mental-health

Click HERE to listen to the newest podcast episode.

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Glynnis Lieb from the Fyrefly Institute about Alberta’s Bill 25 and its potential impact on students, families, schools, and communities.

The conversation explores why this legislation matters beyond the education system and why nurses and other health-care professionals should be paying attention. Many Local 196 members work directly with children, youth, and families and see firsthand how social determinants of health—including safety, belonging, inclusion, and access to supportive environments—can affect overall health and well-being.

Glynnis discusses the importance of advocacy, what parents and caregivers should know, and how community members can become involved in supporting safe and inclusive environments for all children and youth. The episode also examines the broader role nurses can play as advocates—not only within the health-care system, but in the communities where we live and work.

Guest: Dr. Glynnis Lieb

Dr. Glynnis Lieb (she/her) is a leader and advocate with the Fyrefly Institute, an Alberta-based organization dedicated to research, education, and community engagement that supports 2SLGBTQIA+ people and works to create safer, more inclusive communities. Glynnis holds a PhD in Personality and Social Psychology and brings valuable insight into how public policy can affect children, families, educators, health-care providers, and communities.

Podcasts are available on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music

Why Climate Change is a Nursing Issue and What Role Nurses Can Play in Responding to the Climate Crisis.

Speaker: Dr. Maya Reshef Kalogirou

Born and raised in Edmonton, she has a clinical background in emergency nursing and earned her doctorate from the University of Alberta. Her research examines how climate change affects health and nursing practice, how nurses can become more engaged in climate action, and how health-care systems can better support environmentally responsible practice. Dr. Kalogirou is passionate about engaging nurses in addressing the climate crisis and advocating for a health-care system that promotes the health of both people and the planet. She is currently President of the Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment and a postdoctoral fellow at the University of British Columbia.

Register for the event through DMS

Registration Deadline is Sept 30th at 1200h

Not a UNA member? Go to the UNA website for instructions on becoming a member.

This event is open to members and duespayers of Local 196 only.

TICKETS ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE.

Registration must be completed using a non-AHS email.

Questions/Dietary requests? Please email Local196Education@una.ca

• If you have registered and can no longer attend, please cancel your registration in DMS or email Local196Education@una.ca before the registration deadline.

Click HERE to listen to the newest podcast episode.

This episode focuses on Bill 11, the Health Statutes Amendment Act, and the growing debate around two-tier health care in Alberta. Critics warn that the legislation could open the door to expanded private payment for medical services, potentially allowing those who can afford it to access faster care while others face longer waits in the public system.

To help unpack what this could mean for patients, nurses, and communities, we’re joined by Chris Gallaway, Executive Director of Friends of Medicare, a national advocacy organization working to protect and strengthen Canada’s public health care system.

We’ll talk about what Bill 11 changes, why advocates across the country are raising concerns, and why Albertans are mobilizing for a Day of Action on March 16 in Edmonton to defend public health care.

Guest: Chris Gallaway 

Chris Gallaway

Chris Gallaway is the Executive Director of Friends of Medicare, a national advocacy organization dedicated to protecting and strengthening Canada’s public health care system. Based in Edmonton, Gallaway has become a leading voice in Alberta on health care privatization, access to care, and the preservation of universal, publicly funded health services.

Guest Host: Anahi Johnson

Anahi Johnson

Anahi Johnson is a Registered Nurse and a dedicated union leader with the United Nurses of Alberta (UNA). As president of Local 32 (Glenrose Hospital), Anahi advocates for safe working conditions, strong public health care, and fair treatment for frontline health workers. Johnson has been actively involved in union work for many years, supporting colleagues through workplace advocacy, education, and collective action.  

• Podcasts are available on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music

Menopause: The Symptoms, the Science and the Stuff No One Warned Us About

Menopause affects a large portion of the patients we care for and many of us personally, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood and under-addressed areas in healthcare.

This session is designed for nurses working across all practice settings who want practical, usable menopause knowledge that actually fits real-world care. We’ll move beyond myths, minimization, and “it’s just aging” narratives to explore what menopause really looks like in clinical practice and how nurses can make a meaningful difference.

Through a blend of evidence-informed education, lived experience, and clinical insight, this talk will cover common (and not-so-common) menopause symptoms, treatment considerations, and supportive strategies nurses can use regardless of role or setting. We’ll also discuss how menopause affects work, well-being, and daily functioning and why that matters for both patient care and healthcare teams.

Whether you’re supporting patients through midlife health changes, navigating your own menopause transition, or both, this session will leave you with practical tools, language, and confidence to improve care and conversations around menopause.

Lindsay Torok-Both, BScPharm, ACPR, MSCP 

Lindsay Torok-Both (BScPharm, ACPR, MSCP) is a menopause-certified practitioner and clinical prescribing pharmacist with over 25 years of experience in acute care, primary care, and community pharmacy settings, helping people navigate their health with confidence and clarity. She is passionate about making menopause information easier to understand, more practical, and more supportive for both healthcare professionals and the people they care for. Drawing from both professional experience and her own menopause journey, Lindsay understands how symptoms can affect daily life, work, relationships, and overall well-being. Her approach validates lived experience while empowering people with knowledge, tools, and confidence to advocate for themselves and access the care they deserve.

Register for the event through DMS

Registration Deadline is March 24th at 1200h

Not a UNA member? Go to the UNA website for instructions on becoming a member.

This event is open to members and duespayers of Local 196 only.

TICKETS ARE NON-TRANSFERABLE.

Registration must be completed using a non-AHS email.

Questions/Dietary requests? Please email Local196Education@una.ca

• If you have registered and can no longer attend, please cancel your registration in DMS or email Local196Education@una.ca before the registration deadline.

Click HERE to listen to the newest podcast episode.

This episode features a live recording from the February 19, 2026, Local Education Event, “Privatization in Healthcare and Education,” held at the ATA Building in Edmonton and organized by the Local 196 Education Committee. Moderated by Local 196 Secretary and Chair of the Communications and A&E Committees, Rachel Steel, the panel brought together research and advocacy perspectives to examine how privatization is reshaping Alberta’s healthcare and education systems. Participants wore red in solidarity with public education and wrote messages of encouragement to teachers, underscoring the community-centred spirit of the evening.

Panellists Rebecca Graff-McRae of the Parkland Institute and Heather Ganshorn of Support Our Students Alberta explored how funding pressures, corporatization, centralized decision-making, and “parental rights” narratives are influencing public policy. The conversation highlighted two possible futures for Alberta: one that strengthens universal, publicly delivered services rooted in equity and democratic accountability, and another that expands private influence within publicly funded systems. This episode invites listeners to reflect on what is at stake—and how collective action can shape the future of public healthcare and public education in our province.

• Podcasts are available on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music

The Ethnically Diverse Caucus represents nurses from racialized, immigrant, and culturally diverse backgrounds, including internationally educated nurses. This caucus is a collaborative and welcoming space, and we strongly encourage everyone to share ideas, bring forward suggestions, and consider becoming more involved in caucus initiatives or possible subcommittee work.

UNA’s Indigenous Caucus provides a culturally safe space for First Nations, Métis, and Inuit members to connect, share concerns, and advocate for Indigenous voices within UNA. The caucus supports members in addressing Indigenous-specific racism and advancing reconciliation in nursing and health care.

This caucus is open to any UNA member who self-identifies as First Nations, Métis, or Inuit. We will be working on building structure and goals for the year ahead. 

The next meeting will be at the end of January (date to be announced shortly). Those wishing to attend, please email: indigenouscaucus@una.ca

UNA’s Mental Health Caucus offers an opportunity for information sharing and networking for nurses who work in mental health. The Mental Health Caucus offers an opportunity for advocacy and sharing perspectives of mental health nursing within the greater community of nurses and UNA. The Mental Health Caucus offers itself as a resource to locals and the provincial organization to help expand the perspectives of mental health nurses.

The Mental Health Caucus has the next meeting coming up on 12 February 2026 @ 1900, to register, email mentalhealthcaucus@una.ca 

By Gerri Logan

Click HERE to listen to the newest podcast episode.

In this episode, Gerri Logan sits down with Janet Eremenko, Alberta’s NDP Shadow Minister for Mental Health and Addiction, to unpack the politics and human impact behind Alberta’s growing opioid crisis.

Janet Eremenko is a Canadian politician and member of the Alberta New Democratic Party. She serves as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Calgary-Currie. A lifelong Calgarian, Janet holds a degree in International Development and has more than a decade of experience in social policy and community development. 

• Podcasts are available on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music

By Geri Ruston

Click HERE to listen to the newest podcast episode.

In this episode, Geri Ruston sits down with Dr. Bob Barnetson to examine the state of Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) in Canadian workplaces, with a focus on Alberta and the realities faced by nurses.

Dr. Bob Barnetson is a Professor of Labour Relations at Athabasca University, whose academic and professional work centers on the political economy of workplace regulation in Alberta. His experience includes prior roles with the Alberta Labour Relations Board, Alberta Workers’ Compensation Board, and Alberta Employment and Immigration, giving him both policy and institutional insight into OH&S and workers’ rights.

The conversation covers:

• The true number of workplace injuries each year—likely double the official statistics—and why underreporting is so common.
• The role of the Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) and why some employers may discourage workers from filing claims.
• The impact of Bill 47 and how it has reshaped workers’ rights to refuse unsafe work.
• The gender bias in how “dangerous work” is perceived, and why hazards faced by nurses and care workers are often minimized.
• Why increased reporting in unionized workplaces makes it appear that more injuries occur there, when in fact it reflects a culture of transparency and protection.

• Podcasts are available on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music

Nurses’ Week Special Episode – The Fiery Mary “Mother” Jones

By Rachel Steel, Geri Ruston and Gerri Logan

Click HERE to listen to the newest podcast episode.

Rachel, Gerri, and Geri take listeners on an unforgettable journey through the life and legacy of Mary “Mother” Jones — the labour organizer once dubbed “the most dangerous woman in America.” From famine-stricken Ireland to the sweatshops and coalfields of the United States, the podcast traces how grief and injustice forged her into a tireless champion for worker safety and dignity.

But this isn’t just a history lesson. It’s a call to action. The episode draws parallels between the brutal conditions Jones fought against and the occupational hazards faced by Alberta nurses today, from violence and burnout to unsafe staffing ratios and systemic neglect.

The legacy of Mary Jones reminds us that the struggle for safe and just workplaces is far from over, and that every nurse who dares to speak out is walking in the footsteps of giants.

This episode was inspired by the OH&S article in the Spring 2025 UNA Bulletin, which highlighted Mary “Mother” Jones—many thanks to UNA OH&S Advisor Dewey Funk for bringing this figure to our attention. 

• Podcasts are available on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music

Organizing for Change: Cori Longo on Activism and the Alberta Federation of Labour

By Rachel Steel

Click HERE to listen to the newest podcast episode.

In this episode of The Spotlight, we’re joined by Cori Longo, Secretary-Treasurer of the Alberta Federation of Labour (AFL), for an engaging and inspiring conversation about the power of activism and the importance of labour solidarity in Alberta. Cori takes us through her unique journey—from her first unionized job as a teenager to her time as a postal worker and registered nurse, and eventually into leadership roles within the Canadian Labour Congress and the AFL.

Drawing on over two decades of union experience, Cori shares how her frontline work shaped her commitment to workers’ rights and why political engagement is not just important but essential for protecting public services, workplace conditions, and the future of healthcare in Alberta. She presents a compelling argument for why nurses should view themselves as caregivers, advocates, and changemakers.

Throughout the episode, Cori explains the role of the AFL in supporting workers across all sectors and provides practical, empowering advice on how nurses and other workers can get involved, whether through policy advocacy, union participation, or grassroots organizing.

This episode is more than a conversation—it’s a rallying cry. Cori’s message is clear: when workers raise their voices, they can shift policy, protect their professions, and create lasting change. Whether you’re a seasoned union member or just starting to explore labour activism, this episode offers the insight and motivation to take that next step.

(The episode was recorded on March 14, 2025).