Action on Violence in Schools 

Presently, there are two pieces of federal legislation moving through the House of Commons (Bill C-273) and the Senate (Bill S-251) that repeal Section 43 of the Criminal Code of Canada, which states that:

Every schoolteacher, parent or person standing in the place of a parent is justified in using force by way of correction toward a pupil or child, as the case may be, who is under his care, if the force does not exceed what is reasonable under the circumstances.

If Section 43 is repealed without any other amendments to the Criminal Code that allow educators to intervene physically when necessary to protect students and, in some cases, themselves, educators will not be able to help ensure schools are safe.

Earlier this week, CTF/FCE advocated for an amendment to Bill C-273 at the Committee on Justice and Human Rights. Additionally, CTF/FCE and various member organizations provided briefs prior to the hearing that included the results of ETFO’s 2023 All-Member Violence Survey.  

It has become clear that Member of Parliament Peter Julian, the sponsor of Bill C-273, and others have not heard us clearly on the concerns regarding increasing violence in schools and the need for educators to be able to reasonably intervene. 

CTF/FCE needs our ongoing support to bolster its advocacy on this matter. Please add your voice by sending letters to politicians through CTF/FCE’s website and engage in the campaign by sharing CTF/FCE’s social media posts on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram and Facebook. Shareables are available here.

Members are also encouraged to access and use resources available in ETFO’s Action on Violence Toolkit to further their advocacy locally, provincially and federally.