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August 4, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
04-01
OTTAWA, ONTARIO - Today, the Honourable Joseph Fontana, Minister of Labour and Housing, Costa Rican Minister of Labour Ovidio Pacheco, and Gerardina Gonzalez, the Director of the International Labour Organization's (ILO) Regional Office in Central America, announced that Canada has developed a Technical Assistance Program for Costa Rica. The Program, created under the Canada-Costa Rica Agreement on Labour Cooperation, was officially launched in San Jose, Costa Rica, with the Government of Canada represented by Canadian Ambassador Louise Léger.
"We are proud to work in partnership with the Government of Costa Rica and the ILO to develop programs that will help Costa Rica meet the challenges and opportunities of globalization and expanding trade. Both our countries are dedicated to protecting the rights of workers, and strong labour institutions and practices are the essential ingredients to our success," said Minister Fontana.
The Technical Assistance Program is designed to strengthen Costa Rica's institutional capacity to address labour issues related to free trade agreements and builds upon Costa Rica's existing initiatives to modernize its labour administration. Costa Rica is the first country with which Canada has developed a technical assistance program. To date, Canada has contributed close to $1 million to this initiative.
The three projects that fall under the Program are designed to improve Costa Rica's labour inspection practices, strengthen the country's alternative dispute resolution systems, help modernize health and safety (OSH) inspection practices, and develop OSH training material for Costa Rican school children.
Working in partnership with the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety and the Costa Rican Occupational Safety Board (Consejo de Salud Ocupacional), the goal of the elementary school project is to reduce the rates of occupational injuries and illnesses in Costa Rica by creating a "health and safety" culture among children. Educational tools used by elementary school teachers will be revised and training will be provided to the Costa Rican Ministry of Education in how to coach teachers in the use of these tools.
The Canada-Costa Rica Agreement on Labour Cooperation, a parallel agreement to the Canada-Costa Rica Free Trade Agreement, was signed in April 2001 and came into force in November 2002.
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Backgrounder attached.
For more information:
Office of the Minister of Labour and Housing
(819) 953-5646
Anthony Giles
International and Intergovernmental Labour Affairs
(819) 953-7405
Web site: http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/labour
Backgrounder
International Labour Cooperation Agreements
Through international labour cooperation agreements, Canada promotes improved living standards and working conditions, and workers' rights abroad. Canada has signed agreements with Costa Rica, Mexico, the United States and Chile.
The Canada-Costa Rica Agreement on Labour Cooperation, a parallel agreement to the Canada-Costa Rica Free Trade Agreement, was signed in April 2001 and came into force in November 2002.
These agreements build upon Canada's commitment to fundamental human rights, in particular the principles and rights set out by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in its Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. These fundamental principles include: freedom of association and collective bargaining, the abolition of forced labour and child labour, and the elimination of discrimination in employment. The Declaration is important not only because of its wide acceptance by both business and labour, but also because it explicitly defines, based on a global consensus, the most fundamental labour rights.
A key element to improved living and working conditions is the promotion of core labour standards. One of the principal objectives of the agreements is the effective enforcement of labour legislation in all countries.
Partnership and cooperation are important to the success of these agreements and cooperative activities allow countries to share information and best practices in such areas as industrial relations, occupational health and safety, labour standards, and employment and pay equity.
These agreements also allow Canada to:
Support an international development strategy based on equitable economic growth, good governance, and the rule of law. The rule of law, as well as transparent and effective enforcement of labour legislation, supports business and commercial development and more equitable income distribution.
Build upon our commitment to fundamental human rights, in particular the principles and rights set out by the ILO in its Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work.
Support a broad-based approach to trade and economic integration that takes into account and promotes the well-being and rights of workers.
Protect Canada's economic interests by seeking to ensure that legitimate government policies and actions balance the interests of workers and employers and do not become a disadvantage in competition for international trade and investment.
July 2004
