Petition grows to end Bell Let's Talk day amid widespread layoffs

On the heels of widespread layoffs across its national network, including the sudden and full shuttering of three TSN radio stations, an online petition has launched to scrap Bell Let’s Talk Day.

The petition, entitled #BellLetsTalk needs to end, states the campaign encourages people to open up about their mental health struggles while Bell donates to mental health initiatives for tax reductions.

“But make no mistake about it, this is nothing more than marketing and PR tactics for millions of dollars in tax write-offs,” it continues. “Despite receiving federal wage subsidies worth $123M and raised shareholders dividends this year, not to mention a whopping $22.9B of revenues in 2020, Bell Media has continued to lay off employees in the midst of an ongoing global pandemic, especially at sports network station TSN.”

• See also:
  • Bell shuts down TSN Radio in three cities across Canada
  • TSN 1040 off the air as latest victim of Bell Media cuts
  • TSN’s Jay Onrait gets emotional in first show without Dan O’Toole (VIDEO)
  • TSN’s Dan O’Toole among this week’s Bell Media layoffs

It notes that last week, hundreds of Bell Media employees were fired – including longtime TSN employees Dan O’Toole and Brent Wallace. This was followed by the yanking of three TSN radio stations in Vancouver, Hamilton and Winnipeg this week.

“The stations were pulled while live on air with no explanation, and many employees found [out] they lost their jobs via social media,” the petition states. “It was another insulting blow to Bell Media’s employees, only a week after their #BellLetsTalk initiative raised millions of dollars.”

As such, “it’s apparent that Bell Media couldn’t care less about mental health struggles of even their own employees, let alone anyone else, and if they really did want to care, they would start by cutting the cord on #BellLetsTalk.”

At the time of writing, the petition has garnered just over 1,300 signatures.