MPs unanimously vote to support motion to create suicide preventional hotline

As hopes start to rise with the arrival of vaccines to stem the physical and mental abuse of the COVID-19 pandemic has brought with it–turning life upside down for Canadians and others around the world–there is no escaping the intense stress and the dark thoughts and feelings of hopelessness that the coronavirus has brought into so many lives.

Take suicide.

In a normal year–according the Public Health Agency of Canada–an average of 11 persons take their own life every day–about 4,000 persons a year.

In Canada, a study in June by the Canadian Mental Health Association in partnership with researchers at the University of British Columbia found more and more Canadians are thinking of suicide, though final figures are, of course, not in and some areas, such as British Columbia, are seeing the rate go down.

(A report in The Economist in October asked the question, “Will the economic and psychological costs of covid-19 increase suicides?” and concluded it was too early to say but noted that–world-wide–the signs are ‘ominous.”)

Still, conflicting evidence or not, the dangers–shrinking or enlarging–of possible suicides have not escaped the notice of Canadian politicians.

On Friday, members of the House of Commons appeared to take a giant step in doing something about it.

The CBC’s Catherine Cullen reports the MPs moved a step closer to establishing a national three-digit suicide prevention hotline–supporting a motion introduced in November by British Columbia Conservative Party MP Todd Doherty.

“When minutes count, help should only be three digits away,” Doherty told the Commons, asking for support.

“I know [that], like me, many of our colleagues have experienced the pain, loss, guilt and anger of suicide,” Doherty said.

“We can leave a legacy of action by breaking the stigma associated with mental illness and mental injury and eliminating unnecessary barriers for Canadians who chose to seek help,” he said.

Doherty’s motion passed unanimously.

Among other things The Canadian Mental Health Association survey found that 1 in 20 Canadians (6%) had recently experienced thoughts or feelings of suicide as a result of the pandemic, with a more glaring warning sign pointing to certain groups.

As well, it found that suicidal thoughts/feelings during the pandemic were more common for the following people:

• 1 in 5 people who already had mental illness or mental health issues (18%)
• 1 in 6 Indigenous people (16%)
• 1 in 7 with a disability (15%)
• 1 in 7 who identify as LGBTQ+ (14%)
• 1 in 10 parents of kids under 18 (9%)

According to Public Health Agency of Canada:

• A third of the deaths of deaths by suicide are among people 45–59 years
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth and adults (15 to-34)
• Suicide rates are three times higher among men compared to women.

Cullen reports that Health Minister Patty Hajdu has said she wants to do more to support Canadians struggling with mental health issues and that on Nov 30, in response to a question from Doherty, she explicitly said she likes the idea of a nationwide hotline and wants to work with him to make it happen more quickly.

With files from CBC News (Catherine Cullen), RCI