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Chestermere introduces new anti-bullying bylaw

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On May 7, Chestermere’s City council passed the first reading of a new anti-bullying bylaw. The bylaw is intended to help local law enforcement address complaints of bullying. Photo Submitted/For Rocky View Publishing

Chestermere City council is hoping to prevent bullying from taking place in the community through the introduction of a new anti-bullying bylaw, which passed its first reading May 7.

“We know that bullying is on the rise,” said Mayor Marshall Chalmers in a statement. “We hear regular examples of bullying between all ages and demographics. City council is determined to do something to prevent it, if possible, and prosecute if necessary. Bullying has no place in our community.”

The statement, issued by the City, cited aggressive name calling, harassment of teens online and demeaning emails sent to co-workers as just a few of the real instances that have occurred in Chestermere.

To address the ongoing issue, council held a meeting at a local school, where students were given the opportunity to ask questions about the proposed bylaw.

“It was very impactful to hear stories of bullying that these students had experienced,” Chalmers said. “We all deserve to live in a community free from hurtful behaviour, and we are determined to ensure our community is a peaceful and safe place for all.”

Following the discussion, council passed the first reading of the bylaw.

Although the bylaw is targeted toward young people, the City said, it recognizes bullying can happens to anyone – which is why the policy adapts a broader definition of bullying.

According to the bylaw, bullying includes, “repeated and hostile or demeaning behaviour by an individual or group where the behaviour results in physical, emotional or mental fear or distress to one or more individuals based on factors including (but not limited to) ability, race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation or identity.”

The need for the bylaw came from what the City called a gap in how it could respond to complaints of bullying. While schools offer anti-bullying education and, in some instances, RCMP can lay criminal charges, the City said there is little in between. Once the new bylaw is adopted, according to the City, it will help equip peace officers with more response options.

“We’re trying to fill that gap between the justice system and school discipline, and trying to be a couple of steps ahead of [the bullying] before it becomes a problem,” said Shawn Press, a community peace officer with the City of Chestermere.

Press said the bylaw will allow peace officers to operate on an “education over enforcement model.”

According to Press, there are a few ways that a peace officer can act upon a complaint of bullying. They can ask an offender to write a letter to the victim, apologizing for their behaviour. Then, the offender will have to attend and successfully complete an anti-bullying awareness course, which will be determined by the City of Chestermere.

“Once both requirements are completed under the section, [they will] have basically completed the court diversion alternative,” Press said. “But if there’s multiple offenses and the act is severe enough, there are specified penalty sections that would be applicable to those certain cases.”

The City aims to offer an opportunity for individuals to right their wrongs, Press said – but it’s not something offenders will be able to do once and get away with.

“Chestermere is very proactive versus reactive, as far as a municipality [goes],” he said. “There’s no more of a need here than anywhere else in the province. But, we are trying to fill a role in between the gap in the school discipline [and] the Criminal Code and the courts.

“We’re trying to get ahead of it and be one of the municipalities who pioneers the industry and moves forward in a positive direction.”

The City is asking for the public’s input on the policy and council hopes to have a final vote on the bylaw in June. For updates and more information on the bylaw, visit chestermere.ca


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