Last month, we covered fraud in the healthcare system. Our next article will be zeroing in on the biggest hankerer for those healthcare funds – Mental Health.

A few years ago, I was walking down Bay Street in December with my wife. It was the Friday evening before Christmas and the street was bustling with shoppers. As we rushed, shopping bags in hand, to get to our last store before closing, a well-dressed man with an accent approached us.

He explained (and I’m keeping this much more concise here) that he and his family had driven from the US through Toronto to make it home to Montreal for Christmas. His car had broken down on the Gardiner and he put them up in a hotel. He found out his car repair would be too much, so he needed $200 to get his family on a bus. After the long-winded story, my wife started speaking with him in French and, being the most warm-hearted person I know, reached into her purse.

I gave her a look to slow her down. Being a frugal skeptic (overall jerk, in her words), I asked a few simple questions. Why did he decide to come via Toronto? Why didn’t he take the 401? Who is the mechanic he brought his car to? Where is his family now?

With a bit of prodding, he scurried away, looking for his next victim. My wife was a bit angry with me for not allowing her to help him and for being so cold with him. We left it at that and didn’t speak of it again.

The following year, we happened to be Christmas shopping downtown again. And who pops out of the crowd speaking to another young couple. My wife forgave me after that.

One thing that I admire in that man was that he had a good story and great delivery. Very convincing. His story was one that makes the heart bleed and the money come forth. Top notch business model. He could’ve been working his hands to the bone for $20 an hour or he could spend his hour with 4 different couples and 2 of them would spring for his $200 story.

What does this have to do with mental health spending you ask? Well, mental health IS an issue (just as would be families stranded on a cold December night). But you and I and every taxpayer are the dupes in this one.

In researching this, I waded through more doublespeak than can even be conceived. I sat down and started making a diagram of the direction of funds in the marketing, lobbying, advertising, advocating, associations, fundraising activities and the like. It is like drawing a rat’s nest to try and track it all. We’re definitely not conspiracy theorists here, but one group stands out as the major promoter and biggest beneficiary of the popularization of Mental Health and Mental Health funding…

Like I admired the con man, I marvel at the business model of the psychopharmaceutical industry. It’s a great return on investment. Being somewhat of a capitalist, I should probably jump in on it and pick up some stock. Alas, my moral fibre would never allow it. Nor would my wife.