Statement made on 01 February 2011 by Senator Dennis Dawson
Hon. Dennis Dawson:
Honourable senators, I rise today to talk about the sad reality of suicide.
This week is Suicide Prevention Week in Quebec.
With a theme of "Suicide is not an option," the Association québécoise de prevention du suicide is organizing a number of activities across Quebec to promote public awareness of the social scourge of suicide.
This year's theme is an appeal to every member of society to listen to calls for help and to ensure that suicide is never considered an option.
Suicide rates have been rising in Quebec since the end of the 1960s, and a sort of tolerance or "culture" of suicide has developed as a way to put an end to suffering.
It is time to change that culture.
Together, we can prevent suicide and remove it from the list of possible options for those in distress.
The only real options we can offer to people in distress are listening and assistance.
Together, we can prevent suicide and remove it from the list of possible options for those in distress.
As you might know, the Senate studied this question in 2004 with the Kirby report on mental health. The report did a great job in outlining the relationship between mental disorder and suicide. However, as noted in the report, "Suicide is a 'stoppable' problem. It is an action, not an illness." Each one of us has, therefore, the responsibility to take action to stop this phenomenon.
I believe honourable senators can help to lower suicide levels by studying this issue in depth. To that end, I hope to bring the subject to the table in the near future.
The Kirby report was, indeed, an excellent study, but it looked only at suicide from the mental health angle. It is time to look at other angles to better understand this problem and thus enhance suicide prevention in Canada.
I would therefore like to take this opportunity to invite you all to visit the Association québécoise de la prévention du suicide website to learn more about Suicide Prevention Week.
You will also receive an information kit in your office today, and if you find yourselves in Quebec at any point this week, I encourage you to participate in some of the activities organized by the association, because together we can send the message that "suicide is not an option."