The day I heard there had been a virus outbreak in Wuhan, China and that the cases of infections were increasing per day, I knew that we, and the year 2020, were in for a long ride. As a fourth-year Life Science student at Ontario Tech University, and having studied epidemiology, I knew there is a large body of evidence suggesting that adverse events like health epidemics negatively impact mental health. Therefore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was going to be incredibly taxing on our community in many ways, and especially on our mental health. I have always considered myself lucky that my parents chose Canada as the country to immigrate to, but in the face of lockdowns, and the jarring differences in response to COVID-19 by the Canadian versus U.S. leadership, I was left feeling gratitude once again. However, I cannot simply measure Canada’s success and progressive state as a country in comparison to our neighbours down south, but rather its response to the call to action of Canadian voices. Growing up as the firstborn in a Pakistani-Canadian household means a fine balancing act and fusion of the two cultures, constantly assessing and analyzing norms and stigmas. However, one area in which both cultures have fallen short is the fight against the stigma around Mental Health. While the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting our society in profound and multifaceted ways, it is also highlighting the urgency of another pandemic in this country — a mental health pandemic. Surveys by Stats Canada report 88% of participants had experienced at least one symptom of anxiety, and an overall decrease in the mental health of Canadians. I believe now more than ever is the time to not only talk about mental health, but to take action, and once and for all, end the stigma around mental health by including it as a part of our Universal Health Care program. One of the many things that makes me feel proud and lucky to be Canadian is our free healthcare program. However, the fact that Canadians have to spend hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on mental health care, effectively blocking access to those in need of it the most, is perplexing to me. The Secretary-General of the United Nations has stated that the mental health and wellbeing of societies have been severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and are a priority to be addressed urgently. If we as a society, understand the seriousness of mental health and equate its importance to that of our physical health, then why is it not covered under our health care plans? I explain the importance of mental health to my parents like this — if you broke your leg, would you just wait for it to get better? Or would you take it to the hospital? In the same context, if the government provides us with free care for our broken leg, then why not our anxiety or depression? It will not be until we provide universal mental health care, that the systematic stigma around mental health will be eradicated. Rather than just running media awareness campaigns, we need politicians to take real and immediate action and make mental health care universal. Mental health has always been a struggle for many Canadians, but now more than ever we need to take care of our people. Just raising awareness is no longer enough. We need real action and systemic change. We need universal mental health care. As millennials and Gen Z, we make up the largest voting bloc in the country, and with the right organizing, we can mobilize our voices to create change. As young people, we are Canada’s present and future, and we are tired of inheriting problems generations before us have created. We are educated and aware, and we demand a better Canada with universal mental health care.