Abstract

After decades of growth and relative stability in professional nursing across the country, events of the past decade have generated unease across the profession as the very existence of some of our institutions is threatened. In this commentary, we describe factors leading to the erosion of historic membership models that were the backbone of professional nursing representation in Canada. We argue that clinging to old models of jurisdictional representation will not be fiscally sustainable in an all-voluntary membership model and suggest principles we believe could underpin a strong, united and pan-Canadian professional association representing all nurses in Canada.