The Canadian approach to corporate social responsibility in the extractive industry: toward better regulatory governance in mining in Latin America

Abstract

This papers describes the current Canadian approach to CSR in the mining sector and proposes that, in addition to the current support for CSR, the Canadian government put its efforts toward improving the capacity of national governments in Latin American Countries (LAC) to ensure that the mining industry comply to environmental and labour regulations and that revenues from the sectors are funnelled. In addition to documentary research, this paper relies on more than 35 interviews conducted in Chile, in Canada, in Uruguay and the Caribbean in between September 2008 and March 2009 with representatives of the private sector, governments, regional organisations and civil society organisations.