The International Labour Organization estimates that nearly 28 million people worldwide are victims of forced labour. More than 17 million of these workers are exploited in the private sector, many of them producing goods for international markets. Canada is connected to forced labour both domestically, through abuses within its borders, and internationally, through the goods it imports.
Canada has introduced several measures to address forced labour in supply chains. In 2020, it adopted an import ban on goods produced with forced labour to fulfill its obligations under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement. In 2023, Parliament enacted a corporate reporting law similar to those in force in Australia and the U.K. In 2026, the government tabled legislation to address challenges in enforcement of the import ban and signalled interest in establishing a supply chain due diligence regime.
Well-designed measures to address forced labour can help resolve instances of forced labour and ensure that Canadian workers are not disadvantaged by exploitative labour practices abroad. Poorly designed measures, however, can undermine these goals. They may incentivize companies to simply cut ties with suppliers instead of insisting on reforms to their practices, displace worker-led strategies to defend their rights, and ultimately fail to address the underlying drivers of forced labour.
On October 29, 2026, Above Ground and the Coalition Against Forced Labour in Trade will host a breakfast meeting on Parliament Hill to explore Canada’s next steps towards ending forced labour in global supply chains. The event will offer parliamentarians, their staff, civil servants and representatives from civil society a unique opportunity to discuss with international experts how Canada can build on measures that have worked in other jurisdictions and support worker-led solutions, meaningful remediation, and a level playing field for all.
The meeting is co-sponsored by the All Party Parliamentary Group to End Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking, including co-chairs MP Arnold Viersen, MP Arielle Kayabaga, MP Andréanne Larouche, and Senator Julie Miville-Dechêne. Simultaneous interpretation will be provided.
When: 29 October 2026, 8:30-10:30am
Where: Wellington Building (197 Sparks Street), Room 310
* A valid photo I.D. is required to enter the building
Speakers:
- Carolina Rudnick is the Co-founder and President of Fundación Libera (Libera Foundation). She is based in Santiago, Chile.
- Eduardo Villarreal is the Analysis and Advocacy Coordinator at Proyecto de Derechos Económicos, Sociales y Culturales (ProDESC) [Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Project]. He is based in Mexico City, Mexico.
- Hélène de Rengervé is the Senior Advocate – Corporate Accountability at Human Rights Watch. She is based in Brussels, Belgium.
- Jong Chul Kim is the Founder and Senior Researcher at Advocates for Public Interest Law (APIL) He is based in Seoul, South Korea.
About the organizers:
Above Ground is a Canadian human rights and accountability project operating on the shared platform of MakeWay Charitable Society. It strives to ensure that companies based in Canada or supported by the Canadian state respect human rights and the environment wherever they operate. Above Ground chairs the Canadian Network for Corporate Accountability (CNCA).
The Coalition Against Forced Labour in Trade (CAFLT) is an international network of civil society organizations promoting the adoption and enforcement of import bans against goods made using forced labour. The Coalition, launched in September 2023, aims to ensure there is no safe harbour for goods tainted by forced labour in any country.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group to End Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking (APPG) was launched in 2018 and includes members from the Liberal, Conservative, Bloc Québecois, and NDP parties, as well as the Independent Senators Group. Members seek to improve policy and legislation, increase information on modern slavery to Parliamentarians, promote long-term approaches to the prevention of slavery, and engage with like-minded bodies to eradicate slavery.