Suicides in Manitoba

Several times in the Legislature, I have pushed the NDP government to develop better programs and initiatives to prevent suicides in Manitoba. One of these was on April 26, 2002, when I was approached by people in the community of Pukatawagan who were very concerned about this issue.

Well, four long years later, the NDP has finally announced that they will fund a province-wide suicide prevention line. This is a good initiative and better late than never, but one has to ask why such a basic initiative took so long. One hundred and seventy-five suicides last year is far too many.

But much more needs to be done than announce one new program if we are going to reduce the number of suicides in Manitoba. Suicides are often a call for help because individuals feel powerless in their lives. We need to provide opportunities that empower people in their own lives, and this is especially true of Manitoba's young people.

Once, long ago, a wag said something to the effect that the NDP were just Liberals in a hurry. Personally, I think whoever said that got it completely backwards. Time after time, the record shows that it is the NDP in Manitoba who have been slow in responding to a serious problem or crisis. It has always been up to provincial Liberals to keep pushing the NDP to take even the smallest of steps. That anyone would accuse the Manitoba NDP of being in a hurry about anything doesn't make much sense to me.