In a response to a CORE request for quarterly meetings, the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA) expressed concern that the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) may not be fully committed to transparency and meaningful engagement.
The CNCA stated:
“We would like to express our collective concern regarding recent developments, including actions by your office-holder, that call into question the CORE’s commitment to transparency and meaningful engagement.
Concerns:
1. We are concerned that the CORE lacks independence, and that the office is sharing information with government departments that it is not sharing with Canadian civil society and rights holders. …
2. We are concerned that the CORE is not disclosing information about the inquiries / complaints it has received that it should be making publicly available. This includes information about claims of human rights violations linked to Canadian corporations and the CORE’s reasons for determining that a complaint is inadmissible. …
3. We are concerned that Ms. Meyerhoffer has abandoned her efforts to seek the basic minimum powers required for the CORE to be effective. …
4. We believe that being forthcoming about future plans, and seeking early civil society input, is very helpful for fostering relationships of trust. …”
