Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your Standing Committee on Social Programs is pleased to provide its report on the review of 12, An Act to Amend the Education Act, and commends it to the House.

Introduction

The Standing Committee on Social Programs commends the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment for advancing this bill in response to motions passed in this Assembly.

A year and a half ago, MLAs Dolynny and Yakeleya introduced a motion urging the Minister to develop legislation to help stop bullying in the Northwest Territories, supported by a comprehensive awareness campaign.

The motion was passed unanimously by Regular Members. The message was reinforced this year in

a motion by MLAs Bisaro and Bouchard, who called for our government to support federal and provincial efforts to help control cyber-bullying including changes to the Criminal Code of Canada.

The misuse of new social media has had tragic results across Canada sometimes leading young people to take their own lives. The GNWT decision to amend the Education Act as a first step to curb bullying in the Northwest Territories was based in part on compelling independent research. A survey of 1,600 NWT students showed significantly higher levels of bullying here than most of Canada.

For example, 81 percent of girls in Grade 6 through Grade 8 reported that they had been bullied compared to 69 percent across Canada; 72 percent of boys the same age reported that they had been bullied, 9 percent higher than the rest of the Canada. These numbers are disturbing. What is worse, behind the numbers are young victims. In some cases of unintentionally hurtful pranks, but in others of real malice and cruelty.

The purpose of the amendments proposed in Bill 12 is to define bullying, including cyber-bullying, and provide, through regulation, for a territorial school code of conduct and safe schools plans. District education authorities would be required to develop a discipline policy consistent with the territorial code of conduct.

While bullying is defined and must be addressed in safe schools plans, bullying will not be explicitly prohibited in the Education Act itself. It is the intention of these amendments that measures against bullying will be included in the territorial code of conduct, safe schools plans, and other school rules described in the discipline policy enacted by each education authority.

Similarly, duties and procedures dealing with bullying will be contained in future regulations. In this way, the bill places the determination of responsibilities of students, parents, teachers, principals and education authorities squarely in the Minister’s hands.

These decisions were made following the Department of Education, Culture and Employment’s review of anti-bullying legislation across Canada. Prior to writing Bill 12, the department also sought feedback from major stakeholders including unions, the RCMP and the public. Approximately 350 responses were received. ECE also consulted with the NWT Teachers’ Association on how bullying should be dealt with in NWT schools.

The bill before you today includes three amendments introduced at the committee’s public clause-by-clause hearing in Yellowknife on October 24, 2013. These represent changes adopted by the committee after being recommended during previous public hearings. The amendments provide

clarification and more explicit definitions of bullying and cyber-bullying. The committee is grateful to everyone who attended hearings and commented on Bill 12. Your input has been a great help in improving the bill and providing guidance for the government’s future actions against bullying.

Mr. Speaker, I would now like to pass the report off to my colleague, Ms. Bisaro.