one to mince words either.
“I spoke bluntly to the premier about the appalling number of RN cuts happening in all sectors in all parts of Ontario,” she relays. “He tried to dispute them, of course, saying his government has been hiring nurses, but I made it clear that those numbers came directly from employers and weren’t simply ‘pulled out of the sky.’”
In fact, ONA is keeping track of all RN cuts on a real-time ticker on our dedicated webpage, and at the time of posting, they total almost 1,400 positions since January 2025.
Ariss emphasized the need for an immediate moratorium on RN cuts, legislated safe staffing ratios, something other provinces and jurisdictions in the world have implemented, and the critical importance of RN care to patient care and Canada’s economy.
I reminded him there’s no point in shiny new buildings when there are no staff to fill them.
“The premier tried to deflect, as the premier always does, by focusing on his government’s ‘funding’ of health care and the construction of safe buildings,” Ariss explains. “But I reminded him there’s no point in shiny new buildings when there are no staff to fill them, and that this funding he’s allegedly providing is most definitely not going to front-line care.
“And while he reiterated the measures his government is putting forward for nursing students, I let him know in no uncertain terms that those students aren’t able to find jobs post-graduation.”
During their conversation, Ariss also highlighted the very serious issue of workplace violence, showing the premier a photo of the multitude of weapons confiscated from just one single patient, which “appeared to have shocked him.”
As soon as she returned from the policy breakfast, Ariss sent a letter directly to Premier Ford to highlight these key concerns and once again demand action.
“As long as he’s still premier and I’m still breathing, I will never stop fighting for the health-care system our members and all Ontarians need. You have my word on that.”
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