Launch of Mental Health as Canada Post’s Cause of Choice

Moya Greene
President and Chief Executive Officer,
Canada Post Corporation
Conference Centre, Canada Post Headquarters, Ottawa

Wednesday 3 October 2007; 9:30 – 10:00am

Thank you, Susan, for that wonderful introduction.

As a Crown corporation—an organization owned by all Canadians— I feel Canada Post has a special role to play in contributing to our society. You seem to agree. When we asked, 92 per cent of you said it is important for Canada Post to be involved in the community. Of that group, half say they would personally participate or volunteer in activities.

However, there are many causes worthy of our attention. We wanted to be certain that we could make a contribution where the need was greatest and in areas that garnered the support of our people here at Canada Post.

That’s why we started this process by sending a survey to everyone at Canada Post, asking you which causes you thought were most important. You told us health and education. We then examined various health-related areas to see where there was greatest need, and organized focus groups to determine which cause resonated most strongly with you. All this took close to a year.

It was time well spent. Because of it, I’m here today to tell you that mental health will be Canada Post’s cause of choice.

This is no small step, for a number of reasons. We’re one of the first large companies in Canada to embrace this cause, which for too long has been tucked away as an issue people simply didn’t like to talk about.
Mental health is important for each one of us, just as important as physical health. Mental health is an important factor in our lives; it influences our friendships and our relationships. Mental illness affects us all in one way or another.

According to Health Canada, one in four—or close to eight million—Canadians will suffer from mental-health challenges at some point in their lives. I’m sure many of us here have our own personal experiences of mental illnesses through a loved one, friend or co-worker, or neighbour.

The growing phenomenon of workplace depression could cost the Canadian economy some $30-billion a year, and that doesn’t include treatment and healthcare costs. $8 to $10 billion of that is due to absenteeism. Close to half a million Canadians miss work each week due to mental-health problems. But we are learning that if a company is willing to take positive steps to help affected employees, everyone benefits. Just last week, the Globe and Mail reported on a new study that shows that employees who receive proper treatment for depression do recover and they recover more quickly and miss less time at work. Said the doctor conducting the study: “We knew before that treating depression makes good medical sense.” But now we know it makes good business sense.

But companies and their people can only help each other if we build an environment, an environment in which people are willing to come forward and are willing to talk about their problems. That still doesn’t happen nearly enough. The Canadian Mental Health Association says that close to 50 per cent of people who could be treated never seek treatment for mental illness.

I think the days are long past where we see people suffer in silence. We want to raise the profile of mental health to enable Canadians to deal with the challenges mental illness presents. We want to be a company that speaks positively about these issues.

We intend to do that in many ways, including through our sponsorship of Mental Illness Awareness Week. I’m delighted that Phil Upshall, the National Director of Mental Illness Awareness Week, is here this morning. Phil will talk to us in a little while. Phil has taken this issue so far. We are building this awareness through his leadership.

Established in 1992 by the Canadian Psychiatric Association, Mental Illness Awareness Week is an annual public education campaign designed to raise awareness and enhance Canadians’ understanding of the challenges faced by people coping with mental illness. The activities organized during this week raise Canadians’ awareness of mental illness. That is why we chose to launch our cause of choice during this week devoted to mental health.

To kick off the campaign, I’d like to invite you all to join us during lunch today. We’ll show you a few ways that you can “Address your Stress,” including demonstrations of Tai Chi and Yoga. We’d also like to invite you to come and watch a wonderful documentary called “Cracking Up.” It follows 11 people who suffer from mental illnesses as they try to become stand-up comics. It is proof positive that laughter is great medicine.

Shepell-fgi, our Employee Assistance Program supplier, has set up a booth. They are going to be here in the rotunda, where you can find out about the resources available to you.

In coming months, you’ll hear more about our commitment to mental health issues and related events, so I am really inviting you to stay tuned.

We are also supporting good mental health at Canada Post. We are trying to create a new workplace culture of tolerance, respect and support. By treating employees with mental challenges respectfully. By managing their return to work in a supportive manner, we are going to create a more positive work environment than we have today.

We are going to make Canada Post the number one place to work in Canada. And whatever you are doing, you are doing pretty well, because—as I’m proud to officially tell you today —Canada Post has again been named by as one of the country’s Top 100 Employers for 2008.

And now, it’s my pleasure to introduce Phil Upshall, the National Executive Director of the Mood Disorders Society of Canada, and a founding member of the Canadian Alliance for Mental Illness and Mental Health. Phil is an impressive advocate for this cause and I am thrilled he is with us this morning …