Michelle Owen

HEALTH DATA INTEROPERBILITY: Provide CMA’s perspective as it relates to health data interoperability that would ensure providers have access to the right information at the right time when providing care, and improve patient outcomes and their health care experience. BUDGET: Provide CMA’s perspective on the Government of Canada’s budget, particularly as it relates to modernizing Canada’s health care system by enhancing efficiency, driving innovation, and promoting equitable access to care. HARMFUL ONLINE CONTENT: Advocate to address the escalation of online harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence targeting physicians, other health workers, and anyone seeking health care treatment, including measures to strengthen the Criminal Code of Canada and the Canadian Human Rights Act. TECHNOLOGY AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE: provide CMA’s perspective on the impact of technology and artificial intelligence on the health care sector and the means through which advancements can be foreseen and managed. HEALTH PROMOTION AND DISEASE PREVENTION: Increased investments in health and social-determinants-of-health related programs, including measures to address the opioid crisis, mental health and addictions, and the regulation of natural health products. ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN: Advocate for measures to alleviate the administrative burden on physicians and support their professional wellbeing, including investment to facilitate the development of EHRs and EMRs in Canada, improved remuneration for the completion of federal health forms, the development of a Federal Disability Benefit, ensuring that physicians are not captured in the definition of "promoters" in the Disability Tax Credit Promoters Restrictions Regulations, providing clarity and guidance on federal forms, and advocacy on discontinuing the requirement that employees present sick notes to their employers. The CMA is advocating that the trade of medical goods and medications be protected to avoid disruptions to patient care. Specifically, that the government: Continue to ensure pharmaceutical products and medical devices are not included in any countermeasures on tariffs. Improve safeguards for Canadian health data. Improve labour mobility so physicians can work across the country. Make it easier for qualified physicians to immigrate and work in Canada, including by fast-tracking immigration steps for US physicians. PAN CANADIAN LICENSURE: Advocate for the ability for physicians with full licences to practise independently without restrictions or for medical resident trainees registered in any Canadian jurisdiction to practise or train in any other Canadian jurisdiction without having to acquire more than one licence or pay additional licensing fees. This includes exploring enabling legislation in the provinces and territories. INTEGRATED HEALTH HUMAN RESOURCES Advocate for an Integrated Health Human Resources Strategy, including creating retention incentives and addressing administrative burden for health care professionals, increasing the number of doctors and nurses and ensuring that every Canadian has access to a family doctor or primary health team, increasing access to virtual care, creating an action plan to get internationally trained health care professionals to work, improving workforce data collection across health systems and investing in a supply needs-based planning tool, and facilitating team-based health care. MEDICAL MIS/DISINFORMATION: Provide CMA’s perspective on the impacts of medical misinformation and disinformation, including on public trust in science, medicine, and public health experts. INDIGENOUS HEALTH: Improvement to the health and health care services provided to Indigenous peoples in Canada including adding inclusive lettering on health cards across Canada. Advocating for the creation of a national Chief Health Accountability Officer. PUBLIC-PRIVATE HEALTHCARE: The CMA is conducting a series of in-person sessions across the country to engage key s

Table a legislation for a National Hearing Health Strategy Bill S-5 Connected Care Act. Integration of communication health clinicians within the national health data interoperability framework to improve patient care and reduce administrative burden. Advocating for the development of a distinct regulatory framework for Over-the-Counter (OTC) hearing aids under the Medical Devices Regulations. Potential precedent by Bill C-224 (An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act (natural health products)). Seeking a similar risk-based reclassification for OTC hearing aids to establish specific safety standards. Jordan's Principle regulation and funding. Qualitative and quantitative study of speech, language and hearing for First Nations, Inuit and Metis populations. Seeking funding for Qualitative and quantitative sstudy of speech, language and hearing for First Nations, Inuit and Metis populations. Source of funding to be determined. To ensure that speech-language pathologists and audiologists are understood for their role in the national early learning system. To be involved in the training and programming of early childhood educators Taxation and Finance - Changes to the disability tax credit for hearing including advocacy to amend the Income Tax Act. National Seniors Strategy-to discuss the role of communication health professionals in a national seniors strategy. National Concussion Strategy-The need for a national strategy on concussion and the role of SAC's member profession. National Autism Strategy-The need for a national strategy on autism spectrum disorder and the role of SAC's member professions in such a strategy. Introduction of Acoustical Standards for Classrooms in Canada or adoption of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards (US). Include the services of audiologists and speech-language pathologists in an aging at home tax benefit Include Speech-Language and Audiologists in the Canada Student Loan Forgiveness Program Health - to discuss improved policies around audiology benefits through the federal health care partnership Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Department of national Defense (DND) and Health Canada) Guidelines for Children's Hearing Health- National guidelines for early hearing detection and intervention. Budget - include a national program that ensures universal access to newborn hearing screening and include programs to facilitate the early identification and intervention of speech and language disorders in young children.

Guidelines for Children's Hearing Health- National guidelines for early hearing detection and intervention. Budget - include a national program that ensures universal access to newborn hearing screening and include programs to facilitate the early identification and intervention of speech and language disorders in young children. Be involved in the regulation of over-the counter hearing aids. Inclusion of speech-language pathologists and audiologists in health human resources (HHR) strategies Include Speech-Language and Audiologists in the Canada Student Loan Forgiveness Program

Discussion around private insurance for small companies for hearing aids Discussion around the Student Loan Forgiveness Program Discussion around the Safe Long Term Care act

To ensure that speech-language pathologists and audiologists are understood for their role in the national early learning system. To be involved in the training and programming of early childhood educators Taxation and Finance - Changes to the disability tax credit for hearing including advocacy to amend the Income Tax Act. Qualitative and quantitative study of speech, language and hearing for First Nations, Inuit and Metis populations. Seeking funding for Qualitative and quantitative sstudy of speech, language and hearing for First Nations, Inuit and Metis populations. Source of funding to be determined. National Seniors Strategy-to discuss the role of communication health professionals in a national seniors strategy. National Concussion Strategy-The need for a national strategy on concussion and the role of SAC's member profession. National Autism Strategy-The need for a national strategy on autism spectrum disorder and the role of SAC's member professions in such a strategy. Introduction of Acoustical Standards for Classrooms in Canada or adoption of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards (US). Include the services of audiologists and speech-language pathologists in an aging at home tax benefit Include Speech-Language and Audiologists in the Canada Student Loan Forgiveness Program Health - to discuss improved policies around audiology benefits through the federal health care partnership Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC), Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Department of national Defense (DND) and Health Canada) Guidelines for Children's Hearing Health- National guidelines for early hearing detection and intervention. Budget - include a national program that ensures universal access to newborn hearing screening and include programs to facilitate the early identification and intervention of speech and language disorders in young children. Be involved in the regulation of over-the counter hearing aids.

That the Government of Canada amend the proposed increase to the capital gains tax inclusion rate to except healthcare clinics Raise awareness of the burden of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions and the need for more strategic approach to management of MSK health for federal populations including Canadian Forces, Veterans, RCMP and First Nations, Metis, and Inuit. Inclusion of chiropractors as recognized qualified practitioners to issue the Disability Tax Credit Certificate(T2201). Improve chiropractic coverage for federal public service employees. Improve access to chiropractic care for Indigenous peoples, particularly by adding coverage for chiropractic services under the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program. Implement the Canadian Pain Task Force's Action Plan for Pain in Canada and enhance the current approach to pain management by improving the integration of non-pharmacological treatments, such as chiropractic care. Expand the Canada Student Loan Forgiveness Program to include front-line allied health care professionals, such as Doctors of Chiropractic. Ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces paid education programs in health care include chiropractic. Ensure that chiropractors are included in the government's plan to introduce a one-time income tax deduction for health care professionals starting their careers in rural communities. Allow refugees and refugee claimants to access chiropractic care under the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP).

Raise awareness of the burden of musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions and the need for more strategic approach to management of MSK health for federal populations including Canadian Forces, Veterans, RCMP and First Nations and Inuit. Inclusion of chiropractors as recognized qualified practitioners to issue the Disability Tax Credit Certificate(T2201). Improve chiropractic coverage for federal public service employees. Improve access to chiropractic care for Indigenous peoples, particularly by adding coverage for chiropractic services under the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program. Implement the Canadian Pain Task Force's Action Plan for Pain in Canada and enhance the current approach to pain management by improving the integration of non-pharmacological treatments, such as chiropractic care. Expand the Canada Student Loan Forgiveness Program to include front-line allied health care professionals, such as Doctors of Chiropractic. Ensure that the Canadian Armed Forces paid education programs in health care include chiropractic. Ensure that chiropractors are included in the government's plan to introduce a one-time income tax deduction for health care professionals starting their careers in rural communities. -Allow refugees and refugee claimants to access chiropractic care under the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP).

Mental Health of Black Canadians Knowledge Mobilization Initiative: Black Healthcare Professional Network is seeking to access funding through the Mental Health of Black Canadians Initiative to support the development of a national knowledge mobilization network for diverse Black populations in Canada, regarding mental health and its determinants. Heritage Canada’s Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program’s (MARP) Organizational Capacity Building (OCB) component: Black Healthcare Professional Network is seeking to access funding through the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program’s (MARP) Organizational Capacity Building (OCB) component to support the growth of Black Healthcare Professional Network’s diversity and inclusion programming. To engage the Government of Canada to expand the range of funding programs to enhance the health outcomes of Black Canadians. Youth Employment and Skills Strategy Program – Youth Focused Projects: Black Healthcare Professional Network is looking to access funding under the Youth Focused Projects stream of the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy Program (YESS Program) to secure funding to further our organization’s objectives.

Youth Employment and Skills Strategy Program – Youth Focused Projects: Black Healthcare Professional Network is looking to access funding under the Youth Focused Projects stream of the Youth Employment and Skills Strategy Program (YESS Program) to secure funding to further our organization’s objectives. To engage the Government of Canada to expand the range of funding programs to enhance the health outcomes of Black Canadians. Mental Health of Black Canadians Knowledge Mobilization Initiative: Black Healthcare Professional Network is seeking to access funding through the Mental Health of Black Canadians Initiative to support the development of a national knowledge mobilization network for diverse Black populations in Canada, regarding mental health and its determinants. Heritage Canada’s Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program’s (MARP) Organizational Capacity Building (OCB) component: Black Healthcare Professional Network is seeking to access funding through the Multiculturalism and Anti-Racism Program’s (MARP) Organizational Capacity Building (OCB) component to support the growth of Black Healthcare Professional Network’s diversity and inclusion programming.

AFMC, with its partners, is advocating for changes to Canadian policies (tax and intellectual property) to encourage private sector investment in health and biomedical research, as well as initiatives promoting planetary health. The AFMC calls on the federal government to support the sciences and innovation in health research by making how best to train and sustain Canada's future physician-scientist a key part of the discussions surrounding the new Health Accord AFMC seeks increased funding to enhance educational programming relating to professionalism, aboriginal health needs, public health, end-of-life/palliative care and Francophone minorities projects. AFMC is advocating for programs aimed at helping manage physician workforce issues through specific initiatives in medical education, allocation of residency positions and policies regarding international medical graduates. AFMC is advocating for enhancements and optimization of Canada's health and biomedical research enterprise, focussing specifically on issues relating to clinical trials.

Communications regarding medical assistance in dying with respect to advance requests, the state of palliative care, and the protection of Canadians with disabilities. Law enforcement also includes Search and Rescue and “dementia friendly communities”. Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) - as it relates to increased federal funding and long-term investment in dementia research exceeding 1% of direct dementia care costs (aspirational goal in national dementia strategy). Support for health research infrastructure and continued CIHR partnerships with charitable non-profits like ASC. Budget 2025 - Canada Strong as as it relates to dementia and caregiving as national challenges that require coordinated action across governments and communities. Support for health data, AI, and innovation investments. Continued support for the National Dementia Strategy with targeted investments to reduce impact and costs associated with dementia care. Communications regarding the Canada Disability Benefit to ensure accessibility for individuals with cognitive impairment, including with Alzheimer's or other dementias. Create and fund programs to support Canadians diagnosed with young-onset dementia. Communications regarding the Canada Post strike and its adverse financial impacts (i.e. donations) on the charitable sector. Communications regarding potential funding to Alzheimer Society Research Program for research to study the topic of Veterans and Dementia in a truly Canadian context. Communications regarding the need for $20 million over 5 years through programs like Age Well at Home, and a longer-term and larger commitment to programs like ASC's FirstLink® that have been proven to support people with dementia to live well as long as possible at home and in the community. Communications regarding the need to invest $15 million over 3 years to implement national standards for diagnosis, treatment and care for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. This will ensure that the health systems across the country have access to quality standards to be able to realize the benefits of any disease modifying drugs approved in Canada. Health Canada as it pertains to the approval of disease-modifying treatments for Alzheimer's disease and other dementias that aim to slow or halt the progression of the disease. National standards and Safe Long-term Care Act include a common standard for the definition of an Essential Care Partner (ECP). Improve access to palliative and end-of-life care for people living with dementia in Canada. Implementation metrics and success criteria for "A Dementia Strategy for Canada:Together We Aspire." Funding opportunities under PHAC's Dementia Community Investment and Dementia Strategic Fund to support awareness-raising, dementia guidelines, diversity & Inclusion and best practices.

Urging Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, in collaboration with Health Canada, to reconsider introducing copayments for medications and supplemental health services under the Interim Federal Health Program (IFHP) for refugees and asylum seekers. Pandemic Planning: ensure all nurses are properly supported and protected by maintaining appropriate stockpiles of personal protective equipment (PPE), providing mental health supports for those working on the front lines, and ensuring nursing students receive adequate assistance. Increase access to education and training for nurses returning to work or working across various care settings during public health emergencies. Ensure clear guidelines and resources are developed and disseminated, and that senior nurses are included in discussions and advisory boards during emergency planning phases as well as in post-emergency reviews. Discussions aim to ensure that artificial intelligence and emerging health technologies are developed, assessed, and approved in ways that meet the needs of the Canadian population. Communications emphasize the importance of integrating nursing perspectives into governance, regulation, clinical and ethical evaluation, and approval processes for new technologies. Communications relate to ongoing efforts to strengthen the collection, harmonization, and use of nursing workforce data at the pan-Canadian level. Discussions include modelling future health and workforce needs, supporting evidence-based health human resource planning, and investing in robust data systems to inform public policy and decision-making. Discussions include a request for federal funding to support the organization of CNA's 2026 national conference, which will bring together nursing leaders, health system partners, and policy-makers to advance dialogue on workforce priorities, innovation, public health, and health system transformation. Communications address the need for federal investment in strategies to improve retention of nursing professionals, including support for mental health and well-being, improved working conditions, continuing professional development, and initiatives to reduce burnout and strengthen workforce stability across all regions of Canada. Discussions focus on measures to expand the capacity to educate and support Indigenous nurses across Canada, including targeted investments in nursing education programs, partnerships with Indigenous and community-based institutions, and initiatives that improve access, retention, and graduation outcomes for Indigenous nursing students. Support the development of a national licensure framework for nurses. Enhance nursing leadership at the federal level and ensure ongoing support, resources, and sustainability for Chief Nursing Officer roles in all provinces and territories. Communications relate to federal measures aimed at protecting health-care workers, including initiatives to improve workplace safety, prevent harassment and violence, and strengthen legislative and regulatory frameworks that support a safe and respectful environment for health professionals. Bill S-233, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (assault against persons who provide health services and first responders) Harmonize nursing regulatory practices to support a responsive and sustainable nursing workforce Support a Canadian Nurse Practitioner Initiative based on past similar initiatives Allow nurses to certify the Disability Tax Credit form Seek funding for nursing research, including Indigenous nursing Create a pan-Canadian health human resources strategy Urging the federal government to lead the development of and work with the provinces and territories to implement a pan-Canadian digital health strategy. That the federal government lead efforts to educate health-care workers on the importance of medication safety and deprescribing Support for regulated nurses working at full scope of practice Strengthening of programs and supports for vulnerable po

Share policy recommendations around the environmental impacts of anesthesia practices to reduce emissions and improve waste management. To introduce CAS leadership to federal government and to discuss potential solutions to address Canada's health human resources capacity issues and growing surgical backlogs.

Discuss increasing incidents of violence against health care workers, prevention, and enforcement of existing laws. Support nursing students through targeted financial support such as paid preceptorships and federal grants. Support internationally educated nurses through establishing a collaborative, multi-stakeholder body hosted by Health Canada, to lead national strategy, planning and coordination for internationally educated nurses' registration, integration and support. Targeted funding of $1 billion as an initial investment to immediately begin to address the current health care workforce crisis experienced by provinces/territories across Canada, with funding focused on short and long-term goals. To achieve patient-centred quality care based on the WHO’s comprehensive health labour markets framework that would be acceptable to, and delivered by, the provinces/territories. Provide sustainable funding so nurses and other healthcare workers have access to mental health supports. In keeping with the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, establish specific targets and timelines for the admission and graduation of First Nations, Métis and Inuit health professionals in all postsecondary institutions and provide funding dedicated to indigenous nurse students. Implementing a Universal single-payer pharmacare program. Fund innovative retention and recruitment programs targeted at early-career, mid-career and late-career nurses. Establish a dedicated coordinating body to address critical health workforce data gaps based on global best practices on health workforce management. Address health workforce shortages through the implementation of a comprehensive, pan-Canadian health human resources strategy, in coordination with the provinces and territories, backed by sufficient funding and with real accountability for achieving desired health outcomes; and address critical data gaps through significantly enhancing existing health workforce data infrastructure to standardize data collection and analysis across workers, sectors and jurisdictions, with links to relevant patient information, healthcare utilization and outcome data, for more fit-for-purpose planning and tools available at the provincial, territorial, regional and training program level. In designing this, Canada should draw on global best practices in health workforce planning including in Australia and New Zealand.

Advocate for the role of health information professionals in discussion relating to the adoption of Artificial Intelligence in the health sector. Advocate on issues relating to the role of Health Information Professionals as it relates to the future of the workforce.