By Dori Modney (@Dori_Modney on Twitter)

“I feel used” – nurse who stood behind Premier Notley at hospital campaign event

Feb 25, 2019 | 4:40 PM

LETHBRIDGE —  Fallout continues from Premier Rachel Notley’s campaign adventure at the Chinook Regional hospital on Saturday (Feb 23) afternoon.  

The United Conservatives pointed out the event  broke rules prohibiting political activity at health facilities. A picture Notley and the event posted on Twitter, showed her standing at a podium with the message “Rachel Notley, fighting for you” on it, with health-care workers standing behind her.

It turns out the workers included Registered Nurses, who had received a request from the the United Nurses of Alberta Local 120, which stated:

“Hey Nursing Peers, Our Premeir will be giving a press conference in the Atrium at 3:00-pm tomorrow (Sat) about the need to save frontline health care jobs.  Whatever your personal political beliefs…our premier is there to remind the public we are important.

I am asking all of you who can, to come and stand with me as I too will be speaking.

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If you plan to come, I ask you to wear scrubs and your RC/RPN pins.

Please share with your friends on the frontline.  Susan”

LethbridgeNewsNOW has received information from two nurses who stood with Notley and state they are not comfortable with what transpired Saturday afternoon. Neither wanted to be seen as supporting a political campaign.

One of the nurses believed she and fellow nurses were asked to attend to support the union over what they believed was a government announcement.  However, she did not realize it was outright campaigning for the NDP, until the Premier began to speak.  At that point, she turned to the nurse beside her and asked “What ‘s happening right now?”

As she listened to Notley speak, she realized the premier was “delivering a prepared speech directed at an opposition party leader.”

The nurse explained she wanted to leave, “But it seemed as though making a scene by storming out was not the best option. So I toughed it out. At the end of the whole ordeal, I finally turned around to look at the banner behind me. I had no idea that I was standing in front of an NDP banner the whole time. My exact thought was “well ****”

The nurse in question believes the event was misrepresented and she feels used for political gain.

“There is one word that describes how I feel about that event – USED!” 

” I had no idea I was standing behind a specific political party. I would not have provided the background to political rhetoric. This is not a media photo I am proud of.”