Hon. Marilou McPhedran: Senator Gold, I’m following up on my previous question to you when I noted that Chevron, the American multinational energy corporation, recently announced it was selling its 41.1% stake in Myanmar’s Yadana gas field to a subsidiary of Edmonton-headquartered MTI Energy Inc.

In contrast, TotalEnergies, a French company, announced in January 2021 that they were exiting the country over human rights abuses and a deteriorating situation with respect to the rule of law.

I asked the following: Why are Canadian companies permitted to invest in this brutal regime? But today, my question is about the Office of the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise, or CORE. CORE has the mandate to review complaints about possible human rights abuses by Canadian companies when those companies work outside of Canada in the garment, mining and oil and gas sectors, and to promote the implementation of the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

Senator Gold, what is CORE doing about Canadian companies enabling human rights violations by the brutal Tatmadaw in Myanmar?

Hon. Marilou McPhedran: My question is for Senator Gold. On February 1, 2021, Myanmar’s military took power in a coup, abruptly halting the country’s fragile transition toward democracy. More than 16,000 people have been arrested, many tortured and executed. Almost 700,000 persecuted people, mostly Rohingya, have been forced to abandon their homes and are living in the world’s largest refugee camp in Bangladesh.

The economy is in crisis. Public services have collapsed. UN rapporteurs assert that the Tatmadaw military’s actions meet criteria for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Canada has responded to this crisis, for the most part, via coordinated sanctions with international partners, with one notable difference: the oil and gas industry.

Gas revenues sustain the Myanmar’s Tatmadaw junta. Last month, Chevron, the American multinational energy corporation, announced it was selling its 41% stake in Myanmar’s Yadana gas field project to Et Martem Holdings, based in the tax haven of Bermuda and a subsidiary of Edmonton-headquartered MTI Energy. Chevron and TotalEnergies, a French company, previously announced in January that they’re exiting the country.

Senator Gold, how does Canada allow this kind of support for Myanmar’s oil and gas, which props up the Tatmadaw? Why are Canadian companies permitted to invest in this brutal regime in Myanmar?