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ARTICLE · 04 MARCH 2025

Canada Looks At Due Diligence Requirements To Tackle Modern Slavery

McCarthy Tétrault
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On October 16, 2024, the Government of Canada announced the launch of consultations (the "Consultations") on its latest proposed measures to address modern slavery in Canadian supply chains.

CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Martha Harrison
Martha Harrison
Gajan Sathananthan
Gajan Sathananthan
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On October 16, 2024, the Government of Canada announced the launch of consultations (the "Consultations") on its latest proposed measures to address modern slavery in Canadian supply chains. Most notably, the Government of Canada is contemplating a due diligence requirement for certain goods at higher risk of being made in whole or in part from forced labour.

The Consultations, which concluded in November, indicated that the Government of Canada was considering the following measures:

  • forced labour informed by the International Labour Organization's forced labour indicators and definitions, and supplemented by other sources of information.
  • Creation of a supply chain "minimum traceability" process in which importers of specified goods appearing on the above-cited public list would be required to provide documentation regarding the imported goods' supply chain journey.

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