Message from the Interim Clerk for Mental Health Week

May 3, 2021 - Defence Stories

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It may be an understatement, but this year has been one like no other. Not only are we experiencing the worse global pandemic in over 100 years, we are also undergoing an extreme disruption to our professional and personal lives. All the while, many of us have lost connections with the support and social networks that we may not have even realized we depended on so much.

Public servants, along with all Canadians, have made great sacrifices to try to contain COVID-19. The isolation, new working environments, stress, overall disruption to all of our lives, and for some, economic damage, have taken their toll on the mental health of many.

40% of Canadians reported (You are now leaving the Government of Canada website) that their mental health deteriorated last year. For those with pre-existing mental health conditions, that number rose to 61%.

That is why it is important that, as we mark the launch of Mental Health Week  today, we pay extra close attention to how we are feeling. This year, the Canadian Mental Health Association (You are now leaving the Government of Canada website) is asking all Canadians to focus on naming, expressing, and dealing with our emotions, the ones we like, and the one we don’t. #GetReal about how you feel. And name it, don’t numb it.

I believe we can all take some comfort in knowing that in increasingly difficult times, mental health is still something that can be strengthened.

I know that my experience during this pandemic, and the support I receive, is markedly different from your experiences. We are all feeling the hardships caused by this pandemic in different ways. This is especially true for the front-line workers facing the pandemic head on, the operational workers keeping important services going, those adapting to perhaps less than ideal remote working arrangements, parents and caregivers.

We need to recognize, understand and actively support those hardest hit and experiencing the greatest mental health impacts during the pandemic. They include young people, a situation that reinforces our need as a public service to support those just starting in their careers. It includes colleagues who are parents juggling work, homeschooling and childcare. Those most affected also include health care and other front-line workers, who all depend on the support we provide through our programs. And unfortunately, they include Indigenous peoples, and racialized and marginalized Canadians. This speaks to the urgency of acting on the Public Service’s commitment to better supporting diversity and inclusion activities and to removing systemic racism from our institutions.

One thing I know from my time working alongside so many of you is that public servants are resilient. But I know that our resilience is being truly tested and that many of us are tired. A lot has been done to equip you with the tools and supports needed to help manage stress and help build further resilience. Please refer to the COVID-19 Hub, which has been updated throughout the pandemic, as it provides a suite of tools to help you. The incredible Employee Assistance Program (1-800-268-7708, or 1-800-567-5803 [TTY – for people with hearing impairments]) continues to offer around-the-clock, confidential counselling services to employees and their families. I encourage you to take advantage of these services if you require them. You are not alone. 

I also encourage you to take part in some of the activities shared by our wonderful group of champions around Mental Health Week. The Canada School of Public Service is hosting an event called #GetReal for Mental Health Week: Alcohol Consumption and Substance Use During COVID-19. I will also be speaking this Friday at The Mental Health Priority: Beyond the Pandemic (You are now leaving the Government of Canada website) event hosted by the Canadian Innovation Centre for Mental Health in the Workplace, to discuss how COVID-19 is shaping mental health as an ongoing priority for the federal public service.

This Mental Health Week, and every day after, we need to promote a work environment centred on psychological health and safety for all employees. Because the truth is, how we work will forever be changed by this event. Our approach will be informed by closely listening to you, with psychological health and safety, diversity and inclusion all top of mind going forward. 

Thank you all for your tireless work to support Canadians and build a healthier, more inclusive, and diverse workplace. Creating a work environment where everyone feels supported and accepted is a priority that both Clerk Shugart and I share, along with leaders in all public service organizations. Mental Health Week is a great reminder of that. If you need help, please don’t be afraid to ask for it, from a friend, a colleague, a manager, whoever. We are all here to support each other. We can still be emotionally close, while physically distant.

Take care of yourself and your families. Better days are ahead. 

 

Janice Charette
Interim Clerk of the Privy Council and Secretary to the Cabinet

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