A private member’s bill introduced last month in the House of Commons aims to address the “alarming” rise in suicides and attempted suicides over the past year, according to Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek MP Kelly Block.
“The mental health of Canadians is being strained because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Block. “The isolation and stress people are experiencing is unprecedented, and that is having an impact on our communities.”
Block said suicide is the leading cause of death among young Canadians.
“Every 24 hours, 11 Canadians take their own life and another 275 attempt to end their life by suicide,” she said. “Recently, we have seen a 200 per cent increase in the number of suicides and suicide attempts.
“It’s a national health crisis.”
Bill C-294, sponsored by Conservative MP Todd Doherty, who represents the BC riding of Cariboo-Prince George, would amend the Telecommunications Act to ensure that a new three-digit suicide-prevention number is implemented and accessible to all Canadians within one year of its passage. The proposed ‘988’ three-digit hotline number is modelled on a similar initiative south of the border.
The United States began implementing a 988 national suicide-prevention hotline system in 2019, and its Federal Communications Commission (FCC) expects to have the new ‘National Suicide Prevention Lifeline’ operational by July 16, 2022. It will include both voice and text communications.
Block said Doherty’s private member’s bill is not likely to be voted on before Parliament recesses for the summer on June 23. But, she added, it could be on the House of Commons agenda sometime this fall. It should pass because support from all parties for the initiative is strong.
“Last December, a motion put forward by Mr. Doherty urging the establishment of a 988 three-digit suicide-prevention hotline received unanimous support from all MPs,” said Block. “Despite the deepening of this mental health crisis in the meantime, there has so far been very little movement. The last federal budget contained no funding commitment for its implementation.”
Block said suicide prevention is a non-partisan issue that affects all Canadians. She said having a simple three-digit number would greatly boost accessibility for people in crisis.
“People all know the 911 number for emergency situations,” she said. “The 988 number would not replace 911. But it would be easy to remember and accessible for everyone.”
Canada currently has a 10-digit national suicide prevention hotline number (833-456-4566) operated by the Canada Suicide Prevention Service (CSPS).
Launched in November 2017 by Crisis Services Canada, the CSPS hotline operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year in both English and French. A caller to the hotline is routed to one of several existing local crisis centres across the country that are included in the CSPS network. The Saskatoon Crisis Intervention Service crisis line (306) 933-6200) is one of eight Saskatchewan agencies that are part of the national network.
According to a December 11, 2020 online news story by iPolitics.ca reporter Charlie Pinkerton, Public Health Agency of Canada officials and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health are currently working on converting the current 10-digit crisis line to a three-digit number. They will be drawing heavily on the American model currently being implemented.
Block said she is requesting municipal governments in her constituency to support the push for a three-digit suicide-prevention hotline. A letter asking municipal councils to pass a resolution in support of the proposal was distributed last month to all 63 cities, towns and villages, as well as 32 rural municipal councils within the riding of Carlton Trail – Eagle Creek.
Martensville City Council tabled the letter from Block at a meeting on Tuesday, June 1, but did not take any action on it at that meeting.