Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the past four months, we've witnessed five tragedies that have deeply saddened the families, friends, our communities, and myself. Unfortunately, these types of tragedies happen across the world daily. I know it's very difficult to talk about, but it needs to be spoken about here today. Mr. Speaker, mental illness has long been misunderstood and unfairly judged. We need to strive to break this stigma. Mental illnesses are not a choice. They often make life difficult for those who suffer from them, as well as their family and friends. When looking at this topic, there seems to be some confusion between mental health and mental illness. People often think that the terms are interchangeable. However, mental health and mental illness are not the same thing, but they are not mutually exclusive.
A fundamental difference between mental health and mental illness is that everyone has some same level of mental health all the time, just like physical health, whereas it is possible to be without mental illness. Mental illness is extremely prevalent in Canada and around the world. However, the main burden of the illness is concentrated in much smaller proportions. Around 6 per cent, or one in 17, suffer from serious illness. It is important to remember mental health and mental illness are not static. They change over time depending on many factors. Some of the factors that affect mental health includes a level of personal and workplace stress, lifestyle, and mental behaviour, exposure to trauma, and genetics.
When a demand is placed on any individual that exceeds these resources and coping ability, their mental health will be negatively affected. Mr. Speaker, I believe we need to get more people trained in this area. The Minister for Health and Social Services spoke about mental health first aid as a good step, and I agree with him. However, I'd like to encourage the government to look at other programs such as the program being offered by the NWT Recreation and Parks Association, Strengthening Children's Mental Health. This program provides tools and suggested activities to use with staff to help improve and understand interaction with people. We need to use all tools to help our people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.