A Senate report released Thursday says Canada can make significant progress in suicide prevention if all levels of government develop strategies tailored to men and Indigenous peoples, the groups with the highest suicide rates. .
The Senate Social Affairs, Science and Technology Committee also says the Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention Act has done little to reduce Canada’s suicide rate since it was passed in 2016.
The report says this is because the current framework does not prioritize evidence-based interventions for suicide prevention and does a poor job of tracking the problem.
Senator Stan Kutcher, a member of the committee, says the report found that men account for 75% of suicides in Canada and that the highest suicide rate is among northern Inuit.
The report calls on Canada to create a national suicide data collection system and urges the existing 2016 framework to formally recognize the disproportionately high suicide rates among Indigenous people, as well as men and boys.
Federal Mental Health and Addictions Minister Carolyn Bennett did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report, but the Senate says the minister informed the committee that work is underway to update the framework of 2016.
Need help ? Do not hesitate to call the Quebec Suicide Prevention Line: 1 866 APPELLE (1 866 277-3553).
For help concerning your mental health or that of a loved one, do not hesitate to contact the Info-Social 811 service.
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