International Trade committee  I'll go first, and then Ms. Coumans. I would say that the UN human rights bodies have repeatedly taken Canada to task over the impact of Canadian mining companies on indigenous peoples in other countries. If Canada were to report on that under the new legislation, I don't know if that would be anything new.

International Trade committee  I regret that as Oxfam, we don't have much involvement with mining activities in Russia or in tracking the activities of Canadian companies operating mines in Russia. I can't really comment or answer your question.

International Trade committee  We believe that having a people-centred approach to development is key. Local people have to have the information about the projects that are being proposed in their area. They also need to be able to exercise the right to decide whether and how projects are developed. This community consent is critical for us as Oxfam.

International Trade committee  Yes, we participated in a public consultation. We urged the government to take a legislative route and not to continue on with their renewal of this strategy that has been the focus for so many years.

International Trade committee  That's a very good question. As I mentioned in my presentation, Oxfam is a global network of people working to end inequality and poverty. We engage with Canadian companies in numerous countries and with Canadian embassies in numerous countries to see how Canadian mining can become a force for good instead of a force that harms people and further impoverishes communities.

International Trade committee  I think we've heard a lot today about competitiveness. I think we're beyond the point where Canada and Canadian companies will be competing on their technical expertise. I think technical expertise exists in many countries around the world. What is going to distinguish us when a government in another nation is trying to decide who will help them in developing their mineral resources?

International Trade committee  I think that will be the key: moving beyond the strategies Global Affairs Canada has had for a number of years and actually bringing about legislation. Whether it comes through a private member's bill or a government bill, it's important to cover all human rights n all sectors of the economy and to build in that redress for people whose human rights have been harmed.

International Trade committee  Certainly. Mr. Julian's bill really brings about the comprehensive due diligence framework that we believe Canada needs so that all of our companies are aware of their human rights responsibilities and make sure that they respect human rights in all of their operations and throughout their global supply chains.

International Trade committee  Oxfam Canada is aware of both of those private members' bills and fully supports them. We would like to see those changes brought about.

International Trade committee  Thank you, Madam Chair, and thank you, all members of the committee, for inviting Oxfam here today. My name is Ian Thomson. I am the manager of policy at Oxfam Canada. Oxfam Canada and Oxfam-Québec are part of a global confederation that is active in 87 countries around the world and is working to fight poverty and inequality.

Natural Resources committee  I take the president's point that as legislative change is under way expectations will be raised. We're hopeful that Bill C-69 will pass the Senate and that this will become the new norm in Canada. I think all agencies, CNSC and the impact assessment agency, will have to develop their own internal expertise around this and more capacity-building is needed within these federal institutions.

Natural Resources committee  Yes, as Oxfam, we've developed a tool for the private sector to guide how to conduct a gender impact assessment for a project. It's something that was developed by colleagues at Oxfam Australia, and it's been rolled out in various energy-related projects, including some hydro dams and some more extractive sector projects.

Natural Resources committee  It's clear that indigenous engagement is becoming a major risk for Canadian investors operating abroad. Among the examples you just cited, that of mines being suspended over their failure to adequately consult indigenous populations offers a perfect example of this risk. This is an example in which there is a shared responsibility between the Guatemalan state and the company in question to have done adequate consultations.

Natural Resources committee  It's not only NGOs like Oxfam that are watching these court cases closely to see what their outcomes are. I know that many industry players are watching and that governments are watching to understand, if companies can be held legally liable for not respecting human rights internationally, what the consequences will be for their operations, for their investors and for the jurisdictions in which they're operating.

Natural Resources committee  Nowhere in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples is the word “veto” used. I don't think free, prior and informed consent is a veto. I do think it is a standard to protect the human rights of indigenous peoples. As such, meeting that standard ensures that their rights will be adequately protected.