Recognizing the importance of suicide prevention across Canada and for the work of Members of Parliament on passing Charlie Angus’s private member bill to establish a National Suicide Prevention Plan, Stacy Ashton, Executive Director of the Crisis Centre, sent the following letter to all MP’s:
Thank you.
I was deeply moved to see in the news on Thursday morning that Parliament had unanimously passed MP Charlie Angus’s private member bill to establish a National Suicide Prevention Plan.
As the Executive Director of the Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC, it means a lot to see our nation’s leaders consider and pass such a comprehensive motion to address suicide prevention in the unique landscape of Canada’s diverse population.
To see everyone in Parliament come together on this critical topic has been deeply meaningful to our team of over 260 Crisis Service Responders who answer calls from Canadians struggling with suicidal thoughts every day.
Over the next week our Centre will be putting together some background for you on suicide prevention and crisis intervention based on our day-in, day-out work to help those in their moment of deepest despair and distress. I look forward to sharing our information and expertise with you as we begin the necessary work of building a national plan to address rising suicide rates.
We are looking forward to joining you in building a compassionate, strategic, and effective response.
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Stacy Ashton
Executive Director
Crisis Intervention & Suicide Prevention Centre of BC
763 East Broadway, Vancouver, BC V5T 1X8
Unceded Musqueam, Squamish & Tsleil-Waututh territories