Madam Speaker, respect for human rights, labour and the environment lies at the heart of our trade policies and our high-standard trade agreements. Canada's trade agreements prioritize Canadian values, focusing on workers' rights, environmental standards and opportunities for under-represented businesses like SMEs, women-owned businesses and indigenous enterprises.
It is the current government that signed the CPTPP, CETA and the new CUSMA agreement with our largest trading partners in both the U.S. and Mexico, and we will continue to create more jobs through trade as we continue to focus on opening new markets for Canadian businesses. More Canadian products shipped abroad means more good-paying Canadian jobs in communities across Canada.
I think it is safe to say that members of the House deplore the continued existence of forced labour in today's global supply chains. It is a priority that is very important to our government and that we have included in our budget to very clearly state that we would have legislation introduced by the end of this year. However, as we have seen, the Conservative members who continue to gum up the House, paralyzing the House and wasting millions of dollars are in fact blocking very important legislation like this from coming forward.
For those watching, it is important to note that the official opposition is in fact opposing the very legislation we were hoping to bring forward, by blocking and paralyzing the chamber using ill-informed tactics that no Canadians appreciate. Canadians want us to be able to work together to bring forward legislation that would help eradicate forced labour in our supply chains.
Forced labour traps workers in conditions of exploitation and abuse. It is a denial of human freedom and dignity. Forced labour is wholly incompatible with building a more prosperous, fairer global economy. It is a practice that undermines jobs and businesses where fundamental labour rights are respected. Enterprises that use and profit from forced labour not only deny the rights of their workers but also prevent Canadians and Canadian businesses from competing on a level playing field.
Forced labour contradicts the values that we as Canadians share with so many other people around the world. It is a practice that Canada and the rest of the international community must look to end. There is no question that eradicating forced labour is both an essential task and urgent one. I therefore welcome the opportunity to inform the House about actions the government is taking to maintain Canada's leadership in the global effort to eradicate forced labour and to uphold workers' rights.
Members of the House will recall that Canada introduced a forced labour import prohibition in 2020. The change was part of implementing our trade agreement with the United States and Mexico, CUSMA. The prohibition operates to stop goods from entering Canada that are mined, manufactured or produced wholly or in part by forced labour or compulsory child labour.
I am proud to say that Canada was the second country in the world, after only the United States, to implement a ban on forced labour imports. The import ban remains a vital part of our effort to eradicate forced labour from Canada's international supply chains. It is also important to delivering on the common goal of all the CUSMA partners to eliminate all forms of forced labour. That is why the government has committed to introducing legislation this year that would make Canada's ban even stronger.
In October, the Minister of Export Promotion, International Trade and Economic Development launched public consultations on potential measures to strengthen the import ban. As part of this process, the government has published and is seeking feedback on concrete options to enhance the ban. The options include a possible requirement for importers of publicly designated at-risk goods to provide additional documentation on the supply chain journey of those goods when seeking to bring them into Canada. In short, this would place an onus on importers to demonstrate why the ban should not apply to any designated at-risk goods they wish to bring into Canada.
The government shares the ambition of members of the House to strengthen Canada's forced labour import ban, but at the same time the government recognizes the importance of consulting with all Canadians to ensure that any new measures would be effective and fit for purpose while maintaining Canada's economic competitiveness. We look forward to hearing from Canadian consumers, businesses and other stakeholders through the consultation process launched earlier this fall and to moving forward once their voices have been heard.
The government is committed to protecting labour rights and promoting responsible business practices in Canada's international supply chains. I know that all members of the House share these goals, including the goal of the eradication of forced labour in Canadian supply chains. The government looks forward to working with members of the House to adopt legislation to strengthen the ban and to give Canadians greater confidence that goods imported into Canada are not tainted by forced labour. My hope is the Conservatives and the Bloc end their silly tactics to jam the House so we can bring legislation forward to fight forced labour and support Canadians.
As we heard from both the RCMP and the Auditor General, there are processes in place for members of the House to bring forward concerns, and the Speaker has ruled on this as well, to further study the issue at committee. As we have heard, members opposite rightfully raise concerns of forced labour, and I hope they end their delay tactics in the House to seize up the floor so we can bring forward legislation on forced labour, which is very important.
We mentioned very clearly in our budget that we want to be able to bring forward legislation to make sure we eradicate forced labour from our supply chains. We know it impacts Canadian businesses. We want businesses to remain competitive, but again, it is very important for those watching at home to know that we are able to table and introduce the legislation while hearing the concerns of the Conservatives and the Bloc, but it is also important we bring forward legislation that supports Canadians and ends forced labour in our supply chains.