Election day is fast approaching and CKDR News continues our Kenora riding candidates roundup.
Today we ask the five candidates how they and or their party plans to address addictions, substance abuse and the mental health crisis in the North.
Conservative incumbent Eric Melillo says, “That’s a big part of our plan, that’s one of our five pillars-mental health. We want to ensure that more resources are in place, especially in regions like ours in Northwestern Ontario where unfortunately we are under resourced, we are under funded and we need a lot more support.”
Melillo continues, “Those who have addictions, we need to be treating that as a health issue not a criminal issue. We need more supports in place and we’re going to be looking to make major investments through our Canada Mental Health Action plan, as well as boosting transfers to the provinces and territories for mental health care and incentivizing employers to provide mental health coverage.”
The incumbent adds, “We have to ensure that we are cracking down on drug traffickers and those who are preying on those in vulnerable situations and profiting off off that. We need to crack down on that and give law enforcement the tools they need (to do so).”
Janine Seymour of the NDP stresses, “The (COVID-19) pandemic has show that really this should be a non partisan issue because mental health, as we’re all coming out and emerging from the trauma that has been inflicted globally, should be priority.”
“There’s calls out from Northern First Nations for a youth suicide epidemic that’s inflicted on our people. The pain is being too big to bear and younger and younger people are taking their lives. This is horrific for the young people, the families and the communities.”
Seymour concludes, “Where the NDP’s platform differs, we’re looking expand mental health to get it covered under health care. Expanding out health care to include mental health, dental care and pharma care. We’re realizing that’s a need that we’re going to have to be addressing and not having those things lead to addictions and homelessness.”
Liberal David Bruno responds, “The prime minister himself has said that mental health is health. So, we’re going to continue to support those initiatives, especially with our Indigenous communities.”
“Safe injection sites, they have proven to work. In that regard when it comes to addiction and mental health, a lot of this goes hand in hand. What these sites provide is a safe environment for them (those with addictions) to get their services. There’s also support and those supports, science has shown, help get people off of their addictions. I want to see one of those in Kenora and across our region. They work, so let’s work with that.”
Craig Martin of the People’s Party says, “Substance abuse and mental health in Kenora has always been supported with lot’s of funding from federal and provincial governments and it’s always been designed to support people living on the streets. We need to take that money and provide support for people to get off the streets.”
Martin continues, “Denmark is the only country on the planet that has eliminated the homelessness by about 80 percent and they did that through a homes first plan. That requires providing people with a home to live in and providing them with counselling in order to help move them back into a stable lifestyle.”
Green Party candidate Remi Rheault says it’s not just a one sided issue.
“To understand the traumas, the PTSD, the intergenerational trauma, it takes professional people that have learned from those that have that experience.”
Rheault adds, “Creating a mentorship program of those that have life experiences to work together with those who have the educational background and professionalism to help. If you have somebody who’s actually been through it, can sit with people who have been through it and do a mentorship program of those that have walked that path and been on that journey.”
Election day is Monday September 20.
(With Files From Mike Ebbeling)
