Déclarations dans les débats

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 62)

I consider it a shame that the government isn’t playing a role in this and is not a partner. We have the Tulita On-the-Land Healing Program, headed by Bessa Blondin, Lawrence Neyelle, Dean Green and Margaret McDonald doing things, connecting with the youth, connecting with the elders and making programs on the land and connecting with the people who need help.

What is this Minister willing to do today, knowing that we have had the federal government and the Movember Foundation come forward to help? Where is our own government in our own backyard helping on this one? Is the Minister willing to...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 62)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s certainly a pleasure to be able to ask some questions today, and I want to focus in on my Member’s statement. The Minister’s Forum on Addictions and Community Wellness Healing Voices report was tabled almost two full years ago, and it had 67 recommendations in it. Some of them I thought were good. Some of them I thought were fantastic. But the point was about doing business differently. That’s what the key to me certainly was.

Recommendations one to four I will not read, but certainly the first four recommendations were based on community-based community goal...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 62)

No, Mr. Chairman, I was just double checking that we haven’t reached the point of conclusion. Thank you.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 62)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First off, it’s often tradition that we thank the mover and the seconder. I think it certainly deserves that in these circumstances. How they came up with the idea of a lobbyist registry I don’t know, but I think it’s a good one and certainly one that deserves exploring.

Just because we wouldn’t use it often doesn’t mean it wouldn’t be important, and just because you wouldn’t use it often doesn’t mean it couldn’t have a large impact. We’ve often heard about how the influences of lobbyists play on big contracts getting opportunities that most folks don’t know. We don’t...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 61)

I’m not in a position to say that that lady, Karen Lander, a few years ago the outcome would have been different in her particular circumstances, but what I can say is it might have been a different situation that led to those circumstances. Whether it would have come up with the same end, I don’t know. But I can tell you that if we consider it ourselves for a very quick moment, that if we made a small amendment to the act that it could be varied, many Ministers have the authority to vary certain decisions and this could be certainly one of them. This could be a real opportunity if the...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A couple small things here as I begin. As I mentioned at the beginning of my statement today, I said one in five Canadians experience mental health problems. The second thing I’d like to acknowledge the great courage of the Duchess of Cambridge who has come here recently in public support of people becoming more aware and helping fight the stigma of mental health. I think people like that show true leadership. They are tremendous people that step forward and help put a face on this fight, and it makes a big difference for those suffering with it because they do feel...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In any given year, one in five Canadians experience mental health problems. The cost to the economy, of course, is enormous at $50 billion. On average, one in three adults and one in four children or youth report that they have only sought help or assistance through treatment programs.

Four thousand Canadians die every year as a result of suicide. These are terrible statistics, but I’m going to go on. Up to 70 percent of adults living with mental health problems report the symptoms started during childhood. In 2010, mental health conditions were responsible for 47...

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 61)

Thank you. Could I have the Minister restate that last title under MACA, the access fund? I heard two people talking at the same time and they sounded like they were disagreeing. Thank you.

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 61)

Thanks, Mr. Chairman. The reasons I was just citing more specifically are grants and contributions fall under 197, but the detail of it is actually on the next page. So I can save the rest of my questions for the next page. What would you like me to do, Mr. Chairman?

Debates of , 17th Assembly, 5th Session (day 61)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have no doubt that every one of the 19 Members in this Assembly ran in here with a can-do attitude about trying to do things. I would ask the Minister, is there any reason he here today can stand by and say I will not try this? Would he be willing to at least take this idea to a legal advisor who writes legislation to take a look at this particular scenario?