Hon. Katherine Hay: Honourable senators, I’m sorry; my statement today may be triggering and hard. October 10 is World Mental Health Day. This year’s focus is “Lived experiences heard: real voices, real change.”

On October 10, 2012 — 14 years ago — 15-year-old Amanda Todd died by suicide. Hearing Amanda’s lived experience is heart-wrenching, excruciating, criminal, preventable. In Grade 7, an online predator manipulated Amanda into sharing an image. Then he never let her go. He sent it to her classmates. He followed her to every new school — harassment, bullying, sextortion. For years, it found her wherever she went.

In September 2012, Amanda held card after card up on social media. One by one, she told her story. She never said a word out loud, yet it was a real voice asking for help, asking for change.

Five weeks later, on October 10, 2012, Amanda died by suicide. Since that day, Carol Todd — her mom, my friend — has turned profound loss into action. She has spoken across Canada and around the world about online safety, mental health and the importance of youth voices.

Carol’s journey has been one of grief, resilience and determination. She has been open about what it means to lose a child to online harm. She uses that experience to reach families, educators and young people facing their own hardest day. She does this work to honour Amanda and to protect other children.

She worked tirelessly to bring the predator to justice. It took her 10 years. This heinous criminal was finally convicted in 2022. I did not know Amanda, but I know her mom, and she has never wavered. We owe her a debt of gratitude. Her relentless advocating and telling of Amanda’s story by launching the Amanda Todd Legacy Society are a tribute to Amanda and a pathway for hope through education and through the work to build a kinder, safer digital community.

In the months ahead, in the other place and in this chamber, we will study Bill C-34, the safe social media act. We must debate it carefully. It will be hard. We will hear hard stories. And let’s be clear about what is at stake: our children and our young people and the online world they live in that harms. We have the power to change that. Amanda asked for help 14 years ago. Let’s not let her — or countless other young people — down. Let’s answer Amanda Todd.

Dear colleagues, thank you. Chi-meegwetch.