Shirley Y Chan, O.B.C
The Honourable Marjorie Michel
Minister of Health (Canada)
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa
email: hcminister.ministeresc@hc-sc.gc.ca
June 4, 2025
Dear Minister Michel:
I am the past president of Pathways Serious Mental Illness Society, a volunteer-driven non-
profit society whose mission is to alleviate suffering of families supporting loved ones with a
serious mental illness. We are families helping families.
As mother to a daughter with schizophrenia and an addiction to crystal meth, I was surprised
and alarmed to read the statement attributed to you in the June 4, 2025 lead article in the
Vancouver Sun below:
I found it inconceivable that a minister of health would say at a press conference that “there is
no evidence that forcing treatment on someone against their will actually helps”.
As a mother who fought to access treatment of a daughter who has twice overdosed but who is
now living in recovery after 15 months of sobriety, I know that without involuntary hospitalization
AND treatment, my daughter might not be here today. She has cognitive impairment from
psychosis, drug use and overdoses but is striving to become a contributing member of society
again as a volunteer or worker. She avers that involuntary treatment term enabled her to reach
the decision to become sober and stay sober.
The position of the drug-user advocacy groups and the Council of Canadians with Disabilities
has exacerbated the chaos of untreated persons with complex mental illness and addictions on
our streets. I support the BC Mental Health Act and will be appearing as a witness to defend
the right to access treatment in a timely manner by medical professionals who deem it
necessary. Timeliness is essential to reduce the harm of psychosis and substance misuse.
The person with a serious mental illness often lacks insight into their illness and is unable to
judge what is real and what is in their best interest.
I am grateful that the Province of BC under the guidance of Dr. Daniel Vigo, Chief Scientific
Advisor for Psychiatry, Toxic Drugs and Concurrent Disorders, has added treatment to the harm
reduction and enforcement approaches. Treatment is one of 4 Pillars for addictions as is
prevention. Many persons with an addiction have an underlying trauma or mental illness
whether diagnosed or undiagnosed. Early assessment and treatment for those at the newly
opened Surrey Pre-trial Centre and now the Alouette Correctional Centre will yield more
information and results to determine future investments in care.
Mental illness and addictions are health issues that need your intervention as the minister of
health. Please make treatment, both voluntary and involuntary, available to persons with these
illnesses as you would for someone with Altzheimer’s. Don’t leave them on our streets
untreated.
Treatment first for concurrent disorders.
Sincerely
Shirley Chan
Mother & Past President
Pathways Serious Mental Illness Society
www.pathwayssmi.org
cc: Wade Grant, M:P, Vancouver Quadra, wade.grant@parl.gc.ca
David Eby, MLA, Vancouver Point Grey, david.eby.mla@leg.bc.ca
Dr. Daniel Vigo, Chief Scientific Advisor, BC, daniel.vigo@ubc.ca
Don Pavlovich, President, Pathways SMIS. dpavy@telus.net
Pathways is requesting our members to write to your MLAs and MPs in response to this article with the following template or a letter of your own, to express your concerns with this misinformation stated in the Vancouver Sun by the Minister of Health Canada.