Ottawa’s slice of a provincial anti-hate crime initiative will go to the Youth Services Bureau. The grant, worth $70,000, will be used to bring young people, parents, police and youth workers together for a forum. The cash was allocated by Attorney General Chris Bentley’s office.
Despite gains in formal legal equality, queer teens still face harassment and violence in schools. Most boards, including the Ottawa Carleton District School Board, do not collect aggregate information about queer hate crimes directed at their students.
Ottawa’s top politician at Queen’s park, Jim Watson, says the event will “help make youth stronger.”
“Everyone in our community will be encouraged to take responsibility for addressing the issues,” says Watson, minister of municipal affairs, in a release Feb 7.
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