Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 28 NOVEMBER 2012

Australia Joins The Voluntary Principles On Security And Human Rights

Fasken
Explore more from Fasken

Australia has announced that it is to join Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Colombia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States as a government participant in the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights.

CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
Steven Beharrell
Steven Beharrell
Kevin O'Callaghan
Kevin O'Callaghan
Author LinkedIn connections

Australia has announced that it is to join Canada, the Netherlands, Norway, the Republic of Colombia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States as a government participant in the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights.

The Voluntary Principles are supported by participating governments, and a number of NGOs with over 20 companies signed on, mainly major oil companies and senior mining companies.

The Voluntary Principles were established by a small, but growing group of governments, companies and NGOs in 2002 to help extractive industries maintain the safety and security of their operations within an operating framework that ensures respect for human rights, fundamental freedoms and international humanitarian law.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

Powering Up: Grid Access, Strategic Screening And Canada’s Emerging Data Centre Regimes

Canada is rapidly becoming a key destination for data centre investment, fueled by artificial intelligence and cloud computing growth. However, this expansion places unprecedented demands on electricity grids, water resources, and local communities. As federal and provincial governments introduce new frameworks to manage these resource challenges, developers and investors must navigate an increasingly complex landscape where power strategy...
CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
McMillan LLP
McMillan LLP
Article

Data Centre West 2026: Alberta's Digital Infrastructure Moment Has Arrived

Alberta's data centre sector has evolved from speculative interest into billions in committed investment, supported by a new regulatory framework and hyperscale commitments from Meta and AWS. However, grid capacity constraints, power procurement challenges, unresolved federal copyright issues affecting AI training workloads, and community concerns about environmental impacts present significant obstacles that require continued collaboration between industry, government, and regulators.
CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

Government Of Canada Makes Significant Changes To Energy Project Approvals Process

On September 3, the Government of Canada published amendments removing seven types of energy projects from the Physical Activities Regulations (the Project List) under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA). As a result, these types of projects will no longer be subject to the IAA but will continue to be regulated by the Canada Energy Regulator Act (CER Act) or applicable provincial environmental assessment regimes.
CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
Torys
Torys
Article

Digging Deeper: Canadian Mining Sector Tax Update

Canada’s mining sector is at an important inflection point. Against a backdrop of growing global demand for critical minerals and increased competition for investment capital, the Canadian federal government has recently introduced a series of tax measures designed to encourage investment and strengthen the competitiveness of Canada’s mining industry. For investors, these measures may meaningfully influence the after-tax economics of projects and financing structures across the mining value chain.
CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Article

Government Of Canada Reduces The Scope Of The Project List Under The Impact Assessment Act

The Government of Canada has amended the Physical Activities Regulations, removing certain intraprovincial energy projects and facilities regulated by the Canada Energy Regulator from the federal Impact Assessment Act's Project List. This regulatory change eliminates automatic federal oversight for fossil fuel-fired power plants and specific oil sands facilities, while transferring assessment responsibilities for interprovincial pipelines and transmission lines to the Canada Energy Regulator, potentially re
CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

New Churchill Falls Agreement: Key Terms For Newfoundland And Labrador, Québec And Canadian Power Markets

Newfoundland and Labrador's House of Assembly has approved a landmark definitive cooperation and implementation agreement that would replace the 1969 Churchill Falls Power Contract, pair the redevelopment of Churchill Falls with the Gull Island project, and establish new transmission pathways through Québec. The agreement faces political uncertainty in Québec ahead of the October 2026 provincial election...
CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Article

AI Data Centres In Canada: Legal And Regulatory Considerations For Developers And Investors Looking To Build

Developing AI data centres in Canada requires navigating complex corporate structuring, financing arrangements, regulatory approvals, energy supply agreements, real estate considerations, environmental permitting, and stakeholder engagement across multiple jurisdictions. This comprehensive guide examines the legal and regulatory frameworks governing the physical infrastructure side of data centre development, from site selection and power procurement to Indigenous consultation and municipal approvals.
CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
MLT Aikins LLP
MLT Aikins LLP
Article

Canada’s Counter-Tariffs On US Goods: A Primer On What Canadian Businesses Need To Know

Effective September 8, 2026, Canada implemented retaliatory tariffs on certain U.S. goods in response to the initial 50% tariffs imposed by the US under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. To operationalize these measures, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) issued Customs Notice 26-23, establishing binding administrative rules on how the surtax will be applied, calculated, and collected.
CanadaInternational Law
Fasken
Fasken
Article

Counter-Tariffs In Force, U.S. Import Bans Announced, A Cabinet Planning Forum, An Investment Summit, EU Diplomatic Overtures And A House Returning

With Labour Day now behind us, Parliament Hill is gearing up for its September 21 return. Canada’s counter-tariffs on nearly $28 billion in American goods are now in force, and the United States has already escalated in response: President Trump has signed measures to ban certain Canadian alcohol, dairy-related products, molasses, non-alcoholic beer, motorcycles and mopeds from entering the U.S. market as of September 29, while modifying the list of Canadian goods subject to 50% tariffs effective September 15 and directing action to remove Canadian-origin products from U.S. government procurement schedules.
CanadaInternational Law
Fasken
Fasken
Article

Buying Quebec, Buying Canadian: What The New Orders In Council 1358-2026 And 1359-2026 Mean For Procurement

Under Order in Council 1358-2026, the Québec government authorizes, from September 7, 2026 to January 31, 2027, the Centre d'acquisitions gouvernementales (the “CAG”) to depart from the general principle that public calls for tenders must be open and without discrimination to foreign suppliers from jurisdictions bound by an intergovernmental agreement with Québec.
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Fasken
Fasken
Article

More Than Skin Deep: Ontario Considers A Makeover Of Cosmetic Injection Rules

A regulatory shift now under consideration in Ontario could reshape how the province’s medical aesthetic clinics operate. The proposal, which would change how nurses are authorized to administer medical aesthetic services, invites a broader look at how Ontario currently regulates cosmetic injections and how the proposed changes would align the province more closely with the regulatory frameworks already in place elsewhere in Canada. While these procedures are often marketed as routine “spa” services, they remain medical acts that involve prescription products and carry clinical risks.
CanadaFood, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences
Fasken
Fasken
Article

Life Sciences-Health Canada Takes Action Against Unauthorized Peptide Sales

On July 29, 2026, Health Canada announced that it had obtained a permanent injunction against a Québec-based company in connection with the sale of unauthorized injectable peptides in Canada. The announcement reflects Health Canada’s continued focus on peptide products and serves as a reminder that injectable peptides intended for human use are regulated as prescription drugs and are subject to Canada's drug regulatory framework.
CanadaFood, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences
Fasken
Fasken
Article

Cleared For Takeoff? The Legal Reality Of Commercial Drones In Canada

Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), commonly referred to as drones, are increasingly used in Canada for commercial purposes such as infrastructure inspection, real estate photography, agriculture, filmmaking, mapping and resource exploration. Their advantages are clear: they are flexible, relatively inexpensive and capable of collecting information from angles and locations that would otherwise be difficult to access.
CanadaTransport
Fasken
Fasken