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FederalDid not become law (session ended)42nd Parliament, 1st Session

Bill S-206 explained in plain English

An Act to amend the Criminal Code (protection of children against standard child-rearing violence)

Federal Parliament bill summary, status, timeline, sponsor, votes, and official sources.

At a glance

Jurisdiction
Federal Parliament
Legislature / Parliament
Parliament of Canada
Session
42nd Parliament, 1st Session
Bill number
Bill S-206
Full title
An Act to amend the Criminal Code (protection of children against standard child-rearing violence)
Current status
Did not become law (session ended)
Latest event
At consideration in committee in the Senate
Last updated
May 31, 2018

Official Parliament of Canada snapshot for 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. MP vote breakdowns appear when the House of Commons publishes a recorded division export for that bill. Senate and House stage details include official debate/sitting links when LEGISinfo publishes them.

Chamber
Parliament of Canada
Current Stage
At consideration in committee in the Senate
Latest Activity
May 31, 2018
Plain-language explanation
In plain English (our explanation)

Our plain-language take, written for civic education.

Source: By PoliticalData.ca

AI-assisted, reviewed before publishing
Short Version

Bill S-206 proposes to repeal section 43 of the Criminal Code, which currently provides a justification for the use of physical force for correction by parents and teachers.

What It Means

Bill S-206 proposes to amend the Criminal Code. Specifically, it aims to remove the legal justification that allows schoolteachers, parents, and guardians to use physical force for the correction of children under their care. The bill also sets a timeframe for its implementation, allowing for up to one year after receiving royal assent for the government to educate the public and coordinate with provinces before it comes into effect.

What This Bill Does
  • Repeals section 43 of the Criminal Code, which provides a defence for the use of force by teachers, parents, and guardians for the correction of children.
  • Sets the coming into force of the Act to one year after royal assent, or an earlier date set by the Governor in Council.
Who Is Affected
  • Parents
  • Schoolteachers
  • Guardians (persons standing in the place of parents)
  • Children
  • The Government of Canada
  • Provincial governments
Rights, Duties, Or Obligations
  • Removes the legal justification for using physical force as a means of correction toward a pupil or child by parents, schoolteachers, and persons standing in the place of parents.
Important Dates
  • The Act comes into force one year after receiving royal assent, or on an earlier date determined by the Governor in Council.
Uncertainties Or Limits
  • The bill does not specify what actions, if any, the Government of Canada will take to educate Canadians or coordinate with the provinces during the one-year period before the Act comes into force.
  • The exact date the Act will come into force is not fixed, as it depends on royal assent and a potential order by the Governor in Council.
Laws Or Regulations Affected
Criminal Code
amends

Section 43 of the Criminal Code, which currently allows parents, teachers, and guardians to use physical force for the correction of children under their care, is repealed.

Source: Section 1

Generated using AI from official bill text. Not legal advice. It is written by PoliticalData.ca for civic education, automatically checked and spot-reviewed before publishing.

Official text

Parliamentary Process

Step 1
First reading
Dec 8, 2015
Completed

Bill S-206, concerning the protection of children against standard child-rearing violence, completed its First Reading in the Senate on December 8, 2015, and is currently undergoing consideration in committee.

Introduction and first reading, Dec 8, 2015
End of stage activity, Dec 8, 2015
Chamber sittings
Introduction and first reading - Dec 8, 2015

On December 8, 2015, the Senate began its session with procedural matters, including the first reading of Bill S-206, the tabling of reports, and debates on various topics, culminating in the introduction of questions of privilege regarding media leaks and the absence of a Government Leader in the Senate.

Step 2
Second reading
May 31, 2018
Completed

Bill S-206 completed its second reading in the Senate and was referred to committee.

Second reading, May 31, 2018
Referral to committee, May 31, 2018
End of stage activity, May 31, 2018
Chamber sittings
Debate at second reading - Feb 2, 2016

On February 2, 2016, the Senate held a sitting that included tributes to a retiring senator, routine proceedings, and initiated debate on Bill S-206, concerning child-rearing violence, which was adjourned.

During the Senate's second reading debate on Bill S-206, the sponsor argued for repealing Section 43 of the Criminal Code to end the legal acceptance of physical punishment against children.

Debate at second reading - Apr 12, 2016

On April 12, 2016, the Senate welcomed new senators, conducted routine business, debated the role of the Government Representative, and adjourned the debate on Bill S-206.

Debate at second reading - Jun 17, 2016

During a Senate sitting on June 17, 2016, Senator Plett spoke against Bill S-206, arguing that it would negatively impact parental rights and discipline, a debate that was adjourned.

During Senate proceedings on June 17, 2016, senators debated and ultimately agreed to a message from the House of Commons regarding amendments to Bill C-14 (medical assistance in dying), and debate on Bill S-206 (protection of children against standard child-rearing violence) continued.

Debate at second reading - Nov 1, 2016

On November 1, 2016, the Senate debated various matters including continued discussions on several bills, tabled reports, and addressed questions to ministers, with Bill S-206 being continued in its second reading debate.

Debate at second reading - Dec 8, 2016

On December 8, 2016, the Senate held its regular sitting, which included presenting committee reports, debating ongoing bills, introducing new ones, and addressing various procedural and policy matters, with a particular focus on Bill C-29, a budget implementation bill.

Debate at second reading - Mar 2, 2017

On March 2, 2017, the Senate debated and referred several bills, including Bill S-206, during its sitting, which also included tributes, routine proceedings, and question period.

Debate at second reading - Mar 7, 2017

During a Senate sitting on March 7, 2017, debate on Bill S-206, which aims to amend the Criminal Code to protect children from violence, was resumed and subsequently adjourned, with Senator Murray Sinclair speaking in support of repealing section 43 of the Criminal Code.

Debate at second reading - Apr 6, 2017

On April 6, 2017, the Senate held a sitting that included Senators' Statements, Routine Proceedings, Question Period, and continued debates on various bills, with a focus on procedural matters and committee reports.

Debate at second reading - Jun 8, 2017

On June 8, 2017, the Senate debated several bills, including Bill S-206 concerning child-rearing violence, continued debate on Bill C-16 regarding human rights and the Criminal Code, and considered various committee reports and tabled documents, with discussions touching upon defence, foreign affairs, and other public policy issues.

Debate at second reading - Oct 4, 2017

On October 4, 2017, the Senate observed a moment of silence for missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, heard statements on various issues, engaged in Question Period, and continued debate on two bills: Bill C-23 concerning cross-border preclearance and Bill S-206 related to child protection, alongside debating a National Finance Committee report on tax changes.

Debate at second reading - Oct 19, 2017

During a Senate sitting on October 19, 2017, senators discussed various topics, debated two bills (one concerning the Statistics Act and another amending the Criminal Code regarding child protection), and passed procedural motions.

Debate at second reading - Oct 24, 2017

During the Senate's second reading debate on Bill S-206, concerns were raised about the potential for criminal charges against parents and teachers if section 43 of the Criminal Code is removed, with specific examples provided of situations where restraint or guidance might be necessary.

Debate at second reading - Dec 7, 2017

During this Senate sitting, members discussed various matters including appointments, remembrance, committee business, government estimates, and debated several bills including those related to preclearance, Indigenous education, and child protection.

Debate at second reading - Mar 21, 2018

During a Senate sitting on March 21, 2018, tributes were paid to a former senator, discussions were held on international affairs and social projects, and various government matters and bills were debated, including legislation on cannabis, political financing, and child protection.

Debate at second reading - May 31, 2018

The Senate sitting on May 31, 2018, included debates on cannabis legislation (Bill C-45), child-rearing violence (Bill S-206), and domestic violence prevention (Bill S-249), along with various procedural matters and committee report presentations.

Step 3
Consideration in committee
Date not listed
No activity

Bill S-206, concerning the protection of children against standard child-rearing violence, is currently awaiting further proceedings at the 'Consideration in committee' stage in the Senate, with its last procedural action being a referral to committee in May 2018.

Step 4
Report stage
Not reached yet
Not reached

Bill S-206, concerning the protection of children against standard child-rearing violence, has not yet reached the Senate Report stage and is currently under consideration by a committee.

Step 5
Third reading
Not reached yet
Not reached

Bill S-206, aiming to amend the Criminal Code regarding the protection of children from standard child-rearing violence, has reached the 'Senate Third reading' stage, which has not yet occurred, after being referred to a committee.

Step 1
First reading
Not reached yet
Not reached

Bill S-206, concerning child protection, has a procedural stage noted as 'House of Commons First reading' which has not yet been reached, while the bill is currently under consideration in a Senate committee.

Step 2
Second reading
Not reached yet
Not reached

Bill S-206, concerning protection of children from child-rearing violence, has not yet reached the second reading stage in the House of Commons, although it has proceeded to committee consideration in the Senate.

Step 3
Consideration in committee
Not reached yet
Not reached

Bill S-206, concerning the protection of children against standard child-rearing violence, has not yet reached the committee consideration stage in the House of Commons, having previously passed first and second reading and been referred to a committee in the Senate.

Step 4
Report stage
Not reached yet
Not reached

Bill S-206, aimed at amending the Criminal Code regarding the protection of children, has not yet reached the Report stage in the House of Commons and was last referred to a committee in the Senate.

Step 5
Third reading
Not reached yet
Not reached

Bill S-206, concerning the protection of children against child-rearing violence, is currently under consideration in a Senate committee, despite the artifact indicating a 'not reached' third reading stage in the House of Commons.

Debate and sitting links point to official parliamentary sources when LEGISinfo publishes them. Any plain-language discussion summaries should be generated from those official texts and reviewed before public display.

Vote Summary

No published recorded division

This bill is still active. We only show vote counts after the legislature publishes a recorded division.

Sponsor
Céline Hervieux-Payette
Senator | Details not listed in current Senate roster
Jurisdiction
Federal Parliament

No published representative vote breakdown

This bill is still moving through the process. When a recorded division is published, representative positions can be listed here.

Official sources

Status, sponsor, votes, and timeline on this page are drawn from these official legislative sources and public records. Each summary above is attributed to its own source.

How this data is sourced