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ARTICLE · 23 JUNE 2026

Canada Responds To U.S. Tariff Threat Over Forced Labour Enforcement Concerns

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The United States Trade Representative has concluded that Canada's enforcement of its forced labour import prohibition is deficient, grouping it with five other economies that have laws in place but fail to effectively enforce them.

CanadaInternational Law
Stephen Pike
Stephen Pike
Wendy Wagner
Wendy Wagner
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“… the results of this investigation indicate that the acts, policies and practices of Canada related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a forced labor import prohibition are unreasonable or discriminatory and burden or restrict U.S. commerce.”

This is the June 2, 2026, conclusion of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) in its Report in Section 301 Investigations Acts, Policies, and Practices of Various Economies Related to the Failure to Impose and Effectively Enforce a Prohibition on the Importation of Goods Produced with Forced Labor (Report).

In March 2026, the USTR initiated investigations to determine whether the acts, policies, and practices of various economies (including Canada) related to the failure to impose and effectively enforce a prohibition on the importation of goods produced with forced labour were actionable under Section 301 of the U.S. Trade Act of 1974, as amended (Trade Act). The Trade Act authorizes the Trade Representative to take

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