By Dylan Robertson Human rights advocates say Ottawa is betraying foreigners alleging involvement by Canadian companies abroad in forced labour and environmental degradation by shutting down an office meant to probe those reports. “The government is turning its back on people who are experiencing human rights violations linked to Canadian companies,” said Aidan Gilchrist-Blackwood, head of the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability. “There is a real absence of any mechanisms with teeth that can hold our companies up to the kind of human rights standards that are required,” he said Thursday, flanked by activists on Parliament Hill. Prime Minister Mark Carney mentioned in passing last week that Ottawa had eliminated the position of Canadian ombudsperson for responsible enterprise, or CORE, months ago. The office reviewed complaints about possible human rights… <\/p>\n
By Dylan Robertson Human rights advocates say Ottawa is betraying foreigners alleging involvement by Canadian companies abroad in forced labour and environmental degradation by shutting down an office meant to probe those reports. “The government is turning its back on people who are experiencing human rights violations linked to Canadian companies,” said Aidan Gilchrist-Blackwood, head of the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability. “There is a real absence of any mechanisms with teeth that can hold our companies up to the kind of human rights standards that are required,” he said Thursday, flanked by activists on Parliament Hill. Prime Minister Mark Carney mentioned in passing last week that Ottawa had eliminated the position of Canadian ombudsperson for responsible enterprise, or CORE, months ago. The office reviewed complaints about possible human rights... <\/p>\n