FACT CHECK: On Mental Health Erin O’Toole’s Actions Speak Louder than Words

August 25, 2021

Erin O’Toole says that he wants to support the mental health of Canadians, but his actions speak louder than his words.

Throughout the pandemic, Erin O’Toole has led Conservative efforts to block funding that would provide Canadians with greater access to mental health resources, and he has a long record of opposition to our mental health investments:

In Spring 2021, Erin O’Toole voted against $150 million in mental health supports (link) for those hit hardest by the isolation and devastation of the COVID-19 pandemic — youth, frontline workers, seniors, Indigenous people, racialized and Black Canadians (link).
In Fall 2020, we introduced legislation that O’Toole voted against, which included $133 million for mental health and substance use, as well as virtual care and mental health tools for Canadians (link).
In 2017, O’Toole voted against health accords negotiated by Justin Trudeau that provide $11 billion in funding to provinces and territories, including dedicated funding for mental health care (link).

Justin Trudeau and the Liberal team have made historic investments in supporting the mental health of Canadians, and we expanded that support when Canadians needed it during the pandemic. Our track record includes investments of:

$11 billion to support health care systems in provinces and territories, specifically targeted to improve home and community care and mental health and addiction services (link).
$597.6 million in a distinctions-based mental health and wellness strategy with First Nations, Inuit, and the Metis Nation (link).
$105 million to support the Wellness Together portal that has provided over 1.2 million Canadians with free access to live support, treatment, and credible information (link).
$100 million to directly support innovative mental health interventions for vulnerable populations disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 including health care workers, front-line workers, youth, seniors, Indigenous people, and racialized and Black Canadians (link).
$50 million to support trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder supports for populations at high risk of experiencing COVID-19 trauma such as frontline workers (link).
$50 million to bolster distress centres across the country (link).
$45 million to develop national mental health service standards (link).
$22.7 million to support First Nations and Inuit as they manage the health impacts of climate change — including mental health impacts of climate change on youth (link).
$10 million to support the creation of community-led projects through the Mental Health of Black Canadians Fund (link).
$7.5 million to Kids Help Phone in the earliest days of the pandemic so they could provide young people with the mental health support they needed (link).

Erin O’Toole will say anything to get elected. He wants to cut taxes for the wealthy, and cut services from everyone else.

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