On October 9th and 10th, USJE marked World Mental Health Day on Parliament Hill as part of our nationwide Presumptive Injury campaign.
World Mental Health Day, recognized around the globe, is an opportunity to raise awareness about the importance of mental health – and to mobilize efforts to increase access to mental health supports.
The Day provides an opportunity for stakeholders in Canada and internationally to share information about their work and highlight how governments can increase access to mental health care for people worldwide.
To mark World Mental Health Day and highlight USJE’s efforts to ensure that more federal public safety personnel have access to Worker’s Compensation for mental health related workplace injuries, USJE hosted a special reception on Parliament Hill. USJE’s National health and Safety Advisory Committee’s Co-Chairs, Kirsty Havard and Jeff Sandelli, oversaw the event. USJE National President David Neufeld and Committee Member, Sandy Berthelotte introduced the senior Parliamentarians from each of the major political parties who spoke at our event, including:
- Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety, and Member of Parliament for Pickering–Uxbridge, Jennifer O’Connell;
- The Member of Parliament for Cariboo–Prince George and Conservative Shadow Minister of Mental Health, Todd Doherty;
- The Vice President of the House of Commons Public Safety Committee and MP for Avignon – La Mitis – Matane – Matapédia, Kristina Michaud;
- the Member of Parliament for New Westminster–Burnaby, and the NDP Critic for Health, Peter Julian; and
- the Commissioner of the RCMP, Mike Duheme.
MPs spoke in favour of closing a key gap in the federal Government Employees’ Compensation Act (GECA) so that federal public safety personnel have access to Workers’ Compensation for mental health related injuries, just like first responders in most provinces and territories.
The changes to GECA that USJE has been advocating for would ensure that federal public safety personnel – whose mental health can be severely compromised owing to the nature of their work – would finally have access to the compensation and support they so deserve.
USJE was also joined by several other Members of Parliament across party lines at the Reception on Parliament Hill including long-time ally Pam Damoff, the deputy Whip of the Official Opposition Chris Warkentin, Scott Aitchison, Kelly Block, Parm Bains, Frank Caputo, Michelle Ferreri, Ted Falk, Alistair McGregor and Carol Hughes as well as Nova Scotia Senator Michael MacDonald. NDP MP Gord Jones sent his regrets on not being able to attend.
In addition to the reception, USJE invited Members of Parliament to wear a USJE customized pin featuring the Presumptive Injury logo during Question Period in the House of Commons on World Mental Health Day, Thursday October 10. The pin was developed by USJE’s Health and Safety Advisory Committee with the assistance of USJE’s communications team and symbolizes the power of ensuring USJE members have access to the mental health supports they need.
Further, two MPs with whom USJE has worked closely, Jennifer O’Connell, and Peter Julian made special statements in the House of Commons on October 10 recognizing USJE and its Presumptive Injury campaign.
As this was USJE’s first time organizing events for Members of Parliament around World Mental Health Day, we were very pleased with the response and look forward to continuing to strongly advocate for changes to the federal legislation.