Whether showing support, raising awareness or fighting the stigma — talking about mental health makes a difference.

Senators prove their commitment to this important social issue through their continued work on legislation, reports and advocacy relating to mental health. 

More than 10 years ago, in 2006, the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology released Out of the Shadows at Last, its final report in a groundbreaking series on mental health, known as the Kirby reports (named after the committee’s chair at the time, former senator Michael Kirby). The report led to the creation of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.

More recently, senators have continued their work relating to mental health policy. Many committees have examined mental health issues in the context of studies on dementia, the prison system, housing in Canada’s north and the Syrian refugee program. Senators have also backed a campaign on autism awareness and a yearly initiative to increase physical activity.