Tim Campion Brown

I have been doing a lot of work on this topic recently, from organizing a CSR conference to writing two major papers. I guess there are just moments when I have some doubts about the benefits of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on corporate human rights practices.

The doubts centre around the contradiction between the profit motives of corporations and the (perceived) costs of complying with or exceeding human rights obligations and expectations.

Is there a way to make businesses into positive actors? Yes, if you point out how the CSR measure helps the bottom line. $$

BUT what about when the benefits and costs of a decision suggest a corporation take on a project that puts human rights at risks. For example, a car manufacturer considering investing in China has to consider potential human rights and corruption risks. The potential profits may be so huge that the corporation goes ahead with the project even though they are almost certain that human rights abuses will occur as a result their investment.

I am at the point of thinking that governments, some sort of international force or  heavy duty media and NGO pestering are required to turn CSR into corpobligation . 

1. How can torture victims (and other victims of gross human rights violations) gain redress?
   

2. How can the abusers be held accountable?

3. What is redress?

There are lots of great sources out there but I thought I would highlight the leading redress focused NGO, it is called not surprisingly "REDRESS "

For the legal background see: Basic principles and guidelines on the right to a remedy and reparation for victims of gross violations of international human rights law and serious violations of international humanitarian law 

In Spring 2006, I co-authored a report with Saam Askari, Chelsea Paradis, and Morgane Tidghi on the prospects of redress for torture under international human rights law and domestic Canadian law:

Redress for Torture Victims: Principles and Recommendations for Improving Access to Justice

Migrant workers are marginalized as the the ultimate other: either job thieves or so dirty that they deserve to be discriminated against. 

They may fall into the "economic migrant" category in many cases, which in Canada is discouraged because it is seen as a threat to "our" economy or our country.

In 2001, I had the pleasure to work in S. Ontario with some of the hardest working people I have ever met. They were missing their families, birthdays, and community life in their homes. They were working 12+ hours a week and living in stifling trailers. They were paying for their own food and transportation from their home countries.

They were doing all of this to provide a better life for their families and communities by earning wages much higher than those available in Mexico: $7.10 / hour. Can I say that again...$7.10 per hour. Since then their wages have increased in line with the Ontario minimum wage and per the negotiations between the Canadian and Mexican Governments. Yet, they have still not reached a wage that would provide them a wage high enough to provide for their families if they were permitted to come to Canada (fortunately, they are not... wry smile).

So there is the rant. Here are some ideas to improve the treatment and position of migrant workers in Canadian society:

1. Write to your MP
2. Write to your MPP
3. Learn More about the issue:
1. Frontier College - why not volunteer for their labour-teacher program?
   
1. Here is a description of my experience in 2001
2. Justicia 4 Migrant Workers
   
3. NAFTA - Labour Side Agreement - NAALC - Commission for Labour Cooperation
   
4. United Farm Workers - Caesar Chavez's original farm worker union.
4. Check out a paper I prepared on Canada's obligations under International Human Rights Law. (PDF ) (HTML )

Links about everything Human Rights

and Humanitarian Law related