Essay On Suicide In Canada

458 Words1 Page
bulb-icon

Recommended: Suicide prevention in the community essay

Background of issue:

Canada’s Indigenous population, including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis people, comprises 4.3% of the general population. Suicide among Indigenous youth in Canada is a nationwide crisis that has been brought to public attention not only by recent media coverage, but also declarations from individual communities, and is apparent in national statistics dating back more than a decade. (Health Canada, 2002, p.111) Despite this, Indigenous communities have and continue to display resilience as shown through various community-led suicide prevention initiatives.
In an isolated Cree community just outside of Ontario, Canada declared state of emergency over the series of suicides by Indigenous youth in the spring of 2016. …show more content…

In regards to the Indigenous population and the continually growing suicide rate of Indigenous youth. (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2016)
In December of 2012, the Canadian government enforced the “An Act respecting a Federal Framework for Suicide”; which later because a response to the Progress Report on the Federal Framework for Suicide Prevention which was published in 2016. The report focuses on how the Canadian government will raise awareness for mental health and reduce the stigma associated with suicide. Stated in the report, the Government of Canada pledged to take action towards First Nations and Inuit communities across Canada; establishing Hope for Wellness help line in 2016 and funding the expansion of the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami Naitonal Inuit Suicide Prevention Strategy.
In June of 2016, the federal government invested $69 million over three years to create additional mental health teams for indigenous communities and crisis intervention teams in Ontario. The funding created thirty-two mental health and wellness teams and facilities within First Nation communities; in hopes this will create a long-term support

Show More
Related

  • Psychological Damage Inflicted by the Residential School System

    2029 Words  | 5 Pages

    Ed. Shelagh Rogers, Mike DeGagné, Jonathan Dewar, and Glen Lowry. Ottawa, Ont.: Aboriginal Healing Foundation, 2006. Print.

    Read More

  • Fifth Generation of Native People Fallout

    1095 Words  | 3 Pages

    Generations of native people in Canada have faced suffering and cultural loss as a result of European colonization of their land. Government legislation has impacted the lives of five generations of First Nations people and as a result the fifth generation (from 1980 to present) is working to recover from their crippled cultural identity (Deiter-McArthur 379-380). This current generation is living with the fallout of previous government policies and societal prejudices that linger from four generations previous. Unrepentant, Canada’s ‘Genocide’, and Saskatchewan’s Indian People – Five Generations highlight issues that negatively influence First Nations people. The fifth generation of native people struggle against tremendous adversity in regard to assimilation, integration, separation, and recovering their cultural identity with inadequate assistance from our great nation.

    Read More

  • Residential School Abuse in Canada

    2828 Words  | 6 Pages

    For decades First Nations people1 faced abuse in Canada's residential school system. Native children had their culture and families torn away from them in the name of solving the perceived “Indian Problem” in Canada. These children faced emotional, physical, and sexual abuse at the hands of residential school supervisors and teachers. Since the fazing out of residential schools in the 1960's the survivors of residential schools and their communities have faced ongoing issues of substance addiction, suicide, and sexual abuse.2 These problems are brought on by the abuse that survivors faced in residential schools. The government of Canada has established a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) to address these issues but it has been largely ineffective. Though the Government of Canada has made adequate efforts towards monetary reparations for the survivors of residential schools, it has failed to provide a means to remedy the ongoing problems of alcohol and drug addiction, sexual abuse, and suicide in the communities of residential school survivors.3

    Read More

  • Aboriginal Community Case Study

    2066 Words  | 5 Pages

    Likewise, the death rate among Aboriginals infant is 4 times the rate of Canada as whole. Aboriginals preschoolers and teenagers death rate is 5 times and 3 times the national rate respectively. (Aboriginal Nurses Association Canada (A.N.A.C), 2009, p.8). Cultural discontinuity has been associated with higher rates of depression, alcoholism, suicide and violence which is greater on the Aboriginal youth (Kirmayer et al, 2000). According to Health Canada document on suicide prevention, suicides rate is highest in the world among Inuit youth. In Nunavut, 1989 to 1993 suicides rate was 79 cases in 10000, but in 1999 to 2003 the cases were risen to 119. (Aboriginal Nurses Association Canada (A.N.A.C, 2009, p.9).

    Read More

  • How The Aboriginal Assimilation

    1366 Words  | 3 Pages

    To begin with, once the policy of assimilation came into effect, Aboriginals were subject to a new environment, resulting in the loss of their culture. It is due to this, that the rates of suicide for First Na...

    Read More

  • Equitable Access To Health Care In Canada

    1555 Words  | 4 Pages

    Presently, access to programs and health care services is fragmented given the nature of the health care system for Aboriginal peoples (Wilson et al., 2012). The federal government is responsible for providing limited health services among Inuit living within traditional territories and status/registered Indians living on reserves (Chen et al., 2004). This responsibility is vested in the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch organizations to carry out protection activities and health promotion, and provide funding for community health programs in Inuit communities and reserves (Chen et al., 2004). Firstly, the complexity of the health care system for Aboriginal peoples has resulted in an unequal access to health services due to the First Nations and Inuit Health Branch program (FNIHB), which only applies to Inuit and Indians. Therefore, Metis and other Aboriginal peoples who do not qualify for registration under the Indian Act do not receive health services provided by FNIHB (Chen et al., 2004). Secondly, the transfer of responsibility to health boards, communities and other authorities has resulted in unequal supply of health services between territories and provinces, uneven distribution among communities, and leaves limited opportunity for increased funding (Loppie et al., 2009). It has also lead to controversy between various levels of government over the responsibility to pay for particular health services. Jurisdictional limitations, which have failed to recognize Metis identity and rights, have resulted in health disparities among the Metis population (Wilson et al., 2012). While the federal government recently decided to include Metis status in Aboriginal initiatives, the funding has not been equitable when compared to those of Inuit and First Nations or to the non-Aboriginal populations in Canada (Loppie et al., 2009). The Aboriginal health

    Read More

  • Indigenous Mental Health Issues

    1302 Words  | 3 Pages

    Definition: Mental health has become a pressing issue in Indigenous communities. Often, a combination of trauma, a lack of accessible health resources, substance abuse, violence, and socioeconomic situations lead to high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality in Indigenous Peoples. This crisis is especially apparent in Indigenous youth, where there is a growing suicide epidemic but little mental health support and resources are provided. The increase in stigmatized and untreated mental illness has continued as trauma and systemic injustices remain unaddressed. Indigenous groups, governmental parties, and health organizations are involved.

    Read More

  • Health Care Inequities for Aboriginal Women

    1796 Words  | 4 Pages

    Health care inequities can be elucidated by the research that identifies the social, economic and political ideologies that reflect aspects of cultural safety (Crandon, 1986; O’Neil, 1989 as cited in Browne & Fiske, 2001). There are various factors that affect the mistreatment of aboriginal peoples as they access health care in local health care facilities such as hospitals and clinics. Aboriginal women face many barriers and are discriminated against as a result based on their visible minority status such as race, gender and class (Gerber, 1990; Dion Stout, 1996; Voyageur, 1996 as cited in Browne & Fiske, 2001). A study done on Aboriginal peoples in Northern B.C. showed high rates of unemployment, underemployment and dependency on social welfare monies (Browne & Fiske, 2001). This continued political economic marginalisation of aboriginal peoples widens the gap between the colonizers and the colonized. The existence of racial profiling of aboriginal peoples by “Indian status” often fuels more stigmatization of these people because other Canadians who do not see the benefits of compensations received with having this status often can be resentful in what they may perceive is another compensation to aboriginal peoples. The re...

    Read More

  • Essay On Aboriginal Education

    845 Words  | 2 Pages

    As we learned throughout the duration of the course through lecture, readings and discussions, Indigenous Canadians are faced with many determinants of health.

    Read More

  • The Use of Technology to Control Society in Brave New World, by Aldous Huxley

    1235 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Web. The Web. 27 Mar. 2014. The 'Standard' of the 'Standard The "Suicide in Canada."

    Read More

  • High Suicide Rate Among Native American Teenagers

    682 Words  | 2 Pages

    Metha, A. &. (1996). Suicide among American indian youth: the role of schools in prevention. Journal of American Indian Education, 36(1). Retrieved May 21, 2014, from http://jaie.asu.edu/v36/V36S1sui.htm

    Read More

  • Social Inequality within the Aboriginal Population

    1567 Words  | 4 Pages

    One of the greatest issues that the world is currently facing right now is racism. In Canada’s society however, some of this racism affects the life of certain minority groups; the Aboriginal population. Though there is about 1% of the population of Quebec (Canada, 2010) that is Native American, the issue needs to be addressed to help further their life-span. There is not only Aboriginal people in Quebec but also throughout Canada, in total there is 11 different Aboriginal communities througho...

    Read More

  • Indigenous Australian Mental Health

    914 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since colonialism after the invasion, Australia indigenous peoples have experienced a great deal of loss of identity, loss, disempowerment, cultural alienation, grief. Many indigenous people's mental and physical health impaired. Suicide, family violence, drug abuse and unemployment rates is higher than the Australian average(Berry et al. 2012). That is complicated to contributing to develop and support sustainable mental health and social wellbeing for Australian aboriginals staying in rural areas ,related to much diversity involved in and between individuals and communities (Guerin & Guerin 2012).

    Read More

  • Teenage Suicide Among Native Americans

    1428 Words  | 3 Pages

    Coloradas Mangas is one among many American Indians that have personally been a victim of suicide attempt as well as a victim of grief for many of his friends and family. Coloradas’ story is a consequence of the lack of culturally appropriate and adequate mental health services for American Indian and Alaskan Native youth. Serious consequences resulting from the absence of such services are the high suicide rate, its impact on future generations of an already less populated ethnicity and the unfairness of having no resources to improve quality of life, thus proving that this is a pertinent problem that must be tackled now. This health disparity has been neglected for too long and is something that we, as a healthcare advocating country, need to start addressing.

    Read More

  • Aboriginal People of Canada

    1278 Words  | 3 Pages

    Aboriginal people represent less than 3% of the total population in BC. Yet, they account for more than 9% of all suicides in BC (Chandler). The numbers of suicides amongst aboriginal youth are even more alarming – nearly one-fourth of all youth suicides in BC are committed by aboriginals and more than half of all aboriginal suicides are committed by youth (Chandler). The fact that indigenous communities in Canada have the highest rate of suicide of any culturally identifiable group in the world implies that these alarming statistics may not solely be a result of aboriginal communities belonging to a minority cultural group. I will attempt to build a speculative hypothesis behind the significantly high suicide rates amongst aboriginal youth in Canada. I will do so by turning to three factors that I think are most important amongst the several factors that may be coming together and playing a role in the high vulnerability to suicide amongst aboriginal youth. I believe this is important because the more accurately we identify causal factors that may be responsible for aboriginal suicide, the more specific suicide prevention programs can be made. This pool of factors must include those that are common to all suicidal behaviour, those that are responsible for suicidal behaviour in marginalized communities and those that might be specific to the history and context of aboriginals in Canada. In this commentary I have chosen one factor from each of these three pools of factors – one, the interpersonal-psychological theory to explain suicide in general; two, loss of self-identity, which could be a leading cause for aboriginal suicide worldwide; and three, the impact of residential schools on the psychological makeup of aboriginals of Ca...

    Read More

More about Essay On Suicide In Canada

Open Document