Action Missing at Mental Health Summit

September 26, 2022

Whitehorse, YT — The Yukon Liberals refuse to take meaningful action following their government’s second mental wellness summit. 

Mental wellness experts, including doctors, Indigenous groups, and frontline workers shared bold, progressive ideas over two and half days at the summit.

From creating Managed Alcohol Programs, to responding to mental health emergencies, they laid out a roadmap to a healthier territory. 

The only thing that’s missing is a government willing to take action.

“This summit was a phenomenal opportunity to learn and share ideas. But what good are these ideas if the government refuses to act on any of them? Yukoners want their government to turn these ideas into real services on the ground,” Yukon NDP Leader Kate White said Friday, Sept. 23.

Mental health advocates, First Nations governments, and the Yukon NDP have all called on the Liberals to take real action on mental health and substance use in the territory. Instead, the Liberals have continued to drag their feet. 

Little has changed for Yukoners who need mental health support despite the Liberals’ two mental health summits in the last year. 

The Liberals’ persistent inaction leaves many Yukoners nowhere to turn when they need help: Thousands are still waiting for family doctors. Safe, stable housing is impossible to find, and communities in crisis are being left behind.

Calls for more resources from Mayo to Faro, and so many other Yukon communities remain unanswered.

With yet another summit wrapped up, Yukoners are still left wondering if the Liberals will listen to experts and the community to finally act on what has been talked about for years.

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