Julian’s Bill C-331 would create the necessary legal framework by amending the Federal Courts Act to permit foreign nationals to bring forward tort claims in Canada that take place abroad. In addition to giving the Federal Court original jurisdiction in these cases, Julian’s bill would set out the manner in which the Federal Court and the Federal Court of Appeal can exercise their jurisdiction to hear and decide these tort claims.
“Community leaders, workers, human rights defenders, environmental rights activists and Indigenous Peoples are at the greatest risk of becoming victims of corporate malfeasance abroad. Civil society must be given the opportunity to demonstrate these rights violations in a court of law and be justly compensated for damages caused by egregious business practices. The Canadian legal system must provide foreign victims of this abuse the chance of obtaining justice in a court by directly dealing with this unfortunate global reality. It is an unacceptable double standard that Canadian corporations can assist, or even instigate, serious rights violations abroad with impunity when that same conduct would be prohibited in law at home�, stressed Julian.
Bill C-331 reinforces other options aimed at building a stronger global framework of corporate accountability, which include appointing a Canadian Human Rights Ombudsperson for extractive industries and referrals to bodies such as the International Criminal Court, where applicable.