CBC is reporting on the bill Senate just passed to ban all forms of corporal punishment by parents.
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/19/f-spanking.html
I abhor child abuse. Thankfully it's already very much against the law. I even agree with trying to prevent parent's from excessively punishing their children. What I can't comprehend is how so many 'experts' seem to attribute a near magical quality to the use of any physical force. What's more abusive in the work place? A slap across the face or a vehement personal attack with mere words? I'm sorry, but there are circumstances where physical force is necessary in raising children. Not as a more severe punishment, but as a LESSER punishment. If a 4 year old won't listen when told to have a time out a gentle spanking is a lot better than throwing a favorite toy in the garbage. As a bonus, it's also more effective in getting a child's attention than something with longer term consequences they don't yet grasp.
Banning all forms of corporal punishment only ties the hands of good parents and leaves all manners of emotional abuse on the table for bad ones. Worst of all, the current physically abusive parents are already breaking existing law anyways and will be equally unaffected by this stupidity.