Sign petition for mental health day

Dear Editor: I, Myles Mattila, writing as a student, a mental health advocate, a junior hockey player of Kelowna and a community leader, support Petition E-1736, recognizing Oct. 10 as World Mental Health Day and I urge all Canadians to sign this online document.

The petition, initiated by Carol Todd of Port Coquitlam on June 11 says: Whereas: — Mental health affects all Canadians at some time in their lives, possibly through a family member, or friend;

— In any given year, one in five Canadians experience a mental health illness or addiction problem. By the time Canadians reach 40 years of age, one in two have — or have had — a mental illness;

— Almost one in 10 adults will have gone through a major depression at some point in their lives, and the total number of 12-19 year olds in Canada at risk for developing depression is a staggering 3.2 million;

— Canadian youth who experience early adversity such as childhood trauma, are more likely to develop mental health problems of all severity;

— An estimated 1.2 million children and youth in Canada are affected by mental illness, and 75 per cent of all mental disorders show their first onset before the age of 25;

— Among Canadian aged 15 to 24 years old, suicide is the second leading cause of death. Within Indigenous communities, the suicide rate if five to seven times higher than the broader Canadian average; and

— World Mental Health Day is observed on Oct. 10 each year to raise awareness of mental health issues, advocate to end the social stigma of mental health and to mobilize efforts in support of mental health.

We the undersigned, Citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to designate Oct. 10 every year as World Mental Health Day in Canada.

Sponsor Ron McKinnon, Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam, Liberal.

Open for signatures June 11. Closed for signatures Oct. 9. Myles Mattila, Kelowna