SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
An anti-bullying bylaw recently introduced in small- town Saskatchewan has sparked discussion among Northern residents about whether similar legislation could work in Yellowknife.
A Facebook post by city councillor Cory Vanthuyne about an anti-bullying bylaw being introduced in small town Saskatchewan has sparked debate among Northerners. Vanthuyne himself said he wouldn’t support such an initiative in Yellowknife. - Miranda Scotland/NNSL photo |
Under the bylaw residents of any age in Eston, Sask., a town of about 1,100 people, can be fined between $250 and $1,000 for "repeated or habitual harassment," which includes name calling, taunting, theft, social out-casting and physical violence. Even bystanders can face fines if they're seen cheering on the offender and any residents who fail to pony-up may be jailed for up to six months.
Yellowknife city councillor Cory Vanthuyne initiated a discussion on Eston's new bylaw earlier this month through Facebook. A number of Northerners took the opportunity to share their views. Some indicated they were for implementing a similar bylaw in Northern communities while others were against it. One participant proposed introducing a college program for bullies to "get educated on their actions."
Vanthuyne said he was glad to see some debate on the topic but wouldn't stand behind such a bylaw being introduced in Yellowknife. Although the city should support and bring awareness about anti-bullying, he said, it would be difficult to enforce a similar initiative in a city of about 20,000 people. Also, he added, this is an issue that stretches beyond city limits.
"It's a much higher level issue in my view. This isn't something that town by town we should be considering. This is at minimum provincial- and territorial-level legislation," he said. "The territorial government in fact already realizes that. They know that this falls under their purview and they are already taking steps and measures to change the education act and identify a need for some safe school policy."
The territorial government's Department of Education, Culture and Employment (ECE) committed to creating a safe school strategy last year following a call from MLAs for anti-bullying legislation. The department is expected to present the strategy during the spring session of the legislative assembly and will not release any details until then.
Frame Lake MLA Wendy Bisaro said she thinks an anti-bullying bylaw would be a good addition either on its own or complementary to the GNWT's safe school strategy.
In an ideal world, government intervention wouldn't be needed to put a stop to bullying, she added, but that's not the reality.
"We have to shame people into not doing it," she said, adding she likes that Eston's bylaw makes everyone responsible for stopping bullying, even bystanders. "It takes all of us."
Bisaro said she would also support a public awareness campaign, similar to what Mothers Against Drunk Drivers has done with drunk driving, to educate and encourage residents to help in the fight.
"As stories of people who step in to stop bullying become more evident and gain more notoriety I think it will come to the point where it is with drunk driving, where it's not acceptable."
Vanthuyne is also supportive of an anti-bullying campaign and has suggested to ECE that it bring in speakers such as Lizzie Velasquez who has been bullied all her life due to a rare medical condition that doesn't allow her to put on weight.
As for what the GNWT's safe schools strategy should look like, Vanthuyne isn't sure. But he suggested the government should focus initially on enacting change at the school level.
"It's going to be a very big challenge to consider anything at the cyber-bullying level or through social media. But people who tend to bully online are also the ones who are bullying in the schools and so if you can have effects on changing their behaviour at that level where you get to have a more hands- on approach with them then hopefully it extends to them being better individuals on the Internet and social media."
