Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair, and thanks to the members of the subcommittee for your invitation. I appreciate your interest in the work we do and I'm eager to answer your questions. Our office is the first of its kind in the world. I think Canadians should be proud of this, as well of o

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  We have developed, through very broad consultation, our operating procedures, which have been translated into French and Spanish. It's taken a good deal of time to consult and to make sure that all people have had a say and are comfortable with our procedures. It's quite detailed

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, there is a broad definition of “Canadian company” in our order in council, which sets out our mandate. That definition will allow us, if it's a company that is formed in Canada in any way—it doesn't have to be incorporated—or any company that is contro

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Naming and shaming is part of publishing, and we are required to publish. If we receive a complaint, we have to publish it. The amount of information we publish with respect to a complaint will depend on the situation. It will depend on whether the situation was mediated between

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Neither am I.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Certainly we're open to advancing our mandate and making a positive difference in the world. We would be open to that eventuality. We would want to ensure, of course, that a clear framework is in place to guide any additional work that would occur because of additions of sectors.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  As stated, certainly we're open to advancing our mandate and making a positive difference in the world. If that were to be by adding sectors, we would be open to that discussion. We would want a clear framework in place to guide the additional work. So, yes.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  In our operating procedures, on which we have spent a number of months consulting with our government stakeholders, civil society stakeholders and industry stakeholders, we have timelines. There are timelines in terms of responding when a complaint comes in and various other time

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes, that's very true. Our operating procedures will require us to make sure that it's admissible, so that's the first triage it comes through. Then, as I said, we have different aspects to our mandate. We have an aspect to mediate, so we can look at mediating. We can do early

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I've worked in the oil and gas industry for 17 years and know first-hand that what CORE is set up to do is good for business. As part of our mandate, we provide advice to companies, and again, that allows us to be preventative. We can provide advice that allows them to be prevent

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Number one, our focus is on the actions of specific Canadian companies. Our focus is on companies, not countries, and on engaging in a way that protects and promotes human rights. We're focused on companies. For guidance on matters like this, if there's an issue with a foreign

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  We've made our statement, which we consider to be very important, and now we will be integrating that into every aspect of our work. We'll also be putting in place, just like our gender-based strategy, a racial strategy.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Absolutely. Our operating procedures in all our work will be contextualized with respect to the area we're working in.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  It's been three years since the government announced the idea of an ombudsperson, but I've been in my role for a much shorter period of time. We're the first of our kind in the world. No other country has tried to do this, so it's very exciting. We're working with a blank slate

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. When I say that we have the tools we need in our order in council, we have the ability to respond to complaints, initiate reviews, conduct investigations—either collaboratively or independently—engage in mediation, and make remedial and other recommendation