A Vancouver-based advocacy group is calling on the new federal government to outlaw the spanking of children, but not everyone agrees with their plan.
The group Corrine’s Quest has written the Trudeau government to ask for the so-called “spanking law” to be repealed.
Under the criminal code, the law allows parents and teachers to use force against kids aged two to twelve as long as it doesn't injure them and is considered “reasonable.”
But advocates like Kathy Lynn believes the law is out of date, and needs to be taken off the books.
"Up until recently we hit dogs, but now the only people we hit in this country are children and I think it's appalling,” she said.
Lynn believes using physical force against kids is never justified.
“We never need to cause pain in order to teach a child,” she said.
But the group Real Women of Canada says the law should stay, arguing that removing it would also take away the rights of parents.
“People who are opposed to that provision in the code seem to think all spanking of children is abuse and it's not,” said Gwen Landolt.
In 2004, the issue made it all the way to the Supreme Court, and a majority of judges decided spanking doesn't violate charter rights.
With a report from CTV’s Bhinder Sajan
