Mr. Speaker, yesterday Conservatives turned their backs on Canadian youth and refused to act on the serious issue of bullying. By refusing to put their narrow partisanship aside and voting against the national bullying prevention strategy, Conservatives missed an opportunity for members of the House to work together for the well-being of Canada's children and youth.
One in three youth admit to having been victims of bullying, an experience being witnessed in school yards across Canada with victims such as Amanda Todd or Jamie Hubley. Sadly, when Conservative members were called on to help stem this problem, they sat down. Despite their indifference, this problem will not go away.
The NDP will continue to stand up against bullying in our playgrounds, schools, online and, yes, even here on the floor of the House of Commons. We must put an end to bullying and that is why the NDP called on all parties to support the development of a national strategy. By voting against the national bullying prevention strategy, the Conservatives refused to put partisanship aside and work together. The Conservative vision, which favours criminalization rather than prevention, condemns our youth to continued suffering from bullying for years to come.