U.N. Tells Canada to Outlaw All Corporal Punishment by Parents or Schools

UNITED NATIONS, October 6, 2003 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child concluded its thirty-fourth session and issued its conclusions and recommendations on the situation of children in Canada and other countries Friday.  A United Nations report on the proceedings says that: “the Committee recommended that the State party adopt legislation to remove the existing authorization of the use of ‘reasonable force’ in disciplining children and explicitly prohibit all forms of violence against children, however light, within the family, in schools and in other institutions where children might be placed.”  Conveniently for anti-spanking extremists the United Nations recommendation comes just as the Canadian Supreme Court is considering a challenge to Canada’s laws allowing parents to use reasonable spanking by parents as a form of discipline.  On June 6, the Supreme Court heard the challenge brought by the Canadian Foundation for Children, Youth and the Law (CFCYL).  The CFCYL position was thought so extreme that it would be rejected by the Supreme Court since it advocated outlawing spanking by parents however mild. However, the UN position matches the CFCYL extremity using the terms “however light” and “within the family”.  The Supreme Court reserved its decision in June and did not fix a date for the release of the decision.  See the United Nations report on the Committee proceedings:  https://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2003/hr4698.doc.htm   See related LifeSite coverage:  CANADA SUPREME COURT TO HEAR CASE AGAINST SPANKING THIS JUNE www.lifesite.net/ldn/2003/may/03052001.html Supreme Court Hears Case To Forbid Parents Using Corporal Punishment https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/jun/03060905.html