This past year was both exhausting and productive, and I’m in awe of all that was accomplished. I’m also grateful to be here as your AMA President for 2026–2027. It is an incredible honour to serve in this role with an organization I care so deeply about.
I'm proud to say I have been an AMA member for many, many years. In fact, I became involved with the AMA when I was in medical school, back in the early 1990s, serving as a member of the Communications Committee. Over the years, I have served as a member of the SFM Executive, the Rates Committee and the AMA Informatics Advisory Committee. I’ve also been a part of the Representative Forum since 2014. All of that to say, I have been involved with the AMA, in many capacities, for most of my medical career. And I choose to be involved — to continue being involved — because I believe in the AMA.
I believe in its principles, its mission and its commitment to advocating for Alberta physicians and strengthening our leadership in providing quality care to all Albertans. Most importantly, I believe in our members and your commitment to your patients and to our health care system. Every day, physicians across Alberta bring skill, compassion and relentless determination to their work. All do it while navigating ongoing change and uncertainty. We all know that the pace and the scale of change within our health system is relentless.
Fortunately, in a world where things are consistently inconsistent, the AMA is the constant that keeps our profession focused on the work that needs to be done. Just as we have done for more than 120 years. We’ve been around longer than the University of Alberta Medical School — longer even than the University of Alberta itself. We were here before the province discovered oil — in fact, before Alberta was a province. Yes, we predate Alberta itself — tracing our roots back to the pioneer physicians of the late 1880s. We’ve weathered two world wars, societal and technological change, 19 separate provincial governments, as many as 30 different health ministers and roughly a dozen Master Agreements.
Which brings us to the voting results on our proposed 2026–2029 AMA Agreement. Voting concluded yesterday, and as I shared in my President’s Letter earlier today, the agreement has been approved by members. This means we have a new Master Agreement in place. A total of 22% of eligible members participated in the vote. Of ballots cast, 76% voted in favour of the agreement, and 24% voted against. This gives us clear direction. I want to thank everyone who took the time to review the materials, participate in member town halls, ask questions and cast a ballot. This was an important decision for the profession, and we appreciate those of you who took the time to make sure your voices were heard.
As we said many times during the ratification period, this was not the agreement the AMA had been seeking for members. It came out of a challenging mediation in a difficult and constrained bargaining environment. It includes both meaningful gains and important issues that remain unresolved. It is not perfect, but it provides stability and a three-year framework to work constructively with government.
It’s also not the end of our work. The Board will now review the immediate next steps, including implementation of the agreement and the important issues that require continued attention and advocacy. With the vote now decided, attention will be fully on ensuring that the health system supports patients and the physicians who work within it. We will keep members updated as that work moves forward.
Getting us to this point — where an agreement could be brought before members — was a long, hard-fought process that was only possible because of the efforts of the people who lead the AMA. And it was only one of the many critical undertakings the AMA took on this past year. We are blessed with a passionate, committed Board of Directors, a highly skilled and experienced Senior Leadership Team, led by our CEO, Karina Guy, and dedicated staff whose understanding of our organization and our health care system is unparalleled. Together, they work tirelessly on behalf of members to move the AMA forward. I appreciate everything they do.
I am especially grateful to Dr. Brian Wirzba, who has guided the profession through an exceptionally busy and complex period with compassion, competence and conviction. His strategic and resolute approach has helped ensure that the AMA remains a constructive, pragmatic and credible voice for physicians and patients. I am thankful, and relieved, that he will continue to support the organization as past president, and me as a new president who will need his wisdom and his guidance.
Over the coming year, the AMA will continue to do what we do best — bring forward practical solutions, advocate for clarity and ensure that physicians’ experience is reflected in the decisions shaping care. As I explained recently at the Fall 2026 RF, one of my central priorities this year will be acute care. Emergency department crowding, capacity pressures and challenges with patient flow affect not only hospitals, but also primary care, continuing care, home care and communities across the province. Acute care pressures impact every part of our health care system, and the AMA has an important role to play in bringing physicians and system partners together around solutions. One of my first priorities as president will be to establish a physician-led advisory group focused on Alberta’s most pressing acute care challenges. This work will bring a unified physician voice to the table and seek opportunities to improve patient access, strengthen capacity, reduce avoidable delays and support better integration across the health system. It is an ambitious undertaking, but I believe the AMA is uniquely positioned to lead it with evidence, collaboration and a clear focus on patients. I look forward to sharing more details with you soon.
We must also stay focused on the changes underway in primary care. Primary Care Networks are being asked to consider important decisions about their future, and they need timely information about the structures, agreements and funding that will support those decisions. The AMA will continue advocating for clarity and working to ensure physicians have a meaningful voice as these changes move forward.
Rural and remote medicine will remain another key priority. The Rural Engagement Working Group has strengthened our understanding of the different realities facing physicians and patients across the province. That work will support more informed advocacy and partnership-based approaches that recognize regional needs and build on the strengths of rural communities.
There will undoubtedly be other issues and opportunities in the year ahead. While we will not always agree on every organizational decision, policy or political question, every member’s perspective deserves to be heard and respected. Our diversity is our strength, and it makes our association more informed, more representative and more effective.
I step into the role of president with tremendous confidence in Alberta’s physicians. The wisdom, experience and passion you bring to your patients, your profession and the health care system mean we are ready for whatever lies ahead. No matter how the system changes or what new policies or legislation are introduced, our purpose remains constant. To paraphrase Toni Morrison, the novelist and cultural critic, we will continue to focus on what's right, what's true and what's needed — because that is what it means to support each other, protect our profession and serve our patients.
Thank you.
Effective Feb. 19, if ammonia is ordered at an acute care site that does not perform testing onsite, samples will be frozen and sent on scheduled couriers. This is a change from being automatically sent by stat transportation, and applies to Edmonton area suburban hospitals. A list of impacted sites is available in the lab bulletin. If results for ammonia are required stat at the impacted sites, please contact the laboratory to request stat transportation.
|
Effective Feb. 19, if ammonia is ordered at an acute care site that does not perform testing onsite, samples will be frozen and sent on scheduled couriers. This is a change from being automatically sent by stat transportation, and applies to Edmonton area suburban hospitals. A list of impacted sites is available in the lab bulletin. If results for ammonia are required stat at the impacted sites, please contact the laboratory to request stat transportation.
|
Effective Feb. 19, if ammonia is ordered at an acute care site that does not perform testing onsite, samples will be frozen and sent on scheduled couriers. This is a change from being automatically sent by stat transportation, and applies to Edmonton area suburban hospitals. A list of impacted sites is available in the lab bulletin. If results for ammonia are required stat at the impacted sites, please contact the laboratory to request stat transportation.
|
