Mr. Speaker, I am proud to rise today to congratulate All Saints Catholic Secondary School teacher Pam Garant who was honoured with the Durham Catholic School Board Award of Merit for her successful efforts to raise awareness of mental illness, an issue that affects 20% of Canadians at some point in their lifetime.
Six years ago, a conference at the Ontario Shores for Mental Health Sciences facility inspired Pam and some of her students to start a club called “Stomping Out Stigma”.
Today, the club is thriving with nearly 80 members who work to reduce the stigma that can be associated with mental health issues and they continue discussions about coping strategies and resilience outside of the school walls.
Pam has helped these students become leaders in our community. I know all members will join me in congratulating the Stomping Out Stigma club for their very important work.