It's Bell Let's Talk Day! Take action and make it count by joining in the world's biggest mental health conversation
- Mental Health: Every Action Counts is the theme of the 10th anniversary Bell Let's Talk Day
- Talk, text and join in on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube today to show your support – and drive Bell's donations to mental health at no cost to you
- Tune in to Bell Let's Talk Day primetime television specials airing tonight
- Get engaged at community events across the country including Bell Let's Talk flag raisings
- Visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk to learn how every action counts for people living with mental illness
MONTRÉAL, Jan. 29, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - It's our 10th annual Bell Let's Talk Day and everyone is invited to get in on the action by talking, texting and getting engaged on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube to show your support for the cause, drive Bell's donations and help create positive change for Canadians living with mental illness.
"I am so excited to be celebrating the 10th anniversary of Bell Let's Talk Day with Canadians in every corner of the country and people all around the world," said Mary Deacon, Chair of Bell Let's Talk. "Over the last decade we've worked together to reduce the stigma around mental illness, grow awareness of its wide-ranging impacts and build acceptance of the need for real change. Let's keep our momentum going by taking action in ways large and small to support people living with mental illness every day. And that includes getting engaged on Bell Let's Talk Day – we've built a movement by talking, texting and sharing our stories on social media over the last 10 years, and today we can take our conversation further than ever before."
You can send your message of support for action in mental health across multiple platforms today. Bell will donate 5 cents to Canadian mental health programs for each of these communications, at no cost to participants beyond what they would normally pay their service providers for online or phone access:
- Talk: Every mobile and every long distance call made by Bell wireless and phone customers
- Text: Every text message sent by Bell wireless customers
- Twitter: Every tweet and retweet using #BellLetsTalk, featuring the special Bell Let's Talk emoji, and every Bell Let's Talk Day video view at Twitter.com/Bell_LetsTalk
- Facebook: Every Bell Let's Talk Day video view at Facebook.com/BellLetsTalk and every use of the Bell Let's Talk frame
- Instagram: Every Bell Let's Talk Day video view at Instagram.com/Bell_LetsTalk
- Snapchat: Every use of the Bell Let's Talk filter and every Bell Let's Talk Day video view
- YouTube: Every Bell Let's Talk Day video view at YouTube.com/BellCanada
Since the first Bell Let's Talk Day in 2011, people in Canada and around the world have sent more than 1 billion messages of support, which has resulted in total Bell funding for mental health reaching $100,695,763.75 (including the company's original $50-million anchor donation when Bell Let's Talk launched) so far.
Bell Let's Talk Day events
Please see below for a list of events taking place across the country today, including appearances by Bell Let's Talk Friends and ambassadors, prime time TV specials, documentary film events, flag raisings and much more.
Bell Media primetime specials
The Social's Marci Ien and Your Morning's Anne-Marie Mediwake host Awareness, Acceptance, and Action: A Bell Let's Talk Day Primetime Special, premiering at 7 pm ET/PT on CTV, CTV2, CTV.ca, the CTV app and Crave.
Companion special Bell Let's Talk Live streams live on Twitter on location from Toronto's Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). Hosted by Melissa Grelo, Bell Let's Talk Live features interviews with medical experts, celebrities and other guests. Bell Let's Talk Live begins at 6:45 pm ET, includes live interviews during commercial breaks of the Bell Let's Talk Day Primetime Special, and concludes with audience-submitted questions being answered by a panel of mental health experts. You can watch the show on Twitter (@Bell_LetsTalk) and join the conversation using #BellLetsTalk.
Francophone documentary Stronger Together
The mental health documentary Stronger Together highlights the family and friends of people struggling with mental health issues. Dealing from a young age with parents who had severe anxiety issues, host Michel Charette reaches out to others who have become caregivers in families impacted by mental illness. Airing on RDS at 8:30 pm ET, Vie at 9 pm ET, D at 9 pm ET, Z at 10 pm ET and on Crave.
Crave highlights mental health
As the home of HBO in Canada, Crave is showcasing HBO's mental health awareness campaign that highlights issues explored on series like Succession, The Sopranos and Girls. Featuring scenes from the shows along with expert commentary, the programming invites viewers who need help to contact the Canadian Mental Health Association.
Shawntay Rose Dann, Jim Malone and Tyler Simmonds in Halifax
Shawntay Rose, Jim and Tyler will attend the Halifax City Hall flag raising at 9 am AT.
Jessica Holmes at CFB Halifax
Jessica will speak with military and civilian teams at CFB Halifax at 10 am AT and with students and staff at the Nova Scotia Community College Ivany Campus at 1:30 pm.
Beth Beattie on Marilyn
Beth will appear as a guest on The Marilyn Denis Show (which starts at 10 am ET), and meets with colleagues from the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General's Mental Health Illuminati to share her story.
Raptors 905 game
At a special Raptors 905 game at 11 am ET, approximately 2,200 young people will receive Bell Let's Talk/Raptors 905 toques and players will wear special Bell Let's Talk jerseys. Airing on TSN4, the event will be hosted by Alexandra Chaves from Family Channel's The Next Step and Raptors 905 spokesperson Akil Augustine.
Bruno Guévremont in Winnipeg
Bruno joins the annual Department of National Defence/Canadian Armed Forces panel discussion on mental health at 10 am CT with Brigadier General Mario Leblanc, Colonel Rakesh Jetly, Major Nathan Packer, 17 Wing Surgeon Major Patti Louttit, Sergeant Holly Young and Alana Mahaney with the Department of National Defence. The event will be moderated by CTV Morning Live Winnipeg co-host Nicole Dubé with 17 Wing's Major Karyne Brown. Bruno will also present a 2019 Bell Let's Talk Community Fund grant to Kidthink.
Kieran Drachenberg in Iqaluit
Kieran will participate in the City of Iqaluit's flag raising ceremony at 11:30 am ET followed by a community event with Arctic Children and Youth Foundation.
Shea Emry in Calgary
Shea will present a Bell Let's Talk Community Fund grant to the Calgary Counselling Centre and take part in an event with Calgary Stampede employees. Shea will also take part in the City of Calgary's flag raising event at Central Memorial park at 9:45 am MT.
Chris Johnson in Edmonton
Chris will join the RCMP K Division flag raising ceremony beginning at 10 am MT.
Andrew Jensen in Ottawa
The Canada School of Public Service and the Centre of Expertise on Mental Health in the Workplace partner to present Government of Canada Bell Let's Talk Day with Andrew Jensen at 1:30 pm ET. Andrew will also bring greetings on behalf of Bell Let's Talk at Wabano's annual charity event to support Indigenous Mental Wellness.
Festival d'Été de Québec
Festival d'Été de Québec is inviting the creative community to participate in events, including a keynote presentation by Kim Thuy at 4:30 pm ET, that focus on self-care and resilience. A networking event will follow beginning at 5:30 pm at Impérial Bell.
National Music Centre / Studio Bell
The National Music Centre (NMC) is launching a music and healing program stream that includes an event at Studio Bell today along with a range of activities, including a specialty tour and Kimball Theatre Organ demonstration.
True North Youth Foundation
More than 1,400 kindergarten through Grade 8 classrooms across Manitoba will participate in the Project 11 Virtual Summit, an hour-long program discussing mental health and wellness.
Blue Bombers in the classroom
Winnipeg Blue Bombers players Thomas Miles and John Rush will visit schools around the city to share the Tackle Bullying program with more than 600 students in grades 1 through 5.
Bell Let's Talk Day at TIFF
TIFF will be offering a free screening of Falls Around Her, a powerful story of indigenous mental health and resilience, followed by a Q&A with guest speaker Ansley Simpson. Before the screening, attendees are invited to join a free workshop on mindful art making led by Cristal Buemi from 4:30 pm to 7 pm ET in the TIFF Bell Lightbox Atrium.
Cracked Up documentary at Hot Docs
In partnership with Hot Docs and Workman Arts, a special free screening of Cracked Up takes place at the Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema in Toronto at 6:30 pm ET. A discussion panel moderated by filmmaker Aisha Jamal after the event features Cracked Up director Michelle Esrick, actor Dillon Casey and CAMH's Dr. Suvercha Pasricha.
Healthy Moms, Healthy Families
The Ismaili Centre Toronto will host a panel event at 7 pm ET led by family physician Dr. Sheila Lakhoo and featuring speakers from Women's College Hospital.
Entrepreneurship conference in Québec City
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Québec City, in collaboration with the Mental Health Institute of Québec's CERVO Foundation, invites business people from Québec City to attend Une conversation honnête sur la santé mentale en entrepreneuriat at 7:30 pm ET with Martin Enault, head of operations at Felix & Paul Studios and chair of Revivre.
Maternal Mental Health
Life with a Baby will be hosting free informal Pajama Parties at various Indigo and Chapters locations across Canada encouraging moms to learn more about the importance of self-care.
Hudson's Bay joins in
Hudson's Bay is encouraging employees and social media followers to join in the conversation today. For tweets using both #BellLetsTalk and @HudsonsBay, Hudson's Bay Foundation will donate 5 cents to CAMH.
University and college sports games
More than 230 universities and colleges around the country are hosting over 550 events including varsity and collegiate games to encourage the campus mental health conversation. Schools will also screen mental health documentaries provided by the Au Contraire Film Festival.
Bell Let's Talk flag raisings:
Communities and organizations around the country are showing their support for mental health with Bell Let's Talk flag raisings. In the lead up to Bell Let's Talk Day, flags have already been raised at: CFB Winnipeg (17 Wing), Clara Hughes Public School in Oshawa, Dauphin City Hall, Gander Town Hall, RCMP Headquarters in Ottawa, Sainte-Julie City Hall, SunLodge Village in Peguis First Nation, Trois-Rivières Police Service, University of Manitoba, University of Winnipeg, Val-d'Or City Hall, Verdun Town Hall in Montréal and William Osler Health System – Brampton Civic Hospital, Etobicoke General Hospital and Peel Memorial Centre for Integrated Health and Wellness. A massive Bell Let's Talk flag was also passed around the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa by fans at Monday night's Senators home game.
Here are today's flag raisings:
Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica; Barrie City Hall; Brampton Beast; Brandon City Hall; CAMH; Canadian Armed Forces Latvia; Central Memorial Park, Calgary; CFB Halifax; CFS Alert; Charlottetown City Hall; Churchill Town Centre Complex; College of the North Atlantic Labrador West campus and St. John's campus; Confederation Park, Kingston; Corner Brook City Hall; Fredericton City Hall; Government of Prince Edward Island, Shaw Building; Grand Falls-Windsor Town Hall; Greater Sudbury City Hall; Halifax City Hall; Hermitage-Sandyville Town Hall; HMCS Toronto; House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador; Huntsville Civic Centre; Iqaluit Aquatic Centre; IUSMM – Fondation de l'Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal; IUSMQ – Fondation CERVO; Keyano College; Legislative Assembly of Manitoba (Memorial Park); Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick; Legislative Assembly of Nunavut; Legislative Assembly of Ontario (Whitney Block); Longueuil City Hall; Markham City Hall; Memorial University; Mississauga City Hall; Moncton City Hall; National Defence Headquarters Ottawa; Niagara Falls City Hall; North Bay City Hall; Ottawa City Hall; Peterborough City Hall; Pickering City Hall; Portage and Main, Winnipeg; Québec Association of Police Directors; Queen's University; Quinte Sports and Wellness Centre; RCMP Detachment, Brudenell; RCMP H Division Headquarters, Dartmouth; RCMP K Division Headquarters, Edmonton; RCMP Kings District, New Minas; Red Deer College; Red River College; Régie intermunicipale de police Thérèse-De Blainville; Regina City Hall; Royal Military College of Canada; Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Headquarters; Saint John City Hall; Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Police Service; Sarto-Desnoyers Community Centre, Dorval; Sault Ste. Marie City Hall; Scugoc Township Office; Sherbrooke Police Service; St. John's City Hall; Summerside City Hall; Support Group 2 Canadian Division of Canada (SG 2 Cdn Div), CFB Valcartier; SG 2 Cdn Div Montréal Garrison; SG 2 Cdn Div, Saint-Jean Garrison; Sydney City Hall; Torbay Town Hall; Toronto City Hall; Toronto Police Service; Toronto Rock; Université de Moncton; University of Calgary; University of Guelph; Vaughan City Hall; Westmount City Hall; Whitehorse City Hall; Yellowknife City Hall; York Regional Police Service; Yukon College; and Yukon Legislative Assembly.
Media inquiries
Jacqueline Michelis
613-785-1427
jacqueline.michelis@bell.ca
@Bell_LetsTalk
@Bell_News
SOURCE Bell Canada
