Canadian bill aims to increase accountability abroad

Enviromine

Publishing Date: 03 Jun 2009 2:12pm GMT
Author: Mining, People and the Environment

Corporate Social Responsibility CSR Legal and Legislation

A new bill being sent to the Canadian Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development for further study, aims to promote responsible environmental practices and international human rights standards for Canadian mining companies operating in developing countries.

The bill, introduced by MP John McKay, should ensure companies operating in developing countries with the support of the Canadian government act in a manner consistent with international environmental best practice and with Canada’s commitments to international human rights standards.

It also gives the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of International Trade the responsibility of holding companies accountable for their practices by submitting annual reports to the senate for review.

The bill, which has already passed its second reading in the House of Commons, follows just months after Ecuadorian villagers launched a US$1 billion legal suit against Copper Mesa Mining Corp and the Toronto Stock Exchange on allegations of human rights abuses.