The Relationship between the Canadian Extractive Industry and Indigenous Peoples in Colombia

Abstract

The extractive activity of multinational companies in Colombia has had a differentiated impact on indigenous populations and other communities. This paper analyzes the specific situation of Canadian mining concessions in Colombia, their repercussions on the fundamental rights and freedoms of the populations living in the areas where they operate and, finally, the repercussions that the Canadian policies implemented in terms of business and human rights may have had on these communities. The study of the regulatory legal framework for Canadian extractive industry in Colombia, from an international and national perspective, provides a global vision that helps to understand the Canadian position before the Colombian mining industry. This approach is complemented by the study of the potential misalignment between Canadian policies on business and human rights implemented at home and abroad.