Should bullying be a crime?

On Wednesday, Canadians across the country took part in the 5th annual Pink Shirt day to raise awareness about bullying in our schools, in our workplaces, and on-line.

If a recent poll is any indication, it seems Canadians are, indeed, becoming more aware about the issue.

According to an Angus Reid study, released this week, 65 per cent of respondents think bullying should be considered a crime even if no physical violence is involved.

"While specific behaviours associated with bullying can actually lead to criminal prosecution—such as harassment, mischief. theft and uttering threats," notes the report.

"Bullying itself is not an offence under the Criminal Code of Canada."

Events like Pink Shirt Day, and recent high-profile suicides by victims of bullies have brought the issue to the forefront and have motivated some governments to act.

As reported by the Globe and Mail, the Ontario government has proposed the Accepting Schools Act, which would go further than current rules, requiring staff to report serious student incidents, contact parents and consider suspending offenders.

In Quebec, legislation tabled by Jean Charest's government would have schools appoint a person on staff to oversee the implementation of an anti bullying plan and table an annual report. School principals will also have the authority to expel repeat offenders, and those boards that fail to comply would be fined.

The vast majority of Canadians — 90 per cent — were also in favour of a cyber-bullying law similar to one proposed in the United States that would make it a crime to bully someone online.

The Angus Reid poll was conducted online among 1,006 respondents. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 per cent.