Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I wanted to thank all the witnesses for contributing to our understanding of the mental health impact of this pandemic.
I'll start with a brief comment.
Ms. Blyth, I'd like to express my gratitude and admiration for the harm reduction work you're doing on the ground despite very limited resources. We see that mental health problems and mental illness aren't a recent phenomenon, according to Dr. Lavoie's studies and the many interviews she has given. Her contribution during the pandemic has been remarkable.
Prevention, first and foremost, is the key to improvement. It's also the primary determinant of health in general, but one would think mental health has always been the poor cousin of health systems. The pandemic has had a mirror effect, putting this reality squarely in our face and making it seem worse.
What are we to do about that? We have Dr. Lavoie's compelling data. However, I'd like to take this a little further. We'll have to make decisions as legislators.
Dr. Lavoie, based on your experience, why do you think psychotherapy isn't universally available? Why is it that investing in mental health and mental health promotion isn't considered necessary, when we know very well that mental disorders can cause physical disorders and chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, obesity and so on?
What, in your view, are the reasons why that investment hasn't been made, and is it a mistake to continue underinvesting in mental health prevention?