On March 23, the Ontario government released its budget. In its response, RNAO says the budget falls short of what is needed to solve the nursing crisis and address the health system’s current challenges. Although RNAO welcomes the $15 million pledged to keep 100 mid-to-late career nurses working in the system and a $22-million allocation to support newly-graduated nurses working in hospitals, the association says that far greater investments in the profession are needed. RNAO president Dr. Claudette Holloway says that Ontarians and nurses are being left behind in this budget. “We want to see that nurses are able to earn a fair wage. They have long been under the oppression of Bill 124.” (580 CFRA, March 25)