Statement made on 06 October 2011 by Senator Elizabeth Hubley
Hon. Elizabeth Hubley:
Honourable senators, 20 per cent of Canadians will experience a moderate to severe mental illness during their lifetime. Far too often, these individuals suffer in silence because they are too ashamed to reach out for support or do not know where to go for help.
From October 2 to October 8, the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health encourages those suffering from mental health issues to seek help through their Mental Illness Awareness Week campaign. This annual awareness drive aims to raise the profile of mental illness in our communities.
Unfortunately, stigma is still a huge problem and affects the ways we think about mental illness and the way it is diagnosed and treated. Mental Illness Awareness Week is an opportunity to fight this stigma by talking about it openly and honestly.
Most Canadians will either experience symptoms of mental illness themselves or know someone else who does. Therefore it is absolutely essential that they know where to go for help and that they receive appropriate treatment and follow-up care. The earlier a person suffering from a mental health problem receives help, the better their chances are for a full recovery.
Honourable senators, there is still plenty of work to be done to improve mental health services in Canada, especially those targeting our most vulnerable populations. Suicide, in particular, is a growing concern that deserves our immediate attention. Among our First Nations communities, suicide is a devastating reality. Not only is it the leading cause of death among Aboriginal males between the ages of 10 and 19, but the overall suicide rate among Aboriginal populations is seven times the rest of Canada. Even in my own province of Prince Edward Island, suicide is now the leading cause of non-natural death.
Honourable senators, this is both alarming and is simply unacceptable.
I urge everyone to take a moment this week to think about mental health issues and things we could do to reduce stigma and improve the lives of people who are dealing with these complex disorders.