Given the imminent demise of WISE, I've been attempting to get a blog going (for the umpteenth
time). The following post, made a few days ago, may be of interest to subscribers. I do offer due
diligent warning, however. Previous experience with this list would suggest that some of you will
become incensed - at me, not at the issues I'm trying to raise in a very few words.
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Below is an excerpt from the House of Commons Hansard for Question Period, Mar 12-08. The
question was a softball lobbed from a Conservative Party member to Tony Clement, Minister of
Health, to allow Clement to enter into the Hansard mention of the Mental Health Commission,
which was formed last summer.
Mr. Wajid Khan (Mississauga—Streetsville, CPC):
"Mr. Speaker, last summer the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health announced Canada's
first ever Mental Health Commission. Mental health groups from across the country gave an
enthusiastic welcome to this long overdue action to help some of the most vulnerable in our
society.
"Those who failed Canadians sit on the benches on that side of the House. After years of
struggling in the shadows under the previous government, individuals and families dealing with
mental health issues can finally count on help from this federal government.
"Could the Minister of Health inform the House on how this Conservative government is keeping
its promise to help Canadians?"
Hon. Tony Clement (Minister of Health and Minister for the Federal Economic Development
Initiative for Northern Ontario, CPC):
"Mr. Speaker, let me first thank the hon. member for an excellent question. I would say to the
House that even in good economic times there are those at risk of being left behind, but
Canadians are guided by the values of compassion, kindness and generosity. That is why we
created the Mental Health Commission in the first place.
"That is why the Minister of Finance, demonstrating those important values himself, announced
funding in budget 2008 for the commission to establish five pilot projects across the country to
help show the way on how we can help those who are homeless and suffering from mental
illness."
I heard Clement's response before visiting the MHCC website and was immediately struck by
Clement's associating homelessness with mental illness.
'Homelessness' would be better defined as 'houselessness'. There are those who are labelled
homeless who have chosen not to be surrounded by bricks and mortar. Are they therefore
mentally ill because they have chosen differently?
Then people who have not chosen houselessness may legitimately feel depressed, stressed, and
anxiety-prone. But should that basic, normal survival response be labelled as mental illness? The
cynical answer is Yes - for the sake of a robust mental health industry...
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Full post: http://challengingthecommonplace.blogspot.com/
The rest (about the same amount more) IS worth reading. I mention two women I met through
WISE whose words and lives should make us all sit up and take notice.
Ocean
P.S. Comments on the blog are welcome. They're encouragement to keep the thing going!
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