Ottawa, Ontario, Tuesday, May 3, 2016

Thank you for inviting me to offer a few words of support and encouragement at this gala.

This is Mental Health Week, so what better time to honour those who have dedicated their talents and energy to this very important matter?

Mental health must be a priority for all of us, and the Champions of Mental Health are leaders by example. It’s a privilege to recognize their great work.

In fact, I leave tomorrow morning to visit seven communities in the Hudson Bay region. Five of them have never been visited by a governor general.

In these communities, I will be meeting with individuals who will be attending a summit on suicide prevention in Iqaluit where participants will be looking for remedies. I will bring your message of hope to all the young people I will meet while in the North.

These awards speak to all Canadians. And what they say is, ‘Mental health matters. Your work matters.’ It matters because far too many Canadians suffer from mental health difficulties, and this affects them, their families and their friends in so many ways. It affects all of us.

I thank all of you for being so engaged in mental health. Your leadership is making a difference.

I also want to make a special mention and say how very honoured I am to present the youth award in my name for the first time this year.

As you know, a significant number of mental health problems begin before the age of 18. Youth leadership is critically important, and I’m delighted to recognize some very talented and dedicated young people in the field this evening with the Sharon Johnston Champions of Mental Health Award for youth.

The Bishop Ryan’s Celtic Circle Student Leadership Club is a group of students from grades 9 to 12 dedicated to bringing awareness to mental illness.

For the past three years they have focused on reducing the stigma around mental illness and promoting the importance of an inclusive community. Through their own lived experience and passion to help others, students in the group have earned prestigious recognition and awards at the local, provincial and national level.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in congratulating these fantastic young people, the recipients of the 2016 Sharon Johnston Champion of Mental Health Award for Youth.