Today the Federal Court of Canada hears a case alleging that the Canadian government is improperly withholding information about its diplomatic interventions on behalf of a Canadian company accused of human rights abuse in Guatemala.  

Tens of millions of people around the globe are trapped in forced labour. The Canadian government should take steps to not only warn companies against profiting from the abuse, but prevent them from doing so.

En total, son ocho las demandas que se han presentado en tribunales canadienses sobre abusos ambientales o a los derechos humanos vinculados a las operaciones de empresas extractivas canadienses en el exterior. En este documento se resumen las ocho demandas, sus implicaciones y los desafíos que plantea este tipo de demandas transnacionales.

Last month over 50 civil society organizations joined us in calling for Ottawa to cut off Export Development Canada’s enormous flow of public financial support to an industry fuelling the climate crisis.

Eight claims containing allegations of environmental or human rights abuse related to the overseas operations of Canadian extractive companies have been filed in Canadian courts. This document provides a summary of these eight lawsuits, their implications, and the challenges presented by transnational lawsuits of this nature.

Critics warn of an "enormous transparency gap" surrounding tens of billions of dollars in emergency aid given to businesses during the pandemic. To close that gap, legislation that hinders full public disclosure should be amended.