The Board, chaired by the Honourable Michael Kirby is made up of 11 non-government directors and six government-appointed directors. In addition, the Board is assisted by eight Advisory Committee Chairs who provide advice to the Board as well as support the Commission in keeping engaged with the broader stakeholder community.

The makeup of the Board reflects the diversity of Canadians who are involved with mental health issues: three members of the Board live with a mental illness, two represent Canada’s Aboriginal people – one First Nations and one Inuit, and others are family caregivers, peer support workers and service providers at the community level, in hospitals and in private clinical practice.

Nearly 500 applications were received for the 11 non-government positions on the Board. They were sent in from people across the country who were excited at the prospect of helping to bring the Mental Health Commission of Canada into being. The widespread support the Commission has received to date is a very clear indication that there is a real opportunity to create a national movement dedicated to improving the health and social outcomes of people living with a mental illness.

With the appointment of the Board comes the end of the first phase of the Commission’s existence. From now on, the Board of Directors will guide the development of the Commission as it sets out to accomplish three key initiatives: facilitating the development of a national mental health strategy, conducting a 10-year anti-stigma campaign and building a Knowledge Exchange Centre.

The members of the Board are listed below:

NON-GOVERNMENT DIRECTORS

Joan Edwards Karmazyn - Newfoundland and Labrador
Andy Cox - Nova Scotia
Jeannette LeBlanc - New Brunswick
Louise de Bellefeuille - Quebec
David S. Goldbloom - Ontario
Chris Summerville - Manitoba
Fern Stockdale-Winder - Saskatchewan
Lorraine Breault - Alberta
Madeleine Dion Stout - British Columbia

GOVERNMENT DIRECTORS

Patrick Dion
Dana Heide
Dan Florizone
Milton Sussman