Canada eliminates human rights watchdog that oversees companies operating abroad
Summary
Canada is closing its human rights watchdog that investigated forced labour claims involving Canadian companies abroad. The government plans new laws to better track products tied to forced labour and require importers to show their goods are free of slavery.Key Facts
- Canada’s watchdog called the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) started in 2019.
- CORE focused on investigating forced labour, especially related to China’s treatment of the Uyghur minority.
- Over six years, CORE launched only five investigations and issued formal recommendations against two companies.
- Canadian officials said CORE was not effective and resources would be better used elsewhere.
- Some politicians want CORE strengthened, not eliminated, to better fight human rights abuses.
- New Canadian laws will create a public list of products linked to forced labour and require importers to prove their goods are slavery-free.
- The US government criticized Canada and others for weak enforcement on forced labour and threatened tariffs on Canadian goods.
- Canada’s finance minister previously highlighted CORE as a way to help prevent forced labour in supply chains during trade talks with China.
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