Open letter calls for mandatory human rights due diligence legislation

As civil society organizations, trade unions, investors and/or subject-matter experts from around the world committed to upholding human rights (including Indigenous Peoples’ rights), environmental protection, climate-change action, and fostering equitable and sustainable economic development, we call on the Government of Canada to adopt legislation requiring Canadian companies to undertake human rights and environmental due diligence throughout their global operations and supply chains.

The draft model legislation the Corporate Respect for Human Rights and Environment Abroad Act (May 31, 2021) proposed by the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA) acknowledges that all human rights are worthy of protection, moves beyond the limitations of voluntary initiatives and reporting-only approaches, provides insight on important human rights and environmental considerations, and lays the groundwork for more robust and comprehensive human rights and environmental due diligence legislation in Canada.

The CNCA’s proposed new law will:

1. establish a corporate duty to prevent human rights abuses and environmental damage;
2. create a corporate obligation to undertake comprehensive human rights due diligence; and
3. establish a right of action in Canadian courts (civil lawsuit) if Canadian companies, their subsidiaries, suppliers or subcontractors cause human rights abuse or environmental damage abroad. It would also establish a right of action if companies don’t develop, implement or report on adequate human rights and environmental due diligence procedures.

Adopting legislation such as the Corporate Respect for Human Rights and Environment Abroad Act (May 31, 2021) will incentivize Canadian companies to proactively prevent harms to human rights and environment, recognize the right to remedy for negatively impacted peoples, and help the Canadian government fulfill its international human rights responsibilities as set out in the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Canadian companies includes those that are domiciled in Canada and those who sell goods or services in Canada if they also have a physical connection to Canada.

Signatories

1. Above Ground
2. Americas Policy Group
3. Æquo, Services d’engagement actionnarial
4. Amnesty International Canada
5. Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale (AQOCI)
6. Atlantic Regional Solidarity Network (ARSN)
7. Canadian Friends Service Committee (Quakers)
8. Canadian Jesuits International
9. Canadian Labour Congress
10. Canadian Lawyers for International Human Rights (CLAIHR)
11. Centre Oblat • A Voice for Justice
12. Centre international de solidarité ouvrière (CISO)
13. Climate Action Network
14. CoDevelopment Canada (CoDev)
15. Comité pour les droits humains en Amérique latine (CDHAL)
16. Council of Canadians – Le Conseil Des Canadiens
17. Development and Peace: Caritas Canada
18. Fédération nationale des enseignantes et des enseignants du Québec (CSN)
19. Friends of the Earth Canada
20. Grandmothers Advocacy Network
21. Inter Pares
22. KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
23. Le Regroupement pour la Responsabilité Sociale des Entreprises (RRSE)
24. Ligue des droits et libertés (LDL)
25. Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network
26. Maquila Solidarity Network
27. Mennonite Central Committee
28. MiningWatch Canada
29. Office for Systemic Justice, Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada
30. Oil Change International
31. Oxfam Canada
32. Oxfam Québec
33. Projet Accompagnement Québec-Guatemala (PAQG)
34. Public Service Alliance of Canada – Alliance de la Fonction publique du Canada
35. Shareholder Association for Research and Education (SHARE)
36. UFCW Canada
37. UNIFOR
38. The United Church of Canada
39. United Steelworkers
40. World Vision

International

41. Accountability Counsel
42. Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
43. Corporate Justice Coalition (UK)
44. Due Process of Law Foundation
45. European Coalition for Corporate Justice (ECCJ)
46. International Corporate Accountability Roundtable (US)
47. Investors Alliance for Human Rights
48. Project HEARD (Netherlands)
49. Project Demokratie Cafe Reutlingen (Germany)
50. Gaia Amazonas (Colombia)

Download this open letter in PDF.

If so led you can sign a petition in support of mandatory human rights due diligence legislation: https://cnca-rcrce.ca/take-action/hredd-petition