​We invited colleagues of Chris Power to share their thoughts with her for her retirement. Please feel free to share your thoughts with Chris as well. Here are a very few of the kind words. 

"Chris, you are recognized as one of the preeminent healthcare executives in Canada," says Ron Guse, Board Chair for the Canadian Patient Safety Institute. "For the past six years, you have shared your experiences, initiative, and values to lead the Canadian Patient Safety Institute. The patient safety movement owes a debt of gratitude to you for your leadership and dedication."

"Thank you for your commitment to patient safety improvement and to involving patients and families," says Katarina Busija, Founding Director, Inaugural Co-Chair and Member of Patients for Patient Safety Canada. "Your demonstrated leadership and championing of Patients for Patient Safety Canada has been instrumental to our ongoing credibility and impact. I hope you enjoy your well-deserved retirement and wish you well as you embark upon a new path."

"Your qualities of calm presence, confidence and compassion are something I will strive to emulate," says Alain Doucet, CEO of the Canadian College of Health Leaders.

"I am writing to you on behalf of all who work at CPAC - and our many shared partners - but mostly I am writing to you for myself," says Cindy Morton, CEO of Canadian Partnership Against Cancer. "Even before we met, I had the privilege to know of your work for many years, as your reputation as a stellar and steady healthcare leader is well known across Canada and internationally. If I could clone you and place you at the helm of every part of this country's federated and complex healthcare system, we would be golden!"

"Thank you for your dedication and hard work in your leadership role with CPSI in keeping our patients and healthcare environments safe," says President of Infection Prevention and Control Canada, Barbara Catt. "On behalf of IPAC Canada, wishing you a wonderful retirement and all the best."

"I will always remember when I first met you at an in-person meeting with Patients for Patient Safety Canada," says member Eileen Chang. "I immediately felt your passion and knew that your wisdom would strengthen our vision and mission. Thank you for doing just that, and I wish you all the best of health, happiness and peace in your next chapter."

"I'm delighted to add my voice to the chorus of supporters and fans wishing you love and light as you place new steps of change on your journey!" says Mike Villeneuve, CEO of the Canadian Nurses Association. "You have been such a great role model for so many of us, and the nursing community has been especially proud of your executive leadership in role in Halifax over so many years - and of course, most recently, so ably leading the CPSI."

"It has been such a pleasure working with you over many years. Your leadership in patient safety was inspirational," says Laurie Thompson, Executive Director of the Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety. "You have opened up the conversation about patient safety and moved it to be inclusive of patients, families, healthcare providers, regulators, industry - truly reflecting the need for patient safety to be everyone's responsibility. Thank you for your significant contribution to improving patient safety in Canada. All the very best in your next chapter."

"Chris is a phenomenal person, a role model for all women leaders and quite frankly, for all leaders," says Catherine Gaulton, CEO of the Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada. "However, her most shining moment was when she became and excelled at being CEO of CPSI. She was in her element. This was where her heart is and always had been and it showed. Chris's work with CPSI leaves a wonderful legacy for patient safety and for how we value and respond to the needs of those we serve. Thank you, Chris, for not only being an agent of change, but for truly caring and for also being a mentor for so many."

"I have always been impressed and learned from the way you approach your dealings with others - with empathy and compassion, open ears and an open mind, and great poise and thoughtfulness in your words and actions," says Lindy VanAmburg, Assistant Director at Health Canada. "Thank you for all of the tremendous work you have done for Canadians and for being such a great partner with us at Health Canada over the years. I wish you the healthiest and happiest of retirements."

"How absolutely fortunate I am to have had the opportunity to work with you, most recently, of course, at CFHI and CPSI but also at other organizations in the past," says Jennifer Zelmer, CEO of the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement and the upcoming amalgamated organization. "Your commitment to better health and better care has shone brightly throughout. Your heart is large; your counsel wise. Always generous with your time, your dedication to patient safety and to the health of health workers is crystal clear. We will never know the names of all those whose lives your efforts have made better, but know that they are many and the results of your work very long-lasting. We'll miss you very much but wish you all the best with the new adventures ahead of you."