Kids Help Phone Launches Largest Youth Mental Health Movement, Feel Out Loud, to Address Crisis in Canada

Source : https://www.bce.ca/news-and-media/releases

 

Feel Out Loud, a $300M fundraising effort, kicks off with transformational gifts from founding partners at Bell and BMO to expand access to e-mental health services

Star-studded anthem “What I Wouldn’t Do (North Star Calling)” by Artists for Feel Out Loud supporting Kids Help Phone amplifies mental health conversation and empowers young people to feel out loud

TORONTO, March 2, 2023 /CNW/ – Kids Help Phone today launches Feel Out Loud, a historic, national movement anchored by a fundraising campaign with a goal of raising $300 million to reach young people in every corner of Canada by 2024 by expanding access to its e-mental health services.

As part of today’s announcement, Kids Help Phone’s founding partners Bell Canada and BMO Financial Group have each pledged a transformational investment of 15 $million to this movement. Their commitment willallow Kids Help Phone to scale e-mental health access to support in communities across Canada. Further, Mirko Bibic, President and CEO, BCE and Bell Canada and Darryl White, CEO of BMO Financial Group stand as Honourary Co-Chairs of the Feel Out Loud Campaign Cabinet.

Young people have connected with Kids Help Phone more than 14 million times since the COVID-19 pandemic began, as Canada’s only national free, confidential, 24/7, multilingual e-mental health service dedicated to youth.

The primary concerns of youth seeking mental health support are anxiety and stress, relationship issues, depression, suicidal thoughts, and feelings of isolation. These concerns have become increasingly complex over time, necessitating additional support. For instance, according to data from Kids Help Phone, individuals who experience racism are among the most distressed service users, second only to those who fear harm in their home.

 

Read the full article…click the source link

Telecom battle goes public, with Bell accused of ‘abusive’ behaviour for double-billing 911 services

Source: https://www.thestar.com/business/2023/03/02/telecom-battle-goes-public-with-bell-accused-of-abusive-behaviour-for-double-billing-911-services.html

Bell and other large telephone companies are double-billing Canadians for 911 services and “pocketing tens of millions of dollars per year,” according to a new complaint from Quebecor-owned telecom Videotron.

In a regulatory filing, Videotron alleged Bell is both overcharging for access to its legacy 911 system and also billing for a next-generation 911 system that’s only partially functioning — as it is still at least a year from being fully launched.

Click the source link to read the full article

Statement for International Women’s Day

Embrace Equity Unifor International Women's Day

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a day to celebrate and recognize the incredible contributions working women have made and continue to make in our country and around the world, and to regroup to face the challenges ahead.

Since the pandemic began, we have been overwhelmed by changes to our daily lives and to the way we work. In many ways, society is forever changed and markedly different from what it was even three years ago. As we mark International Women’s Day, we are reminded that in times of societal change, we need to push for those changes to be inclusive and equity-driven, to move us closer to a more equal world.

We remember that International Women’s Day is rooted in the collective action of working women who came together on March 8th for gender equality, and for social and economic justice for everyone.

Todya, much work remains to be done to ensure spaces are accessible to all women, non-binary, and trans equally. This includes the digital space.

The United Nations is marking IWD with their chosen theme: DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality. In their statement, the UN says this aligns with the priority theme for the upcoming 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, “Innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls”.

In simpler terms, we must use technology to advance gender equality.

While technology and online spaces have brought opportunities to build sisterhood in solidarity, they have also opened the door to anonymous and targeted gender-based violence and harassment. The unrestricted sharing of information also allows misogynist groups to thrive despite their hateful messages that are harmful and hurtful to the lives of women, girls, and gender diverse people.

Women are more likely to face sexual harassment, cyberstalking, cyberbullying and other forms of online abuse. This can cause fear and anxiety, limiting their ability to participate in online activities and often spills over into their lives away from technology.

Where technology can be healing and helpful is when it helps us build connections and communities. Women now have more access to resources and information, allowing them to make more informed decisions about their lives and learn from each others’ struggles and to support feminist campaigns around the world.

Women in Iran and Afghanistan are facing extreme risks to their lives as they strive to claw back their autonomy and their right to education from oppressive, authoritarian governments. Women in the United States are waging a battle to reclaim their reproductive rights following the devastating overturning of Roe v. Wade. Unifor sisters stand in solidarity with them and continue our fight for stronger legislative protections of abortion rights and better access to reproductive care here at home.

In our union’s work to combat the online harassment of journalists and media workers, we fight for gender equality.

In our union’s work to bargain gains for women in the workplace, including through pay equity and the women’s and racial justice advocate programs, we fight for gender equality.

In our union’s work to defend and expand public health care in Canada, and protect the working conditions of health care workers, we fight for gender quality.

In our union’s work to fight for good jobs and fair wages for everyone, across all sectors and in every region of the country, including on picket lines where workers are on strike or locked-out, we fight for gender equality.

In our effort to build an inclusive and representative union for everyone, we fight for gender equality.

The International Women’s Day organization is also reminding us today to #EmbraceEquity. We welcome everyone into every space and raise awareness about discrimination, in all its forms.

Today we celebrate the amazing achievements of working women who are making a positive difference in the world. Let us take the opportunity to applaud the women trailblazers, supporters, nurturers, activists and fighters in our lives, near and far, and thank them for all they do.

Are you marking IWD with your Unifor Local or in your community? Share your stories, your successes, and your celebrations of womanhood with us. We encourage Unifor members to share stories and photos of celebrations online and join in the global celebration of International Women’s Day.

Tag Unifor on social media, or send photos and stories directly to women@unifor.org.

Together, we are building a better world for everyone.

Find the social media graphics here.

Download the poster here.

Fix Employment Insurance

Source: https://www.justice4workers.org/fix_employment_insurance_mar7

Phone Zap: Fix Employment Insurance

Canada-wide

Tuesday, March 07, 2023

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm (PT)
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm (ET)
7:00 pm – 8:00 pm (AT)
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm (NT)

Pan-Canadian phone ZAP!

We’ll come together on Zoom, review the current state of affairs for EI, call our Members of Parliament and then plan our next steps in the fight to fix Employment Insurance.

Click here to learn more.

At the start of COVID, the federal government relaxed Employment Insurance eligibility to improve access to emergency support for those most in need. Without these supports, it would have been much worse for workers and their families due to the COVID closures, lockdowns and layoffs. Statistics Canada has verified the dramatic, positive impact these changes had on improving workers’ access to EI.

Click the source link above for all the information