The importance of peer support for mental health

Aug 6, 2024

Lessons learned from the Governor General’s Mental Health Listening and Learning Tour 

In July, I was invited by Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada, to join her as a delegate on the first leg of her Mental Health Listening and Learning Tour. I was honoured to receive the call and support the Governor General during her trip to Newfoundland and Labrador. As an Indigenous woman with her own lived experience of depression and seeing the impact of mental health and substance use issues in the north, Ms. Simon identified mental health and wellness as a priority right from her swearing-in speech. I can tell you, based on my recent time with her, the Governor General is genuinely committed to helping destigmatize mental health.  

Our tour began in St. John’s, Newfoundland with a roundtable of community mental health representatives including our own Dr. Chandra Kavanagh, CEO for CMHA Newfoundland and Labrador. I also had the pleasure of meeting both staff and clients of other organizations taking part in the roundtable including Lifewise Mental Health Peer Services in Newfoundland and Labrador, Atlantic Wellness in New Brunswick, PEERS Alliance in PEI, and S.O.A.R. in Nova Scotia. Our conversation focused on the transformative power of peer support and the different ways organizations are leveraging its potential, including CMHA’s Peer Support Canada program. 

On our second day we visited the Opioid Dependency Treatment Hub in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador. Staff and clients there shared the secret to their success: each person gets a uniquely tailored program to help them manage their addiction and, wouldn’t you know it, peer support is at the center of it. Everyone is welcomed at the Hub—there’s no waitlist and the program meets people where they are on their journey with no requirement for abstinence. Many of the Hub’s clients are Indigenous and they spoke passionately about how the Hub’s program incorporates Indigenous culture, spirituality, and practices. I saw a huge amount of love and warmth for the clients, resulting in great outcomes for the clients.  

What was truly inspiring for me during this trip was seeing the impact that the Governor General’s visit had on everyone we met. Clients especially were touched that Ms. Simon truly listened to their stories. Listening and caring are hallmarks of this governor general, and it was an absolute pleasure to see her in action. These moments reduce stigma, and this tour is bringing attention to the people and communities making a difference in the mental health landscape. 

I’m grateful to Ms. Simon and her staff for creating this opportunity, not only for myself, but for the many people affected by and working to support mental health, addiction recovery, and substance use health. Thank you for your efforts toward making mental health a universal human right. 

Margaret Eaton 
CEO, CMHA National

Feature photo: Margaret Eaton (far left) and Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada (near centre, black dress)
Photo credit: Sgt Anis Assari, Rideau Hall © OSGG, 2024