Governor General of Canada Mary Simon began a cross-Canada tour on Tuesday to raise awareness of mental health issues.
While in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador, the head of state attended a wellness workshop organized by Lifewise Mental Health Peer Services, an organization that works to train people in peer support, reports a press release. She also took part in an exchange meeting with health-care workers “to highlight their work and how their programs could inspire other initiatives across the country.”
On Wednesday, the Governor General will visit an opioid addiction treatment centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, also in Newfoundland and Labrador, where she is scheduled to stay until Friday as part of her first official visit to the province.
Additional stops on the tour are expected to be announced in due course, the Governor General’s Office said. The tour is expected to span a year and take place in different regions of the country. The release states that Ms.me Simon wants to meet “people of all ages who have had experiences related to mental health, as well as health practitioners and recognized experts, in order to promote innovative practices applied in this field”.
The results of these visits and their reflections are to be shared at a roundtable on mental health and well-being to be held at Rideau Hall. Various speakers will be invited to contribute to forming “a national network of experts, partners and multidisciplinary practitioners with a shared desire to promote mental health in Canada.”