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Bill 298, Abuse Prevention Week Act, 2021

Mantha, Michael

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Bill 298 Original (PDF)

EXPLANATORY

NOTE

The

Bill enacts Abuse Prevention Week Act, 2021 .

The

Act proclaims the week beginning on the first Sunday in October in each year as

Abuse Prevention Week. The Act establishes an Abuse Prevention Framework

Advisory Committee to provide recommendations to the Minister of Education, and

requires the Minister of Education to issue curriculum guidelines respecting

abuse prevention in accordance with the Committee’s recommendations. The

curriculum is required to be taught during Abuse Prevention Week.

Bill 298 2021

Act to proclaim Abuse Prevention Week and to establish an Abuse Prevention

Framework Advisory Committee

Preamble

The

Government of Ontario does not currently provide education and prevention tools

to help children of elementary school or secondary school age deal with

physical, emotional or sexual abuse.

Abuse

often affects children under the age of five, and 93 per cent of abuse is

perpetrated against children or young people by individuals they trust.

Statistically, two in five girls and one in six boys have suffered abuse in

Canada. Additional cases of abuse may go unreported.

Issues

of abuse transcend culture, socio-economic status and religion and abuse may

result in long-term injury, creating in children and youth feelings of stigma,

shame, guilt, anxiety and isolation. These feelings can result in bullying,

self-harming behaviours, depression, youth addiction and even suicide.

Evidence-based

early education is an intervention framework that will increase awareness and

empower children and young people, which will in turn help reduce bullying, youth

anxiety, depression, trafficking and suicide for child abuse victims and early

offenders.

Therefore,

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of

the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Abuse

Prevention Week

The

week beginning on the first Sunday in October in each year is proclaimed as

Abuse Prevention Week.

Abuse

Prevention Framework Advisory Committee

(1) The

Minister of Education shall,

(

a) establish

an Abuse Prevention Framework Advisory Committee whose mandate is to establish

an abuse prevention framework that includes recommendations to the Minister of

Education respecting,

(

i) training

for educators on issues relating to abuse,

(ii) changes

to the curriculum guidelines respecting abuse prevention, and

(iii) potential

opportunities for collaboration with community partners;

(

b) appoint

the members of the Committee, and designate one member as chair and one or more

members as vice-chair; and

(

c) determine

the terms of reference of the Committee.

Membership

(2) The

Committee shall consist of experts on abuse prevention and other stakeholders

in the education sector.

Report

(3) On

or before the day that is six months after the Committee is established, the

Committee shall report its recommendations to the Legislative Assembly.

Curriculum

during Abuse Prevention Week

(1) The

Minister shall issue curriculum guidelines respecting abuse prevention in

accordance with the recommendations of the Abuse Prevention Framework Advisory Committee.

Board

to ensure course of study

(2) During

Abuse Prevention Week, each board within the meaning of the Education Act shall provide instruction in elementary

schools and secondary schools under the board’s jurisdiction in a course of

study respecting abuse prevention that is developed from the curriculum

guidelines issued under subsection (1).

Commencement

This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short

title

The

short title of this Act is the Abuse Prevention Week

Act, 2021 .

Date Bill stage Event Outcome Committee

May 19, 2021

First Reading

Vote

Carried

Debates and Progress

First Reading

May 19, 2021

Committee

Second Reading

Committee

Third Reading

Royal Assent

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