VIDEO: Brian Burke speaks at safe schools event

Toronto Maple Leafs president/GM working to stop bullying

In the Xtra video interview below, Brian Burke, president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs, says he won’t rest until queer teen suicides due to bullying are a thing of the past.

“Until we get to zero in the suicide rate, it won’t be a complete job,” Burke says.

Burke made the comments at a luncheon for the Canadian Safe School Network, which aims to make schools safer and to reduce youth violence.

Among the attendees was Peter Barrans, the coordinator of the safe schools department at the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB).

Reporter Andrea Houston pressed Barrans on whether the TCDSB’s ban on GSAs and its teaching that gays are disordered is a form of bullying.

Check out the video below. For more on the Canadian Safe School Network, click here.

Stay tuned to Xtra for an upcoming feature interview with Brian Burke.

On occasion, the number of editors and other staff who contribute to a story gets a little unwieldy to give a byline to everyone. That’s when we use “Xtra Staff” in place of the usual contributor info. If you would like more information on who contributed to a particular story, please contact us here.

Read More About:
Video, Power, News, Sports, Canada, Education

Keep Reading

Drag queens on RuPaul's Drag Race Global All Stars compete in a roast challenge.

How the ‘All Stars 10’ bracket format could save ‘Global All Stars’

The global season of “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” largely missed the mark. Could the tournament-style bracket format of “All Stars 10” be the way to get it right?
Dodgers players Glenn Burke and Dusty Baker perform what is considered to be the very first high-five in 1977.

The lesser-known gay history of high-fives

Glenn Burke made history as the first Major League Baseball player to publicly come out as gay. He’s also credited with inventing the high-five

Canadian judge halts deportation of non-binary American

The ruling could set a massive precedent for trans and non-binary Americans seeking refuge in Canada amidst Trump’s wave of anti-trans attacks

Canada reportedly considered advisory for trans travellers to the U.S.

A new report from Reuters shows that Canadian officials struggled to advise travellers on Trump’s trans policies following his January executive order