Prime Minister Mark Carney has announced the dissolution of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE), a federal watchdog established in 2019 to investigate human rights abuses by Canadian companies operating abroad. While the Prime Minister stated the decision to shutter the office was made “months ago,” Global Affairs Canada confirmed the agency continued to accept public complaints until the day of his announcement.
Did You Know? The Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) was created following nearly a decade of advocacy, yet the office faced significant criticism for its limited activity, having launched only one investigation into forced labor allegations since its inception.
Timeline of the CORE Dissolution
The closure of the CORE appears to have caught stakeholders by surprise. On June 11, International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu was questioned in the House of Commons regarding the office’s leadership, which had remained vacant for more than a year. Minister Sidhu stated the government would make a decision “in due course,” providing no indication that a closure was imminent. Later that same day, Prime Minister Carney announced during a news conference on federal food strategy that the government had decided to eliminate the role, citing a lack of effectiveness.
A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada confirmed in an email that the office stopped accepting complaints following the Prime Minister’s remarks. This abrupt shift has left active complainants without a clear path forward. Rob Parker, an independent researcher managing a case out of Namibia, reported that his team received no communication from the office regarding their pending complaint during the period leading up to the closure.
Expert Insight: The Shift to the National Contact Point
Unlike the CORE, which was designed to address human rights concerns, the NCP focuses primarily on mediation. Critics, including Aidan Gilchrist-Blackwood of the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability, have highlighted that the NCP lacks tangible investigative powers.
Future Implications for Human Rights Oversight
Following the dissolution, pending cases are being moved to the National Contact Point. The federal government recently tabled a bill to tighten import bans on products made with forced labor, a move that follows threats of new tariffs from the Trump administration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was the CORE closed?
Prime Minister Mark Carney stated the decision was made because the office was ineffective, noting it had only launched one investigation since its 2019 establishment.
What happens to active complaints?
According to the government, complaints previously sent to the CORE are being shuffled to the National Contact Point (NCP).
Had there been warnings about the office’s status?
The top role at the CORE had been vacant for over a year, and the United Nations Human Rights Committee had recommended that Canada “urgently appoint” a new watchdog prior to the announcement of the office’s closure.
Do you believe the transition to a mediation-focused office provides sufficient accountability for human rights concerns abroad?
