Rideau Hall, Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Welcome to Rideau Hall. One year ago, the newly minted Women for Mental Health, a philanthropic program created by the Royal Ottawa Foundation, celebrated its inauguration in this Tent Room.

This was the beginning of a special partnership between the Governor General’s Office and the Royal Ottawa. My husband speaks of Canada as a smart and caring nation. In the last three years of his mandate, we intend to spotlight the way our society is both smart and caring in the field of mental illness and mental health.

We are going to start by taking the Mental Health First Aid Course. Using the power of the Governor General’s Office, we will work to destigmatize those individuals with mental health problems.

We have put ourselves in reconnaissance mode, as we travel throughout the country looking for best practices and community-based mental health programs. Mental illness touches virtually all aspects of life.

The military, Aboriginal people, youth, the elderly, the incarcerated, men and women of all stripes can have mental health problems. Addiction, abuse, depression and fundamental disorders are part of the complex face of mental illness.

As part of this fact-finding mission, I attended the film premiere of The Maze, documenting William Kurelek’s battle with schizophrenia. Workman Arts, which had organized the evening, expected one hundred people to turn out for the screening.

Four hundred and ten people packed into St. Anne’s Church in west end Toronto to see and better understand mental illness through the eyes of one of Canada’s most distinguished artists. Following the film, there was a discussion on mental illness, spirituality and art in which Kurelek’s son, Stephen, participated.

The film was a raw exposure of the suffering that can occur with mental illness.

From November 9–17, the Rendezvous with Madness Film Festival, now in its 20th year, will be held at the TIFF Bell Lighthouse in Toronto, sponsored by Workman Arts.

Dozens of films from around the world will be shown, exploring themes surrounding mental illness.

Last year Rachel Scott-Mignon was recognized for raising awareness of  bipolar disorder. On the evening after she received her Diamond Jubilee Medal in February, David and I went to the Royal Ottawa to chat with her. And just this past weekend, I had the privilege of celebrating her thirtieth birthday with her wonderful family.

On Monday, David and I also met with Mike Kerrigan, who is running from Strathroy, Ontario, to Miramichi, New Brunswick, to raise awareness of mental illness in small rural communities.

He initiated this run after his sixteen-year-old son, Jacob, was accused of being a drug addict because of his erratic behavior. He was diagnosed two years later with bipolar disorder and put on appropriate medications. 

In the course of our travels across this country, we have been introduced to some extraordinary mental health models, particularly for youth.

The Algoma Model for youth with mental health problems, developed in Sault Ste. Marie, David’s and my hometown, has been adopted in ten different communities in Ontario.

And the Ranch Ehrlo Society, which was started by Geoff Pawson in 1966, has treated hundreds of Aboriginal youths in residences scattered throughout Saskatchewan.

These examples—of individuals, models, and organizations—show that we are at a tipping point in society. All we need to do now is give the destigmatization of mental health a big push.

Thank you for coming and supporting the Royal Ottawa Foundation.