Thanks so much to Rebecca Lennox of the North Island College Student Union for hosting a coffee round-table with me on Monday on the Courtenay campus. Thanks also to the students and faculty who attended. I very much appreciated the opportunity to respond to questions and concerns and to hear the views and opinions of students. We certainly covered a lot of ground including: the housing crisis, First Nations issues, and how new IRCC regulations are making it harder for international students to remain in Canada after their studies.
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.