MONCTON, N.B. — A longtime New Brunswick mental health activist finds it insulting that the province has yet to appoint a mental health advocate, even though the Legislative Assembly unanimously approved the position over three years ago.
Paul Ouellet has spent decades working with New Brunswickers to navigate the mental health system, and he says the lives of citizens struggling with mental illness have become more difficult over the years.
Ouellet says he wept with joy in 2019 when New Brunswick MPs unanimously approved a motion to appoint someone to act as the government spokesperson for people struggling with mental illness.
The 72-year-old activist says the province asked him to write a job description, which he did and submitted to the government in January 2020.
But the position remains vacant and Ouellet says even his offer to take on the role on a pro bono basis was turned down.
The Canadian Press attempted to contact the government, which had not responded at the time of this writing.
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