Action against schoolyard & cyber bullying

15-year old Amanda Todd's heartbreaking video taking us through her pain, silent printed phrase by silent phrase and the suicide that followed it just a few days ago, has jolted people across the nation and beyond. And yet bullying remains the problem we cannot seem to solve. We hear from a few very committed voices for change including the now-adult journalist for whom Amanda Todd's story was a mirror of her own living hell ... one she managed to overcome.

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Action against schoolyard and cyber bullying - Panel

We started this segment with a reading of a letter Amanda White of Vancouver wrote to the Globe and Mail, following the suicide of 15 year old Amanda Todd last week. Amanda's death compelled Canadians across the country to share their own tales of bullying on internet sites and newspaper letter pages.

37 year old David Brideau of Kitchener, Ontario shared his story with the Globe and Mail. We aired a reading of some of this letter.

Many Canadians don't seem interested in retreating from bullies any longer - they want change. Yesterday the House of Commons debated NDP MP Dany Morin's bill laying the groundwork for a national anti-bullying strategy. Many educators, parents and former victims say more action is needed now to keep kids safe at school, online and in their communities.

To discuss what kind of action, we were joined by three people experienced with bullies and their victims.

Cindi Seddon is the Principal of Summit Middle School in Coquitlam, British Columbia and the author of two anti-bullying books. She was in our Vancouver studio this morning.

Lucky Gill is with her. She's a realtor and mother in Surrey, B.C., who is organizing a vigil for bullying victims in the wake of Amanda Todd's death.

And Carly Weeks is a Globe and Mail reporter who wrote about her own experiences of being the victim of bullying in school in yesterday's newspaper. She was in our Toronto studio.

This segment was produced by The Current's Idella Sturino and Lara O'Brien.

Last Word - Bully Victim

We've been talking about being pushed around, oppressed and otherwise persecuted by bullies. Classrooms seem to be a laboratory for this kind of behaviour and many former victims remember their schooldays with horror. Many hope a greater awareness of bullying at school will help reduce, if not stop, the problem.

But Amy Gee of Calgary remembers where she found safe refuge, and healing will start there for other victims as well. She gets the Last Word today.

Other segments from today's show:

The mystery around Premier McGuinty's resignation

Prescribing ADHD medication to children