The 14 resigning members cited concerns that a new watchdog for corporate accountability lacked both independence and investigative powers, such as the right to compel witness testimony and internal company documents. The resigning members include representatives from two of Canada’s largest unions—the Canadian Labour Congress and the United Steelworkers Union—as well as some of the largest charities, like Amnesty International and World Vision. A spokesperson for International Trade Diversification Minister Jim Carr said despite the resignations, the new watchdog’s office will be up and running in the fall. (National Observer)

Talking point: The watchdog, which would have been the first of its kind in the world, was billed as a way to hold Canadian firms operating overseas accountable for human-rights abuses. Carr’s predecessor, François-Philippe Champagne, said in 2018 he would use his powers to force companies to comply with the watchdog. This is the latest in a series of disputes between the government and advocates for a strong watchdog this year. In March, a group of academics called on the Liberals to have the watchdog investigate allegations that Canadian mining companies caused harm overseas. In April, lawyer Sheri Meyerhoffer was named to the role, but her specific investigative powers had not been finalized, prompting criticism from mining watchdog groups.