For the second year in a row, the federal budget has renewed the government’s commitment to introduce legislation in 2024 “to eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains and to strengthen the import ban on goods produced with forced labour.”
CNCA is urging the government to ensure that the legislation it introduces is strong. To be strong, it must:
- require companies to exercise due diligence to prevent human rights abuse;
- help impacted people outside of Canada access remedy in Canadian courts; and
- apply to all human rights.
Why all human rights?
The UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) stipulate that human rights are interrelated, interdependent and indivisible. To effectively eradicate forced labour from Canada’s supply chains, the government must protect all related human rights, like the right to collective organization and to non-discrimination.
Next steps
The government has tasked the labour minister with introducing the legislation. The labour minister could bring forward strong legislation by taking up the CNCA’s model law, The Corporate Respect for Human Rights and the Environment Abroad Act, or by adopting Bill C-262.
