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Agreement on Labour Cooperation Between Canada and the Republic of Panama

On May 14, 2010, Canada and the Republic of Panama signed a free trade agreement and two parallel agreements in the areas of labour and environment. The Canada-Panama Agreement on Labour Cooperation is based on cooperation between the parties to promote and enforce fundamental labour principles and rights at work.

Through this labour cooperation agreement (LCA), both countries are committed to ensuring that their laws respect the International Labour Organization's 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. The Declaration aims to ensure that social progress goes hand in hand with economic development, and it covers:

the right to freedom of association;
the right to collective bargaining;
the abolition of child labour;
the elimination of forced or compulsory labour; and
the elimination of discrimination.

To further protect the rights of workers, Canada and Panama are working to ensure:

acceptable protections for occupational health and safety, including compensation in cases of occupational injury or illness;
acceptable minimum employment standards, such as minimum wage and hours of work; and
the provision of the same legal protections for migrant workers as for nationals in respect of working conditions.

In addition, Canada has offered to provide Panama with labour-related technical assistance that will allow Panama to better meet its obligations under the LCA.