- Walking
for mentally ill
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- Frank Matys photo
- Long walk: Serge
Bourassa-Lacombe has walked across Quebec and Ontario talking to anyone who will listen about abuses against the mentally ill.
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Sere Bourassa-Lacombe carried a tall cross covered in orange reflective tape
as he walked along Highway 11 and through the city last week on a mission for Cod.
On his back was an 80-lb. packsack which he has carried since starting his
trek on April 1 near Sherbrooke, Que. He's walked through Montreal, Ottawa. Kingston, and Toronto, and north to Barrie and Orillia -
900 km. in total - relying on the kindness of strangers to survive. He's on his way to
Huntsville now. spreading the word about how he was given drugs, including, lithium,
haldol, rivotril, dalmane and ativan, against his will while in a psychiatric hospital more than four years ago.
The 42-year-old said he will walk to Victoria. B.C. by the spring of 2000 to raise,
awareness and support for the mentally ill, who he said are being abused in hospitals across the
country. He has sued the hospital where he was drugged for $1.8 million and said he hopes one day to be able to travel to schools, prisons and institutions talking about the power
of God and teaching people to respect and care for society, s most vulnerable.
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