Thanks to President of the Friends of the Nanoose Bay Library Centre Society, Victoria Kirk and her team for such a warm welcome during the Nanoose Library Centre’s celebration of "50 years of turning pages" on Saturday. The old log building is iconic and the volunteer energy is legendary on Vancouver Island. The library is sustained entirely through its user fee of $6, hall rentals and a recycling program. Its collection includes all the latest best sellers, DVDs and a nice selection of used books for sale. The celebration had something for everybody, including a wonderful historical presentation of the Library and a very sociable llama! Congratulations to the board and volunteers for keeping this amazing community asset is such beautiful shape.
Mood Disorders Society of Canada Meeting
It was a privilege to meet with representatives from Mood Disorders Society of Canada recently in Ottawa to discuss the important role of community organizations and peer support workers in helping Canadians with mental illnesses. They spoke about how the chronic underfunding of Canada’s mental health sector limits the ability of non-profit organizations to expand services and meet growing demand. We agreed that investing in community mental health organizations could reduce pressures on the healthcare system and help Canadians who are struggling. Finally, we talked about my Private Member’s Bill, C-414, which is pushing for parity between physical and mental health in our universal, public healthcare system. Canada is facing a mental health crisis and it’s clear we need systemic change so everyone can access care when they need it most.