Question Period Note: Forced Labour and Supply Chains

Canada's approach to eradicating forced labour from Canadian supply chains.

• We are committed to increasing supply chain transparency and promoting responsible business conduct (RBC). We expect Canadian companies to uphold Canadian values, wherever they may operate.
• ·Canadian companies are expected to undertake thorough supply chain due diligence to ensure that they are not directly or indirectly sourcing products from entities implicated in forced labour, child labour, or other human rights violations.
• The Customs Tariff was amended on July 1, 2020, to prohibit the importation of goods that have been mined, manufactured or produced in whole or in part by forced labour.
• The Customs Tariff made Canada the second country in the world, after the U.S., to ban the importation of goods in whole or in part by forced labour.

The Minister of Labour's December 2021 mandate letter included a commitment to introduce legislation with the support of the Minister of Public Safety, and the Minister of Public Services and Procurement, and yourself to eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains and ensure that that Canadian businesses operating abroad do not contribute to human rights abuses.
Private member's legislations such as Bill S-211 (An Act to enact the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act and to amend the Customs Tariff) and Bill S-204 (An Act to amend the Customs Tariff [goods from Xinjiang]) are under consideration. The Minister of Labour is leading the Government's consideration of Bill S-211 including possible amendments, while the Department of Finance is examining Bill S-204. Separate amendments to the Customs Tariff, which took effect on July 1, 2020, prohibit the import of goods mined, manufactured or produced wholly or in part by forced or compulsory labour, including forced or compulsory child labour. This legislation made Canada the second country in the world, after the U.S., to ban the importation of goods produced by forced labour. The import prohibition applies to all goods, irrespective of their country of origin. Federal departments are collaborating to advance its operationalization. On January 12, 2021, in coordination with international partners, Canada announced trade-related measures in response to concerns of human rights violations in China involving members of the Uyghur ethnic minority and other minorities within the XUAR. Canada's RBC Strategy, launched in April 2022, will see the development of new measures to support Canadian companies in mitigating supply chain risks, including forced labour, in their international operations. These measures include new digital tools, a due diligence reporting standard, and a Digital RBC Attestation for companies to increase their uptake of RBC. Driving the delivery and implementation of the Strategy is an Action Plan, which outlines the tools, guidance, and actions that the Trade Commissioner Service will take with partners to achieve Strategy outcomes.

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