Development and Peace has been campaigning for corporate accountability for years. The following is a summary of actions taken by Development and Peace calling on the Canadian government to adopt due diligence legislation (UNDROP).

2006: Life Before Profit campaign collects 150,000 cards calling for accountability mechanisms in Canada.

2007: 200,000 signatures calling for independent ombudsperson.

2008: 150,000 more cards, totaling 500,000 signatures calling for accountability.

2009: The Conservative government creates the Office of the Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor.

2013: A Voice for Justice campaign relaunches the call for an ombudsperson.

2014: 80,000 cards calling for an ombudsperson delivered to MPs.

2017: The CCCB (Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops) writes to the Prime Minister calling for the creation of an ombudsperson.

2018: The Liberal government announces the CORE but does not create it.

2019: The CORE is established, but without the real powers we campaigned for.

2021: The People and Planet First campaign collects 28,000+ signatures calling for mHREDD and MPs present petitions in Parliament.

2023: Bill C-262 is introduced as a private member’s bill calling for mHREDD but does not get taken forward; Parliament passes the much weaker Bill S-211 focused only on forced labor.

2024: The government’s 2024 budget says it will introduce legislation to ban forced labor from supply chains. Labor Minister Seamus O’Regan Jr., responsible for the law, has said such a law must include more due diligence.

Let us be thankful for the abundance of food we are privileged to eat provided to us by peasants and small-scale farmers from the Global South. If you have not yet had an opportunity to sign the ACTION SHEET, please take time this weekend to sign the sheet at the back of the church or at devp.org/act.

Together, let’s work towards Reaping our Rights!