The federal government says it cannot tell Canadians how many shipments linked to Uyghur forced labour in China have been stopped at the border because it doesn't track them.

In a recent Order Paper response to Conservative MP Kyle Seeback, the Canada Border Services Agency admitted it does not collect information on whether intercepted goods were produced using forced labour tied to a specific ethnic group, including Uyghurs in China's Xinjiang region.

"The Canada Border Services Agency does not track and is unable to provide information specific to goods intercepted and detained due to potentially having been produced using forced labour involving people of a specific ethnic group, such as Uyghur labour in China," the government stated.

The admission came in response to questions about Canada's efforts to prevent imports produced through forced labour from entering the country.

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Uyghurs, a predominantly Muslim ethnic minority in western China, have been the subject of international concern and sanctions following allegations of mass detention, coercive labour programs and human rights abuses by the Chinese Communist regime.

Despite years of political statements condemning forced labour practices in Xinjiang, Ottawa cannot say how many shipments suspected of being produced by Uyghur forced labour have been intercepted, where they entered Canada, what products were involved, their value, or whether any charges resulted.

Instead, the CBSA says its forced labour prohibition applies broadly to all goods regardless of where the labour originated.

The agency noted that since 2020 it has intercepted and detained 50 shipments due to concerns about potential forced labour. However, officials could not identify how many of those cases involved China, Xinjiang, or Uyghur workers specifically.

According to the government, responsibility largely falls on importers to conduct due diligence and ensure their supply chains comply with Canadian law. The CBSA says it works with Employment and Social Development Canada and Global Affairs Canada to identify high-risk goods and supply chains.

When shipments are detained, importers are given an opportunity to provide evidence that their products were not produced using forced labour. Border officers then determine whether the goods should be prohibited from entering Canada.