Mr. Speaker, the final petition was submitted to me by Mrs. Betty Pellier. It has to do with section 43 of the Criminal Code.
The petitioners would like to bring to the attention of the House that section 43 of the Criminal Code allows school teachers, parents and those standing in the place of the parent to use reasonable force for the correction of pupils or children under their care, and that the reasonable force has been interpreted by the courts to include spanking, slapping, strapping, kicking, et cetera.
The petitioners therefore pray and call upon Parliament to end legal approval of this harmful and discriminatory practice by repealing section 43 of the Criminal Code.