New investigations are highlighting once again the rampant use of forced labour globally. We’re working with civil society partners to urge immediate action by countries like Canada to halt and prevent this abuse.
Ottawa has promised new legislation to “strengthen” the forced labour import ban and “eradicate” forced labour from Canadian supply chains. In this submission to the government, we call for the adoption of a mandatory due diligence law and reforms to improve enforcement of the import ban.
The global seafood industry is rife with worker abuse, and we need comprehensive measures to stop companies profiting from it, write Georgina Alonso of Above Ground and Bea Bruske of the Canadian Labour Congress in this Hill Times op-ed.
Amidst increasing awareness of Canadian ties to forced labour overseas, Ottawa is being urged to make better use of legal tools to attack the problem. In this brief, we take stock of Canada’s existing legislation and policies related to forced labour in international supply chains, and how they are — or aren’t — being enforced.
In a joint submission with the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability, we’ve written to the UN’s Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery to share our concerns that Canadian laws are inadequate to prevent or remedy forced labour in companies’ supply chains.
Parliament will soon vote on Bill S-211, a corporate reporting law meant to “fight” forced and child labour in supply chains. Experts who’ve weighed in on the law have said it will do little, if anything, to achieve that aim.
How are Canadian firms responding to reports of forced labour in their supply chains? We asked dozens of companies whose suppliers have faced high-profile allegations of abuse. More than half of them didn’t reply.
Forced labour is widespread in the global production of dozens upon dozens of categories of goods, many of them imported into and sold in great quantities in Canada.
Above Ground has submitted the following brief to the parliamentary committee studying Bill S-211, which would require companies to report on the steps they’re taking, if any, to address the risk of forced labour and child labour in their supply chains.
Above Ground works to ensure that companies based in Canada or supported by the Canadian state respect human rights and the environment worldwide. It is a project of MakeWay, a national charity that builds partnerships and solutions to help nature and communities thrive together.
Above Ground c/o MakeWay
400-163 West Hastings Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 1H5
438-992-5163
