The Collaborative Leadership ‘Year 2’ project launch September 28 lived up to its theme of moving nurse leadership and voice towards action, thanks to the inspired presence of Senator Kim Pate.
The Senator’s open, authentic sharing of experience and insights with participants helped demystify political processes and created paths towards new networks, allies and strategies to influence health and policy. Importantly, she also highlighted the gendered realities of the nursing profession, showcasing the need for critical analysis within our professional endeavors.
Her thoughtful and measured response to questions laid a foundation for trust and engagement within political realms. Witnessing the exchange of contact information and strategy for action on dangerous conditions of daily living for a remote indigenous community, as one example, showed immediate impact and future potential. The Collaborative would like to acknowledge Senator Pate’s long history of advocacy on behalf of some of Canada’s forgotten peoples and gratitude for her willingness to take the journey from Ottawa to Montreal to inspire and energize our project partners.
Senator Pate laid the ground for the upcoming November 9 Lunch and Learn with Eleni Bakopanous, another trailblazing woman who will coach us in ways to strengthen our individual and collective political voice and influence.
Join us and we can create a movement together!
Cheryl Armistead on behalf of Leadership Committee Members:Ingram School of Nursing, McGill University:
Cheryl Armistead, Mélanie Lavoie-Tremblay, Susan Drouin, Annie Chevrier; CIUSSS du Centre-Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal: Valerie Frunchak, Christina Clausen, Margaret Purden; McGill University Health Centre: Luisa Ciofani, Alain Biron.