Minister Holland Names His Chief of Staff

A new Chief of Staff is confirmed for new Minister of Health Mark Holland, and Health Canada announces funding to support the sexual and reproductive health of Indigenous women. On that, and more, here is your Syntax Weekly Health Round-Up. 

On the Hill

• The House of Commons and the Senate are adjourned for the summer. The House is scheduled to return on Monday, September 18, while the Senate is scheduled to return on Tuesday, September 19.

Around Cabinet 

• Politico reports that Cyndi Jenkins, a former advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office and Chief of Staff to four federal Ministers, is set to join Minister of Health Mark Holland as his incoming Chief of Staff. This is an important first step in Holland rounding out his political staff team. When a cabinet shuffle takes place and a Minister is moved, the staff in that office receive a 30-day termination notice. During that time, some will elect to leave political life, some will decide to move with their former Minister to their new portfolio, and others will remain in the same role. With a Chief of Staff now in place, more staffing updates will soon follow.
• Health Minister Mark Holland announced over $4.3 million in funding from the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Fund to support projects led by British Columbia’s Provincial Health Services Authority, the National Council of Indigenous Midwives, the Native Women’s Association of Canada, and Les Femmes Michif Otipemisiwak to help develop culturally safe and inclusive educational materials to improve access to vital SRH services and reduce barriers to care for Indigenous and marginalized communities in Canada. The SRH Fund was established in Budget 2021 with an initial investment of $45 million to improve access to SRH care for people in Canada who face the greatest barriers to access, with an additional investment of $36 million made through Budget 2023. 

Around the Dominion

• The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced that a collective agreement has officially been signed with the Registered Nurses’ Union Newfoundland and Labrador (RNUNL), which represents approximately 5,800 RNUNL members. The agreement includes a two per cent wage increase each year for four years (2022-2026); a one-time employee recognition bonus payment of $2,000; and significant improvements to recruit and retain permanent full-time employees.
• In PEI, Premier Dennis King announced a number of changes to the senior executive level of the bureaucracy (no change at Health) and released Ministerial mandate letters. Minister of Health and Wellness Mark McLane will be expected to deliver on key electoral promises, including expanding access to virtual health care and community health teams, introducing new standards for long-term care facilities, and addressing health human resources gaps. PEI also announced an expansion of the Virtual Hallway online consultation platform so that Islanders can now easily access specialists in Nova Scotia, improving patient care and potentially reducing the need for out-of-province travel.