Thanks to Parksville Beach Festival Society Executive Director Cheryl Dill for inviting me to participate in the opening festivities of this year's sand sculpting competition and exhibition on the shores of the wonderful Parksville Community Park on Friday. This year, competitors and visitors have travelled to this wonderful contest from all over the world, including twenty-nine sculptors from Canada, US, Mexico, Netherlands, Germany and Poland. Also known as BeachFest, the sand sculpting competition dates back to 1982 when it attracted 100 people. Today, it is a world class Master Sculptor competition that attracts over 100,000 people annually. Congratulations to everybody involved from the Society Board, staff and legions of hard working volunteers. BeachFest runs until August 18, lots of time to get down there to see masterpieces in sand!
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.