Bell Let's Talk Day is tomorrow! Get ready to join in Canada's mental health conversation with great events and new ways to engage

Join the Bell Let's Talk team at a diverse range of events around the country
Talk, text and get engaged on social media – now including Instagram and Snapchat – to help drive Bell's donations to mental health at no extra charge to you
Learn more at Bell.ca/LetsTalk

MONTRÉAL, Jan. 24, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - Bell Let's Talk Day 2017 is tomorrow, and national spokesperson Clara Hughes and the Bell Let's Talk team invite everyone to talk, text and engage on social media to grow Canada's mental health conversation like never before.

"Get ready to talk Canada! Mental illness affects all of us in some way and we want to hear from you about it. Don't forget to make a call, send a text, and join in on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat on Bell Let's Talk Day," said Clara. "Every time you do, you let those who struggle know that you're ready to listen and to help. Your messages of support also directly drive Bell's donations to mental health in communities all over Canada at no extra cost to you. Let's beat last year's record engagement in the mental health conversation by joining our voices together tomorrow from coast to coast to coast!"

The 2017 Bell Let's Talk team
Bell Let's Talk team members share their stories of dealing with mental illness, discuss new ways to fight the stigma, and invite Canadians to join them in the conversation. This year, Clara, TSN host Michael Landsberg, comedian Howie Mandel, entertainer Mary Walsh, Québec personalities Stefie Shock and Michel Mpambara, actor Marie-Soleil Dion and retired CFL player Étienne Boulay also recorded video testimonials in which they candidly discuss their experiences.

Also sharing their stories are Bell Let's Talk ambassadors professional golfer Andrew Jensen, comedian and writer Kevin Breel, CFL veteran Shea Emry, musician Robb Nash, Toronto Maple Leafs Head Coach Mike Babcock, and singer-songwriter Séan McCann. New to the team this year is Bruno Guévremont, a veteran of 2 tours in Afghanistan and Team Canada captain at the 2016 Invictus Games.

JANUARY 24

Bell Canada Mental Health and Anti-Stigma Research Chair
Clara and Bell Let's Talk Chair Mary Deacon are in Kingston today to announce the renewal of the $1 million Bell Canada Mental Health and Anti-Stigma Research Chair at Queen's University.

Support for mental health in Lanaudière
Martine Turcotte, Bell's Vice Chair Québec, and Marie-Soleil Dion will be in Terrebonne to announce new support for mental health in the region.

Toronto Raptors game for Bell Let's Talk
Clara will attend the Toronto Raptors vs. San Antonio Spurs game to discuss Bell Let's Talk and encourage everyone to join the conversation.

Montréal Canadiens Hockey Talks game
Michel Mpambara, Stefie Shock and Marie-Soleil Dion will take part in the Hockey Talks game in support of mental health at the Bell Centre in Montréal when the Habs take on the Calgary Flames. Stefie, Michel and Marie-Soleil will distribute Bell Let's Talk bracelets to fans and visit guests from Déclic and Montreal Jewish Hospital together with the Montreal Canadiens Children Foundation.

Séan McCann in Kananaskis
Séan will be sharing his music with students from across Alberta who are taking part in Resiliency Workshops at the Shaping the Future Conference.

Shea Emry in Vancouver
Shea will participate in a Wellmen event at the University of British Columbia with the UBC football team. He will visit with City of Vancouver first responders and Parks and Recreation employees and present a Bell Let's Talk Community Fund cheque to the Canadian Bipolar Association.

JANUARY 25

Twitter Q&A with Clara and Marie-Soleil
Twitter will host a Q&A with Clara and Marie-Soleil beginning at 2:30 pm eastern. To ask a question or follow along, search #BellLetsTalk and #QA on Twitter.

Raptors 905 game in support of Bell Let's Talk
Michael Landsberg and Kevin Breel will attend the Raptors 905 game at 11 am eastern at the Hershey Centre in Mississauga where 5,000 young people will receive Bell Let's Talk touch and text gloves.

Mary Walsh in Ottawa
Mary will participate in the Canadian Armed Forces panel discussion on mental health at 1pm eastern with CWO Kevin West, Col Rakesh Jetly, LCdr Lyn Kingsley and Gilles Moreau at National Defence Headquarters, moderated by CTV Ottawa News Anchor Graham Richardson and Canadian Armed Forces member Lt(N) Julie McDonald. Live-streaming of the panel discussion will be on Twitter, Periscope and Facebook.

Their Excellencies the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, and Mrs. Sharon Johnston will attend the event.

Andrew Jensen in Halifax
Andrew will be at Nova Scotia Community College to join students in a discussion about mental health that will be live-streamed at 12 pm Atlantic time to all 13 campuses. At 7 pm, Andrew will take part in the puck drop at the Dalhousie Varsity men's hockey team game.

Michel Mpambara in Montréal
Michel will have lunch with children at L'Ancre des jeunes and take part in a discussion about mental health.

Robb Nash in Winnipeg
Robb will perform at the Burton Cummings Theatre for all grade 7-8 students from the St. James-Assiniboia School Division in Winnipeg.

Bell Let's Talk Day at Studio Bell in Calgary
A full day at the National Music Centre, known as Studio Bell, includes a session with leading music therapist Jennifer Buchanan, the NMC President's Tour highlighting the healing and restorative power of music, a Kimball Theatre presentation called "Why does Music make us feel emotions?" and a 90-minute evening concert with Séan McCann.

Shea Emry in Vancouver
Shea will present a Bell Let's Talk Community Fund cheque to Westcoast Family Centres.

Marie-Soleil Dion and Stefie Shock in Québec City
Marie-Soleil will host and Stefie will DJ at Soirée FEQ – Bell Cause pour la cause.

Howie Mandel Special
The Bell Let's Talk Day Special with Howie Mandel airs in simulcast at 7 pm on CTV and CTV Two and streams on CTV.ca and the CTV GO App. The special will be available on CraveTV and on demand following its network premiere.

University Sport games in support of Bell Let's Talk
More than 20,000 student-athletes will lead the campus conversation about mental health, joining with students and staff from 54 universities across the country to discuss the impact of mental illness and how to fight the stigma. Student-athletes also appear in a new Bell Let's Talk video series called Let's Talk About It. Several university games are taking place on Bell Let`s Talk Day. Please visit https://oneteam.bell.ca/events for details.

Join the conversation to drive Bell's donations
Tomorrow, Bell will donate 5 cents to Canadian mental health programs for every text message, mobile call and long distance call made by Bell customers; every tweet and Instagram post using #BellLetsTalk; every view of the Bell Let's Talk Day video on Facebook; and every use of the Bell Let's Talk geofilter on Snapchat.

Bell Let's Talk now has its own hashtag emoji on Twitter. Whenever you type #BellLetsTalk or #BellCause in a tweet, the Bell Let's Talk logo automatically appears at the end of the hashtag.

Bell's donations are made at no extra charge to Bell Let's Talk Day participants, though normal long distance or text charges, if any, apply. Bell Let's Talk Day 2016 set new records for engagement with 125.9 million messages of support, and Bell increased its funding for Canadian mental health by $6,295,764.75.

5 simple ways to fight the stigma around mental illness
Everyone can help end the stigma around mental illness by learning the 5 simple ways developed by Dr. Heather Stuart of Queen's University, the first Bell Canada Mental Health and Anti-Stigma Research Chair:

Language matters – pay attention to the words you use about mental illness
Educate yourself – learn, know and talk more, understand the signs
Be kind – small acts of kindness speak a lot
Listen and ask – sometimes it's best to just listen
Talk about it – start a dialogue, break the silence

To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

Media inquiries:

Jacqueline Michelis
613 785-1427
jacqueline.michelis@bell.ca
@Bell_News

SOURCE Bell Canada