Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. A consistent and predictable response to bullying is desirable, but that is not the same thing as hard and fast, inflexible actions and discipline. In each community, the committee heard the desire to tune responses to the local environment and the case at hand. In short, education authorities, principals, teachers and students need a compatible set of integrated tools. Taken together, these tools should be delivered in the territorial code of conduct, safe schools policy guidelines and regulations attached to the Education Act.

Another consistent theme is the view that suspension from school is not an effective form of discipline. It is not considered effective in any community, by adults or students who spoke to the committee. Suspension is seen by many as a “holiday” for the bully that results in him or her falling behind in school, a practice that actually encourages absenteeism. Community service was suggested as an alternative form of discipline by students in Norman Wells, Yellowknife and Inuvik. We heard many times from teachers how disruptive it is when a suspended student returns to the classroom.

In sharp contrast to suspension, there is general support for restorative processes to meet the needs of victims and perpetrators of bullying. This, coupled with a progressive, “tiered” set of responses linked to the severity of the incident and its circumstances, was recommended in every community visited by the standing committee. A student in Tuktoyaktuk recommended “a ladder of consequences.” An experienced teacher in Inuvik stressed that “bullies need consequences, and counselling support.”

Counselling is universally seen as essential to both the prevention of, and as a response to, bullying. As one young woman put it in Yellowknife, but speaking of her experience in Ontario, “I honestly think that [counselling] saved me for those two years.” The committee was told repeatedly that resources for counselling are insufficient now and will be further taxed by new anti-bullying measures. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment must be prepared to address the critical need for counsellors in every NWT school.

Opinion was divided on whether there should be mandatory counselling for perpetrators of bullying. But many students and some teachers believe it is worth the attempt, and could help bullies come to understand they are hurting people, and change their ways. The committee is convinced that mandatory counselling should be an option available to schools.

Some teachers and parents advised focusing preventive efforts and education about bullying in the early grades, involving parents from the beginning of their children’s school years. This makes eminently good sense. As one student sagely advised, “teach respect” from the start.

Now I turn the report over to my colleague Mr. Dolynny.