Canada is dismantling its dedicated human rights watchdog, the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE), an office tasked with investigating alleged human rights violations by Canadian companies operating internationally. The decision was announced by Mark Carney, former Governor of the Bank of England and current Canadian political figure, who stated the office had not been 'effective' since its establishment in 2019.
CORE was created by the government of former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with a mandate to probe human rights abuses, including the use of forced labour, within the supply chains of Canadian industries. Much of the initial focus centred on allegations of forced labour involving the Uyghur ethnic minority in China, claims that Beijing consistently denies despite numerous reports from human rights organisations.
Despite its six-year existence, CORE has initiated only five investigations. These include probes into three US clothing companies with operations in Canada – Ralph Lauren, Nike, and Levi Strauss – and two mining companies, GobiMin and Dynasty Gold Corp. A significant proportion of these allegations related to the use of forced labour in China's Xinjiang region. The watchdog also employed its mediation process in response to allegations against Hugo Boss concerning Uyghur forced labour, ultimately issuing formal recommendations against only two companies.
Mr Carney indicated that the decision to eliminate the role was made several months ago, aligning with austerity measures under which the Liberal government plans to review and potentially cut federal offices deemed inefficient. He acknowledged that while Canada possesses formal legislation to combat such issues, including the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act, enforcement has been 'less effective'.
The move has drawn criticism, with some lawmakers arguing that the oversight body required more resources and independence, not outright elimination. Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party, stated that CORE 'has never been given the independence or powers it needs to do its job properly' and called for its strengthening rather than abolition. This development also coincides with scrutiny from the United States, which has criticised Canada's perceived inability to tackle forced labour in supply chains, with the White House reportedly considering tariffs over weak enforcement rules.
In response to these concerns and the elimination of CORE, the Liberal government announced new legislation. This proposed law aims to create a public list of products linked to forced labour in specific regions and will mandate importers to demonstrate that goods originating from these listed regions were not produced through forced labour. The government hopes this new approach will address the issues raised by the Trump administration and enhance Canada's efforts against modern-day slavery.