As a member of the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability (CNCA), Canadian Jesuits International has been actively involved in a campaign to lobby the government for an independent ombudsperson office to investigate human rights abuses committed by Canadian extractive companies operating overseas.
Our campaign has just scored a major victory!
On 19 January 2018, Canada’s Minister of International Trade announced the creation of a Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE). The CORE office will investigate complaints concerning the overseas operations of Canadian companies and will issue public findings on allegations of harm. According to the government this will be the first office of its kind in the world.
CJI is celebrating this breakthrough with fellow members of the CNCA and with our partners in Africa, Asia and Latin America, especially those who have been adversely affected by Canadian mining operations. Canada is home to over 55% of the world’s largest extractive companies and, as such, bears tremendous responsibility for how these companies conduct their business overseas.
Read the CNCA press release.
For background on the campaign, visit the CNCA website.
News release from Global Affairs Canada: The Government of Canada brings leadership to responsible business conduct abroad.
