For Immediate Release
February 11, 2009

ELLIOTT CALLS FOR MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE TO BE STRUCK

(Whitby) – Two months after Progressive Conservative MPP Christine Elliott’s Private Member’s Resolution was passed in the Legislature with unanimous consent on a voice vote, a mental health committee has yet to be assembled.

Elliott’s resolution called for an all party Select Committee to be established immediately in order to develop a comprehensive Mental Health and Addictions strategy for the Province of Ontario.  The Resolution would allow the all party committee to conduct hearings and undertake research to enhance and coordinate the delivery of mental health and addictions services within the province.

“This could not come at a better time for the residents of Whitby – Oshawa, and Durham Region as a whole,” commented Elliott.  “In a time when job losses locally, and across the province, are approaching record numbers,” Elliott says,  “I fear that our already overburdened mental health care system may not be prepared to serve an even greater number of clients,”.  With automotive job losses and the subsequent local economic fallout, it is predicted that mental health care demands will increase significantly over the coming year.

Despite several requests of Health Minister David Caplan to press for immediate establishment of this committee, there has still been no formal call to begin hearings.
“I want to hit the ground running when the Legislature reconvenes,” said Elliott, “The time for action is now”.

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For more information:
Christine Elliott, MPP
Whitby-Oshawa
905-430-1141