Manitoba Marks Inaugural Men’s Mental Health Awareness Week
WINNIPEG — PCs are commemorating Manitoba’s first official Men’s Mental Health Awareness Week this week to promote and bring attention to men’s mental wellbeing.
“This week is meant to shine light on a major issue, reduce stigma, and ultimately show men and boys that they do not have to suffer in silence,” said Dawson Trail MLA Bob Lagassé. “It’s an opportunity to challenge outdated perceptions that discourage men from seeking help and expressing their vulnerabilities.”
The observance is held on the week leading up to Father’s Day. The bill to establish the week was introduced by Lagassé in May 2024, receiving royal assent on Nov. 7.
“Father’s Day is about celebrating the most important men in our lives, and Men’s Mental Health Awareness Week is about letting them know that we recognize their struggles too,” said Lagassé. “As a father and grandfather, my journey with depression and ADHD has shown me the importance of open dialogues about mental wellness.”
Manitoba has among the highest mental health needs and the highest rates of suicide of any province. Across Canada, men account for nearly 75% of deaths by suicide.
“It’s not unmanly to ask for help or to say ‘I’m having a tough time right now’,” said Obby Khan, Leader of the Official Opposition. “We often feel like we have to be invincible for our kids, for our families. But mental health challenges are perfectly human, and I’m thankful for Bob’s work to foster genuine conversations on this topic.”
Some local initiatives available to Manitobans for addressing mental health include Men’s Sheds Manitoba, which provides men communal environments to bond; the Aboriginal Health and Wellness Centre’s Mino-Pimatiziiwin program, which works with Indigenous men to foster positive lifestyle changes; the Men’s Wellness Circle UM, a new student-led club at the University of Manitoba; and the Manitoba Farmer Wellness Program for agricultural producers.
In addition to Men’s Mental Health Awareness Week, PCs are also excited to celebrate Special Olympics Awareness Week this week, which was established via a PC private members bill in 2013. Progressive Conservatives will continue building on a proud history of promoting accessibility and inclusion for all Manitobans.
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For media inquiries, please contact PCCaucus_Media@leg.gov.mb.ca