S-211Royal assent received

Law to Stop Products Made with Slave or Child Labor

Stopping Slave and Child Labor Products

Introduced May 3, 2022·Last discussed May 11, 2023

Summary

This proposed law makes companies work to stop forced labor and child labor. It tells companies to look closely at how they get their goods. They need to check if any part of their supply chain uses forced labor or child labor. This means checking factories, farms, and other places that make or handle their products. Companies must write a report each year. The report says what they did to check for forced and child labor. This proposed law affects many companies in Canada. It affects companies that make, sell, or import goods. It also affects companies that control other companies that do these things. These companies must now take steps to make sure their products are not made using forced or child labor. This proposed law matters because it tries to stop terrible practices. Forced labor and child labor are harmful. This law makes companies think about where their products come from. It pushes them to make ethical choices. It also lets the public know which companies are working to stop these practices.

Where This Lands on Key Issues

Where this proposed law falls on the policy spectrums that Canadians care about

Business & Worker RulesPrioritize worker rights and unions

The bill increases regulations on businesses by requiring them to monitor and report on their supply chains to ensure they are not using forced or child labor. This shifts the balance towards prioritizing worker rights and protections over business freedom.

Identity & Human RightsExpand protections for marginalized groups

By addressing forced and child labor, the bill indirectly supports human rights and dignity, aligning with proactive equity and inclusion measures, especially for vulnerable populations in global supply chains.

This bill

Bill Quality

Solid

This proposed law makes companies and the government report on what they're doing to stop forced and child labor in their supply chains. It's good that it makes this information public, but it relies heavily on companies to self-report and doesn't clearly define how to measure their efforts.

Things to Watch For

The law does not specify how often the government will check the accuracy of company reports.
It is unclear how the government will handle companies that don't comply with the reporting requirements.
The law may put smaller companies at a disadvantage if they lack resources to track their supply chains.
The law does not create a list of countries or industries with high risks of forced labor.
It is not clear how the government will support companies in finding and fixing forced labor in their supply chains.

Progress

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