CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. — P.E.I. recognized its first Cyberbullying Awareness Day on April 25, following the passage of a bill this spring meant to raise awareness about the impact of online harms.
A private member’s bill recognizing the day was introduced in the legislature by Souris-Elmira MLA Robin Croucher.
Croucher explained he introduced the bill, in part, to mark the one-year anniversary of the death of Harry Burke, a 17-year-old resident of Fortune Bridge, P.E.I. Burke died by suicide after being extorted online. Burke had shared intimate images with a contact on a social media platform who had falsely posed as a girl.
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Croucher explained in the legislature on March 14 that Burke had been a close friend of his son.
He knew Burke as a confident, kind young man.
“You always felt a little better after talking with Harry. He was a patriot to the highest sense of the word – loved the military, loved his country,” Croucher said.
“I heard many stories about how he wanted to go on and do something really great and make a difference in this world. I truly believe and I know in my heart that he would have. That was Harry Burke.”
Speaking with SaltWire weeks later on April 25, Croucher described Burke as a young man who was “wise way beyond his years.”
“When you talked to Harry Burke, he was listening to you. He engaged in very high level, intelligent conversations. He was well versed – he would have been a great political advisor," Croucher said.
Croucher said since he and Harry’s parents, Carl and Barbie, began speaking publicly about Harry, they have received messages and calls from across the country.
"I think that we accomplished more than I even envisioned for getting the issue out there in the public eye and getting people to start talking about it," Croucher said.
The day was recognized by Premier Dennis King in a statement on April 25.
“It is important that we work to create a safer and more inclusive online world. I encourage every Islander to educate themself about the signs of cyberbullying and the resources available to those in need,” King said in a statement.
Croucher said many things need to be done to prevent cyberbullying or extortion.
These include policies limiting screentime in schools and the passage of laws that hold social media companies like Meta and Tiktok accountable for harmful content.
A report from the Canadian Centre for Child Protection found that social media platforms like Snapchat and Instagram are often used by extorters, who often create fake accounts. The centre recommended several measures that social media companies could take to make their platforms safer. This included making sure users under 18 have their accounts set as private by default and that they not be encouraged or prompted to add other users.
A bill, C-63, known as the Online Harms Act, is currently before the House of Commons in Ottawa.
Federal Justice Minister Arif Virani has said the bill aims to protect children from harmful online content by setting out a more enforceable complaint mechanism under the Criminal Code of Canada.
The act includes stronger language that would require social media platforms to remove intimate images shared without consent after the content is flagged by users.
The bill has also generated controversy related to other provisions that critics say could imperil online free speech.
Seek help
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis can seek help immediately by either calling 911, going to an emergency department or by calling a mental health helpline:
- Prince Edward Island: 1-833-553-6983.
- Nova Scotia: 1-888-429-8167.
- New Brunswick: 1-800-667-5005.
- Newfoundland and Labrador: 1-877-999-7589.
Cybertip is a resource and national tipline for reporting online sexual exploitation of children
Needhelpnow offers resources on helping to remove intimate images online, knowing your rights and getting help.
Protectkidsonline is a resource for parents and educators
