Amidst increasing awareness of Canadian business ties to forced labour overseas, Ottawa is being urged to make better use of legal and policy tools at its disposal to attack this problem. In this short backgrounder we take stock of Canada's existing legislation and policies of relevance to forced labour in international supply chains, and how they are — or aren't — being enforced.

Hidroituango es un megaproyecto hidroeléctrico financiado en parte por Canadá que ha resultado en graves daños para las personas y el medio ambiente en 2018. Cuatro años después, la población local sigue sufriendo las consecuencias, sin que se vislumbren reparaciones provenientes de Canadá.

Problems in the construction of a hydroelectric dam financed in part by Canada led to a flooding disaster in northwestern Colombia in 2018, forcing the evacuation of tens of thousands of people. Four years later, locals are still suffering the consequences, with no remedy from Canada in sight.

Climate change is a global human rights emergency of unprecedented proportions—and devastating consequences. Canada’s contribution to this crisis must be addressed. We must immediately end our bankrolling of fossil fuels.

Canada is the largest public financier of fossil fuels in the G20, funelling billions of dollars in support every year into an industry that must be wound down to avert severe climate breakdown. In this submission to a parliamentary committee, we call for an immediate, legally binding end to all public financial support for fossil fuels.

Broad support is building for due diligence legislation in Canada, placing the topic firmly within policy debates on Parliament Hill. Tomorrow human rights defenders from the Global South will remind us why such a law is urgently needed.