In this podcast, Birgit Matthiesen speaks with Bob Kirke, the Executive Director of the Canadian Apparel Federation, who will share the very latest about Canada’s efforts to ban imports suspected of having been made with forced and child labor.

Given the nature of the North American apparel and textile market, how Canada will enforce S. 211, the Fighting Against Forced Labor and Child Labor in Supply Chains Act, will be important to watch. Canada’s direction does not precisely mirror Washington’s Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, leaving executives to decide whether the U.S. reporting and disclosure requirements should be adopted for their NA operations. Listen to Bob’s fascinating discussion of how S. 211 became law, what might be next on Ottawa’s agenda and the new Canadian Customs requirements beginning January 1, 2024.

The takeaway quote from Bob: “Most Canadian companies if they are able to deal with UFLPA, they can deal with anything that CBSA is going to do.”