Health Minister Delivers Uplifting Address to AGM

The 2010 Annual General Meeting of CMHA Alberta Division, held on September 25 in Edmonton, featured a spirited speech by Minister of Health and Wellness Gene Zwozdesky, with a very active question and answer period.

 The Minister spoke passionately of the need and importance of involving community partners such as CMHA in its plans and planning for address mental health needs in the province. Such opportunities include joint planning for mental health and addiction and input into the Alberta Health Act.

He also addressed questions on such issues as community treatment orders, the need for a detox treatment centre in Medicine Hat, the likelihood of forming some type of Board or committee to monitor and report on mental health to the Alberta Health Services Board, and the importance of a sustainable not-for-profit sector.

The AGM attracted about 50 people from across the province, including several senior mental health officials, members of the Alberta Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health, 2010 award winners, CMHA regional Executive Directors, as well as the Board and staff of CMHA Alberta Division.

This year’s Presidents Award winner was Sandra Harrison, who recently retired from the position of Alberta Mental Health Patient Advocate. During her four years in the position, Sandra and her staff did an excellent job of speaking for the rights of formal mental health patients in Alberta. However, she also went well beyond that mandate to speak on behalf of all Albertans living with mental illness and was an influential voice on many key issues, including Community Treatment Orders, moving patients from Alberta Hospital Edmonton and the importance of treatment and supports in the community and of the not-for-profit sector in that regard.

Sandra was presented her award by Alberta Division Chair David Copus. Other award winners were:

• Nadine Stirling Memorial Award (for a consumer or family member): Candace Watson
• Professional Care Award: Dr. Rita Dahlke
• Special Service Award: Calgary Mobile Response Team
• Bettie Hewes Memorial Award for Outstanding Volunteer Service: Josie Sartore
• Communications Award: Edmonton Journal and Calgary Herald

Elections were also held at the AGM with Sandra McCrone of Turner Valley being elected to her second term and Ray Block of Edmonton to his first term, both as Directors at Large.

Audited financial statements showed CMHA Alberta Division to be in sound financial shape, with a small surplus earned in 2009-2010. Grant Thornton was re-appointed as the auditing firm for the 2010-2011 fiscal year.

In a Board meeting following the AGM, the Board returned Copus of Edmonton as Chair.
He will be joined on the Executive by Vice Chairs Vincella Thompson of Fort
McMurray, Rod Truax of St Albert (representing the Centre for Suicide Prevention), Bill
Bone of Calgary, and Past Chair Kathleen Weary, now living in Red Deer. Executive
Director Tom Shand is also an ex-officio member of the Executive.