Mr. Speaker, today, four of our fellow citizens will die by suicide, joining the more than 14,600 Quebeckers who have died by suicide during the last 10 years, and these deaths have left behind more than half a million grieving people.
Suicide is the leading cause of death among young people aged 15 to 19 and it affects all regions of Quebec.
We believe that through concerted, coherent and intensive action, we can combat this phenomenon by making sure that all people in need have access to the effective resources they need.
We do not want suicide to take away any more of our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, other relatives, friends, colleagues, neighbours or students.
We believe that when it comes to suicide, education and awareness are everyone's responsibility. If we take a stand, we can make a difference.
“You are important to us. Suicide is not an option”. That is the message of the Quebec suicide prevention association.