The New Brunswick Liberals are following through on a campaign promise, with new legislation to create a mental health advocate. “Creating this role will ensure that people don’t fall through the cracks, and we’ll get systemic reviews of situations that that can be reviewed,” Justice Minister Robert McKee said in a press conference on Wednesday. If the bill is passed, the role would go to Kelly Lamrock, who is currently the provincial advocate for children and youth, older adults and people with mental or physical disabilities. Lamrock said he’s prepared to take on the additional work. “We already have access to the people who can guide us in that. Certainly, like anything else, I have to multitask. I’m not unfamiliar with doing that,” he told reporters. The bill comes as Lamrock says there is an additional $300,000 to help with the increased service. The mental health advocate role would be different than existing services like psychiatric patient advocates. “It’s worth noting that the office is not an office of legal counsel,” Lamrock said. “We’re a quasi-judicial office. It means, essentially, I have the authority through the legislature to review actions of the executive branch, whether through a department or a government authority, and say, here’s what I think is right and wrong,” he added. The announcement drew praise from local mental health advocate Paul Oullet. “I’ve been waiting for the past 10 years to have the announcement that we heard this morning,” he said. But he wanted the position to have more independence. “I had worked and hoped that the position would be totally, totally independent and in an office of its own,” he said. Green Party Leader David Coon voiced a similar sentiment. “That is the one discouraging thing, that it wasn’t created as a standalone office for the mental health advocate. It’s a big job,” he said. Newly-elected Progressive Conservative Leader Daniel Allain says even though the position would be lumped in with Lamrock’s previous mandates, he’s celebrating the bill. “It’s still a good news announcement. Sometimes government, we don’t agree on everything. But this is a good announcement,” he said. Ability NB executive director Haley Flaro told reporters Lamrock is already unofficially acting out the role. “With the current fiscal situation that the province is facing and families are facing, the stresses are impacting people. So having someone to help navigate the right services and supports is really essential,” she said. If the bill passes, Lamrock would begin the role in January 2027. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
