Getting into the act: a Canadian nurse's experience

The Canada Health Act became law in April 1984 after years of debate and negotiations. The Canadian Nurse's Association (CNA) with a membership of 169,000 took a leading role in the lobby to influence that act, the guiding legislation for Canada's national health insurance system. The CNA lobbied for changes in the Canada Health Act that implied fundamental reforms in the health care delivery system. This paper will chronicle the political activity of CNA and its twelve member associations as they sought to influence the design of the new legislation.