Conservative leader Andrew Scheer shared his party’s plans to increase mental health supports during a one-on-one interview with our newsroom.
Scheer says suicide prevention is an important aspect of what the Conservatives will be focusing on when it comes to mental health.
“We know that there are so many people that are in vulnerable situations, often young people who have serious issues at home or get into a cycle of addictions or just have mental health issues, so we will be making some specific commitments on that,” he said.
Scheer says he wants to work closely with provincial governments to make sure those supports are in place.
“Making sure that there are facilities in place and treatment programs in place so that we can catch the early signals of that. Early identification of someone with the risk factors is essential to make sure that they can get the treatment that they need,” he said.
According to the most recent data from StatsCan, an average of 10 Canadians die from suicide every day.
Approximately 4,000 suicides took place in 2017, making it the ninth highest cause of death.
Scheer points out the numbers are a lot higher in marginalized communities, something he hopes to help change through federal support.
“We do know that some of the rates for suicide are higher in certain communities, notably Indigenous communities. There’s clearly a very important role that the federal government plays. Supporting provincial programs for suicide prevention and mental health through the federal government will be a component as well,” he said.
