Canada’s unions support stronger action on forced labour, reject Trump’s tariff pretext

OTTAWA – Canada’s unions support stronger measures to keep goods produced with forced labour out of Canada, but reject attempts to use workers’ rights as a pretext for a trade war.

“Forced labour is a fundamental violation of workers’ rights,” said Bea Bruske, President of the Canadian Labour Congress. “Workers in Canada should not be forced to compete against exploitation, and workers anywhere in the world should not be subjected to forced labour so corporations can increase their profits.”

The Canadian Labour Congress supports measures to strengthen enforcement against forced labour imports in Bill C-35. However, stronger enforcement of an import ban alone is not enough. Canada also needs mandatory human rights due diligence requirements, meaningful penalties for corporations that profit from forced labour, and real remedies for workers harmed by abuse in global supply chains.

Bruske said Canada should strengthen its laws because it is the right thing to do for workers, not because Donald Trump is looking for a new excuse to attack Canadian jobs and industries through trade and tariffs. She added that workers know the difference between a genuine commitment to labour rights and a trade strategy dressed up as one.

“Workers deserve more than a response designed to avoid Donald Trump’s latest trade and tariff threats,” said Bruske. “Canada should use this moment to build a real forced labour regime that tackles exploitation and holds corporations accountable.”

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