The federal government has launched a national conversation on men and boys’ health on Monday. They’re beginning consultations that will help shape Canada’s first national Men’s Health Strategy.
Richie Bulbrook. (Credit: linkedin.com)
“Being silent isn’t strong. Asking for help is being strong,” said London native Richie Bulbrook, who is a Canadian national team skateboarder who spoke at the Ottawa announcement about the pressures that men face when dealing with mental health challenges.
Bulbrook is a recent graduate of Huron University College, where he studied marketing and sustainability. Right now, he is training for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.
At the announcement, he said that elite sport forced him to confront his own mental health after a serious concussion and the loss of his father to addiction.
He said that many men struggle to speak openly about what they are going through, and that vulnerability needs to be normalized.
“Training for the Olympics is the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he said. “It forced me to confront my mental health in a very real way, and it taught me that asking for help is not optional if you want to be great and live your dreams.”
Bulbrook said he hopes sharing his story will encourage other men to seek help before problems reach a crisis point.
The Honourable Marjorie Michel, Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Papineau, Quebec. (Credit: ourcommons.ca)
Health Minister Marjorie Michel said the federal consultation aims to gather perspectives from Canadians as the government develops a strategy expected to be released later this year.
“When we talk about health in this country, we cannot leave anyone behind,” Michel said during the announcement. “Today, men and boys are at the centre of the conversation.”
Michel said the initiative follows months of travel and discussions with organizations and governments across Canada, where concerns about men’s health repeatedly surfaced.
The federal government said the move comes as data shows persistent health gaps affecting men. Men in Canada are more likely to die by suicide, less likely to seek medical care and more likely to experience substance-use disorders and certain preventable illnesses, according to information released alongside the announcement.
Officials said improving men’s health could also reduce pressure on the health-care system and improve economic productivity.
Michel said the goal of the consultation is to identify what Canadians want prioritized first and to ensure that the strategy reflects a range of experiences across communities.
She added that improving men’s health is intended to complement rather than replace other health initiatives already underway.
Canada launched a Women’s Health Strategy in 2024, and officials said the men’s consultation is meant to address long-standing gaps in national health planning.
The consultation will run until June 1, and Canadians are invited to submit feedback online at http://Canada.ca/Healthy-Men to help determine priorities for the strategy.
