Nova Scotia migrant farm worker to receive inaugural award for universal health care
A Nova Scotia migrant farm worker is the inaugural recipient of a new award established by the Canadian Health Coalition to recognize the contributions of someone who has championed universal public health care and the end of systemic racism in health care in Canada.
Kerian Burnett will receive the Nell Toussaint Award for Universal Health Care to an expected audience of 300 people at the SOS Medicare 3.0 Conference on February 24. The award presentation will be attended by Kerian’s physician and advocates.
Nell Toussaint Award for Universal Health Care Presentation
February 24, 2025 at 4:30 PM ET
Westin Ottawa, 11 Colonel By Drive
Diagnosed with stage four cervical cancer while working on a Nova Scotia strawberry farm in 2022, Burnett lost not only her job, but also her employer-provided private health insurance and housing. Facing hefty medical bills, she went public with her story, becoming a face for migrant health care. With the support of advocates such as the Centre for Migrant Rights Nova Scotia, she won Medicare after a two-year struggle.
Upon receiving her Medicare card, Burnett told the media on March 18, 2024: “We come to Nova Scotia year after year to do work and we are part of your community, and we pay taxes so we should get the same services as anybody else.”
“Kerian Burnett showed us what tremendous courage looks like when she went public with her story. Like Nell Toussaint before her, she told our governments that she and everyone are deserving of health care. Remarkably, like Nell, Kerian championed better Medicare for all of us while she also navigated illness, medical bills and risk of deportation,” said Jason MacLean, Chair of the Canadian Health Coalition.
“Because of Kerian Burnett, the next migrant worker who gets sick may not have to fight so hard to access public health care. It is our honour to keep Nell Toussaint’s memory alive by celebrating Kerian’s accomplishments,” said MacLean.
Kerian Burnett’s advocate Stacey Gomez shared her story at the Canadian Health Coalition webinar on the release of the Citizens for Public Justice report, “Work, Study, Pay Taxes, But Don’t Get Sick: Barriers to Health Care Based on Immigration in Canada,” on December 7, 2022.
About Nell Toussaint
Nell Toussaint (1969-2022) fought to ensure everyone can access health care in Canada, regardless of their immigration status. Born in Grenada, Nell grew up in Trinidad and moved to Canada in her twenties. She lived in Montreal and Toronto where she took care of children, cleaned homes and worked in factories. When Nell was diagnosed with diabetes, she was denied access to public health care because she did not have the right kind of immigration status.
As Nell’s health condition deteriorated, Nell decided to challenge being denied health care in Canadian courts. Although she was unsuccessful in the courts, Nell refused to accept that others be treated like her. She took her case to the United Nations. In a historic decision, the UN Human Rights Committee found Canada had violated Nell’s right to life and had discriminated against her by denying her access to health care, a decision that put her life at risk and caused irreversible harm. The committee called on Canada to ensure access to essential health care regardless of immigration status. When the Canadian government refused to recognize the UN committee’s decision, Nell went back to court.
Sadly, Nell died on January 9, 2023, before the court decision. But Nell’s mother Ann, supported by human rights, health care and migrant workers’ organizations, including the Canadian Health Coalition, are continuing the legal fight.
About SOS Medicare 3.0 Conference
About 300 health care workers and public health care advocates and experts are expected to attend the SOS Medicare 3.0 Conference in Ottawa on February 24, 2025. The conference builds on past SOS Medicare conferences held in 1979 in Ottawa and in 2007 in Regina to amplify a vision for the future of Medicare in Canada.
