Domestic legislation
Structural adjustment programs in Canada
|
Most Canadians would be surprised to learn that economists from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) annually visit Canada to dispense advice. We tend to think of the IMF as an institution that prescribes strong medicine, known as Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs), only to less developed countries. In fact our governments regularly follow the same bitter prescriptions. |
ECA and IFI -funded projects
This page links to information concerning a number of projects on which we have worked, in solidarity with local communities. In some cases, the projects rely on World Bank funding. In others they involve Canadian companies that may be seeking, or have secured, financial support from Export Development Canada (EDC). Sometimes they involve both. Regardless of the source of funding, in all cases, communities have contacted us because they are concerned about the significant adverse environmental, social and human rights impacts of the projects.
Canadian organizations welcome first step toward extractive industry transparency
In this June 13 press release, civil society welcomes the government's commitment to adopt binding corporate disclosure requirements but calls for further steps in the development of a comprehensive accountability framework regarding the overseas operations of Canadian extractive companies.
UN Forum on Business and Human Rights
The UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights held its first forum on December 4 and 5 in Geneva. The Halifax Initiative spoke at the forum on a panel concerning public financial institutions and human rights. ECA-Watch, CIEL and BankTrack disseminated the attached document at the forum containing analysis and recommendations regarding financial institutons and human rights.
Issue Update - October 31, 2012
This month we examine 'odious investment' - Mongolia Undermined; (Mis)Investment in Agriculture; More than Bricks and Mortar; and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board.
Halifax Initiative Testimony, Foreign Affairs Committee, May 30, 2012
Presentation concerning the role of the private sector in international development with a focus on new CIDA programming in support of the extractive sector.
Desperately Seeking Sanction: Canadian Extractive Companies and their Public Partners
Article prepared for the 'Global Capital, Global Rights' workshop convened by SFU and UBC. The text discusses civil society efforts in support of Bill C-300, legislation that sought to create accountability mechanisms regarding the provision of government support to Canadian extractive companies that operate overseas.
Monthly Issue Update - November 30, 2011
Transparency and the international economy; Cannes G20 postmortem; export credit agencies fail on human rights.
Centre for Excellence Workshop on UN Guiding Principles
On September 15, 2011, the Canadian government's Centre for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibilty held a workshop with John Ruggie entitled, 'Implications of the Guiding Principles for the Implementation of the UN Framework for CSR in the Canadian Extratcive Sector.' The Halifax Initiative participated on behalf of the Canadian Network on Corporate Accountability as the civil society respondent to Mr. Ruggie.
Pages
