Green Party Leader Elizabeth May hospitalized for fatigue and stress, husband says
Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party of Canada, was hospitalized last week due to what her husband describes as fatigue, overwork and stress, according to a weekly update to her constituents.
May's husband John Kidder wrote in the update Monday that May "spent a few days under observation" at the Saanich Peninsula Hospital, north of Victoria.
"She was discharged on Saturday morning to come home and keep resting for a bit to restore her much-depleted energy," Kidder said.
"Does it not seem odd to you that we expect our parliamentarians to work double shifts through May and June, sometimes 19-hour days, to sit until midnight almost every day, to keep up with their always demanding constituency work, and still to have minds at all?"
Kidder went on to say that neither he nor May, who has served as a Member of Parliament for Saanich-Gulf Islands since 2011, has a family doctor.
He said the couple has been relegated – like so many in British Columbia – to waiting to receive primary health care in an emergency room or calling around to walk-in clinics before they fill up for the day.
Saanich Peninsula Hospital, where May was admitted, announced last week that its emergency department would close overnight for the next two months due to a shortage of staff.
"This reduction in overnight service hours will ensure physician, nursing, laboratory technicians and medical imaging staff are available during the hours of highest patient demand," the Vancouver Island Health authority said in a statement Thursday.
"We acknowledge this is not an ideal situation for the community and we sincerely apologize for this temporary service reduction," said Marko Peljhan, the health authority's vice-president of clinical services for the region.
The overnight closure, one of several to hit Vancouver Island emergency rooms in recent months, was partially responsible for triggering a protest by the B.C. Nurses Union outside Victoria General Hospital on Sunday.
The union says a shortage of nurses, an aging population and increased patient-care needs have brought "untenable conditions," to the island's hospitals.
"Nurses at Victoria General Hospital say they are morally distressed with what they are seeing unfold on almost every shift," said BCNU vice-president Adriane Gear in a statement.
May, 69, will return to writing her constituency updates herself next week, said Kidder, who is a founder of the Green Party of B.C.
"We've seen anew the dedication, smarts and caring devotion of nurses, attendants, porters, techs, doctors, administrators, and all the wonderful people who staff our health system, working hours like Elizabeth’s with even more personal stress, and sticking to their oaths to serve us," Kidder said.
"Such wonderful people. Such a messed up system."
May served as the Green leader from 2006 until she stepped down in 2019, only to regain the role again last year.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Speaker kicks Poilievre out of Commons over unparliamentary comments
Speaker Greg Fergus kicked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre out of the House of Commons during question period today.
Man dies after suffering cardiac arrest while waiting in ER, widow wants investigation
When an ambulance took David Lippert to the hospital in March of 2023, the 68-year-old Kitchener, Ont., executive was hoping to find out why he was feeling weak and unable to walk. Some 24 hours later, he was found unresponsive in the ER.
Baby, grandparents among 4 people killed in wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A police chase which started with a liquor store robbery in Bowmanville Monday night ended in tragedy some 20 minutes later when a suspect fleeing police entered Highway 401 in the wrong direction and caused a pileup which killed an infant and the child's grandparents, as well as the suspect, investigators say.
Freeland previews omnibus budget bill, proposed capital gains tax change left out
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland will be tabling yet another omnibus bill to pass a sweeping range of measures promised in her April 16 federal budget, though left out of the legislation will be the government's proposed capital gains tax change.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
McGill requests 'police assistance' over pro-Palestinian encampment
McGill University says it has 'requested police assistance' about the pro-Palestinian encampment on its lower field.
Judge raises threat of jail in hush money trial as he holds Trump in contempt, fines him US$9,000
Donald Trump was held in contempt of court Tuesday and fined US$9,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that barred him from making public statements about witnesses, jurors and some others connected to his New York hush money case. And if he does it again, the judge warned, he could be jailed.
Court upholds Milwaukee police officer's firing for posting racist memes after Sterling Brown arrest
The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a former Milwaukee police officer was properly fired for posting racist memes related to the arrest of an NBA player that triggered a public outcry.
Witness details deadly wrong-way police chase on Ontario's Hwy. 401
A driver who witnessed a wrong-way police pursuit on Highway 401 moments before a fatal crash said he was hoping the chase would have been called off before lives were lost.