Sure.
Children are rights holders under the convention and also under Canadian law. We don't allow for any other group in Canada to legally face violence in the home, but we do for children. This is a gross violation of children's rights. I'm here to remind all of you that you represent constituents who are under the age of 18 as much as you do the adults, even if they can't vote. Supporting this bill is one step in the broader context of protecting children in Canada from violence.
Almost two years ago, Canada was reviewed by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child. In their concluding observations, the committee recommended that Canada repeal section 43 of the Criminal Code and “explicitly prohibit all forms of violence against all age groups of children within the family, in schools and in other institutions”. They also suggested that we “promote positive, non-violent” child-rearing and conduct awareness campaigns. Canada was called out for not fulfilling its international obligations to protect children.
The UN committee is not the only one saying that Canada has failed to meet our obligations. In 2015, as Mr. Julian and Mr. Garrison noted earlier, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada released its summary report and calls to action. Call to action number 6 states, “We call upon the Government of Canada to repeal Section 43”. This makes visible a complex and multi-dimensional problem of child violence and well-being.
Canada is a pathfinder country in the global partnership to end violence against children campaign, housed at the World Health Organization. The current Liberal government signed on to be a pathfinder country in 2018, yet we still have not done the right thing to protect children in this country by moving to prohibit corporal punishment.
This bill has support from international human rights experts. I believe you've all read the letters. In the interests of time, I think I'll keep moving.
Violence against children is not a partisan issue. This is one that all your parties can and should support. Canada prides itself on being a leader in human rights, and this is a human rights issue. Our Prime Minister has told the world that Canada is back on the human rights scene. I ask all of you to consider how this bill would allow us to comply with international human rights laws and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission's calls to action, and would make us a leader in human rights again.
The Committee on the Rights of the Child has consistently called on Canada to prohibit all corporal punishment of children. Therefore, we ask you and your colleagues in the House of Commons to take the necessary steps to repeal section 43.
I look forward to your questions. I hope my sound quality worked out okay in the end.
Thank you so much.