The Government of Canada announced the appointment of Sheri
Meyerhoffer, a Canadian lawyer with a long career in international
development, as the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE) on April 8,
2019. This is a further step in the government's plans to move
Canada to the forefront of implementing global standards in the
area of business and human rights (BHR).
The appointment comes 15 months after International Trade
Diversification Minister Jim Carr announced the establishment of a
CORE to replace the Office of Canada's Corporate Social
Responsibility (CSR) Counsellor.
The CORE's mandate is to review alleged human rights abuses
by Canadian businesses abroad. Initially, that mandate will apply
only to the extractive (mining/oil and gas) and apparel sectors,
with a view to expanding the CORE's scope over time.