Mr. Speaker, it is an honour to table a petition on behalf of constituents on Vancouver Island.
Petitioners are highlighting that Canada is experiencing a mental health and substance use crisis that was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. They highlight that too many Canadians are unable to access mental health or substance use supports in a timely manner, that the lack of access to community-based mental health and substance use services increases demands on hospital emergency rooms and primary care providers, and that untreated and inadequately treated mental illness carries significant social and economic costs.
Petitioners are calling on the government to support Bill C-201 and legislate parity between physical and mental health in Canada's universal public health care system to ensure timely access to evidence-based, culturally appropriate and publicly funded mental health and substance use services beyond hospital and physician settings.
Third, petitioners are calling on the government to establish the Canada mental health transfer that the Liberals promised to sustainably fund the provision of mental health and substance use services, and to immediately disburse an initial investment of $4.5 billion for mental health care and substance use services to the provinces and territories.