This headline was actually inspired by this column but fit because I was able to sit down with my local MLA Cam Broten and the NDP Health Critic Judy Junor on Tuesday to talk about the increase in mental health issue i see while at work. It was a good way to spend some time and it was a fruitful discussion. Judy brought a plethora of experience from her time as Associate Health Minister during her time on the government side of the legislature and gave me some insightful background.
One of the things that came out of it for me is that mental health issues and government doesn’t seem to a partisan issue, both parties have struggled coming up with a mental health plan going back decades now. The first time it hit the radar for me was when the Grant Devine Tories shut down many of the facilities in Saskatchewan but never introduced the community supports to help their patients live independently in the communities. Of course without a strong advocacy group, how could you expect anyone to increase funding during some of the deepest spending cuts in Canadian history during the 1990s. Lately I have been reading about some the impact on society that FASD has had as well. it’s no small issue and again, there are limited community supports available. So it’s not really a NDP or Sask Party issue but it is a societal one and I don’t really see a long term government plan to address it.
Of course if you are a Sask Party MLA or one of Saskatchewan’s few Liberals, I am more than willing to give you a piece of my mind and lobby you on the issue as well.
