Foreign Affairs committee  I don't remember all of the specifics. I am aware that some have. We could probably formulate some of that more specifically. Maybe my friend has some of that information. Mr. Worms.

Foreign Affairs committee  No, I don't think it would at all. I cannot think, off the top of my head, and I've heard no one point to an example of a company in Canada or anywhere around the world that has gone out of business because it has done the right thing when it comes to human rights. I think compa

Foreign Affairs committee  I'll take 30 seconds. I think the requirement that there be new Canadian standards that explicitly incorporate Canada's international human rights obligations is absolutely key. It's missing in the current strategy. Yes, of course Bill C-300 doesn't propose the creation of the

Foreign Affairs committee  I'll be honest with you. Amnesty International had not called on Talisman to leave Sudan. We didn't say that they should stay; we didn't call on them to leave. We certainly were pressing them to adopt stronger human rights policies in the way they were operating in Sudan and to u

Foreign Affairs committee  There's nothing wrong with voluntary approaches in and of themselves. What we say is that voluntary approaches are never enough, and that's with respect to any human rights front, be it the human rights responsibilities of governments, of individuals, or of companies. We do--and

Foreign Affairs committee  I think standards are necessary for two reasons. Number one, they create a consistent set of expectations for all players. Whether it's a small mom-and-pop mining company that's moving in or a large multi-billion-dollar company, they all have the same expectations as to the minim

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Sorenson, and good morning, committee members. It's a pleasure to be in front of you again. It's particularly a pleasure to have an opportunity to share concerns and recommendations regarding an issue that Amnesty International has followed closely for

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you for the question. We're not wedded to the notion of an ombudsman per se. I think what we're recommending is that there needs to be an office of independent authority and independent powers. It could be along the lines of what you heard from Mr. Boulakia as well. I thin

Foreign Affairs committee  Off the top of my head, I don't know of another country that has an office or a body like what we're describing. I'm not saying that it doesn't exist. I'm not familiar with it. Maybe others are. We totally agree that there is need for work at the multilateral level as well. A wh

Foreign Affairs committee  I think one of the things we have often come across--and this goes back years in our work on these cases--is that there's often a lack of imagination as to ways in which other countries can be drawn into assisting Canadian efforts on a case. I'm not saying it never happens, but i

Foreign Affairs committee  With respect to the proposal about amendments to the State Immunity Act, I should clarify that the proposed amendments would limit the possibility for lawsuits against foreign governments to instances of particularly egregious human rights cases. It's human rights violations that

Foreign Affairs committee  But a very important section.

Foreign Affairs committee  I realize I was very brief in my reference there. The other thing is that the recommendations Amnesty International and others are putting forward also acknowledge that it would be important to put a safeguard in place to ensure that if it would be possible to pursue that lawsui

Foreign Affairs committee  This isn't linked to subsection 6(1). This is absolutely an international law concern.

Foreign Affairs committee  That's right.