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May 3rd, 2019

NDP Calls for All-Party Support for Suicide Prevention Motion M-174

OTTAWA – On Thursday, NDP MPs Charlie Angus (Timmins—James Bay) and Don Davies (Vancouver Kingsway) were joined by suicide prevention expert Jack Hicks to call for all-party support for motion M-174, which calls on the government to establish a national suicide prevention action plan.

“I’ve been seeing the effects of suicide on communities and families first-hand for as long as I’ve been an MP,” said Angus. “It’s time that we say ‘not one more’ to suicide in Canada. I urge my colleagues in other parties to support this important, non-partisan motion.”
“Canada urgently needs a comprehensive action plan for suicide prevention,” added Davies. “It’s simply unacceptable that we remain among the only developed countries without a national approach, despite a long-standing recommendation to this effect from the World Health Organization.”
“The province of Quebec is a world leader in suicide prevention, having reduced its overall suicide rate by 30% and its youth suicide rate by 50%,” said Hicks. “The federal government funds the National Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy, and recently developed a national suicide prevention strategy for veterans. It’s time the government and the opposition comes together and puts in a place an evidence-informed suicide prevention strategy for all Canadians.”