Addressing mental-health issues linked to pandemic a key task in 2021, Bains says

Canada's industry minister says the country facesmounting mental health concerns that the government will have toaddress in 2021.

Navdeep Bains told The Canadian Presshe has heardconcernsabout the mentalhealth of workers and entrepreneurs alongside callsfor financialhelp forindividuals and businesses.

He saidthe problem isdirein his Toronto-area riding,home to Pearson International Airport, where local hotelsand restaurants are suffering from a drop in travel.A father of two, Bainssaidthe pandemic has taken a toll onhis school-aged daughters by preventing them from engaging with friendsand family.

Research by Statistics Canada duringthe pandemic has recordedadecline in self-perceived mental health.

A study by the agency published in June suggested that those moreaffected by the pandemic such as women andthose with compromisedimmune systems or chronic health conditions were less likely toreport better mental health.

"I'm hearing more and more stories and frankly, personally, Ican relate to that," Bains said of mental health concerns.

"It's an emerging issue not only in my riding I suspect it'sacross the country as well. But it is clearly an issue that we haveto deal with."

Another Statistics Canada study released just before Christmasnoted Canadians' measurement of "life satisfaction" had dropped toits lowest level over two decades of comparable data.

The agency's studies were among several released this year aboutthe mental health impacts from the economic and health crisis.

Federally, the government responded to the pandemic withunprecedented spending that pushed the deficit to $381.6 billion,although the government's math says it could close in on $400billion depending on the length and breadth of restrictions andlockdowns.

For all that spending, Bains suggested that more might be done to help sectors in ways that don'tcost money.

He noted that many companies have sped up plans to go digital as theirworkers stayhome. That required what Bains described as a shift by government to focusing on "the plumbing" byupdating legislative and marketframeworks around privacy laws.

Bains also announced the "50-30 challenge" just before the end of2020, whichasks organizations to appoint women to50 per cent of the spotson boardsand in senior management.

The federal program also calls for 30 per cent of those positionsto be filled by "under-represented groups" like racialized people,those living with disabilities and Indigenous people.

Companies that show they have met the goal would landpreferential access to federal programs, and potentially to federalcontracts.

"If you've done that, then I firmly believe ...you will getbetter access to, you will be treated favourably when it comes togrants and contributions," Bains said, "and ultimately, if we wantto proceed, procurement as well."

Bains argued the government's pandemic response overall shouldhelp withanother looming battle for top talent.

Bank of Canada Gov. Tiff Macklem said in a recent speech thatprotectionist policies and attitudes stemming from U.S. PresidentDonald Trump helped make Canada a more attractive landing spot forglobal talent over the past four years.

Although Macklem warned that advantage could disappear when JoeBiden is sworn in as president, Bains said the country's overallresponse to the pandemic could act as a counterpunch.

"There's no doubt that there was this contrast between thepolitics and the policies of the U.S. in the past and what we weredoing in Canada," Bains said.

"But it's important to note that our brand and our policies arestronger than ever."