Above Ground wrote to all parties registered for the 2025 federal election to ask whether they: “commit to strengthening Canada’s forced labour import ban and ensuring that Canada does not become a dumping ground for goods produced with forced labour.”
We didn’t hear back from all parties. The Conservative, New Democratic and Liberal parties did not respond so instead we reviewed their platforms.
The Bloc Québécois, Green Party, and Christian Heritage Party expressed their support for a strengthened forced labour import ban. The Marijuana Party suggested increased tariffs on goods produced with forced labour to make forced labour not profitable. The United Party of Canada did not formally commit to strengthening Canada’s forced labour import ban.
The Bloc Québecois platform committed the party to “fight against the importation of goods, including ‘fast fashion’ products, that are the result of forced labour, in particular the forced labour of Uyghurs as part of the genocide perpetrated by China” [our translation].
The Conservative Party’s platform commits the party to “[s]top forced and child labour with strict new minimum penalties for executives or board members of companies that exploit children and abuse workers for profit, and create a private right of action against goods made with forced and child labour that are sold in Canada.”
The Liberal Party’s platform didn’t include any mention of forced labour or improving the forced labour import ban. This is notable given proposals of the previous Liberal government to strengthen the import ban, which were included in the 2024 Fall Economic Statement.
The NDP’s platform references corporate accountability and human rights but doesn’t include specific mention of forced labour or improving the forced labour import ban.
It remains to be seen exactly how parties would approach this issue if elected.
See here for the full party responses.
Relatedly, the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA) asked each party about their commitment to mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (mHREDD) legislation. A strong Canadian mHREDD law would require the prevention and remedy of all human rights violations related to Canadian business conduct abroad, including forced labour. See here how the parties responded.