PC government would restore mental health unit

Many of us have never gotten over the shock and disappointment we felt when the Liberals closed the Aberdeen Hospital short stay mental health unit. They called it a ‘temporary” closure. That was almost two years ago.

The Health Authority can produce all the statistics they want to try to convince us that the unit wasn’t - and isn’t - needed but we know different. They can use those alternative facts and figures to try to confuse us but it won’t work.

We know the truth. For four years, I have been working with you to shine the light on the truth – and the need – by bringing forward legislation like Cayley’s Law, which was designed to support youth mental health, and the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Act.

The Liberals didn’t even bat an eye at these. Completely disinterested. Well, shame on them. We have the right to expect better from government. The Liberals have consistently turned their back on those in need and it’s time we take a stand together in this election, and demand a government that will return a full service mental health unit to the Aberdeen. A PC government will do this.

Also, we have a great resource in our Mental Health Nurses. Wouldn’t it be great to see school boards provide students with access to in-school health services provided by these qualified health professionals? In fact, let’s make school mental health training programs available to all secondary school teachers. We can have this.

Finally, it still baffles me that we are not providing standardized access and services to all women and their families who experience the loss of a pregnancy or the death of an infant. Why not? There is no good reason.

I will keep up the fight for these common-sense initiatives. Are you with me?

Tim Houston

PC Candidate for Pictou East