Hon. Sharon Burey: Dear colleagues, today I rise to draw your attention to Children’s Mental Health Week, May 1 to 7, 2023.

Mental health exists on a continuum. Talking about mental health or illness can be stressful because it is so close to home for so many of us. Approximately 1.2 million children and youth in Canada experience a mental health disorder, but fewer than 20% receive appropriate treatment. Early intervention and supports for children, youth and their parents result in significant net cost savings.

The pandemic laid bare the systemic cracks in our public health, social welfare and education systems. Pandemic-spurred investments in mental health services are encouraging, but we will need data and accountability measures.

I devoted my career to some of these very issues. The Mental Health Commission of Canada, which originated from this very body and the work of Senator Kirby — who produced the landmark report Out of the Shadows at Last: Transforming Mental Health, Mental Illness and Addiction Services in Canada — continues to provide recommendations and a path forward.

Children with neurodevelopmental, reading and learning challenges are especially vulnerable to mental health problems. That is why as a pediatric community leader, I joined with many other advocates, led by the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s inquiry entitled Right to Read, to advocate for evidence-based, structured literacy interventions in all Ontario schools. This will reduce the development of mental health problems. This is now part of Ontario’s language curriculum. Sadly, this is not the case in every province. We have work to do.

We must reckon with how social policies and racism affect lifelong physical, mental, economic and justice outcomes, and how developing resilience and promoting resilient, safe and nurturing environments will make Canada a place where we can all succeed.

My message to children and young people: We need you. Canada needs you, your ideas, your creativity and your innovation. You are 100% of our future. Thank you.