This petition, signed by around 300 of 7,000 signatures, is in support of stronger mental health services in the province of Ontario. It’s a petition that was inspired by the Roth family, who lost their daughter Kaitlyn to suicide.

Kaitlyn didn’t fit into the mental health services and supports that exist in the province of Ontario. She sought help. She wanted help. She wanted to get better, but at the end of the day, she was turned away and/or received insufficient or improper mental health supports.

This petition really calls on greater training, targeted funding, specifically asking the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions to earmark funding for training to ensure that when people have enough courage to come forward, to request help in very difficult circumstances, that help is there for them.

It’s in honour of Kaitlyn Roth. It is my pleasure to affix my signature and call on the government to address the mental health crisis in Ontario.

Miss Surma moved third reading of the following bill:

Bill 151, An Act to amend various statutes regarding infrastructure / Projet de loi 151, Loi modifiant diverses lois relatives aux infrastructures.

Back to the minister: I started off this session by telling the heartbreaking story of Kaitlyn Roth, who died by suicide. She was a bright, successful, beautiful young woman. Her transition from child to adult in the mental health system went tragically wrong.

I’ve been in contact with the Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. I’m grateful that he has met with the family, and I believe that he listened to their pain.

Quite simply, Mike and Fiona Roth don’t want any other parent to experience this tragedy, because it was preventable.

Can the minister please share what the government is doing to ensure that mental health care is there when someone has the courage to ask for help and that that care and support is appropriate?