Mr. Speaker, November 17 to 23 is recognized as Bullying Awareness Week. The 2013 theme is stand up to bullying.
In 2000, Canadian educator, Bill Belsey, launched bullying.org and from there went across the country from community to community and school to school talking about bullying. He realized that bullying was an issue that touches all people directly or indirectly, regardless of their age, gender, culture, religion or nationality. He dreamed of a world where bullying was no longer seen as a normal part of growing up and believed that prevention through education awareness was the key. He realized most people do want to see something done about bullying.
Bullying Awareness Week is an opportunity for people at the grassroots level in communities across the world to get involved in this issue, not by waiting for someone else to do something, but rather for us to work together on preventing bullying in our communities through education awareness.
I encourage all MPs to wear pink during November 17 to 23 to show their support for Bullying Awareness Week in Canada.