My Interest in Business Ethics

Region
Ontario ; Western

Sector
Academic - Faculty/Staff

Areas of Interest
Accountability ; Codes of Conduct ; Corporate Citizenship ; Corporate Social Responsibility ; Globalization ; Human Rights ; Labour - Employee ; Labour - Health & Safety ; Poverty ; Public Policy ; SRI/Responsible Investment ; Sustainability ; Theory


Me in Brief

In the early 1990s I was asked to develop a course in international labour rights as part of McMaster's Theme School on International Justice and Human Rights. Subsequently my research has focused on core labour rights (and especially freedom of association) as human rights. I am particularly interested in efforts to bring about corporate compliance with international labour standards both globally and in Canada.

Although my long term affiliation is with the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, early in 2009 I was appointed Ariel F. Sallows Chair of Human Rights for 2009-2010 at the University of Saskatchewan's College of Law. In the fall of 2009 I will be teaching a course on Workers' Rights in the Global Economy.

The central focus of my current work is on the differences between labour law and practice in Canada and that called for in international law with a view towards reconciling the two. In 2007 the Supreme Court of Canada constitutionalized collective bargaining as an aspect of freedom of association and in doing so relied heavily on international law. Since many aspects of Canadian law and practice deviate from international law, there will necessarily have to be a reconciliation.