Canada’s ombudsperson for corporate misconduct abroad steps down

Mr. Masud Husain has been named interim CORE (for 12 months beginning May 21, 2024). Mr. Husain served in Canada’s foreign service for 30 years in several key posts. 

His term will coincide with a previously announced mandate review for the CORE.  That review was referenced in a previous news article. It is also unclear whether there is any clarity in terms of how this entity, with whatever changes might be made to its mandate, has a role where the government has over the last five years:

• Instituted a ban on the importation of products made in whole or in part with forced labour (2020)
• Instituted goods made with prohibited forms of child labour (2024)
• Overhauled procurement policies to take account of the risk of forced and child labour in products purchased by the Canadian government (2023-24)
• Instituted a new tariff provision (GPT+) which links duties paid by certain developing countries to commitments made on social and environmental issues (2023)
  
• Adopted the Fighting Against Forced Labour and Child Labour in Supply Chains Act (formerly Bill S-211) to demand that certain companies report annually on their efforts to prevent forced labour and child labour in their supply chains.

Finally, the department of environment and social development. Canada is currently planning new legislation modelled on the corporate sustainability due diligence law recently passed in Europe.