UN Special Rapporteur says Canada fails to protect human rights defenders who raise concerns about Canadian companies

Published by Brent Patterson on July 2, 2024

The Globe and Mail reports: “The federal government’s failure to protect human-rights advocates who raise concerns over the activity of Canadian corporations abroad is tarnishing the country’s global reputation, a United Nations official said in an interview.”

“Mary Lawlor, the UN special rapporteur on human-rights defenders, said Canada should strengthen legislation and bolster oversight of extractive firms operating abroad, some of which she says are causing harms to the environment and human rights advocates.”

The article continues: “Her office has registered 15 cases, between June, 2019, and March, 2022, of retaliation against human-rights advocates that she alleges can be linked to the activities of Canadian mining abroad.”

Lawlor says: “[Canada] is one of the worst offenders, in terms of cases and companies. …[Canada] parades itself on the world stage as being the good guys … But when it comes to the conduct of companies in the context of business and human rights, the UN guiding principles and the obligations of Canadian embassies themselves abroad, they’re really found wanting. And it’s a big issue.”

The Globe and Mail report adds: “[Lawlor] also singled out Canadian embassies, saying many have failed to respond adequately to those who raise serious concerns about the impacts of mining and oil activities abroad. Canada introduced ‘Voices at Risk’ guidelines in 2019, aimed at supporting human-rights defenders and giving advice to Canadian diplomats working overseas, but she says it hasn’t been properly implemented.”

The full article can be read at Canada failing to protect human rights activists from mining companies operating overseas: UN watchdog (The Globe and Mail, July 2, 2024).

PBI-Canada met with Lawlor on June 26 in Ottawa. Photo (left to right): Mora Johnson, Ketty Nivyabandi, Brent Patterson, Catherine Coumans, France-Isabelle Langlois, Mary Lawlor, Penelope Simons, Charlotte Connolly, Michael Phoenix, Shane Moffatt.