Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I'll be happy to provide those reports that are relevant for the subcommittee's mandate regarding this particular issue. In addition to the CORE, let me be very clear, it's not an either/or situation. The CORE is an important step. Let us get this right. At the same time, to mak

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  The reputation of any country is at stake if it cannot ensure that its international human rights obligations are respected. The UN guiding principles expect all states to lay down expectations of their businesses, operating inside or outside. It is an obligation of the Canadian

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you, Mr. Chair. I'll be happy to provide additional information on what powers these national human rights institutions have in different jurisdictions and how the CORE can be inspired by those powers in discharging their mandate and jurisdiction. Regarding your second po

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  We should create institutions—

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  The website is a good starting point. There are a number of ways in which a complaint could be made to the CORE. Going forward, the CORE has to go to those different countries where Canadian companies are operating, especially if there are a significant number of Canadian footpri

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I think the CORE is in some ways a unique institution, but it is not unprecedented to have an institution like this. There are national human rights institutions that have the power to investigate and the power to compel witnesses and evidence. I can give concrete examples. If th

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  They have a wider mandate. They can deal with human rights abuses, including by businesses. They can compel evidence and witnesses. They can also enforce their recommendations. We can draw inspiration from those institutions that are there. The CORE is somewhat unique, but it is

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Mr. Chair, in fact I met Ms. Meyerhoffer on her very first day in office, and we agreed that having more powers would be more effective. I don't know what her current position is and what evidence she gave to the subcommittee, but I have been in touch with her, and she agrees th

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Every country is different, Mr. Chair. I think it's difficult to compare apples with oranges, but of course Chinese companies operating globally are facing significant challenges, and it is of great concern for the working group on business and human rights that these companies,

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I was not saying that in reference to the Uighur situation in Xinjiang, but I think my response would be that if a company is unable to conduct meaningful human rights due diligence, whether it is Xinjiang or Myanmar or anywhere else, then that company has to stop doing business

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I will confine my remarks to business and human rights, which is a subset of human rights. I think leadership is about what a country or a company is doing, not what they are saying. In the field of business and human rights, there are significant developments taking place in Eu

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I think the UN guiding principles provide general guidance, but as I reminded subcommittee members, we visited Canada in 2017 and issued a report in 2018 to the Human Rights Council. In this report we made very specific recommendations on what powers the CORE should have, and I d

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes. My position, as I recommended in my opening statement, is that the government should adopt comprehensive human rights due diligence legislation that covers labour rights, human rights and environmental rights. These companies are operating anywhere in the world, and Crown c

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I'm not fully sure if I understood the entire question. Maybe something was lost in translation. Were you talking about a Uighur issue in the supply chain?

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I will try to answer this question in two parts The first is what are the possibilities of seeking the evidence from the ground if it is in some other jurisdiction outside of Canada. The second is the remedy part of it. In terms of how to get it, there are several practices. On