Debates of Oct. 4th, 2011

Opposition Motion--National Suicide Prevention Strategy

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Madam Speaker, I rise today in order to remember family and friends lost to suicide, to provide support to those who have experienced loss, and to remind those suffering that there is hope and there is caring and compassion in community.

I also rise to call on the government to develop a national suicide prevention strategy. Our children, parents and family members, our friends and colleagues, our clients and patients, our neighbours and people from all socio-economic, age, culture and gender groups cannot wait any longer.

Worldwide, almost one million people die from suicide annually. The global mortality rate is 16 per 100,000, meaning that there is one suicide death roughly every 40 seconds and that 3,000 people commit suicide daily. For every person who completes a suicide, 20 or more may attempt to end their lives. In the last 45 years, suicide rates have increased by 60% globally.

No part of Canadian society is immune. Suicide affects all of us and remains among Canada's most serious public health issues, with a mortality rate of 15 per 100,000. In the past three decades, more than 100,000 Canadians have died by suicide. Every year in Canada, almost 4,000 people die by suicide.

Rates are even higher among specific groups. For example, the suicide rate for Inuit peoples living in northern Canada is between 60 and 75 per 100,000 people. Suicide rates for Inuit youth are staggeringly high, as much as 28 times the national average in the case of males aged 15 to 24. Other populations at an increased risk of suicide include youth, the elderly, inmates in correctional facilities, people with mental illness, and those who have previously attempted suicide.

Tragically, when someone dies by suicide, the pain does not end. It is merely transferred to family, friends and community. Those grieving require compassion, support and understanding to help minimize suicide's impact.

For far too long discussion of suicide involved secrecy, stigma and taboo. The secrecy must stop. We must confront the silence, stand up to stigma, and actively work to prevent suicide.

Suicide is a complex problem involving biological, psychological, social and spiritual factors. Specific risk factors include mental disorders such as alcohol dependence, depression, personality disorders and schizophrenia, and physical illnesses such as cancer, HIV infection and neurological disorders.

We know that those at risk for suicide experience overwhelming emotional pain. They want and need help in reducing the pain so that they can go on to lead fulfilling lives. We must ensure that they get the help they need.

Let me raise the plight of many of our veterans, who are struggling when they come home, living with post-traumatic stress disorder and in some cases fighting for their lives.

Before I do, let me thank all our veterans, our World War II veterans and our Korean veterans, our Canadian Forces veterans and all our Canadian Forces in reserves. I thank them; I know each member of this House thanks them, and our country thanks them. There is no commemoration, praise or tribute that can truly match the enormity of their service and their sacrifice.

Veterans Affairs reports that the number of veterans experiencing some kind of operational stress injury, such as PTSD, has tripled in the past five years. According to data obtained through access to information requests, the suicide rate among Canada's soldiers may have doubled from 2006 to 2007, rising to a rate triple that of the general population.

I have had the enormous privilege of working with veterans across our country and I have heard their stories. Examples are a veteran living for 10 years in the bush; my receiving a suicide note from a veteran on a Sunday afternoon; having to find help and having to find the veteran lost in a snowstorm, because no psychiatrist appointment was coming for three months, despite a diagnosis of PTSD for years and years; not hearing from a veteran for weeks and waiting for him to re-emerge from the darkness of his basement; receiving a note from a veteran distraught because a young friend was found dead on the roadside and another dead in the basement. Both had simply stopped living. They had given up eating and taking their medication.

Here are just a few comments from our country's extraordinary heroes and their desperation: “We are all suffering and we need help. It is not only the guys we lose overseas; it is the guys we lose here to suicide. They may as well have died overseas. We have all contemplated it. The thoughts are relentless. When I contemplate suicide, it is relief. It means stopping the pain, no more fights with that. The question we ask ourselves is how can we leave and leave our family in a better position. Everyone else is better without us”.

From a physician who veterans call a guardian angel: “What we really need in place for these vets, we need to be able to refer them somewhere nearby where they can have continuous care. They are hurting and their families are hurting. Many wives have contacted me and really do not want to stay with them. They are afraid of them and for them”.

It is time we give unprecedented support to our wounded warriors especially those with PTSD and traumatic brain injury which has led too many of our veterans to taking their own lives. We must continue to make major investments, ending the stigmatization of PTSD and traumatic brain injury, improving outreach and suicide prevention, hiring and training more mental health councillors and treating more veterans than ever before. Every veteran needs to be assured that his or her nation will be there to help them stay strong. It is the morally right thing to do.

There are effective strategies and interventions for the prevention of suicide. For example, adequate prevention and treatment of alcohol, depression and substance abuse; restriction of access to common methods of suicide such as firearms or toxic substances like pesticides; and follow-up contact with those who have attempted suicide. However, there is a tremendous need to adopt multi-sectoral approaches including both health and non-health sectors; for example, education, justice, labour, police, politics and the media.

Many countries have developed national strategies to reduce suicide often with the expertise and leadership of Canadian experts. We must all ask why Canada has been so slow in moving forward on this pressing public health issue, so such delay never happens again.

Canada needs a national suicide prevention strategy, an ongoing co-ordinated set of activities which will aim to reduce suicide by a specific amount by a given period. The strategy should be evidence-based, specific and subject to evaluation. Specific goals might include: the reduction of risk in key high risk groups, the promotion of mental well-being in the wider population, the reduction of the availability and lethality of suicide methods, the improvement of reporting of suicidal behaviour in the media, the promotion of research on suicide and suicide prevention, and the improvement of monitoring.

In closing, each suicide is an individual tragedy and the irrevocable loss to society. Suicide is devastating for families and other survivors; economically, psychologically and spiritually. For these reasons the government must make suicide prevention a health priority. No veteran should ever have to utter these words again: “I am a second generation serviceman. My son will never put on a uniform. I'm losing sleep. MPs should be losing sleep. PTSD has destroyed everything in my life. Dying hangs over me every day of my life”.

We as Canadians must end the silence, ease the suffering, and prevent others from experiencing such devastating loss.

[Colin Carrie, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague talked about youth suicide in aboriginal communities and that is something very close to my heart and the minister's heart. I want her to know that the government shares her concerns.

For example, the national aboriginal youth suicide prevention strategy provides first nations in Inuit communities with access to services which address specific risk factors and protective factors. In other words, they get access to crisis intervention and post-intervention services. Overall, the strategy promotes culturally safe activities. Through this strategy we are partnering with different communities to ensure that we are working with them in ways that they find effective.

Would my colleague clarify what additional action she feels would be required in addition to all that is currently being done by the federal government and the communities?

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the reality is that they are still dying, and the numbers are among the highest in the world. We need to continue to take action.

I would like to tell the House a bit more about the veterans I have served, and I would like to use their words: “I used to be a productive serviceman, now I'm over 100% disabled. I'm talking for the first time so other veterans don't have to go through what I have. All I think about is suicide. I spend more minutes of every hour thinking about suicide. The military's depart with dignity program is more like coffee hour. I wanted an honourable ending. I have panic attacks, I'm scared of people, places. I can't stand to be around family. I have suicidal tendencies. The stress of going to the doctors went on and on, and is still on-going. I couldn't think about anything but suicide. I couldn't stop crying. I was mad, I was in pain, mad I was alive, mad there was red tape”.

[Hedy Fry, Liberal, Vancouver Centre, BC]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleague is aware of this already, but I just want to highlight certain statistics with regard to veterans. In the last five years the number of veteran suicides has increased three times. More veterans in the last five years have committed suicide than actually died in the theatre of war. This is a serious statistic. It tells us that many veterans come back with what is known as post-traumatic stress disorder.

Could the hon. member tell me what she thinks should be done? Does she believe that there is currently any sort of comprehensive program that is easily accessible to veterans to deal with this issue?

[Kirsty Duncan, Liberal, Etobicoke North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote a physician who has treated veterans with PTSD: “I see two types of suicide, outward and another. They don't care. They are chronically helpless, hopeless. They don't take their meds. They stop eating. It is harder to recognize. I had one case...he died of a very serious infection. His wife had to go away, and he just died in his chair”.

Physicians have made the following recommendations. They would like a federal public inquiry. They would like to see an independent oversight body with real power of enforcement and sanction, awareness and education regarding suicide. They feel that no individuals should be released unless they are in the shape they were in when they signed up. They would also like to see a buddy system to check on those suffering with PTSD and back-up psychiatrists.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I will be splitting my time with the extraordinary member of Parliament for Brandon—Souris.

Suicide is a tragic event that affects far too many Canadian families. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Each year, several thousand Canadians lose their lives to suicide. The World Health Organization estimates that in Canada the rate of suicide is 15 for every 100,000 people. While suicide rates vary by age, gender and ethnicity in Canada, males appear to be more at risk.

Furthermore, suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 10 to 24, according to the Canadian Psychiatric Association.

Certainly, some of the tragedies in the National Hockey League this summer of some of its alumni highlighted how prevalent this problem is, how prevalent this challenge is.

If there is one silver lining out of these enormous tragedies, it is that it will raise awareness to the critical need to look at mental health.

Our health minister , who is from the north, understands first-hand how very real and tragic this issue is in both first nation and Inuit communities. The suicide rate among first nation youth is approximately five to seven times higher in Canada than for non-aboriginal youth. In Inuit regions, suicide is 11 times the Canadian rate.

While there are many contributing factors to suicide, mental illness is a major one. According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, nearly six million, or one in five Canadians, are likely to experience a mental illness over the course of their lifetime. This is why our government has taken some concrete steps to improve the mental health and well-being of Canadians. We take mental health issues seriously. We would like to recognize two important events related to mental illness that will take place this month. In Canada, this is Mental Illness Awareness Week. October 10 is World Mental Health Day. These events provide opportunities to raise awareness of mental illness and the importance of good mental health.

Studies indicate that more than 90% of suicide victims suffer from a mental illness or substance abuse problem. In addition, many of the same risk and protective factors that have an impact on mental illness can influence the risk of suicide. A recent study by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health found that mental illness is associated with more lost work days than any other chronic condition, costing the Canadian economy $51 billion annually in lost productivity.

Mental health and well-being contribute to our quality of life. Good mental health is associated with better physical health outcomes, improved educational attainment, increased economic participation, and rich social relationships. Recognizing the importance that good mental health plays on our everyday lives, in 2007, this government created the Mental Health Commission of Canada as an independent, arm's-length organization. It provides a national focal point for mental illness. This government has invested $130 million in the commission over 10 years to advance work on mental health issues.

The commission is mandated to lead the development of Canada's first ever national mental health strategy. When released in 2012, the strategy would provide a way for the people of Canada, the mental health community, and the jurisdictions, to work together to achieve better mental health.

The commission's release, in 2009, of “Toward Recovery and Well Being: A Framework for a Mental Health Strategy for Canada” marked the completion of the first phase in developing the strategy. It set out a vision containing broad goals for transforming mental health systems in Canada. It has become an important reference point for mental health policy and practice across the country.

The Mental Health Commission of Canada is now finalizing the first ever mental health strategy that would translate the vision and goals of this framework into a strategic plan. Elements of suicide prevention are expected to be contained in the strategy. The strategy has been informed by the voices of thousands of people and hundreds of organizations with a wide diversity of points of view and experience. This strategy is expected to make a significant contribution to the mental health community.

Another important initiative the Mental Health Commission of Canada has been mandated to address is the stigma associated with mental health issues. Stigma is a major barrier preventing people from seeking help. Many Canadians living with a mental illness say the stigma they face is often worse than the mental illness itself. Mental illness affects people of all ages, from all walks of life. It can take on many forms, including depression, anxiety and schizophrenia.

The Mental Health Commission of Canada has launched the largest systematic effort to reduce the stigma of mental health in Canadian history, known as Opening Minds. Its goal is to change the attitudes and behaviours of Canadians toward people living with mental health problems. Through this initiative the commission is working with partners across Canada to identify and evaluate existing anti-stigma programs. Efforts to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness are currently focused at health care providers, the media, the workforce, along with children and youth. Opening Minds is serving as a catalyst in mobilizing actions of others to make a real difference in the area of anti-stigma programs.

To ensure that all the information on mental illness is accessible to the public and those in the mental health field, the commission is establishing a knowledge exchange centre. This initiative is creating new ways for Canadians to access information, share knowledge, and exchange ideas about mental health. All Canadians will have access to knowledge, ideas, and best practices related to mental illness. Furthermore, this will enhance the capacity for knowledge exchange throughout the Canadian mental health system.

The government has also taken further action to address the issue of mental health among the homeless. Mental illness and homelessness are increasingly related and there is a need for more research in this area.

Just last week in Barrie I was speaking to a nurse in the community, Nicole Black. She works at the David Busby Street Centre in Barrie. She was telling me how prevalent it is and the challenge that is faced when trying to assist with the battle to combat homelessness. It is great that the government recognizes the importance to work in this area. This is why in 2008 the government provided $110 million over five years to the Mental Health Commission of Canada to investigate mental illness and homelessness. This includes the At Home/Chez Soi initiative, which is the largest research project of its kind in the world.

The project is happening now in five Canadian cities: Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal, and Moncton. This research project is centred on the housing first model. This means that once a person is given a place to live, the person can better concentrate on personal issues. The innovative approach of this project has the potential to make Canada a world leader in providing services to people who are homeless and living with a mental illness.

By creating and supporting the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the government has recognized the link between suicide and mental illness and has demonstrated its commitment to help address this serious issue.

In Barrie, when I toured the Canadian Mental Health Association offices on Bradford Street and the mental health area of the Royal Victoria Hospital, where there are some of the best doctors in the region who assist with mental health issues, I certainly heard loud and clear that this is a growing concern for Canadians and that we need to do what we can to contribute as a federal government. I am so proud that our federal government, under the leadership of our finance minister, has made this a priority.

It is my pleasure to be in the House today to address this very important topic.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for his speech.

He spoke at length about the Mental Health Commission and want it is meant to do. The problem with suicide is related to mental health, but it is not always a mental health issue.

I would like my colleague to talk about how the government would be involved, in other words, the concrete measures the government intends to introduce to support a national suicide prevention strategy.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Mr. Speaker, there are many interrelations and correlations between mental health challenges and suicide. It will be no surprise that the Mental Health Commission, which has a budget of $130 million over 10 years thanks to this government, will obviously consider that as one of the central aspects to look at when it conducts this study.

In terms of what is being done to address suicide, mental illness is a major risk factor for suicide. It is estimated that 90% of all suicide victims have some kind of mental health condition. That is why it is very important to look at them in the overall framework, together. The 90% figure would suggest that to look at mental health and not suicide at the same time would be a disservice.

Obviously the government has made it a focus to invest in mental health by virtue of the Mental Health Commission of Canada and associated monetary investments to establish and support that commission.

I certainly concur with the member that they are interrelated.

[Merv Tweed, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to speak to this very important motion.

The impacts of suicide are enormous, and the factors that contribute to suicide are complex and far-reaching.

We know that people with mental illness, those with a history of abuse or a family history of suicide are predisposed to committing suicide. For example, Canadians who are diagnosed with depression are at a higher risk. We also know that the risk of suicide can be precipitated by life events, such as important losses, conflicts with the law, or rejection by society. The cumulative effect of these biological, social and economic factors, such as discrimination, family violence and limited economic opportunities, contribute to the risk of poor mental health and, in turn, suicide behaviour.

We have gained a significant amount of knowledge on the factors that influence mental illness and suicide, but we will benefit from a better understanding of the most effective interventions from prevention of risk factors to treatment approaches.

To best serve Canadians, we need to be innovative and identify more effective clinical, public health and social interventions. Consistent with our federal role, the government is providing the leadership to pursue the development of such knowledge through funding research and supporting the capacity of communities to address in more innovative ways the complexity of the issues associated with suicide.

Our government is making significant investments in research through the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. I am told that since 2006, CIHR has invested over $234 million in research on mental health and addiction, and over $20 million on suicide-related research. CIHR supports population health research to enhance mental health and to reduce the burden of related disorders.

This research is leading the way in identifying the relationship between depression and anxiety, and how these mental health problems affect suicide behaviour. CIHR also supports the advancement of health research to improve and promote the health of first nations, Inuit and Métis people. It does this by putting an emphasis on respect for community, research priorities and indigenous knowledge, values and cultures.

Suicide has deeply affected Canada's aboriginal communities and is the leading cause of death for aboriginal youth. Therefore, CIHR has made suicide prevention for aboriginal communities a research focus. CIHR investments include the suicide prevention targeting aboriginal people initiative and the aboriginal community youth resilience network, a community-led research project aimed at preventing youth suicide.

The goal of this research network is to broaden the depth of social science and health expertise in aboriginal communities and facilitate the exchange of experiences between communities addressing the issue of aboriginal youth suicide.

Our government also provides funding to the Mental Health Commission of Canada to advance research and innovation in mental health and suicide prevention. For example, an investment of $110 million over five years supports the testing of new programs to better address homelessness among people with mental illness. The commission is also developing a knowledge centre to share the evidence and innovation in mental health with stakeholders across the country.

Our government has also invested $65 million over five years in the national aboriginal youth suicide prevention strategy that promotes protective factors and the reduction of risk factors for aboriginal youth suicide. This initiative also contributes to the development of new knowledge and best practices on suicide prevention. Budget 2010 provided $75 million to renew this strategy.

The Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care funded by our government is researching and developing clinical practice guidelines for primary and preventive care, including screening for depression.

In addition, the Public Health Agency of Canada's best practice portal provides chronic disease prevention and health promotion information for public health professionals. It has identified best practice interventions for mental illness prevention.

The prevention of suicide starts with building positive mental health and resilience in our children and our youth. Our government is therefore investing in the capacity of Canadian communities to develop and implement innovative approaches to help achieve this goal.

Our government has invested $27 million to support the nine large-scale mental health promotion initiatives in over 50 communities across Canada, including all provinces and territories. These interventions are focused on improving the mental health of children, youth and families. The goal is to implement and test the number of different programs across diverse populations.

These initiatives target those at higher risk of mental health problems and provide community based support to people living in rural, northern and aboriginal communities.

For example, about 30 aboriginal communities will benefit from these programs. They will also generate significant knowledge on the most effective interventions, which in turn can be shared across Canada with other aboriginal communities.

One such initiative is the mental health promotion for aboriginal youth project. It is directed to children age 10 through 14 years and their parents. This project focuses on a culturally specific approach. It strengthens family interactions by teaching parenting skills, social skills and coping mechanisms.

Another important example is our funding to the Arctic health research network. This will help to address the mental health needs of children, youth and families from Nunavut. This program will engage young people between the ages of 13 to 19 to raise awareness of youth mental health in up to seven communities. This will be done with health professionals, decision makers, families and community members.

The Public Health Agency of Canada also funds initiatives to address risk factors for poor mental health and suicide. We know that bullying, relationship violence and substance abuse are problems among our children and youth which can have harmful long-term consequences.

For example, the WITS program will be implemented in several communities in four provinces, including British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and New Brunswick. The program works with children, families, local police and other partners to combat bullying.

In addition, funding for the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health will introduce a program for reducing violence and building positive relationships among teens in seven school districts, over 40 schools in three provinces and one territory, including Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario and the Northwest Territories.

We know that support for vulnerable families is critical to the future of positive mental health and well-being. Therefore, we are investing in another initiative in Manitoba based on a world recognized model for improving positive mental health outcomes in at-risk families.

This program provides home visiting services to families with children from prenatal to five years of age who are living in conditions of risk. The family-centred program emphasizes positive parenting and enhanced parent-child interaction, improved child health development and use of community resources.

In addition, our government's funding for socially and emotionally aware kids program allows it to operate in three provinces. This program is aimed at building resilience, self-esteem and coping skills in children ages five to 12, as protective factors against poor mental health and risk factors for suicide behaviour.

Early results indicate a decrease in behaviour problems, along with a marked improvement in social relations, focused problem solving and greater emotional awareness. These are the very ingredients for healthy and productive young people.

Our government will continue to collaborate with partners across Canada to build new knowledge, share research results and support innovation to effectively address suicide and its devastating impact on families and communities.

[Kerry-Lynne Findlay, Conservative, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice]

Mr. Speaker, my colleague made an excellent speech on what is a very sad and troubling topic, I am sure we would all agree.

I am aware of a number of the government's initiatives, as my colleague has pointed out, in the area of mental illness treatment funding and suicide prevention.

I am interested to know to what extent he may be aware of outreach to our ethnic communities. For instance, the Chinese Mental Wellness Association of Canada is in my riding. Problems of language and cultural issues also come to bear on these issues.

I am wondering if this outreach is meant for all communities within Canada.

[Merv Tweed, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I believe that it is and should be. We are all Canadians and we all have a responsibility to provide the services to the communities in need.

I will speak personally to my own communities in the southwest of Manitoba, Brandon--Souris. We have seen a large influx of new Canadians and the challenges that they go through. A lot of it, as was previously mentioned, deals with language, social interaction and customs from other countries that may not be applicable in Canada. It is important that outreach, particularly in the mental health area, is vital for these people to feel comfortable, to learn, to be a part of the system and be a part of Canadiana. I support those very programs.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the hon. member for Brandon—Souris for his presentation. I very much appreciated the idea that we have to be innovative in how we look at this problem.

Often an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Even though my colleague mentioned a number of government initiatives, they do not really address the entire problem.

For example, we could make it easier for aboriginal people to have access to education. Does my colleague agree that we should be more proactive about addressing the problem and give the communities what they need to flourish, rather than simply deal with the fallout?

[Merv Tweed, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, it is important and a lot of the initiatives that our government has undertaken has been to identify those needs and to identify the shortcomings in certain communities and, in my humble opinion, it does not just apply to aboriginal communities. Many communities across Canada have shortcomings. I think that by first identifying them, looking at pilot projects and taking the best of what those offer to communities, this could be a Canada-wide initiative in the sense of what we learn from others quite often can apply to ourselves and how we benefit ourselves and our communities.

[Patrick Brown, Conservative, Barrie, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his eloquent speech today and for highlighting the focus of mental health.

As I mentioned in a previous comment, one of the things that was raised at the Busby Centre in Barrie, which is a terrific place that helps with homelessness, was the interrelation with homelessness and mental health issues and the need for government to do more. That would be one of the things the Mental Health Commission could address when it looks at the many different facets of mental health.

Does my colleague from Brandon—Souris share those same concerns in Manitoba?

[The Acting Speaker, Conservative, Bruce Stanton]

Before I recognize the hon. member for Brandon--Souris, I ordinarily would only recognize members when they are in their proper seat. I know the member for Barrie was not in the exact spot that he normally speaks from.

The hon. member for Brandon--Souris.

[Merv Tweed, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I agree completely with what the member for Barrie said. In my community. we have a gentleman by the name of Glen Kruk who manages the mental health issues across southwestern Manitoba. He is an extremely energetic man. Dealing with homelessness, he spearheaded a project in Brandon where we created 63 residential spots. However, he was adamant that many of those spots would be for homeless people and for the mentally ill, and we are accomplishing that. I thank him every time I see him for his sincere work on behalf of mental illness in Canada.

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to join in today's debate. I will be splitting my time with the member for St. Paul's.

It will be 11 years next month that I have been in this chamber. I have had the opportunity to join in many important debates in this place but I see none more relevant and more important than the debate we are having here today.

I commend my leader, the member for Toronto Centre, for bringing this motion forward. It is a topic that people want to gloss over, talk around or not get too in depth on because it has such an impact. If anybody engaging in today's debate, whether on the floor of the House of Commons or watching it at home, has not been touched by suicide, whether a family member, a friend or someone close, then that person has lived a blessed life.

We have heard a number of stories and very personal accounts today of having known or having been close to someone who has taken his or her life. It is an emotional and confusing time. We as legislators and lawmakers must do all in our power to ensure that everything that can be done is being done to lessen the numbers and save lives. The purpose of today's debate is just that, and I appreciate the fact that this was brought forward.

Coming up to the Hill this morning, I saw two old friends of mine, one being Francis Leblanc, the former member for Cape Breton Highlands—Canso, and the other being Stephen Hogg. We chatted a bit and they asked me what was on tap for today in the House. I told them about the subject matter of the motion coming forward and it seized both of them. Obviously, Francis understood the importance of it and Stephen, for the most part, choked up. He said that it meant a lot to him because his dad took his life. I asked him if the signs were there and he said that, of course they were and, in retrospect, he could see them in the rear view mirror. He said that it all made sense when his family reached back and followed it up to the final account. They were seized by the anguish and torture that their dad must have felt. They did not understand where he had gotten the unregistered gun that he had used. The planning leading up to the suicide must have been a tumultuous time emotionally and mentally for the man.

There have been accounts shared here today, along with the account that I heard on the way in this morning. My son's young friend took his own life. He came from a strong, supportive family. He was very engaged in sports and was a successful athlete. He was pursuing an education and seemed to have a great number of supportive friends. Then we got the phone call that he had taken his life. When we lose somebody through suicide, it impacts on all of us. It is very easy to stigmatize those who take their own lives and it leaves us sort of reaching for answers.

We are great hockey lovers in Canada. We think that those who take part in our national sport are almost invincible. They are big, physical creatures and we think about them as being pretty tough to play in the National Hockey League. We think they are physically tough, mentally tough, emotionally tough and they need to be to compete at that level. That is the reality.

However, the hockey community was shaken and the country was shaken over the course of the last number of months when we saw three very high-profile professional athletes take their own lives: Derek Boogaard, from Minnesota Wild; Rick Rypien, a former Canuck; and most recently, Wade Belak, a former member of the Toronto Maple Leafs. If anybody followed the careers of those three, they saw that they did have some common past. The link was made to the fact that they played a very physical role throughout their NHL careers. They were enforcers. They were the guys who dropped the gloves. They were the guys who picked up for their other teammates. If the tempo had to be changed, they were the guys who took that upon themselves. All three of them were very physical and certainly not shy to drop the gloves and become involved. I think Belak had 145 fights in his NHL career.

So, automatically, they sort of linked that together and asked whether the NHL was doing enough to address fighting in hockey. It all became about fighting. However, they missed the whole point in narrowing it down to the commonality of being fighters because, as things played out, we realized that all three suffered from depression.

What about a guy like Belak? I have a piece that Michael Landsberg from Off the Record put together in the wake of Belak's death, which I will read later. However, when we saw Belak on television or anything like that, the guy was a big, handsome farm boy with a beautiful wife and two kids. He was loving life, living large and all those things and we have to wonder, why him. However, in the wake of it, we realize that he had a nemesis and that nemesis was depression.

I did not realize my time was going that quickly but I do want to get Mr. Landsberg's comments on record when he talked about depression. He also suffered from depression. He stated:

We can't see depression. We can't biopsy it. Blood tests don't show it. Neither do x-rays. ... Depression is a disease. It's not an issue or a demon, although it may act like one. ... Start accepting depression as a serious and sometimes fatal illness.

I think that was very poignant.

Aaran Sands also wrote about Belak's death. Aaran Sands is a reporter who covered crime stories for a number of years. He talked about the stigma of depression, the stigma of mental illness and the cruel social stigma that comes with mental illness. He said:

Coming forward to seek help for my illness amounted to career and social suicide for me – it's been an extremely painful experience, worse than any nightmare I’ve ever had.

I hope things eventually change for the better. But until people start to look at mental illness differently, the suicides will continue, not just among suffering sports stars but in all walks of life.

The reason for today's motion, the reason to bring this issue to the fore of the House is to have that open debate on what it is we can do as a nation, what it is the government should be asking itself. Yes, it is taking steps and it is taking measures but is it doing all it can? Is there a better way to deliver services? Is there a better way to share information? What is it we can do? Are we doing the best we can as a nation?

That is the purpose of today's debate and I hope all members in this House see the merit of that, contribute to this debate and support this motion.

[Brad Butt, Conservative, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am quite pleased to hear members speaking in the House today. We are all speaking with one voice about a serious issue, an issue that could involve any Canadian in any walk of life.

The member suggested that there may be some more things that we could do, and there is no question about that. Our government has done quite a bit. I am quite familiar with the excellent work of the Mental Health Commission of Canada, especially the at home project in Toronto, which links housing and mental illness, and the importance of having a safe, decent home, and helping that individual out.

I wonder if the member would like to suggest to the House today any other specific measures that the government could look at that would work to alleviate mental illness, depression and suicide issues in the country? Does he have anything specific that he could share with the government today?

[Rodger Cuzner, Liberal, Cape Breton—Canso, NS]

Mr. Speaker, there have been some positive contributions today. One thing that has evolved is that the Mental Health Commission of Canada has not been given the resources to carry out some of the recommendations it has put forward. It is important that be identified. Perhaps if the government were to take anything away from this debate and this motion today, it would be to put further resources behind the recommendations coming forward.

There are some good things happening. As my colleague has said, there are some good initiatives province to province. Some provinces are doing better than others. It should not matter about the area code of any Canadian. Any Canadian should have access.

I will just close with the comments made by Aaron Sands:

I have attempted suicide a couple times. Only recently did I come to feel lucky and grateful...thanks to the world-class treatment programs at Homewood Health Centre in Guelph and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto.

People are doing great things. This is about having the best practices. It is about ensuring that all Canadians are aware of those best practices and that they have access to them.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am very honoured to speak to today's debate. It is very important that the House urge the government to work cooperatively with the provinces, territories, representative organizations from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people, and other stakeholders to establish and fund a national suicide prevention strategy, which among other measures would promote a comprehensive and evidence-driven approach to prevent this terrible cause of death.

Last Wednesday, when our leader suggested this topic, put in motion a week of reflection, a week of memories and regrets tumbling back into every one of us who was worried about what we would say today. I said to the leader this morning that there are certain stories that cannot be told because there is no way to get through them.

The impotence that one feels as a friend, as a family physician is immeasurable. The line of “What could I have done? Did I do all I could?” just kept coming back and reverberating into what we know is largely a preventable occurrence, and “What can we do as a society, a family, as communities to make this preventable tragedy as small as possible?”

I remember having to go to the morgue and open a drawer, and recognize a patient of mine who had jumped off her balcony, previously homeless, when her birth mother came to find her and she felt not worthy.

I remember a CEO of an arts organization who was on her way to the AGM to explain that there was no money and they might have to shut down. She jumped in front of the subway on the way there.

I remember one of my best friends, a prominent lawyer at Blake, Cassels, who I spent the whole summer trying to talk to and keep alive. A prominent lawyer, great job, great relationship, but those sirens that she described were calling her, to see over the other side, and she eventually could not hold back. She hung herself in her basement.

It is often in reaction to depression, to losing a job or losing a relationship or, as we sometimes see, somebody in trouble with the law who is afraid that people will find out. However, it is based on that horrible diagnosis of depression. It is this hopeless, copeless, worthlessness that is really almost 100% of the time quite separate from the facts. To not be able to get over those feelings, and for us as relatives and friends to not be able to unpack it and not be able to deal with the actual changes in the brain, make it impossible for some to get beyond that.

We have seen PTSD in soldiers and we have seen it in our veterans. At health committee we heard from the widow of the RCMP officer who had been told that his depression was over, given back his handgun, and who killed himself that afternoon.

This is no easy task. As the member for Cape Breton—Canso mentioned, it is even in our most revered hockey players. I have a Jordin Tootoo jersey in my office, when he was with the Brandon Wheat Kings. I remember how excited we were that he would be the first Inuit player to play in the NHL.

His brother, Terence, had played pro hockey, and shortly after Jordin was drafted his brother took his own life because he had been arrested for drinking and driving. Even in his final suicide note, it said, “Jor. Go all the way. Take care of the family. You are the man. Ter.” Even in that final note, there was hope, in a certain way, that we could not get at and we were not able to do what needed to be done.

Our leader wrote an article in La Presse:

Today, 10 Canadians will take their own lives, a per capita rate three times that of the United States’, largely due to the staggering number of suicides among aboriginal Canadians.

I keep thinking about a presentation I did that was entitled “What Could I Have Done”. The first slide was a quote from a youth from the Royal Commission of Aboriginal Peoples. He said that he was strung between two cultures and psychologically at home in neither.

It is amazing that the statistics on suicide for our aboriginal people are so high. The statistics on suicide for our Inuit people show that they are 11 times greater than the rest of Canada at risk.

I remember Bill Mussell from the Native Mental Health Association explaining to me the importance of a secure personal cultural identity and how that builds self-esteem and resilience to handle things when bad things happen to good people. For some people, when bad things happen it just takes them down. As Bill Mussell said in his article in CAMH, “There has been some fine work by the RCAP and the senate committee”, but he also said:

According to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, good health is the outcome of living actively, productively and safely, with reasonable control over the forces affecting everyday life, with the means to nourish body and soul, in harmony with one’s neighbours and oneself, and with hope for the future of one’s children and one’s land--

Colonization brought changes that attacked, undermined and devalued the aboriginal world view, while at the same time drastically altering the conditions of life...Colonization brought negative, extreme and rapid changes to aboriginal life, while denying the validity of the tools traditionally used by First Nations to cope with change.

We have evidence to show what works and what does not. We are calling in the House for a strategy to have the audacity to fund what works and not fund those things that just make us feel better but do nothing to change the outcome.

Michael Chandler's unbelievable work at the University of British Columbia shows that the presence of self government in land claims, community-based education systems, health services, police and fire services, cultural facilities, getting back to ceremonies, women in government and child protection services have an impact on suicide rates. Community by community, those that have been able to get all of those things done have watched their youth suicide rate drop to virtually zero. His paper in Horizons concludes:

Taken altogether, this extended program of research strongly supports two major conclusions. First, generic claims about youth suicide rates for the whole of any Aboriginal world are, at best actuarial fictions that obscure critical community-by-community differences in the frequency of such deaths. Second, individual and cultural continuity are strongly linked, such that First Nations communities that succeed in taking steps to preserve their heritage culture, and that work to control their own destinies, are dramatically more successful in insulating their youth against the risks of suicide.

We want a real strategy and that means, what, when and how. We want it based in evidence and we want it funded properly. This means that there has to be an ability to use the research and knowledge, and translate that into effective policies, political will, effective programs and practices. It means ongoing applied research that takes us back to better research that can really identify best practices. We then have to have the nerve to put it in place.

In the health goals for Canada that all the health ministers approved in the fall of 2005, belonging and engagement was a very important one, but the government has yet to develop the indicators and targets.

Each and every person should have dignity, a sense of belonging and contribute to supportive families, friendships and diverse communities. We need to continue to learn throughout our lives through formal and informal education, relationships with others and the land. We must participate in and influence the decisions that affect our personal and collective health and well-being. As Nellie Cournoyea said in 1975 in Speaking Together: “Paternalism has been a total failure”.

We must work with our aboriginal communities, first nations, Inuit and Métis together to develop a real plan that will really address this national tragedy.

[Denis Blanchette, NDP, Louis-Hébert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her speech.

We know that other countries have suicide prevention strategies. I would like my colleague to talk about the benefits associated with such strategies. Getting back to Canada, it is not enough to say that we are investing in this or that. I would like my colleague to tell us what we could achieve collectively by adopting a national suicide prevention strategy.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Speaker, strategies have already been adopted by other organizations that show the complexity of a true national strategy carried out in partnership with the provinces, the territories and aboriginal organizations.

However, without a road map or a plan, we go nowhere. These little programs all over the place are interesting, but they have to be measured and they have to be applied in a national strategy.

In both the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention blueprint in 2004 and then again in 2009, it is very clear that there needs to be strong common purpose, local wisdom and local knowledge to get it done. That is how we approach complex problems. It means there has to be an awareness that suicide is preventable and that the interventions by our first nations, Métis and Inuit people are described by themselves.

We need gun control to remove the lethal approaches to suicide that unfortunately are successful. It is a matter of building a mental health capacity among all of us to recognize the signs and symptoms and to build on the amazing work of Dr. Stan Kutcher at Dalhousie University.

[Brad Butt, Conservative, Mississauga—Streetsville, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I listened carefully to the hon. member because she is a physician and she is her party's aboriginal affairs critic.

I am sure she has done some research, and I ask if she could share with the House some best practices that she has seen in the aboriginal community around mental health awareness programs, treatments, or other successful programs.

I have to admit it is not an area of expertise for me; I am learning as I go, certainly on the aboriginal affairs file, so I would be quite interested to hear of any best practices that the member could share with the House.

[Carolyn Bennett, Liberal, St. Paul's, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I need only to look in my own riding of St. Paul's, where the homeless shelter called Na-Me-Res, which deals with native men's health, is dealing with homelessness, problems of addiction, mental health problems and depression.

What has been the absolute essential ingredient is that they get back in touch with their culture, with their heritage and their attachment to the land, and are able to once again feel that they have a secure personal and cultural identity that allows them the self-esteem to live in dignity. It is remarkable. I am very proud of them, because many of the people who have gone on to university and have become social workers were once clients in that organization.

It is the same with the communities that are getting back to their seasonal ceremonies, using their council fire and sweat lodges and coming to understand that the ways that were healing before are very valid now, if not more so.

[Kelly Block, Conservative, Saskatoon—Rosetown—Biggar, SK]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the member for Kildonan—St. Paul.

It is with great compassion that I rise in the House today to acknowledge the many Canadian families who have dealt with the anguish of losing a loved one to suicide. Indeed, I am from one of those families. I lost a brother to suicide 23 years ago.

I want to specifically focus on those in Canada's three northern territories today and to highlight why our government, along with the territories and community groups, is working collaboratively to find better ways to promote mental health among Canadians.

We undertake significant work to improve the health outcomes of aboriginal Canadians, including research through the Institute of Aboriginal People's Health at the Canadian Institutes of Health Research. As well, budget 2010 provided $285 million over two years to renew aboriginal health programs, including funding for the national aboriginal youth suicide prevention strategy.

It is a sad fact that aboriginal people in Canada's northern communities do not enjoy the same relatively high standard of health and living as do many other Canadians in the south. Health indicators in the territories, particularly in Nunavut, are among the poorest in Canada, and the prevalence of chronic and infectious diseases and mental health problems and suicide is increasing.

Life expectancy for aboriginal people in the territories, especial Inuit, is lower than in the rest of Canada, and infant mortality rates are higher. In addition to these health challenges, many territorial communities are also dealing with socio-economic realities like poverty and higher rates of unemployment among their aboriginal population.

Per capita, the number of residential school survivors in the territories is great than anywhere else in Canada, and this legacy has had an immediate and lasting effect on families and individuals that is only now starting to be understood.

It is this young population, the future of Canada's north, that is of particular concern. First nations rates of suicide are 4.3 times the national average, and Inuit regions show a rate of over 11 times higher. Unlike suicide rates for non-aboriginal people, rates of aboriginal suicide are highest among youth. Indeed, injury and suicide are the leading causes of death for aboriginal youth.

Suicide rates in Nunavut for men aged 15 to 24 are 28 times the national average. Our government acknowledges that the high suicide rates in the north, particularly among Inuit youth, are a cause of great concern. That is why our government is taking action on aboriginal youth suicide.

Last year our government tabled a budget that included nearly $1 billion in investment for aboriginal people. As part of the budget, $285 million was allocated to aboriginal health programs, including funding to continue the national aboriginal youth suicide prevention strategy until 2015.

To support community-based solutions focused on resilience, embracing and celebrating life, and creating supportive environments, our government has funded the national aboriginal youth suicide prevention strategy.

Some of the highlights of these investments have been the development of a help line in Nunavut for youth having suicidal thoughts; training youth leaders and other community leaders in all three territories in applied suicide intervention skills training; and cultural and on-the-land activities, life skills activities and sport and recreational activities to promote self-esteem and positive identity.

Other activities focus on increasing awareness of suicide risk factors, engaging a wide range of community members in preventive techniques and providing youth counselling.

As well, the “Inuusuvit, Our Way of Life” project is a youth engagement project that includes a corporate partnership with Canon. Through this project, Inuit youth work with youth mentors in acquiring skills to use new media technologies, such as cameras and computers, to explore and promote youth mental health issues and to learn and practise traditional Inuit knowledge and cultural practices.

This project contributes to positive youth mental health through engagement in culture, while developing valuable leadership and communication skills and increasing youth engagement with their communities.

The Government of Nunavut, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc., the Embrace Life Council and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police have committed to work together on eight key commitments to improve suicide prevention measures in the territories. These include community-based training and resources for youth, strengthening the continuum of mental health services and research to better understand suicide in Nunavut.

Through the Indian residential schools resolution health support program, Health Canada is providing mental and emotional supports for eligible former residential school students and their families. Services are available in all communities across the north, and include aboriginal mental health workers, elders and cultural events, and access to professional councillors.

Recognizing that reliving these experiences can be very difficult, this year our government is providing $8 million to aboriginal organizations in the north to provide cultural and emotional support to former students and their families. Part of the healing process is being led through the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which this spring and summer visited 19 communities as part of the northern tour, ending with a national event in Inuvik, Northwest Territories, in early July.

Over 2,500 participants attended the event in Inuvik, which resulted in over 3,200 interactions with the health support team.

This was a very important and emotional event that brought together former students from across the north who travelled to Inuvik or attended events in their communities. For many it was the first time they were sharing their stories. Our support will continue for these students, their families and others who are still coming forward. The government is working with its regional and national partners to ensure that all former students and families are aware of the services available to them through the resolution health support program.

While the federal health portfolio does not have jurisdiction over direct health service delivery in the territories, or direct mental health care services, it collaborates with territorial governments and other partners to address health issues and supports many health promotion activities that directly and indirectly help benefit the mental health of northerners. This year our government is providing $15 million to the Government of Nunavut, $12 million to the Government of the Northwest Territories and $1.9 million to first nations communities in the Yukon to support a range of health promotion activities.

Our government takes seriously its commitment to support aboriginal communities in addressing mental health and addictions. The national native alcohol and drug abuse program supports community-based prevention, intervention and aftercare with a cultural focus. For example, in Yellowknife a traditional program has been developed that includes a sweat lodge, sharing circles and counselling with elders to support clients to start living, or to continue leading, healthy lives.

In closing, the north's greatest resource is the people who live and work there. Our government is proud to work with the territories to deliver concrete improvements to the medical care that northern families get. As we can see, our government is committed to helping ensure that people in the north have safe, healthy and prosperous communities.