Most of the time it is the mind and spirit that need the attention

Society has long needed a separate Department of Mental Health. The mind is not the body. The definition of health is of mind,body and spirit. Yet we really only effectively deal with the body when most of the time it is the mind and spirit that need the attention,the help and support. Elders,grandparents and our animals have long known all of this. That sometimes our people around us need help that our families and communities cannot offer and that is when they need the support of a National Department of Mental Health that is established outside of our hospitals. The beheading on the bus was our local wake up call for the much needed help in this field! Premier Selinger understands this sacred balance of getting his citizens the proper care they need for all parts of their being including their mental health and its well being. To treat the physical and ignore the spiritual or the mental is like taking your car to the garage for a tune up and leaving the oil out. See how long or well your car is going to run or sputter! Hockey players have long suffered from mental illnesses and their trails of addictions and violence have been shown to all for us to judge. It is help that they and all those who suffer from mental harm/illness needs. My cousin,Sheldon Kennedy was a perfect example of suffering from mental illness due to sexual abuse inflicted upon him and all the cry out for help he was doing that no one seemed to notice. Just like we now know that concussions are really brain damage,mental illnesses are damaging too and deserve that proper respect and help too. Mental illnesses know no boundaries,they affect all life! We can help,we can make a difference and I am banking on Premier Sellinger to make some strides in this department for when he takes care of his citizens and keeps them all healthy like one big happy family,they then can properly contribute to the overall success of this province in this great Nation.