GATINEAU, QC, April 24,
2024 /CNW/ - Today, Minister of Labour Seamus O'Regan Jr., issued the following
statement:
"On April 24, 2013, the Rana Plaza
in Dhaka, Bangladesh, which housed five garment factories,
collapsed. Over 1,100 were killed, and more than 2,500 people were
injured. Eleven years later, we remember and honour the lives that
were lost. Our thoughts are with those who are still grieving.
There are people who are still living with injuries.
There are still workers around the world who are risking their
lives for a paycheque.
Since that day, the Government of Bangladesh has improved working conditions,
but there's a lot more to do. Canada welcomes these changes, but we
encourage Bangladesh to do more to
prevent discrimination, violence, and harassment in the workplace,
including anti-union discrimination, making sure labour inspectors
enforce labour laws, and promote the full exercise of freedom of
association and the right to collective bargaining.
Canada's supply chains are
far-reaching and we have an obligation to every single worker
across them. This year, we will introduce legislation to help
eradicate forced labour from Canadian supply chains. The
legislation will be strong, effective, and enforceable. We've also
built labour provisions into all our trade agreements, and our
Indo-Pacific Strategy committed $25
million to raise labour standards and build partnerships to
improve workers rights in the region, including pilot projects on
workplace health and safety standards.
One thing I have learned in my time as Minister of Labour is
that Canada sets the bar when it
comes to workers' rights. When we raise that bar, countries around
the world follow. Our leadership matters. We have a responsibility
to protect workers from disasters like the Rana Plaza collapse. We
will keep raising the bar."
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SOURCE Employment and Social Development Canada