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Ban on Imports Linked to Forced Labour

An Act respecting the prohibition of the importation of goods produced by forced labour

Summary

  • Bans the importation of goods produced wholly or in part by forced labour, defines forced labour via ILO Convention 29, and binds the Crown.
  • Authorizes CBSA officers to determine forced‑labour status and detain goods up to 90 days (or longer by regulation), with decisions not appealable under the Customs Act but subject to judicial review.
  • Empowers the Minister of Foreign Affairs to create a regulatory list of suspected goods/producers/regions and requires importers of listed goods to provide prescribed information or have those goods deemed prohibited, with importers/owners jointly liable for detention and disposal costs.
  • Facilitates interdepartmental information‑sharing, enables regulations, includes transitional limits on appeals, and amends the Customs Tariff (including deleting cross‑references to forced or child labour in tariff item 9897.00.00), with certain provisions coming into force by order.

Builder Assessment

Vote No

The bill advances an important human-rights objective, but as drafted it expands regulatory powers, enables lengthy detentions, and limits accessible recourse in ways that can slow trade and raise costs. The overall effect conflicts with reducing red tape and improving service efficiency while delivering unclear gains to productivity or prosperity.

  • Strengths: clear prohibition tied to ILO standards; interdepartmental information-sharing; accountability for detention and disposal costs; protects Canadians from complicity in forced labour.
  • Concerns: added compliance burden and uncertainty for importers; 90-day (or longer) detentions without administrative appeal; broad ministerial listing powers with limited transparency; potential weakening of the child-labour import stance via tariff amendment; risk of higher costs to consumers and manufacturers; CBSA and court workload increases.
  • Improve alignment: set firm, short service standards and maximum detention periods with expedited release for low-risk firms; create a trusted-trader safe harbour and digital one-stop attestation to minimize paperwork; publish transparent, evidence-based listing criteria with prompt notice and a rapid, independent review mechanism; coordinate with allies for interoperable due-diligence; clarify and reinstate an explicit child-labour import prohibition using ILO benchmarks; provide SME-friendly templates and guidance; conduct and publish economic impact and risk assessments to protect critical supply chains.

Question Period Cards

Why does the bill delete the child labour cross-reference from tariff item 9897.00.00, and where in law is the explicit import ban on goods made with child labour now found?

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What binding service standards and trusted-trader exemptions will the government implement to prevent the 90-day or longer detention powers and the lack of a Customs Act appeal from delaying critical inputs for Canadian manufacturers and SMEs?

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What transparent criteria, notice, and remedies will govern the ministerial list of suspected goods or regions to prevent politicization and provide businesses with predictable, timely pathways to challenge listings?

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Principles Analysis

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Canada should aim to be the world's most prosperous country.

Strengthens ethical trade and fair competition but could raise input and consumer costs; macroeconomic impact is uncertain.

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Promote economic freedom, ambition, and breaking from bureaucratic inertia (reduce red tape).

Creates new compliance duties, allows lengthy detentions, and removes administrative appeals under the Customs Act, increasing friction for importers.

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Drive national productivity and global competitiveness.

May level the playing field against suppliers using forced labour, but supply chain detentions and uncertainty risk productivity losses for manufacturers reliant on imports.

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Grow exports of Canadian products and resources.

Primarily an import restriction; any reputational gain for exporters is indirect and speculative.

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Encourage investment, innovation, and resource development.

ESG alignment can attract capital, but unpredictable listings and detention risk can deter investment in import‑dependent sectors.

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Deliver better public services at lower cost (government efficiency).

New enforcement regime, detentions, and judicial‑review‑only recourse may increase government and court burdens without clear service standards or cost controls.

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Reform taxes to incentivize work, risk-taking, and innovation.

No tax measures.

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Focus on large-scale prosperity, not incrementalism.

A targeted trade compliance measure with limited direct impact on large‑scale national prosperity.

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C-35

PartyMinister of Foreign Affairs
StatusAt second reading in the House of Commons
Last updatedN/A
TopicsTrade and Commerce, Labor and Employment, Foreign Affairs
Parliament45