Conference Mission

The act of reconciliation represents why we invite our members, allies and communities to gather yearly: together we heal from the impact of suicide on our lives, together we establish new goals for preventing suicide, together we harmonize our efforts towards a Canada without suicide. This conference is Canada’s premiere meeting of attempt survivors, of those living with grief, of caregivers, researchers, clinicians, and also of community leaders who are eager to forge new bonds and improve our networks’ engagement towards those at risk. We can break patterns of isolation, marginalisation and oppression by creating a space where researchers can  share new knowledge, clinicians can share best practices and survivors can share their experiences. This web of intersections has the power to heal harm done collectively to the social fabric.

Currently in Canada, the theme of Reconciliation invites us to take stock of Indigenous perspectives to our approaches, but the conference also serves to present all types of progress in suicide prevention.

Preliminary Schedule:

About some of the Keynote Speakers

Jorgen Gullestrup, suicidologist from Australia
Suicide prevention in the construction industry since 2007: http://matesinconstruction.org.au

Professor Clem Martini, author from Calgary, AB
Writing for book publishing, live theatre, film and television, including Bitter Medicine: A Graphic Memoir of Mental Illness. www.ucalgary.ca/martini

Senator Patti LaBoucane-Benson is a Métis from Treaty 6 territory in Alberta. 

About the Pre-Conference (Tuesday October 15, 2019)

Connect: Suicide Postvention Training is a proactive planning tool to respond to a suicide or sudden death of a student, teacher or member of the community. Using National Best Practice protocols, participants will learn how to reduce the risk of contagion and create a comprehensive response plan in the event of a suicide. The training includes interactive case scenarios, discussion, exercises, PowerPoint and printed materials.

Through this six hour training, school counselors, administration, nurses, security and other school personnel as well as key community providers who would be involved in developing protocols and responding to a suicide death that impacts the school community will learn to do so. They will also be prepared to incorporate postvention protocols into their emergency response plans. National best practices, the dynamics and complexities of suicide relate phenomena, how electronic messaging and social media impact suicide response and suicide related phenomena, recognizing and responding to warning signs, strategies, resources and criteria for the development and implementation of a suicide response plan are some of the highlights of the course.

Cost: $325 with lunch provided. 

Please note: The Connect Program can accommodate 30 participants max. Sufficient registration levels must be reached by Wed Sept 4 in order for this workshop to proceed. Registrants will be notified of workshop status as it becomes available.

About the event for delegates with Lived Experience of Suicide | Healing Day (Wednesday, October 16, 2019)
CASP's committee on persons with Lived Experience traditionally organises an activity during the Annual Conference, under the stewardship of one of the members of the Board. This year, delegates who have been impacted by suicide are invited to participate in the Healing Day on Wednesday October 16 after the opening keynote speaker. It will be an experiential day with workshops, events, and sessions designed for those who have been impacted by suicide. This includes people who live(d) with suicidal thoughts, people who have attempted suicide, people who care for someone who lives with thoughts of suicide or has attempted suicide, and people who have lost someone to suicide. Delegates will have the opportunity to attend the regular conference sessions if they would prefer.