Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Tomorrow is Anti-Bullying Day, otherwise known as Pink Shirt Day. Now, I know this is the eve of what should be another great awareness day, but I wanted to make sure that I left everyone here today with a homework assignment in preparation for tomorrow.
In preparing for tomorrow, I came across a unique video by Shane Koyczan on bullying that has been going absolutely viral. Shane Koyczan is a BC poet who is definitely no stranger to being bullied as a kid. In fact, if you recognize the name, it’s probably because you remember him from his inspired performance at the Vancouver Olympics opening ceremony where he read his poem We Are More.
Earlier this year Koyczan, who admits that bullying can leave psychic scars that can last for years, teamed up with artists from all over the world to animate a seven-minute video called To This Day. In this video Koyczan narrates a poem of his experiences of being bullied in school, as well as two other victims: a girl with a birthmark on her face and a boy who struggles with depression. This is a powerful animation that tackles bullying head on and strikes a nerve with everyone who experiences the vulnerability of his storytelling. To This Day is a wonderful animated tool that can help schools and families confront the problem of bullying, or at least allow for the starting point of discussion.
I’ll leave you with this: If you think this is just another southern artist who doesn’t understand what bullying means in the North or has any clue of what it means to be of First Nation heritage, I beg you to think again. Shane Koyczan is a true Northerner, born here in Yellowknife, and had a childhood of being bullied right here. His story is our story.
My pink shirt is ready. My pink tie is ready. Let’s get ready for tomorrow, shall we? Before we do, I ask everyone here at the Assembly and listening in, to take a minute to watch Shane Koyczan’s To This Day with your kids.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
