Resolving a human rights dispute and working with the CORE

The CORE is a human rights ombudsperson or “ombud”. We expect Canadian companies to respect human rights everywhere they do business. We can review complaints about harmful effects when human rights are abused by Canadian companies that are doing business in other countries in the garment, mining, and oil and gas sectors.

• What is the CORE?
• How does the CORE look into possible human rights abuses?
• What does the CORE do if it finds there was a human rights abuse?
• What are human rights?
• Who has human rights?
• What is a human rights abuse?
• What is a Canadian Company?
• What does the CORE do to help Canadian companies protect human rights?

The process we work with to resolve disputes is called the Human Rights Responsibility Mechanism (HRRM). It is a flexible process, and can include mediation and reviews. Here is a flow chart of the process.

• Operating Procedures for the Human Rights Responsibility Mechanism of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise (CORE)
• How CORE works: plain language operating procedures

What kind of complaints can CORE accept?

The CORE accepts complaints about possible human rights abuses.

The complaints must be against Canadian companies working outside Canada in the garment, mining, or oil and gas sectors.

• What you need to know about filing a complaint

Is it safe to file a complaint?

You may worry that filing a complaint will put you or others in danger. You may worry about your job, your home, or your property. You may be afraid that those you name in your complaint will retaliate against you.  

To retaliate is to act in a way that has a negative effect on a person because they have done any of the following:

• contacted the CORE
• filed a complaint
• worked with the CORE to resolve a human rights complaint
• provided information on a human rights complaint, such as by acting as a witness

We take retaliation seriously. We talk to you about retaliation from our first contact with you.

The CORE’s framework for retaliation gives you information about retaliation and how the CORE works with it.

More information

• What is retaliation?
• What is the CORE’s approach to retaliation?
• Retaliation Risk Assessment Tool
• Information for Canadian Companies
• Information for Individuals and Communities
• File your complaint
• Contact us