Lobbying registration dated 2026-03-04
Registrant: Lisa Votta-Bleeker
Client: Canadian Psychological Association
Targeted institutions:
Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)
Treasury Board Of Canada Secretariat (TBS)
Indigenous Services Canada (ISC)
Justice Canada (JC)
Finance Canada (FIN)
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC)
House of Commons
National Defence (DND)
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)
Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC)
National Research Council (NRC)
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)
Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)
Senate of Canada
Health Canada (HC)
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)
Public Safety Canada (PS)
Correctional Service of Canada (CSC)
Prime Minister's Office (PMO)
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)
Legislative bills: C-211
Acts: Criminal Code
Government funding received:
Lobbying activity details:
Leadership in the development, innovation and delivery of evidence-based in respect of needed and accessible mental health and health service
Continued, increased, and balanced funding for psychological research via base funding for the granting councils, as well as stabilized funding for operating and infrastructure support.
Obtain contributions for the training of Canada's mental health human resources.
The Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program's Mental Health Counselling (MHC) benefit with respect to improving access to psychological services.
Revisit the extended health care insurance plans for federal public employees and all other beneficiaries. Make sure that coverage provided for psychological services affords the employee meaningful levels of service.  Those Federal government departments that enter into contracts for service from registered psychologists pay at least the recommended rate set by provincial and territorial associations of psychology across Canada.
Establish a chief clinical psychologist position at the Department of National Defence within the Mental Health Directorate.
Improve access to mental health and psychological services through private and public health insurance plans in Canada.
Pharmacare and its impact on other privately insured health services such as psychological services
Improve access to psychological services with respect to the new mental health funding in the Canada Health transfer
Improve access to mental health and psychological services with respect to all Canadians
Policies and programs to better address the health care needs of seniors - National Dementia Strategy, Canada Health Transfers that include a demographic top up transfer, expand innovative homecare best practices, pan-Canadian caregiver strategy
The role of psychologists in legislated policies and programs related to the Criminal Code of Canada:  Medical Assistance in Dying, Assessing Fitness to Stand Trial and Criminal Responsibility
Proposed changes to the HST/GST attached to reports and services for non-health care purposes.  CPA is concerned that this change will lead to unintended consequences for Canadians seeking mental health treatment and that Canadians will now have to pay taxes on some psychological services that were once exempt.
Create federal residency placements for psychologists within federal departments
Chapter 7 of Agreement on Internal Trade and its impact on the regulation and mobility of psychologists
Enhancing access to mental health care through primary care and create parity of funding for mental and physical health services for persons with mental health, substance use and physical health conditions
Role of behavioural science in addressing climate change and impact of climate change, and its response, on mental health
Remove the requirement that employees of the federal public service must get a referral from a medical doctor before qualifying for reimbursement for psychological services
Ensure core research funding for granting councils and funding for students that recognizes the role of psychological factors in research, particularly in health and the neurosciences
Investments in education and training, specifically schools of psychology and PsyD programs, to increase the number of doctoral prepared psychologists graduated in a given year to provide increased access to psychological diagnoses, assessments, and treatments
Taxation - Tax Programs in respect of persons with disability related to mental functions
Disability Management Initiative in the Public Service with respect to mental health conditions to identify prevention programs and longer term needs.
Obtain Federal support of the infrastructures and mechanisms necessary to collecting information on Canada's Health Human Resource (HHR) upon which HHR planning can rely
Psychological services provided through the Non-Insured Health Benefits Program for First Nations and Inuit persons
Expand the CanLearn program to include psychologists
The CPA's previous CEO was asked to co-Chair the Disability Advisory Committee (DAC), reinstated by the Minister of National Revenue.  The mandate of the Committee was to advise the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) on its interpretation and administration of tax measures for persons with disabilities. Improved interpretation and administration can help to enhance access to tax measures for those living with disability.
Improve access to mental health and psychological services for veterans
Help to address mental health needs within the military through mechanisms which could enhance recruitment and retention of psychologists in the military such as the development of federal residency training programs for psychologists and putting psychologists in uniform.
The formulation of a national dementia strategy and action plan
Overall support for Bill C-211: An Act respecting a federal framework on post-traumatic stress disorder. Concerns were expressed about federal guidelines with respect to diagnosis, treatment and management of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Continued investments in students through graduate scholarships, internships, and fellowships.