Suffering In Silence: Teenagers And Suicide

In Canada, youth suicide is the second leading cause of death (behind motor vehicle accidents) for individuals between the ages of 15 and 19.¹ Each year, nearly 300 youths in Canada die from suicide. Many more attempt suicide. It is estimated that for every suicide completed, between 10 and 100 suicides are attempted.² While youth complete suicide at a lower rate than many other age groups, the dramatic upward trend in their rate over the past forty years has made this group a special concern.³

In October 2011, 15 year-old Jamie Hubley, son of Kanata South Councillor, Allen Hubley, and his wife, Wendy Barber, committed suicide after battling years of depression and bullying for being the only openly gay teenager at his high school. Friends and family members remember Jamie as a very happy boy, always smiling and giving people hugs. On the inside, however, Jamie was a very sensitive young man who was dealing with the sting of verbal and physical bullying. He vividly