Canada's fight against forced labour in global supply chains is stalling — and advocates say Ottawa needs to act now to fill a critical oversight vacancy that has sat empty for over a year.
Human rights organizations and labour advocates are renewing calls on the federal government to appoint a new Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE), the office tasked with investigating Canadian companies accused of human rights abuses abroad, including the use of forced and child labour in their supply chains.
A Year Without a Watchdog
The CORE position has been vacant since early 2025, leaving the office without the independent leadership needed to investigate complaints and hold corporations accountable. Critics say the gap is not just an administrative oversight — it's a signal to Canadian businesses that enforcement of responsible supply chain practices isn't a priority.
"Every month that seat sits empty is another month companies can operate with impunity," said one labour rights advocate. "Canadians expect their government to mean what it says when it talks about human rights."
The vacancy comes at a particularly fraught moment. Canada's Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act — often called Bill S-211 — came into force in 2024, requiring thousands of Canadian companies and government institutions to report annually on the steps they've taken to reduce the risk of forced labour in their operations. But without a functioning watchdog with real investigative power, critics argue the law amounts to little more than a paperwork exercise.
The Scale of the Problem
Forced labour — modern slavery — is estimated to affect more than 27 million people globally. Canadian companies with operations or suppliers in high-risk sectors like garments, electronics, agriculture, and mining are among those flagged by international monitors as needing closer scrutiny.
Advocates point out that Canada's reporting regime currently has no penalties for non-compliance, and no independent body actively reviewing the reports being filed. The CORE office was meant to be that check — but without a permanent ombudsperson, the office's investigative capacity is effectively on pause.
"Bill S-211 was supposed to be a starting point, not the finish line," said one advocate familiar with the legislation. "We need the government to demonstrate it takes this seriously."
What Advocates Are Asking For
Beyond filling the vacancy, advocacy groups are pushing for stronger legislative reforms:
- Mandatory due diligence requirements that go beyond self-reporting
- Financial penalties for companies that fail to disclose or take meaningful action
- Border import bans on goods known to be produced with forced labour — a measure the U.S. has already implemented through the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act
- Expanded CORE powers to proactively investigate, not just respond to complaints
Canada has long prided itself on its human rights reputation on the world stage. But with trading partners like the European Union and the United States moving aggressively to regulate supply chain labour practices, advocates warn that Canada risks falling behind — and allowing Canadian capital to remain complicit in exploitation abroad.
The federal government has not publicly committed to a timeline for filling the CORE vacancy.
Source: LakelandToday.ca via Google News
