Elections, anxiety and a lack of promises (so far)

Author Elisha Dacey
(Canva)

We’re only into the second week of the federal election campaign, so perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised at the lack of platforms from the three major federal parties, never mind any commitments around health, wellness, or the social good sector.

Oh, the NDP has made some vague promises about investing in healthcare, transit and education, but there are no dollars or plans attached. The Liberals are currently shopping around their affordable housing plan, and the PCs seem to be focused on finding new three-word slogans.

But Canadians’ anxiety levels are ratcheting up and are expected to do so again today after U.S. President Donald Trump announces new tariffs against… probably everyone, who knows.

Still, what surprised me today was a new offer from our partners, Greenshield, to give every Canadian access to free mental health services, including a couple of free sessions with a counsellor or therapist.

That’s pretty big. There’s a large barrier to accessing mental health services, including cost (my teen’s therapist costs $230 a session) and a lack of professionals (we gladly pay it because it took two years to even book her first appointment, and it’s helping her tremendously. I also recognize what a privilege it is to be able to afford it.)

Greenshield made the offer after partnering with Mental Health Research Canada and finding that nearly 40 per cent of Canadians say political tensions are a major source of anxiety right now, second only to the rising cost of living (more than half of us are anxious about that.)

For most non-profits right now, uncertainty is the biggest anxiety-inducer. And with a short campaign and candidates focused on things south of the border, even being heard during the federal election campaign is going to be difficult.

We are keeping an eye on the campaign and while our friends at the daily news media will keep you abreast of the day-to-day announcements, we’ll be watching for the bigger implications, and what promises will impact social services in the short, medium and long-term.

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  • Elisha Dacey is a seasoned journalist with more than two decades of experience in the field. She has worked in various newsrooms across Canada, ranging from small-town papers to major outlets like CBC Manitoba and Global News. Dacey began her journalism career in Manitoba and has held roles such as managing editor, senior producer and digital online journalist. Notably, she launched Metro Winnipeg, the city’s only free daily newspaper, which quickly became the second most-read paper in Winnipeg.

    Elisha Dacey is the Managing Editor for Future of Good.

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