Thread by @meganmitton

Today, the Bell Let's Talk flag was raised at the NB Legislature. Our governments, PM, & Premier tweeted about Bell. So, these governments support corporate mental health awareness raising campaigns, but don't prioritize mental health enough to adequately fund health care?
THREAD

Every year, Bell Let's Talk Day pops up on social media for a week or so, and mental health struggles become top of mind. We tend to focus on depression and anxiety, which are serious and widespread in New Brunswick and Canada. And every year, I feel conflicted about it...

I want to state up front that I don't want to dismiss the need to end the stigma around mental health issues (for depression, anxiety and many more mental illnesses such as bipolar and schizophrenia). Many people are participating online, sharing stories and support.

At the same time, a telecommunications giant is benefiting from this corporate social responsibility campaign. They are increasing use of their networks today and raising brand awareness. They are going to make a donation, which means they get to decide where the money goes...

I think there is a role for business to play in our communities - I regularly see small businesses supporting local sports teams and making donations to community events. However, at the levels I'm most concerned about, corporate entities and billionaires are influencing society.

They are funding what they decide is valuable. In this case, I agree that mental health is absolutely an important issue... but I might not agree with where the money goes in this case. And either way, I think government, not corporations, should be funding this with tax dollars.

It might look good and make us feel good, but when corporations and billionaires put money into certain causes, and put their names on buildings, there is a reason that they are doing it - they have decided how they think the world should be changed and how they want to appear...

Maybe they have a good "cause", maybe they are funding something important... but what about when billionaires fund things we don't want - like campaigns to sow seeds of doubt about climate change that stall action for the last several decades. And even if we agree with them, ...

Is a billionaire funding something they decide is good the best way for us to approach the public good? It leads to us feeling like they are spending their money well, so we should let them hoard their wealth. And fundamentally, it is not very democratic. #CorporateCapture

All that to say, I think the Governments of New Brunswick and of Canada need to address poverty, and properly fund health care, including mental health care, so that those with mental illness get the support they need and deserve. Adequate funding will ensure we move away from...

the two-tiered mental health system we have today, in which those who can afford it can pay out of pocket for mental health care from therapists or other professionals, and others are left with long wait times - sometimes multiple years long.

How will we do this, you ask? Well, we could have corporations, like BCE Inc. (Bell Canada Enterprises) pay their fair share of taxes. For 2011-16, there's a tax gap of $3 billion for Bell. We could use that $ to better fund our public health care system.

projects.thestar.com/canadas-corpor…

And ICYMI:

(in the quote below, "corporations" = Bell Canada)

"What I find unconscionable is that the government and corporations are making money off the backs of people who are presumed innocent and in custody."
cbc.ca/news/canada/ot…

p.s. I find myself paraphrasing the brilliant Anand Giridharadas (@AnandWrites). I read his book "Winners Take All" last year and I highly recommend it.

I also heard him on the radio the other night in discussion with @NahlahAyed - worth the listen:

cbc.ca/radio/ideas/ho…