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PUBLICATION:
The Leader-Post (Regina) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Anti-bullying bylaw moving forward ----------------------------------------------------------------- A much-touted Regina anti-bullying bylaw will take another step closer to becoming a reality Wednesday, when city solicitors submit a draft bylaw to city councillors. The proposed bylaw, which is tentatively called The Regina Anti-Social Behaviours Bylaw, would levy fines of up to $2,000 for people convicted of bullying behaviour in public, including fighting in public. But the bylaw also would allow a police officer the option to issue a $100 ticket to people who agree to plead guilty to an offence without making a court appearance. As well, the bylaw would give a court the option of requiring an offender to attend an approved anti-bullying course as an alternative to paying a fine. City council ordered the city solicitors to draft a proposed bylaw earlier this year after Mayor Pat Fiacco, other city councillors and police officials expressed concerns about fighting in public places and more generally about bullying activities. The draft bylaw is to be presented Wednesday to a noon-hour meeting of the executive committee, which is city council sitting as a committee. The bylaw would have to be passed at a formal city council meeting at a later date to become law. "I definitely think it is the right thing to do,'' Coun. Bill Hutchinson said in a telephone interview Monday. Hutchinson said he is looking forward to the consideration of the matter at Wednesday's meeting and to city council ultimately passing the bylaw. "Young people in Regina need our protection and guidance,'' said Hutchinson, who added he is excited about passing a bylaw that would provide that protection and guidance. One key section of the proposed bylaw would make it an offence to participate in a fight or physical confrontation in any public place. Anybody who encourages public fighting could also be charged along with any person who records, photographs or videotapes a person in a fight or distributes that material. The bylaw also prohibits bullying in a public place. Bullying is defined as "any objectionable, or inappropriate comment, conduct or display by a person'' which is likely to intimidate, humiliate, ridicule or isolate a person or is likely to cause that person physical or emotional distress. But it would not be possible to charge somebody under 12 years old with an offence, says the report to be submitted to city councillors. The report also indicates "that it would be beyond the jurisdiction of the City of Regina to include certain offences in the workplace'' in the anti-bullying bylaw. Sections of the provincial Occupational Health and Safety Act dealing with harassment would have precedent over the city's bylaw with respects to incidents in the workplace, the report said. Domestic disputes, which are already handled through application of federal or provincial legislation, also would not be covered by the proposed anti-bullying bylaw, the report says. |