URAP Statement on Upholding Canada’s G7 Commitment on Uyghur Forced Labour
URAP urges the government of Canada to uphold its G7 joint commitment on Uyghur Forced labour
June 25, 2021
The Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project (URAP) urges the government of Canada to follow the recent G7 joint commitment to ban forced labour products in the global market supply chain.
Recently The White House has announced action to address the Uyghur forced labour and the US Custom and Border Protection (CBP) followed with Withhold Release Order on polysilicon based products made by companies tainted by Uyghur forced labour.
In fiscal year 2021 alone, CBP has issued six withhold orders including one on cotton and tomato products from the Xinjiang region and another on cotton products originating from the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Eight of the 13 Withhold Release Orders that CBP issued in Fiscal Year 2020 were on goods made by forced labor in China.
Contrary, Canada has not taken any meaningful measures to address the products coming to Canadian market made by Uyghur forced labour or global supply chains that are heavily tainted by forced labour.
January 12, 2021, the Global Affairs Canada and Canadian Trade Commissioner Service have jointly issued advisory “to bring attention to human rights violations in China affecting Uyghurs and other ethnic minorities from the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR) to help Canadian firms and stakeholders understand the legal and reputational risks posed to companies whose supply chains engage with entities possibly implicated in forced labour”.
“Canada has committed during G7 summit to end forced labour products in global market, including here in Canada, said Mehmet Tohti, executive director of URAP, and Canada can no longer stay idle while our partner is taking serious measures to uphold the joint commitment by sanctioning more than 57 entities that have close ties to Uyghur forced labour”.
Canada should amend its previously issued Advisory with concrete policy measures to hold account of those Canadian and global brands who are still benefiting from Uyghur forced labour.
CBSA should start to seize shipments carrying products that have ties with Uyghur forced labour and close the door of Canadian consumer market to those products permanently.
Contact:
Mehmet Tohti
Executive Director
Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project
613 261 8512