The founder of national anti-bullying organization Jer’s Vision addressed senators and parliamentarians on Parliament Hill this afternoon, asking them to enter into a nonpartisan discussion with youth.
Jeremy Dias founded Jer’s Vision in 2005 with the settlement he won in a human rights lawsuit against his high school and school board. It is a youth-led organization that works with schools and communities across Canada to eliminate bullying, homophobia, transphobia and other forms of discrimination.
“Every single day of the school year, Jer’s Vision volunteers are in schools somewhere in Canada,” said Dias. “For less than a dollar a kid, we engage kids on a dialogue of anti-bullying and anti-discrimination.”
The reception was hosted by Senator Vern White and MPs Mauril Bélanger and Craig Scott, and was attended by representatives from all parties.
It was also held to commemorate the Day of Purple, held over the past three years to memorialize LGBTQ youth suicides.
“On this day, youth across Canada have been taking a moment of silence,” Dias told the attendees. “Instead of taking a moment of silence today, I want us to speak up.”
Ottawa-Vanier MP Mauril Bélanger encouraged the gathering to listen to what the 25 youth attendees from Jer’s Vision had to say and consider their ideas.
“We must do better than we have so far,” he said. “It is our duty as adults, as parents, as parliamentarians to do better than we have.”
Joshua Coules, a volunteer with Jer’s Vision, said he believes a dialogue between youth and government is necessary because the youth have real life experience to share.
“What I’m hoping MPs will take away from this is the awareness that this is a big issue,” said Coules. “And it’s not just something you can sweep under the carpet or you can fix by saying ‘You can’t do this. This is wrong.’ ”
Jer’s Vision is asking senators and MPs to find three people or organizations in their community that can get involved, to make donations and to turn their social media pages pink for the Day of Pink on April 10.
“Each and every one of you are watching bullying bills pass through the House of Commons,” Dias told the gathering, “and they need your support.”