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House Hansard - 95

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
June 23, 2022 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 95 - Jun/23/22
Ms. Laurel Collins (Victoria, NDP)
  • Jun/23/22 2:14:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees provides mental health counselling, specially trained interpreters and culturally appropriate trauma services. Ukrainians fleeing Putin's war have been arriving on Vancouver Island, and many are understandably traumatized. While the federal government is providing settlement services, there is no funding for mental health support. These victims of war should be covered by the interim federal health program. Organizations such as VICCIR were already responding to increased demands, and now are providing mental health supports without funding. In addition, there is a serious issue with clinical counsellors in B.C. not being able to register as providers with the interim federal health program, no matter how qualified and experienced they may be. The IFHP needs to provide consideration for professional equivalencies. These issues negatively impact refugees who struggle to find providers. I want to say a huge thanks to the counsellors, the interpreters and the staff at VICCIR. I thank them for their incredibly important work.
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Context: House Hansard - 95 - Jun/23/22
Hon. Sean Fraser (Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Lib.)
  • Jun/23/22 3:13:12 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague, who, I would note, is a champion for mental health and has been since the day that I met him. Children who are fleeing war are among the most vulnerable people in the world. I am so pleased to share that, earlier this week, I was able to announce that through a partnership with the Kids Help Phone it going to be providing services in Pashto, Dari, Ukrainian and Russian for newcomers from Afghanistan and Ukraine who are seeking services and need mental health supports in our communities. I am so proud because this is part of a $2-million project. Over the next couple of years, it is going to see the Kids Help Phone expand its services into over 100 different languages to serve Canadians and newcomers to our communities. I am so proud of this investment. Once again, I want to thank my colleague for his advocacy for mental health, in particular for refugee children in Canada.
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