Together We Give Hope

Mental health: an election priority

Posted by & filed under News.

By: Stacy Ashton, Executive Director

We’re fully in the swing of a Federal election. You are probably getting all sorts of calls from all sorts of candidates seeking your support.

Mental health is a priority every day. Navigating crisis, getting support, finding wellness, and preventing suicide is a priority every day.

Elections are a great time to make your priorities clear to the candidates who are looking to represent you in Ottawa.

We have come so far as a nation: mental illnesses that would never be spoken about get talked about now. Suicide and suicidal thoughts still carry a great stigma, but the very fact we can openly confront that stigma is progress in itself.

In May, Parliament unanimously passed a motion to make a National Suicide Action Plan a reality. Now is a great time to ask your candidates how they intend to ensure every Canadian has access to help in their worst moments. The questions you ask your candidates tell them what’s important to you.

So ask. And listen. And vote.