New Democrats React to New Tariff Threat on Forced Labour

New Democrats React to New Tariff Threat on Forced Labour

NDP Critic for International Trade, Heather McPherson, made the following statement:

"New Democrats have long supported stronger legislation on child labour, forced labour, modern slavery, and responsible corporate enterprise. We believe Canada's supply chains should never use child or forced labour, and Canadian companies should uphold the highest standards of human, environmental, and labour rights both at home and abroad.

These are global concerns that Canada has lagged on for decades while other governments have acted. Past Liberal governments repeatedly promised mandatory supply chain due diligence legislation and never delivered on it. The 2023 Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act did not fulfill the Liberal government's promise.

In 2025, the Carney government had the opportunity to renew a promise to eliminate forced labour from Canadian supply chains. They did not do so, and now they are getting called out on it by Canada's largest trading partner.

The Carney government has known for months that this is a serious issue affecting a CUSMA review, but they have refused to act or to answer questions from parliamentarians and media until today.

In addition, the Carney government has left the Office of the Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise vacant for over a year and have refused to answer questions about whether federal budget cuts have affected the enforcement of Canada's existing forced-labour import laws.

New Democrats will support meaningful legislative efforts that seek to fix this decades-long Liberal failure - but we have yet to see any real movement from the Liberals to protect the human and labour rights of workers."

For further information:

NDP MP Heather McPherson introduced Bill C-263, Responsible Business Conduct Abroad Act, in 2022.

Former NDP MP Peter Julian introduced Bill C-262, the Corporate Responsibility to Protect Human Rights Act, in 2022.