Members of the Registered Nurses’ Union and their supporters gathered on the steps of Confederation Building earlier to demand an end to what they believe is the privatization of the health care system.

Against a backdrop of grey skies, flurries, and cold temperatures, the call to action from RNU President Yvette Coffey was simple in that “enough is enough.”

Coffey says the union putting its foot down. They want to see government stop privatizing health care, and they want the Auditor General to investigate money being paid out to private companies for the provision of travel nurses.

Coffey says there are enough resources in the province to fill the gaps in the healthcare system

As an example, she says there are Registered Nurses who have left the system that are willing to come back to do casual shifts, but instead of hiring them back those jobs are going to agency nurses.

Health Minister Tom Osborne says he recognizes and agrees with the concerns of the RNU, but maintains his line of messaging that travel nurses are a “necessary evil” to keep hospitals and emergency rooms open, but he will celebrate just as loudly as registered nurses when they can get travel nursing back to pre-pandemic levels.