Parents of cyberbullying victims debate proposed laws in Ottawa
Posted May 13, 2014 4:02 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
OTTAWA (NEWS1130) – Parents who lost children to cyberbullying and suicide have different views on new laws meant to crack down on the issue.
A parliamentary committee heard from the parents today.
Carol Todd, the mother of Amanda Todd, fears Bill C-31 may go to far because it involves subjects like terrorism and cable theft. She is worried it may allow police to access information without a warrant and the impact that may have on peoples privacy.
“I want her legacy to continue to promote hope, celebrate our differences, and give strength to other young people,” she says. “I don’t want to see our children victimized again by losing privacy rights.”
She wants the Bill split so the important measures can be passed quickly and the controversial ones debated further.
Glen Canning, the father of Rehtaeh Parsons, disagrees with the criticism. “We’re not going to see this Bill result in a massive invasion of privacy. I just don’t believe that’s what it is for.”
“It seems so out of place to complain about privacy while our children terrorize each other to death for likes on Facebook,” he adds.
Despite these disagreements, all of the parents do agree the actions to deal with cyberbullying need to be passed quickly.
Amanda Todd was 15 years old when she took her own life in 2012. Prior to her death she posted a video to YouTube describe what she had gone through, being cyberbullied.
Rehtaeh Parsons was 17 years old when she attempted to take her own life on April 4, 2013. She died in a Nova Scotia hospital three days later.
