51 Canadian organisations call on Canada to close the international accountability gap in the extractive sector

14 July 2016

Canadian Civil Society Statement: Closing the International Accountability Gap in the Extractive Sector

As organizations committed to upholding human rights, environmental protection, and fostering equitable and sustainable economic development, we recognize that there are significant challenges associated with resource extraction in developing countries. We call on the Government of Canada to ensure that people harmed by the overseas operations of Canadian mining, oil and gas companies are able to access justice in Canada.

Canada is home to more than half of the world’s mining companies, with active projects in more than 100 countries. Environmental damage and human rights violations, including forced displacement and failure to respect the right of Indigenous peoples to free, prior and informed consent, violation of women’s rights and violation of children’s rights, have been associated with many of these projects. Those who are harmed often have nowhere to seek effective redress.

Given the existing international accountability gap, we ask the Government of Canada to take the following measures to ensure that those who are negatively affected by these operations can seek remedy in Canada:

1. Create a human rights Ombudsperson for the international extractive sector, which is independent, impartial and empowered to investigate (including using gender-based analysis), report publicly and make recommendations to companies and to the government;

2. Facilitate access to Canadian courts for people who have been seriously harmed by the international operations of Canadian companies, especially marginalized groups such as Indigenous peoples and women, who tend to face greater barriers in accessing justice.

Instituting these measures will help ensure that Canadian mining, oil and gas companies live up to international human rights, labour and environmental standards, including those outlined in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Signed:

1.    Above Ground 2.    Africa-Canada Forum 3.    Alberta Council for Global Cooperation 4.    Americas Policy Group 5.    Amnesty International Canada 6.    Amnistie internationale Canada francophone 7.    L’Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale 8.    British Colombia Teachers’ Federation 9.    Canada Tibet Committee 10. Canadian Council for International Cooperation 11. Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers) 12. Canadian Jesuits International 13. Canadian Labour Congress 14. Canadian Union of Postal Workers 15. Canadian Union of Public Employees 16. Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability 17. Centre d’étude et de coopération internationale 18. Citizens for Public Justice 19. CoDevelopment Canada 20. Common Frontiers 21. Committee for human rights in Latin America 22. Crossroads International 23. Development and Peace 24. David Suzuki Foundation 25. Friends of the Earth Canada 26. Justice and Corporate Accountability Project

27. Inter Pares 28. KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives 29. L’Entraide Missionnaire 30. Mennonite Central Committee Canada 31. Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network 32. Mining Injustice Solidarity Network 33. MiningWatch Canada 34. Pacific Peoples Partnership 35. Plan International Canada 36. Public Service Alliance of Canada 37. Publish What You Pay Canada 38. Oxfam Quebec 39. Oxfam Canada 40. Save the Children 41. Sierra Club of BC Foundation 42. Social Justice Connection 43. Solidarité Laurentides Amérique Centrale 44. Steelworkers Humanity Fund 45. Stop the Institute (UBC) 46. Unifor 47. United Church of Canada 48. United Steelworkers Union 49. World University Service of Canada 50. World Vision Canada 51. World Renew

 

For a pdf of the Canadian civil society statement, please click here.

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