Statement by Minister Blaney on the International Day of Pink

OTTAWA, April 7, 2015 /CNW/ - The Honourable Steven Blaney, Canada's Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, issued the following statement to highlight the International Day of Pink:

"Each year the second Wednesday of April marks the International Day of Pink. It is a day where communities across the country, and across the world, can unite in celebrating diversity and raise awareness to stop discrimination and all forms of bullying. The day commemorates two students from Nova Scotia who witnessed a boy being bullied for wearing a pink shirt. The teenagers organized a protest at their high school by wearing pink to show support for their fellow student. Canadians are encouraged to wear a pink shirt to symbolize that our society will not tolerate bullying.

Bullying and cyberbullying can have profound and lasting effects, and requires all of us to do our part to protect our children and youth. On March 10, 2015, our Government's Protecting Canadians from Online Crime Act came into force. The new law gives police the modernized tools they need to protect Canadians, in particular children and youth, from acts of cyberbullying. Specifically, the law prohibits the non-consensual distribution of intimate images.

In January 2014, our Government launched the anti-cyberbullying national awareness campaign, Stop Hating Online, to raise awareness among Canadians of the impact of cyberbullying and how this behaviour amounts to criminal activity. The national campaign has been very successful, informing both parents and youth about cyberbullying and includes a YouTube interactive experience #WordsHurt, and the television ads "Consequences", and "Pass It On". In addition, Canada.ca/StopHatingOnline is a comprehensive resource for parents and youth that includes information, advice and tools needed to identify, prevent and stop cyberbullying.

Our Government is also supporting the development of a number of school-based projects to prevent bullying, including cyberbullying, as part of $10 million in funding through Public Safety Canada that was committed in 2012.

I encourage all Canadians to wear pink tomorrow and to get informed about the harmful effects of bullying and cyberbullying. Everyone from government representatives, educators, non-governmental organizations, police, community groups, parents, and youth have an important role to play in stopping bullying and cyberbullying in Canada."

Follow Public Safety Canada (@Safety_Canada) and GetCyberSafe (@GetCyberSafe) on Twitter, and like us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/GetCyberSafe).

For more information, please visit the website www.publicsafety.gc.ca.

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada

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