International Labour Affairs

The Government of Canada has taken an international leadership role in addressing the social, and particularly, the labour dimensions of globalization. This leadership is integral to the Government’s overall foreign policy direction to support human rights and democratic governance. Promoting fundamental labour rights internationally directly supports equitable growth and social stability in developing countries, and contributes to reducing the growing global divide between rich and poor.

The Labour Program addresses the social and labour dimensions of globalization by:

1. Representing Canada in international forums;
2. Negotiating and implementing innovative international labour agreements in the context of multilateral and bilateral trade initiatives;
3. Implementing capacity-building programs to promote improved domestic labour affairs governance in developing countries;
4. Promoting respect for internationally-recognized core labour standards at home and abroad; and
5. Managing partnerships and consultations with stakeholders

1. Representing Canada in International Forums

• International Labour Organization
  • Canada’s Participation in the ILO
  • Promoting Respect for Internationally Recognized Labour Standards
    • Promoting the Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work
    • Eliminating Child Labour
  • Reports Tabled in Parliament
  • Canadian Ratification of ILO Conventions
  • International Labour Conference
  • The Governing Body of the International Labour Office
    
• Inter-American Conference of Ministers of Labour

2. Negotiating and Implementing International Labour Cooperation Agreements

• North American Agreement on Labour Cooperation
  • NAALC text
  • Intergovernmental Agreement
  • Cooperative Activities
  • Public Communications
  • Periodic Reviews
    
• Canada-Chile Agreement on Labour Cooperation
  • CCALC text
  • Three-Year Review
  • Cooperative Activities
  • Public Communications
    
• Canada-Costa Rica Agreement on Labour Cooperation
  • CCRALC text
  • Cooperative Activities and Technical Assistance
  • Public Communications
    
• Canada-Brazil Memorandum of Understanding on Labour Cooperation
  • MOU text
  • Cooperative Activities
    
• Current Negotiations of Labour Cooperation Agreements
  • Canada-Central America Four Negotiations
  • Canada-Singapore Negotiations
  • Canada-Korea Nogotiations
    
• Provincial and Territorial Involvement in Labour Cooperation Agreements
  • Text of the Canadian Intergovernmental Agreement

3. Capacity-Building Programming (International Trade and Labour Program – ITLP)

• General Overview of the ITLP
  • Grants for Technical Assistance and Foreign-Based Activities
  • Grants for International Labour Institutions in which Canada Participates also available in (PDF format, 42kb)
  • Contributions for Consultation and Partnership-Building and Canadian-Based Cooperative Activities
  
  
• Current ITLP Projects

4. Supporting Corporate Social Responsibility

5. Consultations/Stakeholder Relations

• The Minister of Labour’s Advisory Committee on International Labour Affairs
• The International Labour Affairs Standing Committee of the CAALL

6. Ministers of Labour Speeches and Press Releases on International Labour Issues

7. Useful Links