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Lawyers urge federal ban on U.S. forced labour imports, cars built by prisoners
The complaint says prison labour helped supply Hyundai and Genesis vehicles and trailers, and urges Ottawa to enforce its ban on such imports.
- On Friday, April 24, 2026, the International Human Rights Program at the University of Toronto filed a complaint with the Canada Border Services Agency urging a ban on Hyundai and Genesis imports from Alabama due to alleged prisoner coercion.
- Researchers tracked vehicles from Alabama prison work sites to Toronto dealerships, arguing Ottawa must block products stemming from slavery regardless of their country of origin. This investigation confirms the direct link between alleged forced labour and vehicles reaching Canadian consumers.
- Director Sandra Wisner said the issue centers on a lack of transparency in Canada's supply chains, stating "This isn't about consumer guilt." Hyundai Motor Manufacturing Alabama insists it does not use forced labour and cited its supplier code of conduct.
- Washington launched a probe in March that could justify tariffs on implicated goods. Lawyers worry enforcement against forced labour might become "selective or politicized" rather than consistently applied across all countries.
- Parliament passed the Supply Chains Act to address human rights violations, yet Ottawa faces criticism for leaving the corporate watchdog position vacant for nearly a year while complaints remain idle.
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27 Articles
The Toronto Star+25 Reposted by 25 other sources
Lawyers urge federal ban on U.S. forced labour imports, cars built by prisoners
Human rights lawyers are calling on Ottawa to ban American imports that stem from forced labour linked to automotive firms using prisoner work in Alabama.
·Toronto, Canada
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Human rights lawyers urge Ottawa to ban U.S. imports from motor vehicle companies using prison labour in Alabama under the same law to block products produced by exploitative practices in China.
·Montreal, Canada
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Total News Sources27
Leaning Left21Leaning Right0Center4Last UpdatedBias Distribution84% Left
Bias Distribution
- 84% of the sources lean Left
84% Left
L 84%
C 16%
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