Dear Members,
Last weekend’s Spring Representative Forum (RF) marked the 30th anniversary of this format of member representation and engagement. It was a strong reminder of why the AMA has endured for more than 120 years – and why our collective voice matters now more than ever.
Over two days, delegates took part in thoughtful, sometimes difficult, but always purposeful conversations about the issues shaping physicians’ work and patient care in Alberta. From Year 4 allocation and arbitration outcomes, to stipends and outstanding ARP issues, to preparing for Negotiations 2026, the discussions reflected both the complexity of the moment we’re in and the seriousness with which physicians approach their responsibilities to one another and to the system.
We also explored broader forces reshaping health care, like dual practice and self-referred private‑pay diagnostics, rural and remote realities, the budgetary context for physician services and the growing challenge of misinformation in the health care space. Common themes surfaced again and again during all of the sessions: fairness, stewardship, equity, professionalism, commitment to patients and trust. These issues are deeply interconnected and speak to the environment our profession is navigating right now.
Over recent months, our engagement with government has brought moments of progress alongside frustration and stalled momentum, all amid rapid policy change. In that context, the Board underscored a lesson the AMA has learned time and again: governments and policy agendas come and go, but the AMA remains. We are as old as this province – and we are not going anywhere. That continuity is one of our greatest strengths.
As we head into negotiations for our next Master Agreement, unity matters. That doesn’t mean we all agree on every detail, or that difficult conversations disappear. It means staying grounded in shared principles, engaging respectfully with one another and protecting the trust within our profession. The credibility we’ve earned through providing quality patient care gives physicians a unique and essential role in shaping health system reform. That role is strongest when we stand together.
The AMA exists to organize that collective strength. In times of rapid change, the association brings evidence where rhetoric is loud, accountability where promises are plentiful and cohesion where systems risk fragmenting. Our history shows that when physicians remain united in purpose, the AMA can be a stabilizing force for our profession, and the patients and communities who rely on us.
Thank you to every delegate who shared their time, insight and leadership at Spring RF, and to the sections and physicians you represent across Alberta. The work ahead won’t be easy, but we will do it together – grounded in shared values and supported by an association built to endure.
Regards,
Brian Wirzba, MD, FRCPC
President, Alberta Medical Association