(OTTAWA) – The Honourable James Moore, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages, today announced support for the Canadian Red Cross for the continuation of its Stand Up to Bullying and Discrimination in Canadian Communities project. Minister Moore was joined by Mrs. Laureen Harper and Kanata South City of Ottawa Councillor Allan Hubley.
"Bullying is a serious concern for many youth and their families, and we think it’s important to invest in a project that focusses on preventing it," said Minister Moore. "This will be a great opportunity for young people to become leaders in their schools, organizations and communities, and to play a meaningful role in ensuring safer environments for themselves and their peers."
With this investment, more than 50,000 youth from across Canada will help prevent bullying. The first part of the project involves training 2,400 facilitators, aged 13 to 17, to deliver prevention workshops and other activities. They will each commit to reaching at least 20 other youth in their communities. In the second part, three youth-led forums in the Atlantic region, Ontario, and British Columbia will empower 150 Canadian youth to take action against bullying and discrimination in their communities. Project participants will also be invited to learn about the success stories of other young people through the Canadian Red Cross bilingual Web portal.
"The Red Cross has been working for many years in Canada to engage youth and harness their leadership to prevent bullying and harassment," said Conrad Sauvé, Secretary General and CEO of the Canadian Red Cross. "This project leverages the collective strength, skills and abilities of our youth to broaden the reach of our message about bullying prevention and discrimination."
"I’d like to take this opportunity to sincerely commend the Harper Government, Minister Moore, and the Canadian Red Cross for supporting and implementing such an important and timely project," said Councillor Hubley. "Today’s announcement answers our prayers and wishes to enable more people to receive this helping hand quickly."
The Government of Canada is providing funding of $250,000 through the Youth Take Charge program of the Department of Canadian Heritage. This program provides opportunities for young Canadians to become involved in a range of activities designed to strengthen their attachment to Canada through active engagement in their communities.