Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, left, meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, January 16, 2026. © Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press via AP, File
Impose Restrictions on Imports from Xinjiang; Pass Due Diligence Law
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney’s unwillingness to condemn forced labor in China risks reducing pressure on the Chinese government to end its repression of ethnic Uyghurs.
Responding to Member of Parliament Michael Ma’s comments casting doubts on reports of forced labor in China, Carney told the media on March 30 that Canada “takes issues of forced labor and child labor incredibly seriously.” But when asked directly whether forced labor is present in China, Carney said that “there are parts of China that are higher risk.”
Carney’s remarks ignore extensive and consistent documentation of state-imposed forced labor involving Uyghurs and other Turkic Muslims in China’s supply chains, including cotton, automotive, solar, and critical minerals. The United Nations, Human Rights Watch, and others have for several years reported on crimes against humanity by Chinese authorities in the Xinjiang region.
Carney’s comments also divert from past Canadian government statements expressing concern at forced labor in Xinjiang. In January 2021, Canada’s Global Affairs Ministry issued an advisory warning businesses of forced labor risks there.
In his remarks, Carney also said that “Canada has the most rigorous set of engagements” on child and forced labor. Carney’s government, however, has so far failed to adequately enforce legislation blocking products made with forced labor and has not acted on a proposed supply chain due diligence law modeled in part on legislation in the European Union.
Canada’s forced labor import restrictions also do not include a presumption that products produced in Xinjiang are linked to forced labor and cannot be imported, a key feature of the United States’ Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. US authorities announced last month an investigation into the effectiveness of forced labor import restrictions in 60 countries, including Canada.
In the face of US President Donald Trump’s open hostility toward Canada, Carney has sought to strengthen Canada-China ties to diversify Canada’s trade partnerships. But any pivot toward China needs to prioritize human rights; otherwise, Canada risks facilitating a “low-rights” economy that increases economic, security, and governance risks for Canadian manufacturers and consumers.
As Prime Minister Carney takes Canada forward in a multipolar world, he should make clear that Canada’s foreign and trade policy will be grounded in human rights, including by unequivocally condemning Uyghur forced labor.
