Will You Make Canada Open for Justice? Full responses Central Nova, Cumberland-Colchester candidates
If you are elected as the MP for your riding, will you work in Parliament to:
Create an independent extractive-sector Ombudsperson in Canada, with the power to investigate complaints and make recommendations, including suspending or ending Canadian government support to companies that do not respect international standards. Unlike the CSR Counsellor’s Office, the Ombudsperson needs to be mandated to make its findings public and perform these functions regardless of a company’s willingness to participate; and
Provide legislated access to Canadian courts for people who have been seriously harmed by the international operations of Canadian companies. Such legislation would clarify that Canadian courts are appropriate venues in which to hear claims against companies registered in Canada?
Background Canada is home to more than half of the world’s mining companies, with active projects in more than 100 countries. Canadian mining, oil and gas companies are often viewed as representatives of Canada abroad, but human rights abuses, environmental damage, displacement and violations of basic labour rights are increasingly associated with these projects. There is no international system that currently governs resource extraction to protect human rights or the environment. In many countries where extractive companies operate, protections do not exist or are not enforced, multilateral institutions are often weak or inaccessible, and there are barriers to seeking justice in Canada.
Scott Armstrong No response but he did vote against Bill C-584.
Fred Delorey No response
Bill Casey #1 Yes, assuming the bill is similar to C-584. #2 I have no idea if this international initiative is possible or how it would work. Prior to making a commitment I would prefer to hear all aspects of this proposal and have some legal opinions of how it might work. I will however be pleased to meet to talk about this approach and explore the possibility at any time.
Sean Fraser Email #1 We support the call for an independent Extractive Sector Ombudsman. A Liberal government will act on the National Roundtables Advisory Group’s recommendations. Corporate accountability is a problem throughout the world. We seem to do alright, sometimes, when bringing resources to market in Canada and other first world countries. It is when raw materials come from less developed areas that we run into the worst situations. Just because we can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not happening. The Liberal party is committed to social justice and the protection of human rights. Our reputation on the international stage has taken a beating during a decade of Conservative government. We must return to our roots – a country not afraid to stand up for the vulnerable. And when Canadian companies go abroad, we must hold them to the same high standards that we expect when they operate here.
Email #2 This is a topic near and dear to Sean. He holds a Master’s degree in public international law from Leiden University’s Advanced Studies program in the Netherlands, where he specialized in peace, justice, and development. Prior to working at a Canadian law firm, Sean worked to promote access to information laws with a human rights organization in Johannesburg, South Africa. In this role, he helped to facilitate various public education and advocacy campaigns that enhanced the ability of marginalized groups to access information held by the government of South Africa. He has contributed to a series of written legal publications and papers on topics including the role of access to information in promoting development, the proposed UN Sustainable Development Goal to eliminate poverty, ethics in the practice of international arbitration, and gross negligence in the Canadian energy industry. He also serves as an Associate Research Fellow with Centre for International Sustainable Development Law.
You have attached the public commitments made by the Liberal party regarding corporate accountability. We support the call for an independent Extractive Sector Ombudsman. A Liberal government will act on the National Roundtables Advisory Group’s recommendations. You have asked for legislated access to Canadian courts by people who have been seriously harmed by international operations of Canadian companies. Although we have not committed to this we welcome further discussion.
We hope that you will continue to keep us informed about the Open for Justice Campaign.
Blanch My answer to your questions is a resounding yes! I am very much aware of the work you do and I am very much aware of the sometimes shameful behaviour of Canadian mining companies in Central America and around the globe. I would not only support these initiatives that you have outlined in this e-mail but would approach your network and Mining Watch Canada to help guide me in identifying global best practices with regard to mining so that I can further advocate for the fair and just treatment of people and wildlife that are affected by the impacts of mining.
Thank you for reaching out to me on this important issue. I feel as Canadians we have a responsibility to insure that the behaviour of our corporations reflects the values we hold as a people, and this is clearly not the case with regard to many Canadian mining companies today.
Thank you for your tireless work on this important issue.
Hachey David Hachey, if elected as MP in Central Nova, is committed to work to bring forward both of the recommendations from Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network, and to work to restore the inclusion of key civil society groups into parliamentary committees and other spheres of federal decision making.
In terms of policy, the Green Party understands the need for greater corporate accountability and the lack of legal provisions that allow civil actions against the big polluters in Canada. From our policy document Vision Green, Green Party MPs will:
Introduce legislation to begin holding Canadian corporations that are working overseas to the same environmental and human rights standards as they are in Canada;
Prevent legal intimidation of ordinary people by limiting the rights of corporations to sue groups and individuals for actual loss
Develop laws similar to the US’s Alien Tort Claims Act that will allow those who are not Canadian to sue Canadian corporations for damages that result in their own countries
Wendy Robinson The NDP has been supportive of more oversight for Canadian companies involved in extraction in other countries. NDP MP Ève Péclet (La Pointe-de-L’Île) introduced a bill in 2014 to strengthen corporate social responsibility (CSR) among Canadian extracting companies operating in developing countries. Seventy-five percent of international mining companies are registered in Canada, and most operate in countries where workers’ rights, human rights and environmental protections are inadequate.
Extraction companies are often subsidized by the Canadian government and must be held accountable when operating abroad. These Canadian companies need to reflect our values and respect human and workers’ rights, along with the environment.
The bill called for the modification of the current Office of the CSR Counsellor, replacing its mandate and objectives. The bill called for an ombudsman’s office to be created to ensure that CSR is respected through Canadian extraction companies’ activities in developing nations.
Ross Landry The NDP has been supportive of more oversight for Canadian companies involved in extraction in other countries. NDP MP Ève Péclet (La Pointe-de-L’Île) introduced a bill in 2014 to strengthen corporate social responsibility (CSR) among Canadian extracting companies operating in developing countries. Seventy-five percent of international mining companies are registered in Canada, and most operate in countries where workers’ rights, human rights and environmental protections are inadequate.
Extraction companies are often subsidized by the Canadian government and must be held accountable when operating abroad. These Canadian companies need to reflect our values and respect human and workers’ rights, along with the environment.
The bill called for the modification of the current Office of the CSR Counsellor, replacing its mandate and objectives. The bill called for an ombudsman’s office to be created to ensure that CSR is respected through Canadian extraction companies’ activities in developing nations.
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