Evidence of meeting #17 for Subcommittee on International Human Rights in the 43rd Parliament, 2nd Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was ncp.
A video is available from Parliament.
7:15 p.m.
NDP
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Thank you, Ms. Moran, for being here.
I'm really struggling to understand how the NCP is different from the CORE. We have an NCP that can review, mediate and advise companies. How is this different from the CORE?
7:15 p.m.
Director General, Trade Portfolio Strategy and Coordination, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would note that there are a couple key differences. First of all, the CORE is established to be somewhat distinct from the department. That responds to a key concern—
7:15 p.m.
NDP
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
You've already said that you interact quite closely, so—
7:15 p.m.
Director General, Trade Portfolio Strategy and Coordination, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
We are working to collaborate. The CORE has been established with her own budget to provide advice to the minister directly. She is not reliant on departmental resources.
7:15 p.m.
NDP
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
She has an increased budget, from what we heard last week.
I want to be clear. I know I have very little time, so I know I seem rude.
We have an NCP that has been in place for 21 years with less than one case per year. We have a CORE ombudsperson in the role for three years, with no investigations. We have indigenous and impacted communities that will not come forward to Canadian ombudspeople, whether it's the NCP or the CORE. We have two organization that do essentially the same work; neither has the ability to compel witnesses or testimony.
In what way would Canadians feel confident that their name, their reputation, is not being tarnished around the world when we have very little remedy available, as you are providing very little for organizations or individuals impacted by Canadian mining?
We heard last week from Canadian mining associations that scrutiny was the biggest impediment to their success. It seems very much like the government listened to the mining companies and made sure there was very little scrutiny.
How do I go to impacted communities and tell them differently?
7:20 p.m.
Director General, Trade Portfolio Strategy and Coordination, Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development
It's important to recognize that the CORE and the NCP are both part of a larger framework, that there are efforts across foreign policy, development assistance, human rights promotion, etc., and that this is just one of the mechanisms—the CORE is the latest—in the government's commitment to human rights abroad.
7:20 p.m.
NDP
Heather McPherson NDP Edmonton Strathcona, AB
You'll forgive me if I say that it seems we had one tool that was very ineffectual, now we have two tools and both appear to be ineffectual. Saying that there are more tools that are equally ineffectual does not seem like a particularly strong response to people who are losing their drinking water, to communities that are sick, to people whose human rights are being violated, people who are being murdered.
The Canadian companies that are acting in good faith, good Canadian companies, will suffer. Our reputation as Canadians working around the world will suffer.
I don't understand.
7:20 p.m.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Peter Fonseca
Thank you.
That is our time. I do want to thank our Ms. Moran, our witness today, for answering so many questions so succinctly. Thank you for your time. We appreciate it.
Members, we are going now to suspend before coming back in camera in about five minutes.
Thank you.
[Proceedings continue in camera]