Health Minister Terry Lake released the following statement today on the election of the BC Nurses’ Union’s new president Gayle Duteil and on the BCNU’s former president, Debra McPherson.

“I want to congratulate Gayle Duteil on her election as the new president of the BC Nurses’ Union.

“I’ve toured a number of hospitals and health-care facilities, and in every one, in every community, I have seen the hard work and dedication of our nurses. Ms. Duteil has been an active nurse in British Columbia for a number of decades, and she will be able to draw from this experience as she leads the nurses’ union during these important years.

“While we will not always agree on the way forward, we are guided by the same goal - to continue to improve the health-care system for the British Columbians we have chosen to serve. With this in mind, and on behalf of the Ministry of Health and the health authorities, I look forward to working with her and with all nurses across B.C. to continue to deliver a sustainable and a high quality public health-care system.

“I would also like to extend my thanks to former president Debra McPherson for the many years that she has given to the nursing profession in British Columbia.

“She has served over two and a half decades, under three different administrations, acting as a strong advocate for nurses and for patients throughout the province. I thank her, again, for her longstanding dedication and wish her well in the future.”

Media Contacts:

Kristy Anderson
Ministry of Health
250 952-1887 (media line)