CIIT Committee Report

Complementary Opinion of the Bloc Québécois

The Bloc Québécois supports the report's recommendations. Considering the many concerns raised by several witnesses, notably the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and Professor Thomas Chiasson-LeBel, an additional recommendation to the effect that only states may have recourse to the dispute settlement mechanisms that will be included in the Canada-Ecuador Free Trade Agreement, including investment protection disputes, would have been judicious. Although, in the Ecuadorian constitutional referendum held on April 21, 2024, citizens voted to maintain the article that prevents Ecuador from resorting to international arbitration for the settlement of disputes with foreign investors or individuals, Global Affairs Canada officials have been very clear about Canada's interest in incorporating such a mechanism, which we deem contrary to the sovereignty of states.

In view of the numerous testimonies of flagrant human rights violations, including those of Amnesty International Canada and MiningWatch Canada, we also felt it necessary to recommend that the Canadian government guarantee mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence, through a legal framework enshrined in legislation, as well as access to remedies in the event of rights violations by Canadian companies operating in Ecuador and the rest of the world. It would also have been desirable to ensure compliance with this obligation via a formal follow-up and complaint process.