Conference Proceedings

PROTECTING WORKING CHILDREN IN NORTH AMERICA: A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY

Ottawa, Canada
October 15-16, 1997

CONTACT INFORMATION

United States
National Administrative Office
Bureau of International Labor Affairs
U.S. Department of Labor
200 Constitution Avenue, NW
Room C-4327
Washington, D.C. 20210
(202) 501-6653
(202) 501-6615 fax

Canada
Inter-American Labour Cooperation
Labour Branch
Human Resources Development Canada
Phase II, 8th Floor
165 Hôtel de Ville
Hull, Quebec K1A 0J2
(819) 953-8860
(819) 953-8494 fax

Mexico
Oficina Administrativa Nacional de México
Secretaría del Trabajo y Previsión Social
Av. Periférico Sur 4271
Edificio A Planta Baja
Col. Fuentes del Pedregal, Deleg. Tlalpan
14149 México, D.F.
(525) 645-4218
(525) 645-4471 fax

Secretariat
Commission for Labor Cooperation
One Dallas Centre
350 N. St. Paul, Suite 2424
Dallas, Texas 75201-4240
USA
(214) 754-1100
(214) 754-1199 fax

The North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation calls for the Council of Labor Ministers to promote cooperative activities among the three countries on labor issues. Pursuant to this directive, the National Administrative Offices (NAOs) of the three countries have developed a Cooperative Activities Program under which they sponsor trilateral, tripartite events on a regular basis. These activities are coordinated by the three NAO Secretaries: Irasema Garza, United States, May Morpaw, Canada, and Jorge Castañón Lara, Mexico.

This conference on Protecting Working Children in North America: A Shared Responsibility, held in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada October 15 - 16, 1997, was the second cooperative event devoted to child and youth labor issues. The following report on the proceedings of that conference was prepared by the Canadian National Administrative Office. We gratefully acknowledge the effort of May Morpaw and her staff for their effort in hosting the conference and preparing this report. The views expressed by the individual participants are their own and do not necessarily represent those of the governments of the United States, Canada, or Mexico.

Irasema Garza, NAO Secretary
U.S. National Administrative Office
Bureau of International Labor Affairs
U.S. Department of Labor

CONFERENCE REPORT
PROTECTING WORKING CHILDREN IN NORTH AMERICA: A SHARED RESPONSIBILITY
Ottawa, Canada October 15-16, 1997

RAPPORT DE LA CONFÉRENCE
LA PROTECTION DES ENFANTS QUI TRAVAILLENT EN AMÉRIQUE DU NORD: UNE RESPONSABILITÉ PARTAGÉE
Ottawa, Canada 15 et 16 octobre 1997

INFORME DE CONFERENCIA
LA PROTECCION DEL MENOR TRABAJADOR EN AMÉRICA DEL NORTE:
UNA RESPONSABILIDAD COMPARTIDA
Ottawa, Canada 15-16 de Octubre de 1997

Introduction

Charge to the Conference

Workshop Reports

Role of Governments (Workplace Issues)

Role of Governments (Community Action and Involvement)

Role of Employers, Employees and Organized Labour

Role of Community Representatives

Identification of Key Activities

Appendix 1: Conference Agenda

INTRODUCTION

The Conference on Protecting Working Children in North America: A Shared Responsibility took place in Ottawa, Canada, October 15-16, 1997, under the Cooperative Work Program of the North American Agreement on Labour Cooperation (NAALC).

Protection for children and young people is one of the 11 labour principles enshrined in the NAALC, one of two side agreements to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In support of this principle, Canada, the United States and Mexico, are working towards developing a better understanding of the legislation, policies and programs in place in each of the three NAFTA countries to prevent exploitation of young people and protect those legitimately in the work force and are committed to identifying ways to improve protection for young working people.

As a first step, a conference entitled Improving Children's Lives: Child and Youth Labour in North America was held February 24-25, 1997 in San Diego, California. The purpose of that conference was to exchange information on the situation of working children in each country and to discuss the innovative practices put in place to protect young people. (Copies of the proceedings from the San Diego conference are available from any of the three National Administrative Offices at the addresses listed on the inside cover of this report.) It was also agreed that further work on this issue was needed and, as a result, a second conference on working children and young people took place in Ottawa.

The particular focus of the Ottawa conference was on the role of all key players governments, employers, employees, organized labour, non-governmental organizations, school officials, health care workers and the whole community in reducing inappropriate child labour and ensuring the rights and responsibilities of young people in the workplace are recognized and respected. Following a brief overview of the child labour situation in each country, participants took part in one of two concurrent workshops, one of which addressed workplace issues and the other, community action and involvement. In addition to their main themes, each workshop also discussed the role of governments in addressing child labour. Each session featured a presentation by a panel made up of representatives from the three countries, followed by audience discussion. On the second day of the conference, rapporteurs reported on the key points raised in each of the four workshop sessions. Panelists from each country then commented on these reports and, together with audience members, attempted to identify key activities to be undertaken to improve the lives of working children.

The purpose of this report is to highlight some of the key discussions during the workshops. This report includes the workshop summaries presented by the rapporteurs and provides an overview of the key activities identified during the ensuing discussion.

One of the main conclusions of the conference was that all social partners have a responsibility to address child labour issues. The three National Administrative Offices have attempted to act as a catalyst by bringing together representatives of the key interest groups in each country and will continue to address this issue within their scope of responsibility. However, it is also up to other participants to do their part. We hope that some of the material contained in this report, together with the proceedings from the San Diego conference, will provide some of the tools needed to move forward and encourage new initiatives.

CHARGE TO THE CONFERENCE

The Honourable Landon Pearson
Senator
Canada

I am delighted to be here today to renew old acquaintances and meet new colleagues who share my interest in, and commitment to, improving the lives of the young people in our three countries.

It is my task, and my pleasure, to give the "Charge to Conference" or, in other words, to provide some background and context for this meeting and to explain how we will proceed.

This conference brings together participants from Canada, the United States and Mexico under the North American Agreement on Labour Cooperation, also known as the NAALC or Labour Side Agreement.

Two of the hallmarks of the NAALC are cooperation and dialogue not only among the three governments, but also among all sectors of our societies. Cooperative activities such as this meeting provide a unique opportunity for us to come together around a certain issue, to exchange information and learn from each other and, I hope, to head home not only with a better understanding of each others' situation, but with ideas for, and stronger commitment to, improving working conditions and the lives of workers across North America.

Cooperation and dialogue were certainly in evidence at the earlier conference in San Diego, and I trust they will be in evidence today and tomorrow here in Ottawa. Our goal is to address a common problem, not to point fingers or pat ourselves on the back, but rather to identify concrete actions and solutions that will allow us to move forward on an issue that is of concern to all of us.

The San Diego conference provided a wealth of information about the situation of working children in each country and some of the innovative practices put in place to protect them. I understand that the proceedings from San Diego are available here today and I encourage you to take a copy and read it. I can promise you that the document is not as daunting as it looks and the time spent perusing it will be well worth the effort!

In San Diego, we began to identify a number of common themes as we discussed the situation of working children in each of our countries. Some of these included:

• the importance of providing a safe working environment for our young people;



• the need to ensure that educational opportunities are not compromised;



• the importance of avoiding duplication and strengthening coordination among institutions dealing with children;



• the benefits of promoting cooperation among international institutions and making use of international instruments, where they exist;



• the need for better data collection to help us deal with the root causes of child labour;



• the need to better evaluate the effectiveness of our legislation and enforcement mechanisms and to make improvements where necessary;



• and the need the raise awareness among all sectors of society that there are serious issues related to working children right here in North America.

While protecting children in all parts of the labour market is critical, we also identified special concerns related to the agricultural sector, particularly in terms of the safety and health implications for young people.

Finally, it was clear that all of society has a role to play in addressing these concerns, whether it is government, employers, unions, employees, community groups, school officials, health professionals, social workers, or young people themselves.

Indeed, the need to engage young people in finding solutions was one of the strongest messages emanating from San Diego. It is also a key requirement of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. As we discussed in San Diego, this Convention provides a useful framework for helping our young people to mature into healthy, socially responsible and productive adults. In addition to article 32 which specifically addresses child labour, another important provision of the Convention is article 12 which stresses the need for young people to participate fully and freely in discussions of all matters affecting them. In this respect, I am very pleased to see several young people here today and I look forward to hearing from them soon.

So, given this background, how do we move forward and build on the success of the San Diego conference?

The goal of today's conference is to focus specifically on what each of us, alone or in partnership, can do to reduce inappropriate child labour and ensure that the rights and responsibilities of young people in the workplace are recognized and respected. We will do this by directing our energies at three major themes: the role of governments; the role of the workplace partners, namely employers, employees and organized labour; and the role of community representatives.

In a few minutes, our first plenary will begin. In it, representatives of each of our countries will provide an overview of the key child labour issues in their country.

Then, this afternoon, the work really begins! We will divide into two simultaneous workshops, each of which will focus on two issues. In workshop I, participants will first discuss the role of governments and then the role of employers, employees and organized labour in seeking solutions to child labour issues. Workshop II will look first at the role of community representatives and then at the role of governments. In your conference kit, you will find lists of the participants in each workshop.

For each of the four workshop themes, there will be short panel presentations, followed by audience questions and discussions. And to ensure that everyone has a chance to be heard and that we proceed with our tasks in an efficient manner, each workshop will be led by a facilitator, whose job it is to keep the discussions on track.

For each of the workshop themes, someone has been assigned to report back tomorrow on the key points of the discussion. Once again, there will be short panel commentaries intended to elaborate and expand on the reports from the workshops, followed by audience questions and discussion. Then, in the final plenary tomorrow afternoon, one representative from each country will wrap up everything that was said and propose future directions.

There is one key to the success of this process and that is the full participation of all of us here today. We have all come here because we care deeply about the well-being of the young people in our countries and we all have knowledge and experience to share as well as more to learn. Therefore I encourage all of you, and especially the young people, to be open and frank and constructive in your interventions.

If I can offer any words of advice as we launch into our deliberations, it would be this: Participate fully and encourage your neighbour to do the same; be imaginative but practical in seeking solutions; look to the future but don't forget to build on what we already know works well; and focus on concrete outcomes that will allow us to look back on this conference as one that really did make a difference in the lives of young people.

WORKSHOP I - WORKPLACE ISSUES
Session l: The Role of Governments

Rapporteur: Juan A. Nevárez Espinoza, Mexico

Panelists
Richard Mines, U.S.A
José Luis Delgado Balcazar, Mexico
Sandra Morgan, Canada

Commentators
Nancy Anderson, Canada
Arthur Kerschner, U.S.A.
José Miguel Ramos González, Mexico
Stephen Beatty, Canada
Dawn Castillo, U.S.A.
Ulíses Ruíz Lopart, Mexico

In our working group, Rick Mines (U.S.A.) mentioned some of the obstacles that young workers face in rural areas; Sandra Morgan (Canada), specifically referred to what the Saskatchewan government is doing to protect young workers; and José Luis Delgado Balcazar (Mexico) talked about his government's main actions for child protection, and in particular the protection of young workers involved in formal economic activities under Mexican labour legislation.

According to Rick Mines, the importance of the results of the investigation by the National Agricultural Worker Survey (NAWS) on the different factors and conditions characterizing and hindering the work of young migrants in rural areas of the United States, especially those young people originating from Mexico and Guatemala, is undeniable. The following points stand out:

• 82% of these young people were born outside the U.S.A.; 59% of them are separated from one of their parents;
• average education is Grade 6;
• average income ranges from US$1,000 to US$2,500;
• only 1% have health insurance;
• 43% said that they had difficulties in accessing health care systems;
• for most of them, their parents have little education and little or no knowledge of English;
• said they received none of the education required by law.

The Mexican panelist, Mr. Delgado, particularly mentioned a national children's program, whose main purpose is to promote the well-being of children through health, nutrition, education, basic sanitation and specialized care for those who face especially difficult circumstances, such as young workers.

However, he also recognized that governments alone are not responsible for solving the problems facing these young people but that is also requires civil society and its organizations, as well as employers, unions, academics, specialists and parents to assume a large share of responsibility.

Regarding legislation aimed at protecting child labour, he commented that, in fact, young workers in formal economic activities are protected and that, in any case, the task of protecting those youth who now mostly work in the informal sector should continually be pursued.

In this respect, the Government of Mexico, through its labour authority, has been implementing some innovative practices, specifically designed for young workers, in order to provide them with better and wider protection, such as:

• more widely available information on obtaining work permits and the rights granted to them by law;
• more advice and counseling on asserting their rights;
• better training for federal labour inspectors;
• new federal regulations on safety, health and work environment;
• new supervision and monitoring system in businesses.

The Canadian panelist, Ms. Morgan, made a detailed account of the actions that the Government of Saskatchewan has been taking to provide care and protection for youth and especially for young workers.

She mentioned the government's role in protecting youth in two areas: the enforcement of labour legislation and the programs undertaken by the provincial Labour Ministry; and, addressing the fundamental causes of abuse and exploitation of youth through the implementation of the Youth Action Plan.

She also spoke on the enforcement of various legal provisions such as the prohibition on hiring children under the age of 16 for high-risk activities such as construction, tree-cutting and work in production areas within industrial plants; and the minimum age of 16 for youth to be employed in hotels, restaurants, educational institutions, hospitals, seniors' homes.

She nevertheless made it clear that the above-mentioned labour standards and workplace health and safety provisions only apply when there is an employer-employee relationship; therefore, they do not apply to parent-child work situations, such as family farms, that can be dangerous work places.

That explains why the province has put special emphasis on a farm safety program through schools and its extension to high school students through a broader program in association with unions and companies.

Our colleague from Canada also mentioned the launching of the Youth Action Plan in Saskatchewan, which focuses on prevention and early response in children protection through cooperation between government ministries and hundreds of agencies and organizations that provide assistance to youth and their families in the province's towns and villages.

During the question period, the working group participants expressed an interest in various aspects, such as:

1. A better knowledge of programs to protect children who work in the agricultural sector, in businesses and family farms and at home.



2. The importance of educational and training programs on health and safety for young workers in the three countries, especially in situations involving high-risk activities.



3. Involving non-governmental organizations associated with public institutions or encouraging them to participate in addressing the problems facing youth.



4. Encouraging the community to take a greater part in sharing information with labour authorities in order to enforce regulations for protecting young workers.



5. The need to establish mechanisms for regulating the types of child labour not covered by law. For example, cases of domestic work that are not covered by written regulations, adequate salaries and benefits. Cases involving independent contractors and seamstresses working at home were mentioned.



6. The different approaches to causes of child labour. In Mexico, poverty is a determining factor that underlies this problem, whereas in the United States and Canada, a high percentage of children who work part time do so to earn extra money, especially those who were born in these countries, while for migrant young workers, poverty is the common denominator.

Finally, some areas of activity emphasized by governments:

1. The need for minimum safety and health regulations and the corresponding training to ensure the right balance between the positive and negative aspects of child labour that were being discussed by the panel such as risks and accidents, the detriment to schooling, etc.



2. Apart from finding the right balance between child labour and education, the panel concluded that there is a need for programs to educate families and communities and to raise their awareness, as well as for a greater sharing of responsibilities by government and employers in educating and training young workers.



3. The identification of actions and initiatives from our three countries to address shared problems, for example with migrant workers.



4. The authorities' responsibility to investigate the working conditions of young workers in family businesses, especially those which involve high risks.



5. Encouraging mechanisms for obtaining suggestions and ideas directly from young workers.



6. The need for ongoing revision of labour legislation and its strengthening and enforcement by the three countries.



7. The need to reconcile economic and social goals with children's welfare.

WORKSHOP II - COMMUNITY ACTION AND INVOLVEMENT
Session ll: The Role of Governments

Rapporteur: Brendan Flanagan, Canada

Panelists
Francisco Robles Berlanga, Mexico
Sandra Morgan, Canada
Claire White, U.S.A.
Arthur Kerschner, U.S.A.

Commentators
Nancy Anderson, Canada
Arthur Kerschner, U.S.A.
José Miguel Ramos González, Mexico
Stephen Beatty, Canada
Dawn Castillo, U.S.A.
Ulíses Ruíz Lopart, Mexico

A key goal for this conference is to examine practical solutions for reducing inappropriate child labour and ensuring that the rights and responsibilities of young people are recognized and respected. Our workshop was asked to consider what the role of government is, and what it should be, related to community action and involvement in meeting this goal.

Francisco Robles Berlanga (Mexico) spoke about the children of farm workers. The needs of these children arise from the migration of farm workers from the southwest and mountain regions with their peasant economies and small holdings to the northern and coastal regions with their large scale commercial farms requiring large numbers of day labourers. These workers may move with their families back and forth every six months.

A program has been established which provides these workers with employment on social development projects in their home region to relieve pressures on their children to find employment. It also supports development of sustainable agricultural employment for them. When they migrate, this program provides hostels, food and medical support for them and their families, again to avoid the need for their children to work. For their families, the program provides day care for their children under age five and schooling for older children, recognizing that they may work. It also provides housing, health care, education and recreation for other family members.

Sandra Morgan (Canada) reviewed Saskatchewan's labour law which prohibits hiring of youth under 16 in the hospitality, education and nursing home industries and prohibits their employment in high risk workplaces. These laws do not cover children working with parents, which most commonly occurs in Saskatchewan on family farms. Farms are also the most dangerous workplaces in the province. In this situation, the government focuses on education and promotion. In partnership with the labour movement and with industry, a farm safety program includes presentations and interactive methods to help school children from age five to high school learn about labour standards as well as their rights and responsibilities and the hazards they will face in the workplace.

Saskatchewan also has a broader Action Plan for Children which takes a preventive approach to a wide range of children's concerns (family violence, teenage mothers, youth justice) which are usually linked to poverty in the family. This program respects the needs of children themselves, but also recognizes the need to involve family and community. especially where Indian and M‚tis children are concerned. A new component of this program, again with community groups and service clubs, is a strategy to combat child prostitution.

Claire White (United States) urged us to work with advocacy groups which she called "the conscience of the country." The Child Labour Coalition in the United States was largely responsible for the emergence of the federal child labour law. She talked about a Work Experience and Career Exploration Program under which 14 and 15 year olds who are at risk for dropping out can work longer hours, including during school hours (under supervision), to get experience in the work place. States can also apply to administer these programs.

Arthur Kerschner (United States) said that community partnerships were vital for attacking exploitative child labour and for promoting work which benefits children. No one agency can accomplish either on its own. He suggested that the only way to improve children's lives is to improve their parents' lives. He said that labour laws will never cover agricultural operations or the family farm. The only option is education. Regarding the garment industry, he suggested that both employers and employees should try to avoid government intervention. Everyone needs to be involved if child labour issues in these areas are to be addressed effectively. He said the role of government is to set and enforce laws, but also to use its resources and information networks to facilitate and partner with community groups. He talked about the many groups which have come together to develop the Worksafe Project to give children tips to keep them safe at work. Finally, he said that we need to create positive work experiences for children in school. If they don't get a chance to work, they won't stay in school.

After the panel presentations, there were a number of questions and comments. Regarding migrant children, it was suggested that governments are caring for children from their own countries, but not for those of migrant workers. We noted that migrant workers are not an issue in all three countries. (For example, in Canada, seasonal migrant workers do not bring their families.) Mexico, through its migrant worker program, is trying to prevent the children of migrant farm workers from being forced to work by supporting their families and enabling them to continue their schooling at home and on the road. Children learn while they are working. They become street smart. Schooling for children with street or work experience must recognize this. They should not have to spend time re-learning what they know from experience. In Mexico, dropping out occurs not because children cannot get access to schooling, but because of other factors such as family violence. It was also suggested that programs need to be adapted to what children and their families see as their needs.

Another topic was the lack of coverage of family farms by U.S. and Canadian labour laws. It was suggested that, as a minimum, there should be regulations covering children using pesticides and driving vehicles on these farms. We discussed the special working conditions involved in farm work and the lack of clear employer-employee relationships which make labour standards difficult to enforce for family farms.

We talked about a new agricultural safety audit which is being developed in Ontario for its Workers' Compensation Program. Family farms will be able to use this audit on a voluntary basis to identify safety hazards such as pesticides and vehicles and to make plans to remedy problems. This program will be implemented jointly by workers and operators. Growers' associations, the workers' compensation board and the federal and provincial governments are working together on this new initiative.

We also noted that many of the issues that arise in Canada's fisheries are similar to those in the agricultural sector.

The discussion then turned to the more general question of what the three countries' governments might do at a strategic level to raise public awareness of child labour issues. We noted the impact of the Clinton administration's efforts to deal with sweatshop conditions in the apparel industry. We also noted the Ontario Ministry of Labour's participation in the Safe Communities Foundation with in-kind contributions and expertise. We agreed that the enforcement role must continue, but should be strategically targeted. We heard about the U.S. Department of Labor's "salad bowl" project to target lettuce, tomato, cucumber and pepper producers. It was noted that targeting is increasingly needed as enforcement is expensive and resources are scarce. The U.S. Department of Labor and all of the U.S. labor law administration rely on voluntary compliance and on education and outreach to promote it. Department of Labor statistics show a progressive decline in the incidence of injuries to children consistent with the increasing use of education and outreach in the 1990s.

We noted that in many cases vocational training programs now incorporate health and safety components. The Internet is being used for outreach and the role of the U.S. Department of Labor's Teen Bill of Rights in informing young people of their rights was also mentioned.

We talked about what community groups may need by way of support and what governments should share with them. Canadian governments are jointly conducting a risk assessment survey which will be available to other governments and advocacy groups. We talked about schools which want to know which workplaces are safe for their students. State governments are reluctant to address this, but unions and the federal administration can do so.

Regarding new legislation to protect child workers, it was mentioned that advocacy groups may be in the best position to evaluate current laws and practices and to lever legislative change. It was also suggested that education and labour departments should pool funding and other resources to develop outreach strategies for the classroom, e.g., developing a test for admission to the workplace similar to that for a driver's license.

The last topic we discussed was how does government receive advice from children and others and how well does it listen? The U.S. Department of Labor contracts out focus group consulting and follows up on the results. Mexico does not use focus groups but acts on children's needs for clean, environmentally safe workplaces. The government in Mexico is updating its legal framework to make child abuse a criminal offence and to give adopted children the same rights as biological children. Children's rights are ensured by creating the conditions in which they can flourish. e.g., access to courts, prosecutors and offices for children's rights as well as program support for the most vulnerable families.

It was also noted that in Mexico non-government organizations or advocacy groups are not as widely developed as in Canada or the United States.

Two issues that we did not have time to discuss were whether establishing a floor living wage would be a better response to many concerns than the present minimum wage policies, and why governments do not do more to combat sex tourism to Asian countries.

Finally, the following topics were identified for further exploration:

• migrant children



• family farms



• enforcement vs. education



• what government can do for community groups



• does government listen?

WORKSHOP I - WORKPLACE ISSUES
Session ll: The Role of Employers, Employees and Organized Labour

Rapporteur: Sharon Brunson, U.S.A.

Panelists
Mario H. Robles Escalante, Mexico
Paul Oliver, Canada
Janet Delecke, U.S.A.

Commentators
Janet Delecke, U.S.A.
Ricardo Martínez Rojas
Louise Marchand, Canada
Dorianne Beyer, U.S.A.
Mario H. Robles Escalante, Mexico
Jonathan Eaton, Canada

Mario Haroldo Robles (Mexico) presented information on the plight of agricultural workers in Mexico. Three-and-a-half million farmers in Mexico have lost their livelihood and many migrate to Sinaloa during the growing season. For every three adults, there is a minor. These children do not merely accompany parents, but work in the fields and have responsibilities and earn money as adults. Their work is a necessity. Efforts by producers and state institutions in Sinaloa have resulted in the provision of medical clinics, a kindergarten, schools and a nutritional system to help children overcome malnutrition. In 1997, a plan to gradually take children out of the fields was developed. As children are placed in educational environments, their salary will be replaced by a subsidy, or stipend, paid to the family. Starting in 1997-1998, there will be no opportunities for work for children under 10 years of age; in 1998-1999, it will extend to children aged 10-12; and in 1999-2000, ages 12-14. The program requires schools to adjust their calendars to 120 days and have Saturday classes to correspond with the growing season. Also, incentives will be offered to encourage workers to stay in their home areas, thus dealing with the problems of migration.

Paul Oliver (Canada) represented employers from the restaurant and food service industry. This industry is one of the largest employers of young workers in Canada approximately 24 per cent of employment for youth aged 16-19. The industry believes that enhancing awareness and improving communications is an effective way to respond to eliminating harmful youth employment. A Code of Practice has been developed which stresses the importance of balancing work with education and open communication between teachers and parents and recommends a maximum number of hours of work. A training video targeted at young workers in the hospitality sector has been developed and this approach will be expanded to young workers in the retail, service and hospitality industries through the Ontario Service Safety Alliance. McDonald's Restaurants of Canada has developed an awareness program which highlights the need to balance school and work, with education being the number one priority. The industry feels the most critical component to eliminating harmful child labour is education and awareness, with communication between students, teachers and employers. One size does not fit all and solutions to harmful employment need to be diverse and multi-faceted.

Janet Delecke (United States) emphasized that K-Mart's goal is to provide a positive work experience for youth that complements education. Child labour standards and policies are given to all managers and are reinforced by monitoring of stores to ensure that front-line managers know child labour laws. Minors are given a safety handbook and K-Mart ensures that they read it and that they also receive education about hazardous equipment. K-mart partnered with the Department of Labor in 1997 in their Work Safe this Summer campaign, which included putting posters on child labour laws in stores, establishing an Internet site and putting the Department of Labor's Work Safe this Summer hotline and Internet information on 37.4 million shopping bags. K-Mart believes that good communication is the key to ensuring compliance with child labour laws.

Questions, answers and comments raised after the panel presentations included the following:

What are K-Mart's responsibilities with regard to the goods they sell is there any way to identify that a product has not been produced by child labour?
K-Mart's policy is that vendors must meet K-Mart's standards. There is no specific identification, but K-Mart standards require that no child labour be used and inspections of manufacturers are made.

What is the turnover rate in youth employment and how many youth go on to higher positions?
A large number of store managers in K-Mart started out as teenage workers. In restaurants, the turnover is high but, still, 87 per cent of managers started at junior levels.

How should we deal with employers who don't follow the law?
K-Mart is doing community outreach and is open to partnerships to provide education on child labour. The restaurant industry has attempted to get information to employers. Education outside the workplace, such as schools, must also be provided.

What is the role of organized labour with regard to the employment of children?
Young people are usually employed in areas where union representation is low. There may be a need for a committee of young people. There is union representation in the restaurant industry and in K-Mart distribution centres.

How do the violation ratios in corporate facilities compare to franchised facilities in the restaurant industry?
There are no statistics, but a number of chains are writing health and safety conditions into franchise agreements. K-Mart has no franchise stores; regional human resources directors go to all stores and work with human resources personnel doing hiring, etc.

In Sinaloa, is there encouragement for families in the agricultural industry to settle down?
The majority of workers return to their place of origin after the growing season. They plant their own crops part of the year and work in Sinaloa the other part. Some go to Baja California for part of the year and then back to their place of origin. Workers usually return to the same company each season. In Sinaloa, housing and social assistance are provided and plans are being made to change the school year to coincide with the growing season.

Actions recommended:

• Form youth committees in unions.
  
  
• Provide more education for youth to know their rights.
  
  
• Provide a neutral source for reporting complaints without fear of being fired.



• More union organizing in the restaurant industry.



• Bring union representatives into schools and let youth know what a union will do regarding their rights. Be open to action with parents, school and youth.



• Build partnerships with government; develop brochures such as Work Safe this Summer and distribute them to schools, employers, youth.



• Raise the minimum wage for youth under 18 so that employers do not use youth as "cheap labour."



• Build partnerships for bettering working conditions for youth, e.g., the Quebec Conseil du Patronat and the Teachers' Federation working together in dealing with working age, working conditions and other child labour issues.



• Establish a 1-800 number in each country that youth can call to get information on rights.



• Employers must be educated to comply with the letter and sprit of the law.

The main themes in the discussions and in the actions recommended continue to be communication and diffusion and education through partnerships. Recommendations to ensure compliance with laws by employers; education of parents, teachers and youth on child labour laws; union representation; development of brochures on child labour laws all of these require partnerships and open communication between all involved which, of course, includes all of us in this room.

WORKSHOP II - COMMUNITY ACTION AND INVOLVEMENT
Session l: Role of Community Representatives

Rapporteur: Marthe St-Louis, Canada

Panelists
Darlene Adkins, U.S.A.
Robin Dewey, U.S.A.
Theresa Stevenson, Canada
Magdalena Barba Fernández, Mexico

Commentators
Magdalena Barba Fernández, Mexico
Paul Kells, Canada
Darlene Adkins, U.S.A.
Katherine Covell, Canada
Michael Schulman, U.S.A.

Overall, participants in this workshop agreed that a concerted effort on the part of key stakeholders in the community was necessary in order to have an impact on the situation of child and youth workers.

But, in concrete terms, what does this mean?

The presentations by the four panelists provided much useful insight.

Darlene Adkins (U.S.A.) explained that community action begins with consumers and that, with globalization, consumers are expanding their focus and acting and speaking out on child labour abuse worldwide. But, since the conference in San Diego, there has been little concrete action by government. Countries have laws to protect minors, but many problems persist including insufficient inspection capacity. Consumers are increasingly speaking out against retailers and manufacturers and boycotting certain products. Ms. Adkins described a targeted effort under way, involving some 50 groups, to end exploitation of workers in the garment industry, domestically and internationally. In this regard, she welcomed a recent initiative by the U.S. apparel industry, with the active involvement of President Clinton, to end the use of sweatshops, to develop a common code of conduct for participating companies and to recognize the need for independent monitoring of this code. The next targeted sector for action by consumer groups will be the agricultural sector. Ms. Adkins concluded that we need more than laws, that we have to work towards solutions and that this requires a strategy and governments have a key role to play.

Robin Dewey (U.S.A.) described the three-year community-based Protecting Young Workers Project which is designed to enhance the health and safety of working teens in the city of Brockton, Massachusetts. The goal of this project, which has been under way for two years, is to reduce teen work injuries and prepare young workers to become advocates for safe and healthful workplaces. Achieving this requires the participation of employers and young workers, and both have responsibilities: for employers, these include controlling the hazards in the workplace and making sure teen workers are appropriately trained and supervised; for young workers, it means learning to recognize hazards and speaking out about them.

For such a project to be successful, you need to tap into key stakeholder groups which have a direct influence on the situation, such as parents, schools, community, labour and business organizations and the media. The objective is to create the support young workers need as well as a societal expectation that workplaces need to be safe for them. Ms. Dewey also underlined the importance of interviewing all players in the community before undertaking such a project, in order to tap into as many existing programs as possible. She went on to list many of the initiatives which have resulted from the project, such as developing curriculum and integrating it into classes; working with peer educators; and ensuring media coverage of special events. She also noted the challenge of reaching individual employers.

Theresa Stevenson (Canada) spoke about her long-standing involvement in instituting a lunch program for Native children in Regina, Saskatchewan. She noted sadly that she and her colleagues are now helping to feed a second generation of children, whose parents were themselves helped when the program first began. The need is greater than ever, with the increase in single parent families and the unemployment rate in the Native population of Regina, the lack of training opportunities, the increase in the drug trade and street prostitution involving children as young as age 10. Cuts in spending available for community-based projects are not helping. She spoke about the frustration of having identified the problems but not having the necessary resources to implement the solutions. Still, she pointed out that every effort counts, no matter how small what is important is to work from the heart and to act. The difficulty when you first begin is to get people to back you. You start small, you get noticed and the more successful you become, the more people you attract to your cause.

Magdalena Barba Fernández (Mexico) began her presentation by pointing out that all four panelists in this workshop were women, and this reflected women's leading role in the community. She went on to say that in Mexico, you cannot have an impact on child labour without first dealing with the basic needs of health, nutrition and education. Education of women is also essential in order to lower the birth rate, as it is very difficult to care for large families. She reiterated the essential role women can play in maintaining the strength of the family. She illustrated the efforts of the Mexican government through a program called "Make Progress" which provides funding to mothers whose children stay in school. The longer children stay in school, the more money is given to the mothers, and girl children are especially targeted as they experience a much higher drop-out rate than boys. Another facet of the program is improved access to health and food services.

In the question and answer exchange that followed, various points were made and issues raised, including the following:

• The need for consumers to be able to make informed purchasing decisions. One participant noted that in Canada, perhaps consumers are too polite, don't like to embarrass companies and that it's time we changed our behaviour. Another noted that boycotts are often haphazard, based on good intentions, but incomplete information, and that targeting certain sectors often increases the risk of displacing working children into worse situations, such as prostitution. Governments need to lead.



• The need was also stated to have some consistency between the codes of conduct of various companies, so as to avoid frustrating and confusing consumers who want to make an informed choice.



• The need was identified for a systematized exchange of information among the three countries. There is a great deal of information out there, and we need to share it more efficiently.

Participants also spent time identifying ways that have worked for them in dealing with the major challenge of mobilizing employers and corporations, including:

• personalizing the issue, appealing to employers as parents;



• getting employers' perspective, recognizing their reality, developing a sense of trust;



• using the media as a tool to reach them, as well as community pressure;



• Paul Kells of the Safe Communities Foundation described the effectiveness of financial incentives. He used the example of the city of Brockville, Ontario, where insurance companies give a 5 per cent discount on home and business insurance premiums as a result of a concerted effort in the community to lower the incidence of fires. A similar move could be made to reward communities which succeed in lowering the incidence of injuries to young workers. Once employers are on board, projects can become self-funding, as is the case in communities in Ontario and Alberta where Mr. Kells' organization has been active. And, he noted, the numbers speak for themselves: injuries in participating companies have been reduced by 25-50 per cent.

Participants also stressed the need to really listen to the community before starting a project, not to limit consultations to the perceived leaders, to tap into as many places as possible, to adapt to cultural differences in other words, to follow the model adopted by many community groups which deal with the issue of child poverty in their neighbourhoods. One participant identified the need to get seniors and grandparents involved.

Our workshop ended on the need to address the problems of street kids, and this is a matter we identified as requiring further exploration.

IDENTIFICATION OF KEY ACTIVITIES

Following the reports from each of the workshop sessions, conference participants and commentators discussed the findings to identify gaps and determine actions that the three countries could undertake. While there was no attempt to forge a consensus, the following summarizes the common themes of the discussion. Many participants noted that while there are things the three countries can do together, each country also has specific needs which must be addressed individually.

Activities for everyone

It was generally agreed that partnership is crucial in addressing child labour. Everyone governments, employers, employees, organized labour, parents, schools and young people themselves has a role to play. And everyone has a responsibility for bringing others into the discussion of child labour issues.

It was also agreed that it will take a long-term, concerted effort to end exploitative child labour. To meet this goal, education (for young people about their rights, but also for employers, educators and society as a whole) is key. It is particularly important that the education be appropriate to the audience and in language they can understand.

Activities the three countries can do together

Identify and build on existing resources: The two conferences held to date under the North American Agreement on Labour Cooperation have identified a number of best practices and projects that can be shared and tailored to meet each country's unique circumstances. An inventory of these and other resources (e.g., ILO, OAS, EU) should be developed. A systematized means of sharing information in the future should be identified.

Research and data collection: There is a need for better data in order to determine the scope of the problem and for more research to better understand why young people work. In particular, steps need to be taken to ensure comparability of data. Areas where joint research can be carried out should be identified.

Education and awareness raising: The three countries should look for opportunities to conduct joint education and/or media campaigns, e.g., North American Occupational Safety and Health Week.

Issues for future conferences: Consider holding future conferences on issues such as industry codes; street kids; advocacy groups; migrant workers and education; enforcement techniques.

Activities that could be undertaken by governments

Governments should continue to play their traditional role as legislator and enforcer, but they also need to assume a leadership and motivational role.

Governments should be a voice for children.

Governments need to take a multidisciplinary approach to the issue.

Governments should address child labour within the larger context of poverty alleviation.

Activities that could be undertaken by employers, employees and organized labour

Form youth committees in unions.

Provide a means whereby employees can complain about abuses without fear of being fired.

Pay special attention to small and medium enterprises, family businesses and homework.

Empower workers.

Develop, monitor and enforce codes of conduct.

Provide incentives for employers to act as role models for other employers.

Employers and unions should support and fund occupational safety and health activities aimed at young people.

Activities that could be undertaken by community representatives

Help consumers to make informed decisions.

Communities should act as a catalyst on these issues.

Focus on local initiatives.

Take inventory of community best practices.

Communities should lead the way in promoting good, safe working conditions for everyone.

Communities should foster an environment that enables young people to exercise their rights.

Invest in education.

Appendix 1

This Canada-United States-Mexico tripartite conference is a cooperative activity under the North American Agreement on Labour Cooperation (NAALC). It follows up on the conference Improving Children's Lives: Child and Youth Labour in North America which was held in San Diego, California in February 1997.

GOALS

• Build on the best practices information shared in San Diego.



• Fully engage all key players in identifying responses and solutions: governments, employers, unions, non-governmental organizations, academics, educators, young people, front line workers (e.g., counselors, social workers), etc.



• Raise awareness about child labour issues in North America.



• Examine and assess practical solutions for reducing inappropriate child labour and ensuring the rights and responsibilities of young people in the workplace are recognized and respected.



• Develop a list of key activities and priorities to help reduce inappropriate child labour and ensure that the rights and responsibilities of young people in the workplace are recognized and respected.

FOCUS

The topics will build on discussions at the San Diego conference:

• Promoting programs to inform children and youth, their parents, employers and community about legislation and employment rights, including access to enforcement.



• Balancing work and school, including improvement of programs designed to keep children in school, and enhancing educational opportunities in rural areas.



• Providing adequate safeguards for the safety and health of working children and youth, including the use and effects of pesticides, the use of hazardous equipment, ergonomics, and controlling the presence of children in large-scale commercial farming operations.



• Recognizing family dynamics and the importance of access to adequate day care and social services and supports, and of meeting the socio-economic needs of specific groups such as migrant workers.

The format for the conference will feature short panel presentations, either in plenary or in breakout groups, to encourage the full involvement of all conference participants.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 1997

8:30-9:30 AM: Registration and Coffee (Capital Hall Level)

9:30 AM:Welcome

May Morpaw
Secretary National Administrative Office
Canada

The Honourable Lawrence MacAulay
Minister of Labour
Canada
Capital Hall 4B/5B

9:35 AM: Remarks by Heads of Delegation (5 minutes each)

Irasema Garza
Secretary National Administrative Office
United States

Jorge Castañón Lara
Secretary National Administrative Office
Mexico

9:45 AM: Charge to the Conference

Outline of conference goals and structure
The Honourable Landon Pearson
The Senate of Canada
Canada

10:00 AM: Plenary I

Panel Discussion -- One expert from each country (20 minutes each) and possibly one or two young people (under age 18). Each delegation will speak about their experiences/perceptions of the child labour question (e.g., why and where children work, implications for education and preparation for future work, key issues from a youth perspective). Young people will discuss the positives and negatives of how work has affected them.

Questions/answers/audience discussion

12:00 PM: Lunch

1:30 PM: Concurrent Workshops

Each of the two workshops will begin with presentations by panels of one or two representatives from each country speaking for a maximum of 10 minutes per country. After the 30 minutes of panel presentations, participants will be invited to discuss the topic.

WORKSHOP 1 WORKPLACE ISSUES

This session will focus on specific industries where children commonly work, such as agriculture, and the most effective responses by governments, employers, labour and other workplace representatives.

Panel I
1:30-3:15 PM: Role of Governments

This panel will specifically focus on identifying areas where governments can be most effective in addressing child labour issues, either working alone or in partnership with other governments or the private sector.

Panelists

United States Richard Mines
Economist
Assistant Secretary for Policy
U.S. Department of Labor

Mexico
José Luis Delgado Balcazar
Assistant Director of Work for Youth
Office of Federal Inspection
Mexican Department of Labor

Canada
Sandra Morgan
Deputy Minister of Labour
Saskatchewan Labour

Panel II
3:30-5:30 PM: Role of Employers, Employees and Organized Labour

This panel will discuss the role of employers, employees and organized labour in addressing child labour questions.

Panelists

Mexico
Mario Haroldo Robles Escalante

Canada
Paul Oliver
President
Ontario Restaurant Association
Canada

United States
Janet Delecke
Employment Attorney KMART

WORKSHOP 2 COMMUNITY ACTION AND INVOLVEMENT

This session will look at the role of a range of community representatives (e.g., educators, academics, lawyers, non-governmental organizations, parents) as well as governments, in building community responses to child labour issues.

Panel I
1:30-3:15 PM: Role of Community Representatives

This panel will focus on actions that could be taken by groups other than government in responding to child labour. Issues for discussion could include best practices, coordination and awareness building programs.

Panelists

United States Darlene Adkins
Vice President Public Policy
National Consumers League

Robin Dewey
Project Director
Protecting Young Workers Project
Office of Health Surveillance
Massachusetts Department of Public Health

Canada
Theresa Stevenson
Former Executive Director
Regina Indian Community Awareness

Mexico
Magdalena Barba Fernández
Program Director of Economics
Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico (ITAM)
Capital Hall 1A/2A

Panel II
3:30-5:30 PM: Role of Governments

This panel will specifically focus on identifying areas where governments can be most effective in addressing child labour issues, either working alone or in partnership with other governments or the private sector.

Mexico
Francisco Robles Berlanga
Director
Promotion and Social Development of the Family (DIF)

Canada
Sandra Morgan
Deputy Minister of Labour
Saskatchewan Labour

United States
Claire White
Assistant Counsel for Child Labor
Office of the Solicitor
Fair Labor Standards Division
U.S. Department of Labor

Arthur Kerschner
Team Leader
Office of Enforcement Policy
Child Labor and Special Employment Teams
Employment Standards Administration
U.S. Department of Labor

Wrap-up of Day 1 by Facilitator

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1997

9:00 AM: Plenary II

Summaries of discussions in each of the workshops will be presented to the conference in plenary. Following each presentation, a 6-member panel (two per country) will discuss the issues and responses. There will also be an opportunity for audience discussion and comment.

Reports from Workshops

Role of Governments - Session I
Report from each session
Panel discussion and critique
Audience discussion

Commentators

Canada
Nancy Anderson
Project Manager
Manitoba Department of Labor

Stephen Beatty
Executive Director
Canadian Apparel Federation

United States
Arthur Kerschner
Team Leader
Office of Enforcement Policy
Child Labor and Special Employment Teams
Employment Standards Administration
U.S. Department of Labor

Dawn Castillo
Epidemiologist
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Mexico
José Miguel Ramos González
Division Head of Worker's Health
Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS)

Ulíses Ruíz Lopart
General Director
Mexican Department of Labor
Mexico City Office

Role of Governments - Session II

Commentators

Canada
Nancy Anderson
Project Manager
Manitoba Department of Labour

Stephen Beatty
Executive Director
Canadian Apparel Federation

United States
Arthur Kerschner
Team Leader
Office of Enforcement Policy
Child Labor and Special Employment Teams
Employment Standards Administration
U.S. Department of Labor

Dawn Castillo
Epidemiologist
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

Mexico
José Miguel Ramos González
Division Head of Worker's Health
Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS)

Ulíses Ruíz Lopart
General Director
Mexican Department of Labor
Mexico City Office

11:00 AM: Report from Workshops

Workplace Issues
Session report
Panel discussion and critique
Audience discussion

United States
Janet Delecke
Employment Attorney
KMART

Dorianne Beyer
General Counsel
National Child Labor Committee

Mexico
Ricardo Martinez Rojas
Labor Associate
Baker & McKenzie

Mario Haroldo Robles Escalante

Canada
Louise Marchand
Employer Counselor of Quebec

Jonathan Eaton
Research Coordinator
Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees

12:15 PM: Lunch

2:00 PM: Report from Workshops

Community Action and Involvement
Session report
Panel discussion and critique
Audience discussion

Commentators

Mexico
Magdalena Barba Fernández
Program Director of Economics
Autonomous Technological Institute of Mexico (ITAM)

Canada
Katherine Covell
Associate Professor of Psychology
Director - Children's Rights Center
University College of Cape Breton

Paul Kells
Safe Communities Foundation

United States
Michael Schulman
Professor
North Carolina State University

Darlene Adkins
Vice President Public Policy
National Consumers League

3:00 PM: Plenary III Future Directions

One expert for each country will discuss domestic trends and strategies that various sectors of society could adopt to reduce inappropriate child labour (10 minutes per country).

4:00 PM: Summary and Wrap-up

4:30 PM: Conference ends

Appendix 2

UNITED STATES

MS. DARLEN ADKINS
Vice-President, Public Policy
National Consumers League

MS. COLLEEN BAKER
Director, Division of Labor Standards
Missouri Department of Labor & Industrial Relations
Division of Labor Standards

MS. DORIANNE BEYER
General Counsel
National Child Labor Committee

MS. SHARON BRUNSON
Regional Child Labor Coordinator
Western Region
Department of Labor

MS. DAWN CASTILLO
Epidemiologist
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

MR. JOHN G. CLARK
Chief, Child Labor Section
Georgia Department of Labor

MS. RENEE COLEMAN
UMASS Amherst

MS. JANET DELECKE
Employment Attorney
K-MART

MS. SUSAN CRAIG
Lawyer

MS. ROBIN DEWEY
Project Director
Protecting Young Workers Project
Office of Health Surveillance
Massachusetts Department of Public Health

MS. IRASEMA GARZA
Secretary
National Administrative Office
U.S. Department of Labor

MR. LEWIS KARESH
Deputy Secretary
National Administrative Office
U.S. Department of Labor

MR. ART KERSCHENER
Team Leader, Office of Enforcement Policy
Child Labor and Special Employment Teams
Employment Standars Administration
U.S. Department of Labor

MR. RICHARD MINES
Economist
Assistant Secretary for Policy (ASP)
U.S. Department of Labor

MR. EUGENE PRICE
Counsellor for Labor Affairs
Embassy of the United States

MS. ADRIENNE RAMIREZ
National Administrative Office
U.S. Department of Labor

DR. MICHAEL D. SCHULMAN
Professor
North Carolina State University

MS. CORLIS L. SELLERS
National Office Program Administrator (NOPA)
National Office Program Administration
Employment Standards Administration
U.S. Department of Labor

MS. CLAIRE WHITE
Assistant Counsel for Child Labor
Office of the Solicitor
Fair Labor Standards Division
U.S. Department of Labor

MEXICO

LIC. MAGDALENA BARBA FERNNDEZ
Directora del Programa de Economía
Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM)

LIC. MARIA DEL CARMEN BERECOCHEA FERNANDEZ
Directora de Cooperación Laboral
Oficina Administrativa Nacional
Coordinación General de Asuntos Internacionales, STPS

LIC. JORGE CASTAÑON LARA
Oficina Administrativa Nacional
Oficina Administrativa Nacional
Coordinación General de Asuntos Internacionales, STPS

LIC. JOSE LUIS DELGADO BALCAZAR
Subdirector del Trabajo de Menores y Especialidades
Dirección Federal del Inspección
Federal del Trabajador, STPS

LUIS E. GONZALEZ
Trade Counsellor
Embassy of Mexico/Trade Office

LIC. RICARDO MARTINEZ ROJAS
Socio Laboral del Bufete Baker & McKenzie

ING. JUAN ANTONIO NEVAREZ ESPINOZA
Asesor de la Dirección General del DIF

DR. JOSE MIGUEL RAMOS GONZALEZ
Jefe de División de Atención a la Salud de los Trabajadores
Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS)

LIC. FRANCISCO ROBLES BERLANGA
Director de Promoción y Desarrollo Social
del Sistema Nacional para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia, DIF

LIC. ULISES RUIZ LOPART
Director General de Trabajo y Previsión Social
del Departamento del Distrito Federal, DDF

MR. ARMANDO VIVANCO-CASTELLANOS
Consellor for Legal Affairs
Embassy of Mexico

CANADA

MS. NANCY ANDERSON
Project Manager
Manitoba Department of Labour

MS. ANNA-KARINE ASSELIN
United Nations, Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Section
Foreign Affairs and International Trade

MS. CATHERINE AUGER
Constitution Analyst
Childhood and Youth Division
Health Canada

MS. ROBERTA BALMER
Representative
Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW)

MR. STEPHEN BEATTY
Executive Director
Canadian Apparel Federation

MR. JAKE BERENSHTEYN
Student
Hillcrest High School

MONSIEUR RODRIGUE BLOUIN
Professeur (Droit du travail)
Université Laval

MR. GEOFF BRENNAN/MR. JOHN TREMBLE
Labour Standards
Labour Branch
Human Resources Develop,emt Canada

MS. DONNA CANSFIELD
Past President
Ontario Public School Boards Association

MS. WENDY CHEUNEY, M.D.
Canadian Paediatric Society

MS. TARA COLLINS
Coordinator
Canadian Coalition for the Rights of Children

MS. BONNIE CONRAD
Coordinator, Volunteer Activities
Industrial Accident Prevention Association

DR. KATHERINE COVELL
Associate Professor of Psychology
Director - Children's Rights Center
University College of Cape Breton

MS. CINDY DESOUZE
Human Resources Consultant
National Research Council - Canada

MONSIEUR PIERRE DIONNE
Directeur général
Bureau international des droits des enfants

MR. ERWIN DREESEN
Officer
Privy Council Office

MR. Jonathan Eaton
Research Coordinator
Union of Needletrades, Industrial, and Textile Employees

MR. BERNIE FITZPATRICK
Chapter Coordinator
Free the Children

MR. BRENDAN FLANAGAN
Policy Advisor
Employment and Labour Policy Branch
Ontario Ministry of Labour

MS. CATHERINE FOTHERGILL-PAYNE
Human Resources Investment Branch
Human Resources Development Canada

MS. CATHIE GUTHRIE
Director, International Programs
UNICEF Canada

MS. LAURA HANNANT
Member
Free the Children

MRS. ALLA IVASK
Executive Director
Canadian Association of Family Resource Programs

MR. PAUL KELLS
Safe Communities Foundation

MS. TINEKE KUJIPER
Director
International Affairs
Labour Branch

MS. ANNIE LABAJ
National Representative
Canadian Auto Workers - Canada

JEAN-FRANCOIS LABERGE
Free the Children

MONSIEUR RICHARD LANGLOIS
Economiste
Centrale de l'enseignement du Québec (CEQ)

MS. CLARENCE LOCKHEAD
Canadian Council on Social Development

MRS. SHARON MAHONEY
Retail Council of Canada

MS. GILLIAN MANN
Canadian Program Officer
Save the Children - Canada

MAITRE LOUISE MARCHAND
Conseil de patronat du Québec

MR. JIM MCFARLANE
Executive Director
Employment Standards Branch
Manitoba Department of Labour

MADAME FERNANDE MEILLEUR
Présidente
Coalition canadienne pour les droits des enfants

MS. PEREZ MORANGI-NYAMWANGE
Research Associate (Children's Rights)
Human Rights Research and Education Centre
University of Ottawa

MR. DAN MOREY
Executive Director
Federal Employer's Transportation and Communications (FETCO)

MS. SANDRA MORGAN
Deputy Minister of Labour
Saskatchewan Labour

MR. PAUL OLIVER
President
Ontario Restaurant Association

MS. HEATHER OLSON
Department of Justice

MADAME LORRAINE PAGE
Présidente
Centrale de l'enseignement du Québec

MADAME MURIELLE PAQUETTE
Conseillére scolaire
Conseil des écoles publiques
Ottawa-Carlton

MONSIEUR PIERRE PAQUETTE
Secrétaire général
Conféderation des syndicats nationaux (CSN)

MS. MARIE PEARCE
Executive Director
Canadian School Boards Association

DR. BROOKE PEARSON
Canadian Paediatric Society
Community Paediatrics Section

THE HONOURABLE LANDON PEARSON
The Senate of Canada

MADAME MARIE PEPIN
Avocate
Confédération des syndicats nationaux (CSN)

MONSIEUR YVES POISSON
Directeur général
Politique stratégique et partenariats
Direction général du Travail

MONSIEUR PIERRE ROY
Directeur régional
Commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CSST)

MADAME RITA ROY
Conseillère au bureau des sous-ministres
Ministére du Travail de Québec

MS. KATHERINE SCOTT
Senior Policy and Research Associate
Canadian Council on Social Development

MR. ROSS SNYDER
Deputy Director, Human Development
Peace-Building and Human Development Division
Foreign Affairs and International Trade

MR. DAMIAN SOLOMON
Assistant Director
Professional Development Services
Canadian Teachers' Federation

MS. THERESA STEVENSON
Former Executive Director
Regina Indian Community Awareness

MS. MARTHE ST-LOUIS
Policy Analyst - AGP
Foreign Affairs and International Trade

MS. KAREN THIESSEN
Loss Control Administrator/Rehabilitation Consultant
Burger King Restaurants of Canada, Inc.

MONSIEUR JAMES THWAITES
Professeur titulaire
Département des relations industrielles
Université Laval

MS. JENNI TIPPER
Project Coordinator
Canadian Institute of Child Health

MADAME GUYLAINE VALLEE
Professeure
Ecole de relations industrielles
Université de Montréal

MR. JOHN VANDER DOELEN
Provincial Coordinator
Ontario Ministry of Labour

MS. ANN WESTON
Vice-President
The North-South Institute

MS. DALE WHITESIDE
Senior Policy Analyst
Trade Policy Planning Division
Foreign Affairs and International Trade

MS. HELENE YAREMKO-JARVIS
Director, Legal Services
Hudson's Bay Company

SECRETARIAT

MR. ALFREDO HERNANDEZ
International Cooperative Activities Coordinator
Secretariat of the Commission for Labor Cooperation