Canadian Senate panel calls for funding for mentally ill

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CTV.ca News Tue. May. 9 2006

A Senate committee is recommending raising taxes on beer, wine and alcohol to pay for $536 million a year in mental health initiatives.

The Senate social affairs committee also proposes the creation of a permanent Canadian Mental Health Commission in its final report, entitled "Out of the Shadows at Last."

Its mandate would be to educate Canadians about mental health. The commission would also create a national Knowledge Exchange Centre and would oversee a 10-year national anti-stigma campaign.

Another notable recommendation in the report was the development of 57,000 affordable housing units for people living with mental illness.

The cost would be funded by raising the excise tax by five cents a drink. That translates to five cents a beer, 25 cents on a bottle of wine and 85 cents on a bottle of alcohol.

The change would not apply to light beer. In fact, the Senate report recommends cutting or eliminating taxes on drinks with a lower alcohol content.

"We understand that change costs money," said Liberal Senator Michael Kirby, the head of the committee.

"The committee's proposal to increase the federal excise tax on alcohol by a nickel a drink will help to shift consumption to lower-alcohol products while also covering most of the cost of the proposed Mental Health Transition Fund."
The Senate committee made a total of 118 recommendations in its final report released Tuesday.

It had previously released three interim reports on the topic of mental illness, mental health and addiction in Canada in November 2004.
The final report was applauded by numerous mental health and well-being advocacy groups.

"I think the committee has done a marvelous job," said Dr. Donald Milliken, president of the Canadian Psychiatric Association.

"Particularly this idea there should be parity between serious physical illnesses and serious mental illnesses.

"In a society such as ours, it really is important we provide for these people the best possible care that we can," Milliken told CTV Newsnet.

The Schizophrenia Society of Canada (SSC) also applauded the report, saying it is a welcome first step toward establishing a national strategy to deal with mental health issues.

"This report provides a blueprint to build an innovative and leading edge mental health system that will enhance services and outcomes for Canadians living with psychiatric illnesses," said SSC President John Gray.

"We congratulate the Senate Standing Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology for its important work and Senator Kirby for his leadership on this initiative."

The report says one-fifth of the population will experience mental illness at some point.

SSC Chief Executive Officer Mary Jardine encouraged Ottawa to move quickly to implement the committee's recommendations, particularly the establishment of a Canadian Mental Health Commission.

"The sooner these measures are put in place, the sooner we will begin to see improvements for all Canadians living with mental illness," she said.

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Michael McCafferty comments:
As a person who has a mental illness I am very pleased that the Senate of Canada committee on
Social Affairs has put together a 'major' report on mental health in Canada with very progressive and positive recommendations. I do hope the Government of Canada will implement most if not all of the report.