One of the lawyers lobbying against a bill that would hold mining, oil and gas companies accountable for their actions overseas was once a senior volunteer with a human rights group now supporting that legislation. Federal records show Catherine Fraser, a Fasken Martineau DuMoulin LLP associate, signed-up to lobby the government regarding Bill C-300 on behalf of three mining companies opposed to that legislation in late 2009. But, until last week, the firm's Website also listed her as being a "steering committee member of the Toronto chapter of Human Rights Watch." A spokesperson for Fasken Martineau later clarified Ms. Fraser held that post with the international advocacy group's "Toronto Network" between 2006 and 2008.
But her present work now appears to be at odds with that of Human Rights Watch. In an interview with Public Eye, the group's business and human rights director Arvind Ganesan gave Bill C-300 a thumbs up.
"We think it's a good bill that should be supported," said Mr. Ganesan. "We have argued in testimony in the United States and elsewhere that there should be a foreign corrupt practices act-type law that binds companies to be responsible - that does oblige them to put in policies and procedures to respect human rights and to hold them accountable if they don't. C-300, while it doesn't go as far as we've proposed, is certainly a step in the right direction."
So what does Ms. Fraser, who hasn't communicated with any public officials about Bill C-300, have to say about that juxtaposition?
Well, she didn't respond to our phone call. Instead, her law firm's communications director Stephen Hastings gave us a call to say, "I can't comment on that and unfortunately she's not going to be available for an interview."
Mr. Hastings declined to say why Ms. Fraser wasn't available. Fasken Martineau's Website no longer lists her as being involved with the committee - a deletion that happened before we contacted the firm.
As a lawyer, she advocates for her client. Should that stop her from holding personal opinions and supporting personal causes?