There are an estimated 168 million child labourers around the globe today. These children mine minerals for our phones, harvest coffee all day like 9-year old Miguel (pictured), and carry out other harmful jobs that jeopardize their development, schooling and future. This is especially troubling when we consider more than 1,200 companies import goods known to be at high risk of using child labour or modern slavery into Canada
A critical step in addressing the worst forms of child labour is for the Canadian government to follow in the footsteps of the United Kingdom, who instituted the Modern Slavery Act in 2015. This type of legislation would require companies operating in Canada to help consumer’s access information about how our products are made, and address any incidences of child labour or modern slavery in the growing or production of their goods.
Urge Canada’s Foreign Affairs Committee to study and recommend legislation requiring large companies who operate in Canada to publicly report on their efforts to address child labour in their supply chains on a yearly basis.
(Your letter will be delivered to the Honourable Bob Nault (MP), Mr. Dean Allison (MP), and Ms. Hélène Laverdière (MP), leaders of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development).
