Mr. Speaker, I rise to acknowledge and thank a great Canadian who is visiting Ottawa today, Scott Chisholm.
Scott is the founder of the Collateral Damage Project, training the front line to deal with suicidal behaviours.
I have often said in this House that preventing suicide requires an entire community. I am proud of the work that Scott has done in training teachers, nurses, and members of first nations to recognize and treat suicidal ideation.
While society still struggles to talk about suicide and mental health, Scott is one of thousands of Canadian heroes struggling to protect the most vulnerable.
One of the hidden costs of suicide is the damage to survivors. Their pain is often beyond their ability to express; they suffer in silence. The Collateral Damage Project shatters that barrier with positive stories of how those who have struggled with the loss of loved ones to suicide have channelled their pain into something positive.
Canadians struggling with suicidal thoughts or coping with its aftermath should visit the Collateral Damage Project, at www.leftbehindbysuicide.org.
Do not lose hope.