Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A number of months ago this House took a stance on bullying. We wore the colours, we each spoke passionately on why we needed to make a stand against bullying, and the department listened. Shortly thereafter, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment joined Regular Members in a promise to come forward with legislation to address this issue for the latter part of 2013.
So why am I bringing this up again? Well, it seems that a young BC teenager’s life has been taken away and the world has gone viral once again. The question of why this happened is swirling around the Internet and media mainstreams. Watching the YouTube video of this young teenager’s despair clearly made me angry. How did we let this person down? Was there not at least one friend to come forward and help her in her darkest hours?
What about here in the NWT? Are we immune from another Amanda Todd from happening? A recent CBC report clearly depicts that this very issue is in our own backyard and yet many of us go on with our daily lives oblivious of such occurrences. Many may say, let’s wait for new legislation to help take a stand against bullies. I say, don’t wait for us to magically put discussion papers, policies, guidelines and regulations to the issue, because this in itself is not going to stop the action.
Take the distracted driving legislation, for example. We know it’s out there, yet coming to work this morning I counted at least six people with their phones to their ear. This legislation in itself didn’t worry these drivers and it was apparently so.
My message is clear: as parents, as teachers, as adults, as concerned citizens of the NWT we all need to take an active stand on our kids’ behaviour. Legislation is only one tool in our anti-bullying tool belt. We need to band together to collectively keep a watchful eye on our children’s use of social networks and mobile phone usage. We need to spend time talking to our children about the harm of bullying. We need to listen but more importantly hear their concerns. Moreover, while the situation like Amanda Todd’s is tragic, news reports can also be used as a teachable moment. As I said months ago, together we can change behaviour and together we must.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
