Canada’s claim of “rigorous” protections against forced labor in supply chains falls apart under scrutiny.

By Probe International

In the wake of the furore ignited last week by floor-crossing Liberal MP Michael Ma during a House of Commons hearing on electric vehicles and forced labor in China’s Xinjiang region, the spotlight has narrowed on Canada’s law enforcement report card.

Despite Prime Minister Mark Carney’s claim the country’s forced labor protections are “the most rigorous,” this assertion does not bear weight under scrutiny.

A report by the New York-based The Wire China notes that in 2025, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) detained just 48 shipments suspected of forced labor issues. Only two were ultimately blocked on those grounds (seven were voluntarily re-exported). This marks an increase from virtually zero effective blocks in prior years (2020–2024), but remains negligible. By contrast, the U.S. under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA), blocked thousands of shipments (8,170 for suspected Uyghur forced labor in 2025) and detained far higher values. [See: Canada’s Xinjiang Controversy]

Notably, the U.S. model assumes that goods from Xinjiang or linked to certain entities involve forced labor unless importers provide clear evidence to the contrary. The Canada “prove it” model, however, requires authorities to demonstrate violations, resulting in far fewer blocks.

Digging deeper, The Wire China’s investigation of Toronto-area stores following the Ma controversy found products from Xinjiang openly on sale, including “Bingtuan Red” dates. The origin of these dates are linked directly to the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, or XPCC—a paramilitary organization accused of human rights abuses, involved in labor transfers and detention, and sanctioned by Canada, the U.S., U.K., and EU. These were stocked at a Freshway Foodmart (in Michael Ma’s own Markham constituency, no less), as well as C&C Supermarket, and T&T Supermarket (owned by Loblaws). The XPCC controls significant agricultural output in Xinjiang, including red dates as a “leading industry.”

While Canada has laws on the books prohibiting forced-labor imports and requiring supply-chain reporting, enforcement is ineffective in practice. Goods with clear ties to Xinjiang and entities like the XPCC flow freely into Canadian stores and supply chains, undermining the bans’ intent and contrasting sharply with stricter presumptive regimes elsewhere.

The spotlight on enforcement will only intensify in the face of a U.S. Section 301 investigation, launched in March 2026, into whether dozens of trading partners, including Canada, are adequately enforcing forced-labor bans—potentially exposing Canadian exports to significant tariffs.

Related Reading

End Uyghur Forced Labour in China Now

Forced Labor, Coercive Land-Use, Transfers, and Forced Assimilation in Xinjiang’s Agricultural Production

Over-Exposed: Uyghur Region Exposure Assessment for Solar Industry Sourcing

Uyghur Rights Advocacy Project