- Canada passed the Supply Chain Act in 2023 after the United Nations reported that China had committed serious human rights violations in Xinjiang against Uyghurs
- Now Canadian lawmakers across multiple parties criticize the government in Ottawa that the law lacks proper enforcement
- Expert claim the Canadian government’s efforts need to be “far more robust” to screen out products linked to forced labour in areas like China’s Xinjiang region.
A multi-party group of parliamentarians is urging Ottawa to step up its efforts to stop Canadian companies from profiting from slavery in their operations abroad and through imports.
Parliament passed the Supply Chains Act in 2023, which requires Canadian companies and government institutions to report annually on what they did to prevent or mitigate against the use of child labour or forced labour. Advocates argue the bill is not being adequately enforced.
The International Justice and Human Rights Clinic at the University of British Columbia analyzed filings of 119 companies over the past two years and found them to be extremely vague on their efforts to weed out forced labour.
There is no requirement for reporting on forced labour from companies involved in services, mining and real estate. The researchers say this is due in part to Public Safety Canada’s guidance for companies, which they say is much less comprehensive than what the law requires.
McMaster University researcher Sima Fallah-Tafti said an artificial intelligence analysis of more than a thousand filings under the law found an average 36 per cent score on specificity.
“Most reports we analyzed were boilerplate -- generic language, no specific suppliers named, no meaningful risk identification,” she said.
“Firms are filing paperwork. They are not doing due diligence.”
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It’s really, in my opinion, a problem of implementation,” Sen. Julie Miville-Dechene, who helped shepherd the legislation through Parliament, told the news conference in French.
“There must be clear guidelines so that we can have something other than generic reports that say very little about the activities of a company.”
Former Liberal MP John McKay said Ottawa’s efforts need to be “far more robust” to screen out products linked to forced labour in areas like China’s Xinjiang region.
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Parliament passed the Supply Chains Act after the United Nations reported in 2022 that China had committed serious human rights violations in Xinjiang against Uyghurs that “may constitute international crimes, in particular crimes against humanity.”
Global Affairs Canada reported that same year that China “is using otherwise legitimate programs for retraining and relocation of unemployed workers as instruments of a broader campaign of oppression, exploitation and indoctrination of the Uyghur Muslim population.”
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McKay said the incident with Ma illustrates the conundrum facing Canada.
“The depth of the problem is such that Canada has a choice here. If we go along to get along, then we will compromise our own values,” McKay said.
Conservative MP Arnold Viersen told Tuesday’s news conference that the Tories remain concerned about Canada’s posture toward China.
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