First I wish to say how sad it is for the victims and their families that we cannot do these studies.
I therefore move that Bill C-300, in Clause 2, be amended by adding after line 30 on page 2 the following:
(vii) conducting studies on the means to reduce stigma associated with being a consumer of mental health, substance abuse, suicide prevention, intervention and bereavement services.
Yes, suicide is a taboo subject in society, especially for people who wish to admit to a member of their family or to the population in general that they have already had some dark ideas or have tried to commit suicide. Stigmatization in this regard is very important. I believe, as do many of our witnesses, that conducting studies to reduce such stigmatization would be healthier for people who have already thought about suicide or are going to think about it in the future. The problem with suicide is that people retreat into themselves. They feel alone and cannot ask for help for many reasons, including stigmatization. This is why I think, like many other witnesses, that it would be good to do some studies.
Studies do not require a royal recommendation. But I wonder whether the Conservatives are going to oppose this amendment too and, through their lack of action and proactivity within the committee, leave all those people in bereavement.