The MGEU and its National Union (NUPGE) have joined a broad range of organizations to support the Not Myself Today campaign initiated by the newly-formed Partners for Mental Health.
The campaign’s goal is to mobilize all Canadians to transform the way they think about, act towards and support mental health. All Canadians are encouraged to sign an online pledge at notmyselftoday.ca in support of mental health. The pledges will tell governments, health institutions, corporations and individuals that the status quo around mental health is unacceptable and that Canadians are willing to do something about it.
“Issues concerning the mental health of Canadians’ have been a priority concern for the National Union for many years,” said National President James Clancy. “Our members are on the frontlines of delivering support and services to people with mental health problems. In addition we all have friends, family or colleagues who need assistance. It is an issue that affects us all.”
The campaign asks people to imagine what it might be like to live with the feeling of not being yourself for not just one day, but for many days, and then living with the shame, discrimination and lack of treatment and support that often goes with it.
Canadians can visit notmyselftoday.ca to sign the online petition, pin their mood to a virtual map of Canada and join the conversation by posting videos, audio recordings or short essays about their own personal experiences with mental health. Canadians can also connect with Partners for Mental Health and Not Myself Today on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Pinterest.
Partners for Mental Health is a national charitable organization that is committed to creating a new state of mind in Canada regarding mental health that is free of shame and rich in support and understanding. Partners for Mental Health began as a strategic initiative of the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC), and is now a registered operating charity and independent from the MHCC.