As Ottawa replaces watchdog for firms operating abroad, advocates urge full reform
OTTAWA — Advocates are calling on Ottawa to profoundly change the powers of the watchdog who monitors Canadian corporations operating abroad, as the Liberals review how a new ombudsman should take on the job.
“We have communities that are suffering human-rights and environmental harms, because of the operations of Canadian companies outside of Canada,” said Karen Hamilton, director of the advocacy group Above Ground.
The Trudeau government replaced a monitor for the mining sector five years ago with what it called the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise, or CORE.
Originally, the Liberals said the watchdog would have the power to compel documents and testimony. But the government left those powers out of the mandate when it launched the role in 2019.