Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
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Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada

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Frequently Asked Questions

Table of Contents

Question 1. Who is the Extractive Sector Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Counsellor?

Dr. Marketa Evans was appointed as the first Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor in October 2009. Read her biography.

Question 2. What is the role of the Office of the Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor?

The Office of the Extractive Sector CSR Counsellor is a new office, set up as part of the Government of Canada’s CSR Strategy for the Canadian International Extractive Sector.

The Office of the CSR Counsellor has an advisory role, and a dispute resolution role. Our advisory work focuses on implementation of the voluntary performance standards set out in the CSR Strategy, and conflict reduction and prevention. Our dispute resolution tool, called the Review Process, supports dispute resolution, dialogue and effective problem-solving between Canadian mining, oil and gas companies and stakeholders directly affected by these extractive projects.

Question 3. What is the Review Process?

The Office of the CSR Counsellor provides a new option for the constructive resolution of disputes between Canadian companies and communities outside of Canada. We play a convening and facilitation role.

Our problem-solving tool, called the Review Process, emphasizes dialogue and constructive problem-solving. It is about people with different views and interests working together to find mutually acceptable solutions to resolve disputes or issues.

Learn more about the Review Process.

Question 4. Who can submit a request for review to the CSR Counsellor?

Requests may be submitted to the CSR Counsellor by individuals, groups or communities who feel that they are affected by the overseas activities of Canadian mining, oil and gas companies.The issues must be connected with the endorsed performance standards. Canadian mining, oil and gas companies who believe they are the subject of unfounded allegations concerning their overseas activities may also bring requests to the CSR Counsellor.

The CSR Counsellor also invites joint submissions from companies and project-affected people who mutually seek a resolution to an issue of concern.

Question 5. How much does the Review Process cost?

There is no charge for submitting a request for review or for using our services.

Question 6. How do I prepare and submit a request for review?

You will need to complete and submit a Request for Review Cover Form. You may also provide us with additional information, but this is optional. Learn more about submitting a request to the CSR Counsellor or contact us directly.

Question 7. What happens after I submit my request for review?

Item A. Is the request complete? The first thing we will do is determine whether your submission is complete. If there is any mandatory information that has not been provided, we will return your submission to you and let you know what information is missing. You can resubmit a complete submission at any time. We will not register incomplete requests and we will not post any information about incomplete requests on our online registry.

Item B. How is the Review Process triggered? After we receive your completed request:

  • We will register the request, meaning we will open an internal file and assign a file number.
  • We will acknowledge receipt of your request within five (5) business days.
  • We will call the responding party within 24 hours and send them the request.
  • Only limited information about your request will be published on the registry on our website, including:
    • Name of the requester, subject to requests for confidentiality
    • Name of the responding party
    • Date that we received the request
    • Status of the request

The original request is not published on our website nor made public by the Office.

Item C. Intake screening: Within 40 business days, the CSR Counsellor will complete an intake screening. This intake screening determines if the request meets the criteria as set out in the CSR Counsellor’s legal mandate. The intake screening is not a judgment on the merits of the request or an assessment of the information contained in the request.

Question 8. What do I do if I am named in a request for review?

  • If you are named as a responding party, you will receive a phone call from the Office of the CSR Counsellor within 24 hours of our receipt of the request, and you will be sent a copy of it.
  • Once we have conducted the intake screening, you will be notified of the results at the same time the requester is notified.
  • The original request is not published on our website nor made public by the Office.
  • If you are asked to participate in a review, you will be fully briefed by the CSR Counsellor.

Question 9. What happens if the request for review passes the intake screening?

  • If the request passes the intake screening, the parties will be notified by the Office of the CSR Counsellor. The status of the request will be updated on our online registry.
     
    This intake screening determines if the request meets the criteria as set out in the CSR Counsellor’s legal mandate. The intake screening is not a judgment on the merits of the request or an assessment of the information contained in the request.
     
  • If the request for review passes the intake screening, keep in mind that the Review Process has only just begun and that it could take months for the dialogue process to unfold. We allow 120 business days for the initial steps in the dialogue process, although this period could be shorter. We also permit for extensions of the 120 business day window, should the situation so require or the parties request this.
     
    Limitations: The Office of the CSR Counsellor does not award compensation, impose sanctions or force solutions on parties.

Question 10. What reports does the CSR Counsellor publish?

Annual reports:

Each year the CSR Counsellor submits an annual report to the Canadian Parliament. Read our annual reports

Requests for review reports:

An important part of the work of the Office of the CSR Counsellor is to provide the public with an understanding of the developments that take place when a request for review has been received.

The CSR Counsellor is mandated to publish a closing report at the close of each request. These reports provide a debrief on the review, including a description of the request, the results of the intake screening, and how the dialogue between the parties unfolded. Closing reports describe the results of the Review Process from the perspective of the CSR Counsellor. The CSR Counsellor provides participants with an advance copy of the closing report. The CSR Counsellor may also publish interim reports when warranted. Interim reports typically focus on the process, rather than on the details of the dialogue or issues. Read our request for review reports.

Disclaimer: Links to external websites are provided solely for the convenience of visitors to the Office's website. The Office is not responsible for the content, accuracy, currency or reliability of the content of these sites nor does the Office endorse the sites or their content.

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Date Modified:
2012-09-28