In 2018 the Government of Canada committed to creating an independent Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) and mandating the office to “investigate allegations of human rights abuses linked to Canadian corporate activity abroad.”
The government soon reneged its commitment and instead created a toothless adviser to the trade minister. It has faced harsh criticism as a result.
In this response to Global Affairs Canada’s review of the “effectiveness and operations” of the CORE, we make recommendations for strengthening the office. These include equipping the office with robust investigatory powers and ensuring its full independence from government.