Human Resources Committee on Dec. 13th, 2016

[Prof. Timothy Diette]

Unfortunately, the nature of the research and the data we used were not able to get at the underlining mechanisms. Whether it was issues of housing and security, whether it was lack of food, lack of ability to pay particular bills, issues with the marriage, we are unable to actually identify that.

Given the statistical techniques, what we're comfortable saying is that it was caused by the unemployment spell but not necessarily the underlying root of it, if that makes sense.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Were you able to ascertain whether it was the material deprivation of lost income or whether it was the absence of daily purpose?

[Prof. Timothy Diette]

These are excellent questions. Unfortunately, our research does not get directly at it. Certainly, research I've seen from others suggests essentially a combination of those factors, but I've not seen studies I can think of that really put a precise...the relative share of those factors.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Were you able to ascertain the financial well-being of the subjects you were studying?

[Prof. Timothy Diette]

That's another great question. One interesting component I think within that is the largest negative effects were for people who would be likely to be quite well off.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Wow.

[Prof. Timothy Diette]

It was among the highly educated individuals who were among high school graduates, among college graduates in particular, who, if they became long-term unemployed, were even more likely to suffer from depression or anxiety.

We postulate that because they might have an even stronger sort of identity that's based on their work. Therefore, with the idea they have now been separated from that, they would be much more likely to have that loss of self, of who they are.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

You described this cohort as having a high education. Were you able to look into their net worth?

[Prof. Timothy Diette]

We did not have data on their net worth.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Do you know where we can find research that would provide insight into the causation of depression and mental health problems among long-term unemployed people, on whether it is uniquely found in people whose unemployment causes them material insecurity or deprivation, or if it is also caused among those who have no concerns of material deprivation or insecurity but who, through their unemployment, are nevertheless suffering mental health problems?

[Prof. Timothy Diette]

Our research certainly is very suggestive of that. I would certainly be willing to provide that after the testimony.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

What does it suggest?

[Prof. Timothy Diette]

It suggests that it's not solely the material deprivation.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Okay, so there is something quintessential about work—

[Prof. Timothy Diette]

Yes.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

—about doing things that are valuable to other people that is essential to a happy human condition.

[Prof. Timothy Diette]

Absolutely. That would be one way of summarizing our results.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

If we want to confront the problem of mental health, then we have to liberate people to have opportunities to work.

[Prof. Timothy Diette]

I think work can be—

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Not as a panacea, but as one pillar.

[Prof. Timothy Diette]

I would agree with the caveat of it being appropriate to the individuals, as far as defining work in the way that would be consistent for them is concerned. That might be raising children, or things that have a lot of meaning as work that may not be well-paid work.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Carleton, ON]

Absolutely. In the village of Vernon about 45 minutes south of here, there's a young, developmentally disabled man whose job is to walk throughout the entire village on recycling day and return people's recycling bins to their front door so they don't have to do that for themselves. It's unrequited work. It is work that is not forced upon him, but it is work he does. It is something that makes him feel valuable, and he is considered valuable in his community because he does that work.

I fully agree with you that we should never denigrate anybody's work. When they choose to contribute, they are not only building a sense of self-purpose, but they are doing so by contributing to others. In everything we do, whether it's for disabled people, or people who are down and out, or live in remote communities, we should give them opportunities to work and have that satisfaction.

Those are my remarks. Thanks.

[The Chair, Liberal, Bryan May]

Thank you very much.

For six minutes, we'll have MP Sangha, please.

[Ramesh Sangha, Liberal, Brampton Centre, ON]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you to the witnesses.

My question is for Tracy. You have already mentioned here that the suicide rate of Inuit youth is among the highest in the world. It is 11 times the national average. Health Canada is taking steps for the first nations and Inuit communities to enhance mental health initiatives through programs and services, including the national aboriginal youth suicide prevention strategy and the national native alcohol and drug abuse strategy. These steps are already being taken.

How effective are these programs in addressing health issues with first nations and Inuit communities?

[Tracy O'Hearn]

Thank you for your question. I must bring up the recent investment of the federal government in suicide prevention for the Inuit. It was very welcome and long overdue. It was a three-year commitment for, I believe, a total of $9 million. I know the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami is working actively with the four regions across the Arctic to, in some cases, enhance what may be available or to start delivering new programs, dependent on the priorities and needs of those communities and regions.

I haven't read an evaluation of the NNADAP for some time, so I can't speak to the evidence around programs like NNADAP. In the Inuit world in Canada, there haven't been programs over time that can be evaluated and assessed in terms of efficacy and replication, so there's a great need for ITK, the regions, organizations like ours, to develop.... I don't like to use the word “piloting”, but there's a need to work with Inuit experts and others to develop perhaps adaptations to some of the projects that have been referred to earlier, and then the sustainability to deliver them over time so they can be evaluated and adjusted to better meet those needs.