Office probing human rights abuses by Canadian companies abroad to begin investigating complaints

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The move comes as debate grows over how Western countries should respond to reports of forced labour in China, particularly among the Uyghurs

Members of Uighur minority hold placards as they demonstrate to ask for news of their relatives on Feb. 22, 2021 near the Chinese consulate in Istanbul.Three years after it was first announced, an office empowered by Ottawa to investigate allegations of human rights abuses arising from Canadian corporate activity abroad is finally open for business.

The office, which operates at arm’s length from the government, replaces the now-defunct Extractive Sector Corporate Social Responsibility Counsellor, created in 2009 under former prime minister Stephen Harper. Emily Dwyer, co-ordinator with the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability, said she considers the absence of such powers a major flaw.

Her office, which has 10 staff at the moment, will be able to travel to investigate complaints wherever necessary. Its operating budget has not yet been set. John Packer, an associate professor of law and director of the Human Rights Research and Education Centre at the University of Ottawa, said while the power to compel witness testimony and documents would be useful for Ms. Meyerhoffer, it is not a silver-bullet solution.

 

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Just what we need, another human rights tribunal investigating overseas, when they can’t even do a proper job within Canada. Just another effort to employ people who do nothing,produce nothing, and get paid big bucks for doing it.

The timing makes you question whether Canada is sincere at all. If there is really any abuse as claimed, Canada should have looked into this long time ago, why only now? when the Sino-Canada relationship is going south.

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