Our work seeks to address the global human rights and environmental impacts of companies with ties to Canada, including companies based in Canada and foreign companies that receive support from the Canadian government. We draw attention to cases where their activities are putting people’s rights at risk, either through their own operations or through their dealings with other actors implicated in abuse.¹ This would include, for examples, brands sourcing their goods from manufacturers that violate workers’ rights, or mining companies contracting security firms that use brutal, excessive force.

Many of these cases arise in the extractive sector — mining and oil and gas — due to the outsize presence of Canadian firms in these industries and the elevated risks they pose.²John Ruggie, the author of the UN’s guiding principles on business and human rights, notes that the extractive sector “is unique because no other [sector] has so enormous and intrusive a social and environmental footprint.” Mining and petroleum projects can have devastating effects on people locally, and fossil fuel development further undermines human rights by contributing to a climate emergency that threatens millions of peoples’ lives and rights globally.

These problems go far beyond extractives, of course. Canadian companies are active in or connected through supply chains to countless other industries, and none is free of the risk of rights violations. We therefore place priority on promoting corporate accountability measures that cover all sectors.

Rules for corporations, justice for people

We’re advocating for clear, enforceable rules to ensure that the people and communities harmed by reckless business practices can access justice. People seeking accountability for a Canadian company’s harmful impacts often face daunting barriers, some unique to those pursuing justice across borders. They should have access to strong judicial and non-judicial avenues to remedy in Canada, allowing them to turn to the courts or to other less costly mechanisms to defend their rights.

To pursue this vision, we’re urging the Canadian government to ensure that allegations of corporate wrongdoing can be effectively investigated by an independent ombudsperson, and to legally require that companies exercise due diligence — i.e., take all reasonable action — to avoid causing or contributing to human rights abuse.

We also advocate for reform and meaningful enforcement of existing laws, regulations and policies that touch on business and human rights, such as weapons export controls and the Customs Tariff ban on importing products made with forced labour.

Monitoring government support for business

The Canadian government financially supports both Canadian and foreign companies through institutions such as Export Development Canada (EDC), which facilitates more than $100 billion in international business activities every year. Many Canadian companies operating abroad also receive political and trade support from Canada’s embassies and the Canadian Trade Commissioner Service.

Above Ground keeps close watch of companies receiving such support. We’ve brought public scrutiny to many cases where corporations involved in human rights abuse received EDC financing. We have worked with civil society partners to call for better parliamentary oversight of EDC, and for de-financing of the fossil fuel sector. These efforts have undoubtedly pushed EDC further towards recognizing the importance of social and environmental impacts in its business decisions – in relation to its public image, at the very least.

We remain watchful of companies receiving any forms of financial or political support from the government, as well as corporate influence in policy-making, and alert to opportunities to advocate for better screening, transparency and accountability in these matters.