Canada must help fight modern slavery in supply chains
It is always striking to me when people express shock that slavery is occurring across the globe at this very moment. Perhaps because my work is deeply rooted in tackling human rights issues, the realities of modern slavery affecting millions around the world are a daily reminder.
The International Labor Organization estimates that 40.3 million people are affected by modern slavery. One in four of these people are children. These are hard realities to face, but we need to wake up and take action to put an end to these brutal violations on our fellow human beings.
This week, the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development, a group of MPs within the Canadian government, took a step in the right direc- tion. A new report, titled “A Call to Action: Ending the Use of All Forms of Child Labour in Supply Chains,” outlines bold recommendations to eradicate child and forced labour in supply chains. The Canadian government now has an opportunity to develop a model Modern Slavery Act, legislative action that could protect the young and marginalized, and push trade into the service of people. Many Canadian allies, such as the U.K., Australia and California have already passed legislation; Canada’s time is now.
Canadian businesses are already taking corporate social responsibility seriously, with commitments to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, corporate philanthropy and environmental responsibility finding more space in boardrooms. Yet businesses are often confounded by how to approach issues of modern slavery.
The report recommends building capacity of Canadian businesses to monitor their supply chains, but simply installing a prohibition on exploitative work is insufficient unless adequate followup and protections for those at risk are implemented. A firm legislative framework will help motivate businesses to eliminate the use of forced labour and empower consumers and investors to be proactive in addressing the issue.
Companies not only need support on how to monitor their supply chain for child or forced labour but also on how to responsibly act when they do find it. In 2014, independent auditors for Fairtrade found evidence of underage children working on two sugar cane farms in Belize. We challenged the Belize Sugarcane Farmers Association to put in place an ambitious program to identify and withdraw children who were already engaged in unacceptable work and to take longer-term measures to minimize the risk of it happening again. The organization is now advocating on a national level for stronger protections for children. The Belize case shows us that we need to build capacity of companies as well as local communities to act on tackling the issue through transparent partnership and honest dialogue.
We have a lot of work ahead of us to see a Modern Slavery Act realized but we must be up to the task. It is incumbent upon us all — civil society, trade unions, investors, private sector and government — to continue the push to make modern slavery a thing of the past. Julie Francoeur is executive director at Fairtrade Canada.