In honour of Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, the Canadian Diamond Drilling Association is proud to recognize Rob Steadman as one of the recipients of the 2025 Bring it to the Surface Ambassador Award.
The Bring it to the Surface initiative was born from a difficult conversation—one rooted in tragedy but driven by a collective desire for change. What began as a response to loss has since grown into a movement aimed at breaking the silence surrounding mental health in the diamond drilling and exploration industry. And it’s only just getting started.
In 2022, the CDDA Executive Director Louise Lowe received a call from Rob Steadman from Foraco with heartbreaking news: a valued member of his team had died by suicide. News like this shakes us to the core—not just within one company, but across our entire industry. Too many of us have been impacted by mental health tragedies, yet it’s something we seldom speak about.
Rob’s message that day was both simple and powerful: “We need to talk about it. We need to bring this to the surface. We need to do this as an industry—not alone.”
That was the moment this vital conversation truly began.
Since that call, Rob and the entire Foraco team have shown tremendous leadership. They didn’t just start a conversation—they helped lay the foundation for a movement with the Canadian Diamond Drilling Association. Through awareness, advocacy, and action, they have supported efforts to normalize mental health discussions, reduce stigma, and promote wellbeing throughout the workplace.
The Ambassador Award
At the CDDA 80th Annual AGM and Convention our membership honoured Rob Steadman with the Bring it to the Surface Ambassador Award for his exceptional commitment to mental health awareness and support. His courage, compassion, and unwavering dedication to the wellbeing of his staff and our industry has been a driving force behind the Bring it to the Surface Initiative.
Rob, thank you for speaking up. Thank you for leading with empathy. And thank you for helping us bring this conversation to the surface—together. The team at Foraco should be incredibly proud of you—your courage sparked a movement that led to the launch of the CDDA Bring it to the Surface Initiative that is making a real difference in our industry and continues to grow.
To learn more about how you can involved with our Bring it to the Surface initiative email us at office@cdda.ca or visit our health and wellness page at Bring it to the Surface
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