Natasha Johnson receives 2026 Health Professions Educator Award - Faculty of Health Sciences - McMaster University

When the Abbotsford School District extends an invitation to a guest speaker, it asks them to sign a letter acknowledging abstinence as the only way teenagers can be “truly safe” from unwanted sexual outcomes. The letter template, last revised in 2024, says: “In the area of human sexuality instruction, a primary focus will be on sexual abstinence, as this is the only truly safe way to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.”

On World Allied Health Professions Day, the National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) celebrates the dedication and critical contributions of Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) across Canada. NUPGE represents 450,000 workers, including the majority of Canada’s AHPs. NUPGE again calls on governments to formally recognize October 14 as Allied Health Professions Day in Canada and to go beyond recognition to invest in these professionals who are essential to providing quality public health care. Allied health professionals play a crucial role at every stage of care. They analyze laboratory samples, produce diagnostic images, help patients breathe, manage medications, support communication and mobility, and guide recovery. Medical laboratory technologists, respiratory therapists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, medical radiation technologists, pharmacists, dietitians, audiologists, speech-language pathologists, and many others bring specialized knowledge that patients depend on every day.