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. 

----------
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...
----------

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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