Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center Supports Canada's Proposed Cyber-Bullying Law

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Dec. 4, 2013) - In the wake of the attempted online suicide and subsequent cyberbullying of a University of Guelph, Ontario student, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) is supporting Justice Minister Peter MacKay's efforts to stem the online victimization of Canadian youth through Bill C-13, designed to address the growing issue of cyberbullying in Canada.

"Social media is an all-pervasive element of life for young Canadians; when they are repeatedly threatened, bullied and brutalized on-line, they often feel as if there is no refuge and no safe haven to which they can escape," explained FSWC President and CEO Avi Benlolo. "We understand that legislation of this nature is controversial in scope, but commend the government and Minister MacKay for this necessary effort to address a difficult issue. FSWC hopes it will be instrumental in helping to protect the lives of vulnerable and targeted youth."

FSWC workshops on digital hate and cyberbullying comprise approximately 20 percent of all workshops, including programs on the Holocaust and genocide, requested by schools visiting the Tom & Anna Koffler Tolerance Training Center each year. These workshops discuss Canadian teens including Jamie Hubley, Jenna Bower-Bryanton and Rehtaeh Parsons, who took their own lives as a result of relentless cyberbullying, and help students learn how to address bullying in their own lives.

Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) is a leading Canadian non-profit human rights foundation directly representing over 30,000 members. FSWC is committed to countering racism and antisemitism and to promoting the principles of tolerance, social justice and Canadian democratic values through advocacy and educational programs including workshops, Freedom Day, Spirit of Hope Benefit, Tools for Tolerance and its widely acclaimed new Tour for Humanity. FSWC is affiliated with the Simon Wiesenthal Center, an international Jewish human rights organization headquartered in Los Angeles, which has won two Academy Awards, has built two Museums of Tolerance (with a third being built in Jerusalem) and is an NGO at the United Nations, UNESCO, OAS, OSCE, the Council of Europe and the Latin American Parliament. Visit us at www.fswc.ca.