Chief Justice Beverley McLachlin stated that under Section 43, criminal law does not apply when force "is part of a genuine effort to educate the child, poses no reasonable risk of harm that is more than transitory and trifling, and is reasonable under the circumstances."
Or in plain English - nothing that leaves a mark?
The UK law actually seems pretty sensible - the act itself isn't prohibited, but leave any sort of mark and you'll get prosecuted for it.
The protection of children in schools was certainly way ahead of the West, not only in corporal discipline. The by-laws were described in early 1970's in what was called "Kodeks Ucznia" (Pupil's Code). Is it still in force, or did the democratic processes manage to get rid of it?
I think it's still in force - when you look at it, the actual laws passed by the Communists were terribly progressive for the time. I actually know one lawyer who praises a lot of the PRL law as it's written, simply for being detailed and very clear.