Time for Action: URAP Urges Canada to Ban Forced Labour Goods and Uphold Human Rights
Ottawa, ON - The Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project is calling on the Government of Canada and all Members of Parliament to take decisive and coordinated action to address forced labour or child labour and ongoing human-rights violations. This call comes as the Bloc Québécois tables Bill C-251, An Act to amend the Customs Act and the Customs Tariff (goods produced through forced or child labour), sponsored by MP Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay. The amendments to the bill would prohibit the importation of goods made with forced or child labour. This is a vital step toward aligning Canada’s trade system with its international human-rights obligations and with its commitments under the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
“For years, Canada has spoken out about the persecution of Uyghurs, but words alone have not stopped the suffering,” said Mehmet Tohti, Executive Director of URAP. “Bill C-251 offers Parliament a concrete opportunity to turn moral commitments into enforceable policy and ensure that Canadian consumers and businesses are not complicit in oppression.”
Aligning Trade Enforcement with Human Rights and CUSMA Commitments
Since 2017, extensive reporting by the United Nations, journalists, and human-rights organizations has revealed a system of mass detention, forced labour, and cultural erasure in East Turkistan (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region). Goods produced under these conditions, from textiles and electronics to solar-energy components, routinely enter global and North American supply chains. Without stronger enforcement, such products can reach Canadian markets, undermining both Canada’s stated values and its CUSMA pledge to prevent forced-labour imports. Consequently, Canada has become a “dumping ground” for goods produced with Uyghur forced labour.
Cross-Party Cooperation and Federal Leadership Needed
As a private member’s bill tabled by the Bloc Québécois, Bill C-251 requires cross-party collaboration and active government support to become law. URAP is calling on all Members of Parliament to unite Canadian values and act in defence of universal human rights. Standing against forced labour is a test of Canada’s integrity and leadership. Parliament now has a historic opportunity to make our trade laws consistent with our values. URAP also urges the federal government to provide dedicated funding in the upcoming budget to:
Equip the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) with sufficient staff, training, and investigative tools.
Enhance interdepartmental coordination among CBSA, Global Affairs Canada, and Public Safety Canada.
Strengthen supply-chain transparency and corporate accountability.
Ensure public reporting on enforcement actions.
Turning Promises into Policy: URAP Urges Parliament to Pass Bill C-251
The Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project (URAP) calls on Parliament to take decisive action by adopting Bill C-251, and implement legislation to prevent goods produced with forced labour from entering the Canadian market. While Canada has repeatedly expressed concern over human-rights abuses abroad, symbolic statements are insufficient without enforceable measures.
Bill C-251 would ensure that Canada meets its obligations under CUSMA, aligns with international trading partners, and demonstrates that Canadian trade policy reflects national values. Its passage would send a clear signal that Canadian markets uphold ethical standards and do not tolerate complicity in forced labour. Passing Bill C-251 is a test of Canada’s commitment to principled and enforceable trade policy. The legislation ensures that Canadian businesses operate responsibly while reinforcing Canada’s reputation as a global leader in human rights and ethical commerce.
URAP strongly urges all Members of Parliament to lend their full support to the amendments to Bill C-251 and to expedite its passage, ensuring that Canada’s commitment to ethical trade is not only declared but translated into concrete, actionable policy.
Media Contact
Mehmet Tohti
Executive Director, Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project (URAP)
mehmet@urap.ca - 613-261- 8512