Governor General launches Mental Health Learning and Listening Tour

July 2, 2024

St. John’s, NL—Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, is launching a cross-country Mental Health Learning and Listening Tour.

The Governor General is committed to bridging the divide between how we view mental versus physical health. The tour will comprise four sessions held in different regions across the country over the next year. Each session will bring together people of all ages with lived experiences, as well as health practitioners and established experts, to build awareness around innovative practices in the field, particularly in remote, rural and northern areas.

The tour launched today, in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. The Governor General attended a wellness workshop at Lifewise Mental Health Peer Services, a leading organization in peer-support training. She also engaged in a round-table discussion on mental health with Atlantic Canadians to shine a light on their work and on ways their programs might inspire programming in other parts of the country.

Tomorrow, she will visit the Opioid Dependency Treatment Hub in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. There, she will learn more about the unique needs of remote communities in addressing mental health issues.

The tour will culminate in a Mental Health and Wellness Round Table at Rideau Hall. It will convene changemakers, public officials and representatives from the cross‑country tour, consolidating a nationwide network of multidisciplinary experts, partners and practitioners united in championing mental health in Canada.

Quote

“As individuals and as a country, we must prioritize our mental health the same way we do our physical health. By creating a platform for Canadians to share lived experiences and best practices, I hope to establish a network of support, ideas, resilience and hope. Together, we can improve the mental health landscape from coast to coast to coast.”

Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada

Notes for media

  • Additional details about media access to tour sessions and to the final round table will be announced in due course.
  • Media interested in receiving updates on events and activities related to the Governor General’s mental health priority can register their interest via media@gg.ca.

Media information:
Rideau Hall Press Office
Media@gg.ca

Stay connected:
Follow GovernorGeneralCanada on Facebook, Instagram, X and YouTube.