We encourage the Canadian government to fulfill its legal duty to protect against human rights abuse, including through its partnerships with companies. The Canadian government provides the private sector with debt and equity financing, insurance, political backing and public relations support. Above Ground encourages the government to limit its support to those companies that respect human rights and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, we promote access to Canadian courts for those harmed by Canadian companies overseas.
Above Ground builds on the work of the Halifax Initiative, a coalition of Canadian civil society organizations that operated from 1994 to 2014. The Halifax Initiative provided leadership in Canada on international economic policy, including the operations of international and domestic financial institutions.