The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable John Haggie, Minister of Health and Community Services:

Mr. Speaker, today in this Honourable House, I would like to congratulate Ms. Niki Legge, the department’s Director of Mental Health and Addictions, on receiving the International eMental Health Innovation Leadership Award from the eMental Health International Collaborative. She, along with the province, were recognized for being leaders in the delivery of e-mental health and addictions services.

The award is presented annually for leadership in the global e-mental health landscape, embodying innovation, implementation and forward-thinking. Ms. Legge has been integral to the development and execution of the mental health and addictions services in this province. We are looked upon as an example of how these initiatives can be delivered in an effective manner and reach the people that need it most.

One of the initiatives Ms. Legge was recognized for was Bridge the gapp, the go-to online resource for mental health and substance use information and support. This work is impacting people not just here, but across the country, as this program is now being considered by other provinces and territories throughout Canada.

We are very lucky in this province to have exceptional staff at the Department of Health and Community Services. Recognition of the work by Ms. Legge and her team is well deserved. Her compassion and innovative, forward way of thinking is helping to save countless lives and supporting all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.