What is Bill C-300
Bill
C-300,
An Act
respecting
Corporate
Accountability
for the
Activities
of
Mining,
Oil or
Gas in
Developing
Countries,
is a
private
member’s
bill
introduced
in
Canada’s
House of
Commons
in
February
2009. By
mid-June
2010,
the bill
had
passed
through
first
and
second
readings
and
through
committee
hearings.
It is
expected
to go to
third
reading
and a
final
vote in
the fall
of 2010.
The bill provides for the creation of a set of human rights and environmental
standards that would be enforced by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and
International Trade through a complaints-based and investigative process with
annual reports to Parliament. Companies found to have broken the rules would
lose their EDC and CPP Investment Board funding.
How Bill C-300 will affect you
If Bill C-300 passes the House of Commons, it will send a strong message
internationally that the Parliament of Canada has lost confidence in Canadian
mining companies. This will damage the image and reputation of Canadian mining
companies with governments around the world. This will also be used against us
by our international competitors.
Specifically, Bill C-300 will allow anyone with a grievance against your company
to file a complaint. The government would then be called in to investigate – at
a significant cost to your company. Regardless of the outcome of an
investigation, the reputation of the industry and your company would immediately
come under suspicion and you would be considered guilty until proven innocent in
the court of public opinion.
13 reasons why Bill C-300 won’t work
- C-300 ignores the reality that Canada’s
mining industry is a globally competitive
industry with a strong CSR record.
- Bill C-300 will damage the image and reputation of Canadian
mining companies with governments around the world.
- Bill C-300 will be used as a tool by Canada’s competitors to
undermine the competitiveness of Canadian firms in the highly
competitive global extraction industry.
More.
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