About Bruce
Content Warning !
This page includes mentions of suicide. Please proceed with care.
If you or someone you know is in crisis or struggling with mental illness, here are some resources that are available.
Canada Suicide Crisis Helpline | (Call or text 988 or visit 988.ca)
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health | (1-800-463-2338)
Kids Help Phone | (1-800-668-6868)
If you need immediate assistance call 911 or go to the nearest hospital.
Who is Bruce Johnson?
Bruce Arthur Johnson was a 57-year old Disabled, Albertan man who lived in the village of Empress. Unable to earn a living due to his Depression and other disabilities, his only means of income were CPP Disability and AISH. He had relied on these supports for the last 29 years. His mental health took a turn for the worse when changes to the supports he relied on were announced in 2025.
On June 8th 2026, Bruce tragically decided to take his own life. In his suicide letter, he stated one of the driving factors was the introduction of a new program called ADAP by the UCP government. The Alberta Disability Assistance Program or ADAP, is a program that deems Disabled Albertans as able to work, even though they had already proven they cannot work or cannot work enough to support themselves. Tens of thousands of Disabled Albertans who had already applied and been approved for Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped or AISH, now had to apply for AISH again.
For many, as Bruce put it, this was a kick in the teeth. He began to do what many other Disabled Albertans did, and self-evaluate his ability to work. Needless to say, he did not see much hope or future in adapting to the requirements of this new program. Thrown into a spiral of self-critique and frustrated with his bodies inability to conform to Non-Disabled employment standards, Bruce wound up in a state of depression that he could not see a living exit from.
Could this death have been prevented?
It is uncertain what individuals or community could have done to intervene before Bruce made this permanent decision. There are a myriad of factors that contribute to a persons mental health. Depression can be overwhelming and all-consuming, making hope difficult to grasp and hold onto, especially when alone.
One thing is for certain though. Had ADAP not been introduced, had the United Conservative Party not chosen to worsen access to essential Income Supports, had the provincial government consulted with Disabled Albertans adequately, Bruce Arthur Johnson would not have felt so hopeless, helpless, and isolated. Just maybe, had these changes not been made, Bruce may not have chosen to leave us. It is possible that Bruce would have still been alive today.