Isolation Nation: Supporting Mental Health

From acting as a long-time ambassador for Bell Let’s Talk, to founding his own non-profit organization #SickNotWeak, Michael Landsberg has cemented himself as one of the nation’s leading voices in mental health advocacy. Most recently, the former host of TSN’s Off the Record has devoted himself to supporting mental health and wellbeing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic with a digital program called Isolation Nation. “For a decade I [have] tried to describe how mental illnesses like depression and anxiety feel. I spent a thousand hours trying to convince so many that depression is a sickness and not a weakness,” explains Landsberg. However, since the pandemic hit, many who could not have personally understood the impact of mental illness before, have since begun to feel its effects. Loneliness can have a profound impact on both our mental and physical health. Come for this session! It is as uplifting as it is educational, helping to effectively tackle the pandemic of mental illness that has followed the virus.

Michael Landsberg about Isolation Nation: Supporting Mental Health from APEX on Vimeo.

EVENT DETAILS

Theme: Mental Health

Date & Time: January 27 2021, 1:30pm to 2:30pm
Session will be offered in English.

Topic: Isolation Nation: Supporting Mental Health

Audience: Executives of the Public Service (EX-01 to EX-05 or equivalent) across Canada and internationally

Cost: Free

Platform: Participants are welcome to attend our virtual event via webinar and/or teleconference. A meeting link will be sent once you are registered.

Speaker

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Michael Landsberg is best known as the face of Canadian sports: a broadcaster for over thirty years, he’s covered a wide range of events with his trademark quick pace and sharp wit. More recently, he’s come out and stood up as a new face in the mental health awareness movement. Candid about his depression and generalized anxiety disorder, he’s been hugely influential in anti-stigma movements and campaign—including his “#sicknotweak” campaign on social media, which was widely shared, spread, and became a catalyst for starting new conversations around mental health issues. Health and well-being are still an oft-neglected in the workplace, and it takes brave, frank and sincere voices like Michael’s to truly make change. In his heartfelt talks, Michael shares his own experiences, as well as others’ stories, to teach us what it means to struggle with mental health, that recovery and resilience is possible, and how we can better support each other

Moderator

On October 12, 2021, Mireille Laroche joined the Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer at the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat as an Assistant Deputy Minister. She is leading the People and Culture (P&C) sector.

Prior to this appointment, Mireille spent seven years at the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), including the last three years as the Assistant Commissioner of the Service, Innovation and Integration Branch, Chief Service Officer, and Chief Data Officer. During this time, Mireille notably led the development and implementation of a new Agency vision and People-First Philosophy and led the Agency’s transformation agenda.

Mireille joined the CRA in September 2014 as Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Collections and Verification Branch. She became the Assistant Commissioner of the Appeals Branch on April 1, 2016.

Prior to joining the CRA, Mireille held various senior management positions at Employment and Social Development Canada, including acting Assistant Deputy Minister of the Processing and Payment Services Branch at Service Canada and Director General of the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security Directorate. From 2011 to 2013, she served as Director General of Employment Insurance Policy with Employment and Social Development Canada.

Isolation Nation: Supporting Mental Health