Financial News

Human Rights Advocates and Legal Experts Deliver Blueprint for New International Corporate Accountability Law in Canada

Products You May Like

Article content material

OTTAWA, Ontario — At this time the Canadian Community on Company Accountability (CNCA) launched draft mannequin laws that gives lawmakers with a blueprint for writing into Canadian regulation the company responsibility to respect human rights and the atmosphere.

The draft mannequin regulation, if adopted, would require Canadian firms to stop human rights and environmental hurt all through their international operations and provide chains.

Related legal guidelines are in place or being developed in a number of international locations. Canada, nevertheless, is falling behind. As a substitute of legally requiring firms to respect human rights and the atmosphere, Canada encourages them to voluntarily take measures to take action.

“All all over the world, persons are being harmed by the enterprise practices of Canadian firms and their subsidiaries, subcontractors and suppliers,” stated Jean Symes, from the feminist social justice group Inter Pares. “We’re calling on Canadian lawmakers to catch as much as international leaders by adopting our mannequin laws, a complete regulation that might assist reply to the widespread and egregious abuses linked to Canadian firms together with pressured labour, sexual violence, and homicide.”

Below the CNCA’s proposed regulation, if an organization causes hurt or fails to do its human rights and environmental due diligence, these affected would have the statutory proper to carry a civil lawsuit towards that firm in Canadian court docket.

Article content material

“Canadian companies which are already doing what’s wanted to guard human and environmental rights will welcome this laws,” stated Hassan Yussuff, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Those who aren’t will now be held accountable for his or her failure to behave.”

Over 150 organizations and unions that work with individuals impacted by the actions of Canadian firms in 32 international locations all over the world have endorsed the CNCA’s proposed regulation.

“The CNCA’s proposal stands in stark distinction to the fashionable slavery reporting regulation presently being examined by the Canadian Senate,” stated Catherine Coumans, co-manager at MiningWatch Canada. “The proposed regulation launched at the moment strikes past reporting and requires firms to alter their conduct – and cease cashing in on human rights and environmental hurt – or face vital penalties.”

The CNCA launched a draft of the mannequin Company Respect for Human Rights and the Setting Overseas Act at a digital press convention in Ottawa at the moment.

View supply model on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210531005294/en/

Contacts

Devin Holterman, Communications Coordinator, Canadian Community on Company Accountability
Tel.: 514-209-1423; e-mail: dholterman@cnca-rcrce.ca
www.cnca-rcrce.ca

Products You May Like