Corinne’s Quest
Spanking losing favour among Canadians,
Vanier Institute report suggests
The prestigious Vanier Institute for the Family has just published an article which observes that spanking as a form of discipline is losing favour with Canadian parents because it is ineffective and potentially harmful to children.
The institute, founded in 1965, is an educational organization dedicated to understanding the diversity and complexity of families and the reality of family life in Canada.
The article, written by Kathy Lynn, chair of Corinne’s Quest, details the recent history of Section 43 of the Criminal Code, known as the spanking law, and the many attempts to repeal it, including the 17 private member’s bills that have been tabled since 1994.
The article notes that to date, 51 countries have banned physical punishment of children, and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission has recommended repeal as its sixth Call to Action, stating: “corporal punishment is a relic of a discredited past and has no place in Canadian schools or homes”. The Canadian government has committed to accepting all 94 of the TRC’s Calls to Action.
The article, which is available in both English and French, can be viewed and downloaded at http://vanierinstitute.ca/canadian-debate-spanking-violence-against-children