Champions of Mental Health
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The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health Proudly Announces its 2018 Champions of Mental Health
This year’s winners in each of the seven categories are:
The Sharon Johnston Champion of Mental Health Award for Youth:Armed with an intimate knowledge of the confusion and frustrations that come from growing up with mental health challenges, Kristin Legault-Donkers wrote and published four books, the Children’s Mental Health Series. Kristin then adapted the series into an educational package that has been used at schools in London, Ontario.
Media: Traci Melchor is a true trailblazer in Canadian broadcasting, a single mother of twins, and cancer survivor. With her personal mantra “stay fabulous,” Traci has always been able to boldly articulate her ongoing struggle with mental illness and, through her work with Bell Media, brings her message and narrative “it’s okay to not be okay” to life for people across the country.
Community (Individual): Josée Parent set out to address transitional housing for young people between 18 and 35 who live with mental illness, when she created the Mon Shack…Mes Choix…Mon Avenir! organization in 2013. The first organization of its kind in the Eastern Townships where there is a lack of access to resources, Mon Shack provides bilingual services and will open a new building in June 2018.
Much more than supervised housing, Mon Shack is a real bilingual living environment open to the community to facilitate the integration and reducing the stigma surrounding mental illness.
Community (Organization): The British Columbia Aboriginal Network on Disability Society, (BCANDS) is a cross disability organization that routinely works with individuals and families living with mental illness. This work includes the ongoing effects of residential schools, racial discrimination, addictions, PTSD and other forms of mental illness. BCANDS strives to reduce barriers and bring awareness to the value and contributions that persons living with disabilities, including those living with mental illness, bring to their communities.
Researcher or Clinician: Dr. Stanley Kutcher’s work has had a significant impact on improving mental health care for youth and families. His initiatives include the development and implementation of the Mental Health and High School Curriculum Guide, the first resource of its kind in Canada, which has now been implemented in schools across the country. He also produced Transitions: Making the Most of your Campus Experience, the first of its kind to address the transition into post-secondary education, which was rolled out in the Atlantic Provinces in 2017.
Parliamentarian: Majid Jowhari is the Member of Parliament for Richmond Hill and a staunch advocate for mental health in Canada. He drafted and introduced legislation to change the criminal code to taking mental health information into account, and founded and chaired the Liberal Mental Health Caucus, and later, the Parliamentary Mental Health Caucus, reaching across party lines to bring mental health to the forefront of discussion on the Hill.
Workplace Mental Health: A long-time supporter of workplace safety and mental health, Linda Corkum recognized the need to provide mental health education and training through her role as Executive Director at the Nova Scotia Trucking Safety Association. There, she brought in The Working Mind Program making it the first trucking association in Canada to implement the program.
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The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health Proudly Announces this year’s Champions of Mental Health
This year’s winners in each of the seven categories are:
Community (Individual):
Following the tragic loss of his son to suicide, Brian Hansell was moved to make a difference in his community and create the Paul Hansell Foundation in memory of his son. Wanting to create a way to encourage people to have more meaningful conversations, Brian used his experience as an entrepreneur to create ConvoPlate, a series of plates that are passed along to encourage dialogue about mental health. Since it’s launch, the ConvoPlate has led to hundreds of passes, thousands of conversations, and an estimated $300,000 raised.
Community (Organization):
Stone Hearth Bakery opened in Halifax in 1982 with a simple goal of providing meaningful training and employment opportunities for individuals 19 years of age and older who were living with mental illness and experiencing persistent barriers to employment. Each year, approximately 65 people participate in the bakery program where, under the guidance of certified bakers, they are provided an opportunity to work in a commercial bakery while gaining employment experience, work skills and self-confidence. Stone Hearth Bakery is committed to helping the community, reinvesting all proceeds back into learning and training opportunities.
Media:
Arms Bumanlag is the Windsor Weather Anchor with CTV Windsor and radio talk show host on AM800 CKLW. On air, and on social media, where he has an extensive following, Arms openly shares his struggles with anxiety. Arms shatters the stigma around mental illness and is an advocate for the mental health community and an ambassador for the Sole Focus mental health campaign.
Research/Clinician:
Dr. Phil Tibbo has a long history of supporting the mental health community through his leadership, research and advocacy. Throughout his career, Dr. Tibbo has studied psychosis, particularly in youth and early intervention services. His work led to a large philanthropic donation, forming the Bebensee Schizophrenic Research Unit when he was in Alberta, and he was named the first Dr. Paul Janssen Chair in Psychotic Disorders at Dalhousie University in 2008. Dr. Tibbo’s community involvement also includes Board Member of the Schizophrenia Society of Canada and Chair of the SSC Foundation, and President of the Canadian Consortium for the Early Intervention in Psychosis.
Parliamentarian:
Celina Caesar-Chavannes is a proud supporter and member of the mental health community. For many years she has been an advocate for the mental health and addictions community, working with the Civic Action organization, and speaking at events from high schools and universities to CTV’s Power Play and CBC’s Power and Politics. She has been vocal about her own personal experience with mental illness and is passionate about bringing awareness and education on mental health issues to marginalized communities. Her work for the mental health community can also be noted in her passionate advocacy for the recently announced federal funding for mental healthcare.
Workplace Mental Health:
Through his work as a registered social worker and public servant, Todd Lyons hosts a podcast for and about public servants. While the podcast addresses a variety of issues, including gender violence, diversity and conflict resolution, there is a recurring theme of mental health and mental illness throughout his work. His work has been promoted by the Clerk of the Privy Council, and has launched the careers of some of his guests as mental health speakers.
The Sharon Johnston Champion of Mental Health Award for Youth:
Despite her selective mutism, Lauren Whiteway has become a vocal advocate for her condition, which is a severe form of anxiety that causes someone to be unable to speak in certain social situations. Through her blog and video series, she has reached tens of thousands of people around the world, with a distinct focus on her own community. She also created a Facebook group to increase awareness and connect parents with children who have selective mutism in Atlantic Canada. A recipient of the YMCA Peace Medallion and the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award, Lauren’s work is taking off! This year, Lauren began speaking at local high schools and the youth psychiatric unit at the local hospital to share her journey with mental illness, not only to increase selective mutism awareness, but also to reach out to others who may be struggling with mental illness.
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The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health Proudly Announces this year’s Champions of Mental Health
This year’s winners in each of the seven categories are:
Community (Individual):
Curtis Bishop’s personal journey is truly one of hope. Curtis spent several years of his life on the streets of Toronto living with mental illness. Curtis benefited from the support of a housing agency, Houselink Community Homes, where he found empowerment and took up the unofficial role of advocate for those who still struggle.
Community (Organization):
The Centre d’expertise Marie-Vincent (CEMV) is a non-profit organization that provides services to sexually abused children, aged 12 and younger, as well as their families. By bringing together medical, police, psychosocial, social and legal services under one roof, the CEMV aims to optimize interventions with these children by minimizing the stress caused by these different procedures and facilitating coordination between the various groups of professionals.
Media:
Erin Anderssen is a Senior Feature Writer at The Globe and Mail and has drawn astounding attention to the lack of accessible mental health care in Canada. As lead author of The Globe’s Open Mind series on improving mental health research, diagnosis, and treatment, she exposed the urgency of improving Canada’s mental health care system in a very public way.
Research/Clinician:
Dr. Heather Stuart is a Professor in the Department of Community Health and Epidemiology, with cross appointments to the Department of Psychiatry and the School of Rehabilitation Therapy at Queens University. She has been fighting to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness since the late 1990s. Dr. Stuart’s main research interests are in psychiatric epidemiology and mental health services. She works to describe and understand the experience of stigma from the inside – from the perspective of people who have a mental illness and their families – with the goal of reducing the stigma and ensuring that those who experience a mental illness can get the help and support they need. In February 2012, Dr. Stuart became the first Bell Mental Health and Anti-Stigma Research Chair.
Parliamentarian:
The Honourable Patty Hajdu, Member of Parliament for Thunder Bay—Superior North (Ontario) and Minister of Status of Women, served as Executive Director of the largest homeless shelter in Thunder Bay prior to entering politics. In her work, she focused on the social determinants of health and called on the federal government to better address issues around social housing, mental health, substance abuse and harm reduction. Minister Hajdu is also a former member of the Board of Directors for Alpha Court Mental Health Services.
Workplace Mental Health:
Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores) is a teaching hospital specializing in providing a range of services for those struggling with complex or severe mental illness in a Recovery oriented environment. The organization is passionate about supporting the mental and physical well-being of the employees who carry out this important work every day. In 2013, it was an early adopter of the National Standard of Canada for Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace, a project led and championed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada. As part of implementing the Standard, an Integrated Wellness Plan was created. It has five pillars: Harm Prevention; Health Promotion; Resolution of Occurrences of Harm; Organizational Culture and Sustainability and Continuous Improvement. In 2015, Ontario Shores integrated the Psychological Health Index into their Employee Opinion Survey. The results give them insight into how they are doing in achieving a psychologically safe workplace and inform action plans aimed at continuous improvement.
The Sharon Johnston Champion of Mental Health Award for Youth:
The Bishop Ryan’s Celtic Circle Student Leadership Club is a group of students from grades 9 to 12 dedicated to bringing awareness to mental illness. For the past three years they have focused on reducing the stigma around mental illness and promoting the importance of an inclusive community. Through their own lived experience and passion to help others, students in the group have earned prestigious recognition and awards at the local, provincial and national level.
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The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health Proudly Announces this year’s Champions of Mental Health
This year’s winners in each of the seven categories are:
Community (Individual):
Mr. Robb Nash is a musician who altered his own course to stardom following a serious accident. He now uses his talent and experience to speak with students in schools, youth detention facilities and First Nations communities across Canada, inspiring them to live lives of purpose. Using the power of music and story, Robb speaks to students about difficult topics such as bullying, addiction, hopelessness, self harm and suicide. He is an innovative leader in the field of youth mental health, and has brought a message of hope and purpose to almost 1 million young people across the country.
Community (Organization):
DIFD is a youth initiative run out of The Royal, which aims to support programs and initiatives in youth mental health, and most specifically suicide prevention. The organization was founded by Luke and Stephanie Richardson following the tragic loss of their daughter, Daron, to suicide.
Media:
Mr. Ted Michaels is a newscaster on AM 900 CHML radio in Hamilton, Ontario and is the voice helping to reduce the stigma around mental illness with his radio series, Wellness Wednesdays.
Research/Clinician:
Carol Hopkins is the Executive Director of the National Native Addictions Partnership Foundation. Carol has been committed to raising awareness of the foundational role of Indigenous culture in addressing substance use and mental health issues among First Nations in Canada.
Parliamentarian:
Senator Denise Batters has been an active supporter of mental health and suicide prevention. In the past five years, she has organized several charity events in honour of her late husband, former Member of Parliament Dave Batters, who suffered from anxiety and depression and died by suicide in 2009.
Workplace Mental Health:
Spectra Energy launched its “Open Minds” wellness program in 2014 for its 3700 employees in Canada. The program’s success centers around customized workplace mental health training, broad awareness campaigns and wide-ranging resources for employees, leaders and their families.
Youth:
Mr. Patrick Hickey is a grade 12 student in St-John’s, Newfoundland and co-chair of “Mental Health Matters – a whisper to a scream,” a provincial mental wellness conference hosted by Holy Heart of Mary. Patrick also sits on the steering committee for the Community Coalition For Mental Health as the Youth Outreach coordinator.
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The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health Proudly Announces this year’s Champions of Mental Health
This year’s winners in each of the six categories are:
Artbeat Studio Inc.
Community Organization:A community based, peer driven initiative providing studio space, classes and mentorship to individuals living with mental illness.
Mr. Brett Batten,
Community Individual:An individual who shared his journey with mental illness and his experiences with the correctional system to educate Members of Provincial Parliament and communities across Ontario. Additionally he works to inform Federal Politicians about the topic of individuals found Not Criminally Responsible.
Ms. Mary Walsh,
Media:A comedian and mental health advocate.
Dr. Harold Albrecht,
Parliamentarian:Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga, who sponsored Bill C-300, calling on the government to develop a Federal Framework on Suicide Prevention.
Mrs. Barbara Campbell,
Workplace Mental Health:Mentor/Coordinator for the Men at Risk program dedicated to educating employees about mental health and ultimately reducing the stigma so that people will seek treatment for mental illness.
Samantha-Maria Figueroa, Simarjeet Gill, Jennifer Pazdor and Stephanie Zabar,
Youth:Students from Sisler High School in Winnipeg, Manitoba and the Save Our Minds Project who are creating digital applications to provide information and solutions for families and parents who know someone who is experiencing mental illness.
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The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health Proudly Announces this year’s Champions of Mental Health
This year’s winners in each of the five categories are:
Eric Windeler
Community (Individual)Founder and Lead Volunteer The Jack Project, from Ontario.
mindyourmind
Community OrganizationA non-profit organization with programs for youth mental health engagement.
The Honourable Bob Rae, M.P.
ParliamentarianLiberal Leader and Member of Parliament for Toronto – Centre.
Emily Doer
Private Sector (Individual)Creator Tea for E|D A tea party fundraiser for eating disorders, from Manitoba.
Candice Waddell
Public Sector (Individual)A Registered Psychiatric Nurse who has dedicated herself to providing leadership and community advocacy projects in Nunavut.
Dr. Tina Montreuil,
ResearchA psychologist researcher in treatment of first episode psychosis at the PEPP Clinic of the Douglas Institute, McGill University.
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The Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health Proudly Announces this year’s Champions of Mental Health
This year’s winners in each of the five categories are:
Michael Landsberg
TSN Broadcaster
Community (Individual)Michael Landsberg, host of TSN’s talk show Off the Record, has used his forum to speak about his 10-year battle with clinical depression. Michael has shared his understanding by talking with athletes and their experiences with mental health. Michael had an active involvement in the 2011 Bell Let’s Talk Day which included producing a documentary “Darkness and Hope: Depression, Sports and Me”.
Cardinal Newman Peer Mentors, Stoney Creek, Ontario
Community OrganizationThe Newman Peer Mentor Club is a vibrant group of grade 9-12 students whose commitment and passion to teen mental health has helped create a program called iMATTER: Taking Care of Teen Mental Health. iMATTER involves the delivery of three interactive lessons to dispel myths, increase knowledge, decrease stigma, promote empathy, and make students aware of resources available and has been presented to each grade 9 class since 2009.
Senator W. David Angus, Q.C., Ad. E.
Chairman of the Board of the McGill University Health Centre
Public Sector (Individual)As Chairman of the Board of the McGill University Health Centre, Senator Angus was instrumental in the expansion and advancement of Mental Health facilities, services and research at the MUHC. He has also established a major endowed fund at The Montreal General Hospital Foundation – The Senator W. David Angus Award for Research in Major Psychiatric Diseases. This Award is presented annually to a deserving young clinical researcher.
Scott Chisholm
Founder of the Collateral Damage Project
Private Sector (Individual)Scott is committed to creating a proactive dialogue on suicide to get rid of the stigma that surrounds it by showing portraits of those who have lost loved ones and friends to suicide. Further, he advocates for gatekeeper training as a way of continuing a knowledge-based dialogue for professionals and community members as a whole.
Dr Trang Dao,
Psychiatric researcher and advocate for the mentally ill
ResearcherDr. Dao served on the Executive Committee of the Canadian Medical Association and acted as their representative to the Association of Vietnamese Physicians, Dentists and Pharmacists of the Free World, and worked on their Refugee and Social and Professional Affairs Committees at both levels. Her personal satisfaction is based on healing the sick and equipping the most disadvantaged members of society so that they can recover their dignity, rights and freedom.
Champions Gala 2012
Reflections About the Champions of Mental Health Awards 1
Reflections About the Champions of Mental Health Awards 2
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George Cope
President and CEO, Bell Canada and BCE Inc.
2011 Champions of Mental Health, Private SectorMr. Cope is a Canadian telecommunications executive who has served in public-company CEO roles in the industry for more than 15 years prior to joining Bell in 2005. In 2010, Bell Canada pledged to donate $50 million to support mental health and anti-stigma initiatives over the next five years. To date Bell, through the Bell Mental Health initiative, has contributed more than $10 million to mental health organizations and charities across Canada. The Initiative has also raised millions through the 5 cents for each text and LD call made by Bell and Bell Aliant customers on Bell Let’s Talk Day. Through their generous commitment to mental illness and health issues in Canada, Bell Canada and George Cope have helped open the dialogue and reduce stigma.
Hon. Lisa Raitt, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Labour
2011 Champion of Mental Health, Public SectorMinister Raitt was first elected to the House of Commons in 2008 and was appointed the Minister of Labour in January 2010. As Minister of Labour, she has made many contributions to bettering workplace standards and creating healthy environments for employees and employers. Minister Raitt has worked alongside the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) to help develop a national standard in Canada for psychological health and safety in the workplace. In order to help implement the new standards, the Federal government has pledged $320,000 to the MHCC through a partnership between Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. Minister Raitt is committed to creating a workplace that is accommodating for everyone who experiences mental illness.
Dr. Martin Antony
Chair, Department of Psychology, Ryerson University
2011 Champion of Mental Health, ResearchDr. Antony is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Psychology at Ryerson University in Toronto. He is also Director of Research at the Anxiety Treatment and Research Centre at St. Joseph’s Healthcare in Hamilton, Ontario, and past president of the Canadian Psychological Association. Dr. Antony has written many books on mental disorders, treatments and assessment models. He has also published more than 150 scientific articles and book chapters in the area, including cognitive behavior therapy, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, social phobia, specific phobia, perfectionism, and other related topics. Dr. Antony has served on the Boards of Directors for the Society of Clinical Psychology and the Association for Behavioral and Cognitive Therapies, and as Program Chair for several mental health organizations across North America. Dr. Antony demonstrates true leadership and a commitment to research and education regarding mental illness.
AMI- Québec
2011 Champion of Mental Health
Community OrganizationAMI-Québec is a grassroots organization whose goals are to provide support to help families manage the effects of mental illness through education, guidance and advocacy. They build up communities of people who are supportive and understanding and create an atmosphere that encourages recovery. In order to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness, AMI-Québec conducts fundraising projects in their community to bring awareness to the prevalence of mental illness. As part of their goal to help those dealing with mental illness, they offer workshops, programs, suggested readings, round table discussions, and other seminars, which provide valuable information on mental health and related issues to consumers, families, employers and other organizations.
David Granirer
Founder, Stand Up For Mental Health
2011 Champion of Mental Health, Community (Individual)David Granirer is a counsellor, stand-up comic, speaker, and author of The Happy Neurotic: How Fear and Angst Can Lead To Happiness and Success. He has taught stand-up comedy to recovering drug addicts and cancer patients, and is the founder of Stand Up For Mental Health, a project teaching stand-up comedy to people with mental illness as a way of building confidence and fighting public stigma.Mental health organizations across Canada and the U.S. bring him in to train their members to do stand-up comedy and perform at events and conferences. His work is featured in the VOICE Award winning CBC Passionate Eye documentary Cracking Up.Through his own battle with depression he discovered the healing power of humour and made it his mission to share it with as many people as possible. David also gives laughter in the workplace presentations to hundreds of organizations across North America, helping them use humor to decrease stress, increase wellness, and cope with change.
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Dr. Paulette C. Tremblay
CEO, National Aboriginal Health Organization (NAHO)
Champion – First Nations, Inuit and MétisDr. Tremblay is a Mohawk, Turtle Clan, from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory in Southern Ontario and a veteran who served in the United States Navy during the time of the Vietnam War. As CEO of NAHO, Dr. Tremblay is committed to influencing and advancing the health and well-being of First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities across Canada, including advocacy and support for mental health services. NAHO also has a special focus on youth and is committed to initiatives that build capacity, enhance access to information, give First Nations, Inuit and Métis youth a voice, and prepare them for the future. Dr. Tremblay is specifically being honoured for NAHO’s Honouring Life Network (HLN), which provides crucial resources and support for youth who are struggling with thoughts of suicide, as well as vital support and resources for suicide prevention workers in First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities.
Michael McCain
President and CEO, Maple Leaf Foods
Champion – Private SectorOriginally from Florenceville, New Brunswick, Michael McCain has made his mark on the Canadian business world as one of Canada’s top CEOs. He joined Maple Leaf Foods as President and Chief Operating Officer in April 1995 and was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in January 1999. Mr. McCain is a strong advocate for mental health and has spoken publicly on numerous occasions about the importance of working to overcome challenges and eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness. Together with his family, Mr. McCain recently funded the redevelopment of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health’s (CAMH) Mood and Anxiety Alternate Milieu Building, which has since been named The McCain Building. The building provides a comfortable environment that promotes recovery in people experiencing mood and anxiety disorders. In addition, he sits on the board for the CAMH Foundation, where he continues to publicly support the cause.
Dr. Brian G. Bexton
President, Association des médecins psychiatres du Québec
Champion – ResearchDoctor Brian G. Bexton is a psychiatrist, psychoanalyst and associate clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Montréal. He demonstrates true leadership and a commitment to public education regarding mental illness by providing information and resources, fighting prejudice, and supporting community agencies in the field. Bexton has practiced at the Clinique spécialisée des maladies affectives, at the l’Hôpital du Sacré-Cœur de Montréal since 1979. He has held several positions within the Association des médecins psychiatres du Québec since 1986, and has been the Association’s president since 1998. He serves as vice-president of Association REVIVRE, an organization in which he has been actively involved for nearly 20 years. In 2008, he published Vivre avec une personne depressive with Bayard Canada, a book that helps to demystify mental illness. Thanks to his extensive clinical experience, Dr. Bexton is also a frequent lecturer at conferences for physicians, psychiatrists and the general public.
Howard Sapers
Correctional Investigator of Canada
Champion – Public SectorWith a long history of public service, Mr. Sapers has a strong background in corrections, rehabilitation of offenders and crime-prevention. His work has often brought him to the intersection of mental health and criminal justice. While working for the John Howard Society of Alberta, he conceived and produced a series of four illustrated children’s books dealing with the arrest, incarceration and return of a parent. His volunteer experience includes a term as a member of a program audit committee for the Alberta Branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association and from 1993 to 2001, he was elected as an Alberta MLA representing Edmonton Glenora, where among his many roles, he served as health critic. In his capacity as the Correctional Investigator of Canada, Mr. Sapers draws attention to the importance of providing support for offenders living with mental health challenges and in January 2010, he delivered the keynote lecture at the Ting Forum on Justice Policy regarding offenders living with mental disorders. By helping to introduce changes into the corrections system that ensure inmates have access to and receive mental health services, he is helping to facilitate necessary support programs for those who need them.
Laura Burke
Concordia University, Master’s in Drama Therapy student
Champion – YouthMs. Burke has made outstanding contributions to the field of mental health in Canada, working to raise awareness, fight biases and stigma, and contribute to community organizations. She has given talks on recovery for the Nova Scotia Early Psychosis Program and acted as a peer support worker at Laing House, a drop-in centre for youth living with mental illness. When at Laing, she also ran a drama group and a writer’s circle, and was constantly inspired by the courage, resilience and determination of the youth she worked with. In 2008 she recorded an album of her spoken word poetry about her journey through schizophrenia and recovery, and in 2009, she began her role at the Schizophrenia Society of Nova Scotia as a peer support facilitator. Ms. Burke has showed continued dedication to the field of mental health, and has bravely drawn on her own experience with schizophrenia to positively impact her community. Ms. Burke strongly believes that social inclusion, unconditional acceptance, and the opportunity to use creativity as a force of healing are invaluable, too often overlooked components of recovery. After graduation, Ms. Burke hopes to research and practice drama therapy to improve negative and cognitive symptoms in youth experiencing first episode psychosis.
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The Hon. Peter MacKay, P.C., M.P.
Minister of National Defence
Champion – Public SectorThe department of National Defence has brought forward significant funding and support of mental health initiatives within the Canadian Forces (CF). Minister MacKay has made several personal comments concerning mental health and mental illness issues among Canadian Forces members, many of which are on the public record. Minister MacKay’s commitments have led to the hiring of additional mental health practitioners for the military, the creation of several support centres across the country as well as the launch of the CF Mental Health Awareness Campaign “Be the Difference”.
Gen. Walter Natynczyk
Canadian Chief of Defence Staff
Champion – Public SectorGen. Natynczyk’s has played a leadership role in the launching the CF Mental Health Awareness Campaign “Be the Difference”. His commitments have helped reduce the stigma associated with mental illness in the military and encouraged soldiers with mental health issues, specifically operational stress injuries, to come forward and seek help.
LCol. Stéphane Grenier
Director of Casualty Support Management at National Defence
Champion – Public SectorLCol. Grenier is recognized because of his and his department’s work on the Operational Stress Injury Social Support Program (OSISS). This program is designed to reduce pervasive stigma and improve social support for CF members, veterans and their families affected by operational stress injuries. LCol. Grenier’s commitment to this program has helped increased awareness of mental health services available to soldiers.
The Hon. Dr. Maggie Hodgson
Champion – First Nations, Inuits, and MétisDr. Hodgson is extensively involved in Aboriginal health initiatives in Canada. As the Founder and Executive Director of the Nechi Institute on Alcohol and Drug Education, Dr. Hodgson has been the driving force behind many Aboriginal health initiatives including mental health and addictions, family violence, sexual abuse, and residential schools. She is one of the main supporters of mental illness, addiction and support programs in the Aboriginal community.
Margaret Trudeau
Champion – MediaMs. Trudeau made the courageous decision to share her experiences of living with bipolar disorder. Ms. Trudeau’s actions and advocacy have deepened the awareness of mental illness across the country, and have inspired others living with mental illness to speak out and to seek help when they need it.
Dr. Donald A. Wasylenki
Champion – ResearchDr. Wasylenki is extensively involved in mental health research in Canada. He has provided exceptional leadership to the Keenan Research Centre of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute of St. Michael’s Hospital through supporting the development of innovative programs and treatments for the organization and delivery of mental health services.
Mary Ann Baynton
Program Director, Great West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace
Champion – Private SectorMs. Bayton is commitment to increasing education and understanding of mental illnesses in the workplace through the Great West Life Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace. Her advocacy has mobilized employers to take action on mental health issues, and her outstanding leadership has promoted awareness of the prevalence of mental illness across the country.
Laurie Hall
Executive Director, A-WAY Express
Champion – CommunityMs. Hall is extensively involved in the mental health community through A-WAY Express, a not-for-profit courier service that provides jobs for people who live with mental health issues. Ms. Hall has provided a supportive environment and exceptional leadership in consumer-survivor initiatives and is a driving force behind the reducing the stigma of mental illness.
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Right Hon. Stephen Harper, P.C., M.P.
Prime Minister of Canada
Champion – Public SectorStephen Harper is the first Prime Minister in the history of Canada to be so willing to talk about mental illness and mental health issues openly and with conviction. As a result of his actions, Canada is now undertaking major and transformative steps forward in the way we approach mental health. Mr. Harper has been selected to receive a Champions of Mental Health Award because of the leadership and vision his government demonstrated when they established the Mental Health Commission of Canada, and provided funding for the Mental Health and Homelessness Research Initiative.
Ms. Shelagh Rogers
CBC
Champion – MediaShelagh Rogers, former host of CBC Radio’s Sounds Like Canada, is recognized across Canada for her willingness to talk about mental health issues. Ms. Rogers has experienced and overcome depression, and speaks out about her illness to raise awareness about mental illness in Canada and inspire others to seek help. She also produced a radio series called “A Cruel Confusion” that exposed the challenges facing families of the mentally ill. Ms. Rogers is receiving a Champions of Mental Health Award for her advocacy towards mental illness and mental health issues, and her courage to speak openly about her illness on the national stage.
Ms. Mary Simon
President, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami
Champion – AboriginalMary Simon is the President of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, the national voice of Canada’s Inuit. She has devoted her life’s work towards gaining further recognition of Aboriginal rights and to achieving social justice for Inuit and other Aboriginal peoples nationally and internationally. Ms. Simon has contributed to the creation and promotion of a national strategy for mental health, an anti-stigma campaign, and a centre for learning through her role on the board of the Mental Health Commission of Canada. She is receiving a Champions of Mental Health Award for her invaluable contribution to advancing mental health issues facing Inuit communities.
Mr. Lloyd Craig
President & CEO, Coast Capital Savings
Champion – Private SectorLloyd Craig is the President & CEO of Coast Capital Savings Credit Union, Canada’s second largest credit union. Mr. Craig’s personal commitment to increase education and understanding of mental illnesses in the workplace has mobilized employers to take action on mental health issues. He has created an increased demand for mental health research in British Columbia, which prompted the provincial government to establish a Chair in Depression Research at UBC and a provincial business and economic roundtable on mental health. Mr. Craig is receiving a Champions of Mental Health Award for his outstanding leadership and advocacy of mental health in the private sector.
Dr. Alain LeSage
Centre de recherche Fernand-Seguin
Champion – HealthDr. Alain LeSage is a researcher at the Centre de recherche Fernand-Seguin in Montreal, where he conducts research on etiology, prevention and treatment of severe mental illnesses. He has contributed significantly to evaluative, epidemiological and health services approaches for people with mental health issues. Dr. LeSage’s involvement with the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry has helped put mental illness on the map. Dr. LeSage is receiving a Champions of Mental Health Award for his commitment to mental health research and helping Canadians dealing with mental illness to lead healthier and happier lives.
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The Hon. Tony Clement,
Minister of Health – Public SectorThe award recognizes his ongoing contribution to advancing the mental health agenda in Canada and for his work in establishing the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
Phil Fontaine,
National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations – AboriginalThe award recognizes the work he has done resolving the residential schools issue. By resolving this issue he has brought some justice and closure to more than one hundred and fifty thousand First Nations students who attended the network of schools.
The Hon. James Bartleman,
former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario – CommunityThe award recognizes his courage in speaking about his own experience with depression, his commitment to eliminating the stigma of mental illness and promoting literacy and wellness among Aboriginal youth in Ontario’s fly-in First Nation communities.
Moya Greene,
CEO of Canada Post – CorporateThe award recognizes her commitment to advancing mental illness and mental health issues in corporate Canada and her support for this cause as a participant in the Global Business and Economic roundtable, an instrument of information analysis and ideas concerning the linkage between business, the economy, mental health and work.
Andre Picard,
Globe and Mail – MediaThe award recognizes his empathetic, credible and passionate coverage of mental health issues such as depression and suicide and his thoughtful and persuasive article supporting the establishment of the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
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The Honourable Steven Fletcher,
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health,
is the 2006 Champion of Mental Health, Public SectorThe award recognizes his ongoing contribution to advancing the mental health agenda in Canada and for his work in advocating for and advancing the implementation of a National Mental Health Strategy.
Ms. Denise Taylor,
Aboriginal Policy Coordinator for Interior Health,
is the 2006 Champion of Mental Health, AboriginalThe award recognizes her ability to work within the mental healthcare system and improve it for all Canadians, but specifically for those in Aboriginal communities.
Mrs. Jocelyne Monty,
Chair of the Board of Directors of the Mental Illness Foundation,
is the 2006 Champion of Mental Health, CommunityThe award recognizes her ability to focus much needed attention on issues related to mental health and to raise money to run programs dedicated to increasing awareness about and lowering the stigma attached to mental illness.
Dr. Paula Stewart MD, FRCPC,
Senior Medical Officer,
Public Health Agency of Canada,
is the 2006 Champion of Mental Health, ResearchThe award recognizes the significant contribution she has made to collecting, collating, and interpreting data on mental illness in Canada. Her work will influence how Canada deals with the growing social and economic challenges associated with mental illness for years to come.
Senator Michael J.L. Kirby & Senator Wilbert Keon
are the 2006 recipients of the Champions Leadership AwardAn award established this year to recognize the contribution of individuals or groups who not only effect positive change in their personal actions, but also inspire others to make Canada a better place for the millions of Canadians who live with a mental illness. Under their direction, the Standing Senate Committee on Public Affairs, Science and Technology has become increasingly focused on Canada’s health care system. In May 2006, the Committee released Out of the Shadows at Last, a groundbreaking report that will significantly influence how Canada deals with the growing social and economic challenges associated with mental illness.
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Lt. – Gen. The Honourable R.A. Dallaire, Senator
is 2005 National Champion of Mental Health, Public SectorThe award recognizes his work to bring an understanding of post – traumatic stress disorder to the wider Canadian public.
The Honourable Ujjal Dosanjh, P.C., M.P.
is 2005 National Champion of Mental Health, Public SectorThe award recognizes his ongoing dialogue with the mental health community and his commitment to taking a more comprehensive, integrated approach to dealing with mental illness in the workplace.
Vicki Gabereau,
Broadcaster
is the 2005 National Champion of Mental Health, MediaThe award recognizes the sensitive and compassionate way she has dealt with issues of mental illness and mental health during her career as well as her involvement with community mental health initiatives.
Edith Jacobson Low – Beer
is the 2005 National Champion of Mental Health, CommunityThe award recognizes her longstanding contribution and dedication as the president of the EJLB Foundation to neuroscience research and to community organizations that support victims of mental illness and their families.
The Honourable Mr. Justice Edward F. Ormston
is the 2005 National Champion of Mental Health, JudiciaryThe award recognizes his pioneering efforts in the establishment of Canada’s first mental health court.
Dr. James B. Waldram
is the 2005 National Champion of Mental Health, AboriginalThe award recognizes his contribution to cultural and mental health research in North American Aboriginal communities.
Bill Wilkerson
is the 2005 National Champion of Mental Health, CorporateThe award recognizes his establishment of the Global Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health, a network of business, health and education leaders who are working together to reduce the prevalence of mental illness in the labour force.
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Stanley Kutcher, MD
is the 2004 National Champion of Mental Health, ResearchThe award is in recognition of his work in the area of child and adolescent psychiatry and as a leading figure in the development of research, education and clinical-community services in this area.
Guy Latraverse
is presented the 2004 National Champion of Mental Health, Culture AwardA leader in the performing arts for decades, Mr. Latraverse is being recognized for founding Revivre, an organization that supports those with bipolar disorder, depression and anxiety disorders, and for his creative production of several television programs on the issue.
William Julius Mussell
is honoured with the 2004 National Champion of Mental Health, Aboriginal AwardCAMIMH would like to recognize Mr. Mussell’s work within aboriginal communities regarding mental illness and mental health.
Hon. Andy Scott, PC, MP
is the 2004 National Champion of Mental Health, GovernmentMr. Scott is being recognized for his work during his tenure as Chair of the Justice and Human Rights Standing Committee, in leading a review of the Mental Disorder Provisions of the Criminal Code.
Anna Maria Tremonti
is this year’s National Champion of Mental Health, MediaMs. Tremonti has been raising awareness of mental health issues through her insightful and probing look at the state of mental health services in Canada, her broadcasts have educated and enlightened the Canadian public on a range of topics such as; Neurodiveristy, Schizophrenia, Bi-polar Disorder and Woodsman Disease.
Hon. Michael H. Wilson, PC, OC
is presented the 2004 National Champion of Mental Health, CorporateIn honour of his activities in the field of mental illness including his role as Chairman of the Mental Health Implementation Taskforce for Toronto and Peel, Chairman of the NeuroScience Canada Partnership and Senior Chairman of the Business and Economic Roundtable on Addiction and Mental Health.
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The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology
was presented with a 2003 National Champion of Mental Health Award in the government categorySenator Michael Kirby, chair of the Senate Committee, accepted the award on behalf of the Senate Committee members, many of whom attended the luncheon. The Committee was in the process of conducting a study on mental health.
Member of Parliament Dr. Carolyn Bennett
also received a National Champion of Mental Health Award in the government categoryDr. Bennett had been serving as Chair of the Sub-Committee on the Status of Persons with Disabilities of the Standing Committee on Human Resources Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities.
John Hunkin, President and CEO of the CIBC group of companies,
Was honoured as a Champion in the corporate sector
Dr. Remi Quirion,
Scientific Director of the Institute of Neurosciences, Mental Health and AddictionsReceived a Champion of Mental Health award for research
Rona Maynard, editor of Chatelaine Magazine,
Received a Champion award for her work in the media to raise awareness about mental health issues.