Mr. Speaker, on November 5 Sun Media Corporation published an article entitled “Spank your child, go to jail”. Columnist Michael Coren told the sad story of what happened to Joe Cleary because he spanked his five-year old son for continuing to kick the family cat after being told repeatedly not to do so. A month after he used this totally reasonable measure to correct his son's behaviour, police came to Mr. Cleary's place of work, arrested him, handcuffed him in front of co-workers, put him in jail for two days and charged him with assault.
The Clearys had to go to court seven times and incurred legal bills totalling $10,000. The judge quite correctly dismissed the charges under section 43 of the Criminal Code which protects the fundamental parental right of parents to use reasonable measures to correct their children's behaviour.
The judge got it right, but how did the police and crown prosecutors get it so wrong? On National Child Day can the government please explain how the persecution of good parents by the state is in the best interests of the child?