Elenore Sturko is a first-term BC Liberal MLA, and a former RCMP officer.
This week, she told The Vancouver Sun the story of arriving at the scene of a suicide of a young man, as his frantic mother looked on. The mother had hours earlier brought her son, who struggled with addiction, to hospital after he threatened to kill himself. The hospital didn’t certify the man under the Mental Health Act and sent them home. As the mother drove away from the hospital, the man jumped out of the car and followed through with his threats.
The incident triggered in Sturko post-traumatic stress disorder, and she turned to alcohol to cope. Eventually, her drinking grew into a couple of bottles of wine at night, trying to numb the trauma.
Three years ago, when another awful incident occurred – this time the shooting of a police officer in Surrey – Sturko got the help she needed and she has been sober ever since.
Please take a few minutes and read Elenore’s story. It’s powerful, incredibly brave, and gives context to why she supports involuntary care for people with severe mental health and addictions issues.
Each week, ICBA’s Jordan Bateman reflects on what we’ve learned as we participate in ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program. ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program is helping more than 90 companies and nearly 10,000 construction professionals better understand mental health. This program is free for all ICBA members – check out icba.ca/wellness for details.