Source: Canadian Press
OTTAWA, CANADA, September 10, 2001: Canada may soon be coerced into joining the ranks with eleven other nations of the world where spanking of children is considered to be a criminal act. In the Ontario Court of Appeal, Paul Schabas, a lawyer representing the Canadian Foundation for Children, Youth and the Law, has advocated that Section 43 of the criminal code be abolished. Quoting the article this section, “grants parents, teachers and guardians permission to physically discipline children in the name of correcting behavior.” Over a year ago in July of 2000, Justice David McComb’s decision to uphold this 100-year-old law sparked controversy among children’s rights advocates. Citing examples where parents who abused their children were not punished because of this law, Schabas appealed to the three-panel judge to carefully weigh the evidence before making a decision. However, at this point in time, the Ontario government is upholding the original decision made by David McCombs and is arguing that, “allowing limited corporal punishment doesn’t hurt children and balances the societal interest in sustaining the family unit with the charter right of the child.”