Minister Announces Bill to Prevent Forced-Labour Products from Entering Canada in 2022
Federal Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan plans to present a bill in Parliament before the end of the year to prevent goods made by forced labor from coming into Canada.
“This year we will introduce legislation to help eliminate forced labor from Canadian supply chains. The legislation will be robust, effective, and enforceable,” stated Mr. O’Regan, as initially reported by Blacklock’s Reporter. The specifics of the legislation were not disclosed by the minister.
Although it received royal assent in May 2023, the bill has yet to yield results. The Canadian Border Services Agency (CSBA) has not seized any goods made by forced labor entering Canada.
A recent CSBA report disclosed that only one suspicious shipment worth around $68,000 was identified since July 2020. Following an appeal by the shipper in February 2022, the shipment was permitted entry into the country.
The CBSA, in its report to Mr. Savard-Tremblay, indicated that the U.S. border service can demand evidence from importers proving their goods were not made with forced labor. However, Canada’s border agency lacks the same authority, and border officials must have evidence of forced labor to stop a shipment.
Claude Vaillancourt, president of the Quebec-based advocacy group Association for the Taxation of Financial Transactions and for Citizens’ Action, criticized the Canadian government earlier this year for failing to halt the import of goods made by forced labor.
During his appearance before the House of Commons Canada-China committee last month, he mentioned that Canada is trailing behind countries like the U.S., France, Germany, and Norway and urged Ottawa to implement a similar framework to prevent goods made by forced labor from entering the country.
