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37| O akville B eaver | T hursday,S eptem ber 27,2018 insidehalton.com NOTICE OF CONSTRUCTION Dundas Street (Regional Road 5) widening four to six lanes fromNeyagawa Boulevard to Oak Park Boulevard , Town of Oakville Contract Number: R-2259B-18 Scheduled Start Date: September 2018 Scheduled Completion Date: June 2020 Contractor: EBC Inc. Project Manager: Aaron Brouwers 905-825-6000, ext. 3093 aaron.brouwers@halton.ca 09 27 18 Meetings at Halton Region, 1151 Bronte Rd., Oakville, L6M 3L1 Visit halton.ca for full schedule.for full schedule.f Employment Halton job fair supports growing local economy Halton Region is committed to growing and sustaining a strong, local economy. We work to support growth by connecting job seekers with opportunities from local employers through Regional programs like the Employment Halton job fair. Current job seekers are invited to attend our upcoming job fair that will take place on Wednesday, October 3 at the Oakville Conference Centre. Employment Halton works to support job seekers and employers through programs and services including skills training, on-site hiring events, job placements and access to online job boards. To learn more, visit halton.ca or call 311. DON'T MISS THIS! 1000's of Products on SALE! HUGE DAY SALE ON NOW 5 Sept. 27th - Oct.1st, 2018 + DOOR CRASHERs! 16 Locations renspets.com f + mor e comi ng soon ! Oakville 4002 Trafalgar Rd. (Corner of Trafalgar Rd. & Burnhamthorpe Rd. E.) Store Hours: Mon - Fri: 8am-8pm Sat: 9am-6pm Sun: 10am-5pm (905) 257-4611 Ancaster - Aurora - Barrhaven - Burlington - Cambridge Downsview - Guelph - Kanata - Kitchener - London Scarborough - Waterdown - Waterloo - Whitby - Woodbridge STIGMA. One word that can just make your skin crawl when it comes to talking about mental health. But what can you do about it? Well, a lot. And it's notWell, a lot. And it's notW just big things that fight stigma. It's also little things that you can do each and every day. So, pull out your to-do list for today and add these three items: 1. Watch your language Now, nobody is stand- ing over you with a bar of soap ready to wash your mouth out for any verbal slip. Language takes prac- tice, so pay attention do what you're saying and re- solve to make some good changes. For example, don't call your packed day "crazy" - call it "busy." Need to make your bed perfectly in the morning? Don't say "I have OCD" - say "I'm particu- lar." Maple Leafs lost ... again? Don't say "I'm de- pressed" - say "I'm disap- pointed." Describing everyday feelings with terms relatedfeelings with terms relatedf to mental illness and stig- ma can be demeaning to people who really do suf- fer each and every day. fer each and every day. f 2. Talk, talk, talk Most of us think noth- ing of empathizing with someone who has a cold or the flu. But what if some- one seems to be down, stressed or otherwise struggling? How would you feel about asking what's up? Put that in your stigma- busting tool box - asking and then listening. Really listening. "You don't seem yourself today. Is there anything you'd like to talk about?" or "How are you doing? You seem frazzled." Don't focus on fixing the problem - listen to how the person is feeling and show empathy. If you can do something to help, do it. You'll be opening doorsYou'll be opening doorsY to real, stigma-free conver- sation about mental health. 3. Post, like, click, and share We've seen tons ofWe've seen tons ofW things go viral - goats screaming like humans, grumpy cats and so on. So use the power of social me- dia for good and stomp on stigma by talking about mental health. Share a personal jour- ney, post a touching or in- spiring video or just say what's on your mind when it comes to mental health. Even just telling your net- work that you're open to talking can give others permission to talk as well. We can all be part of aWe can all be part of aW solution to stigma. Try these three tips as a start- ing point to open up posi- tive conversations and take a step toward that so- lution. Melanie McGregor is the communications and advancement specialist at the Canadian Mental Health Association Halton Region branch, which provides mental health/ addictions community support and education. Visit www.halton.cmha.ca for more information and follow @cmhahalton on Twitter for news and up- dates. THREE STIGMA-BUSTERS YOU CAN DO TODAY OPINION WE CAN ALL BE PART OF A SOLUTION TO STIGMA, WRITES MCGREGOR MELANIE MCGREGOR Column