OTTAWA -- Governor General David Johnston says Canadian mining companies have a responsibility to ensure they don't tarnish the country's brand with substandard corporate behaviour.
He made the remarks in an interview with The Canadian Press prior to his official state visits to Chile and Colombia next week.
Canadian mining companies are active in both countries, and the extractives industry is frequently a lightning rod for broad criticism that it can run roughshod over local, often indigenous populations.
Overall, Johnston says Canadian companies are leaders in corporate social responsibility, but there's room for improvement.
And he says when some companies periodically fail to meet the standards of proper corporate behaviour, they are hurting the economic chances of those that are doing good work.
Johnston's eight-day trip begins Saturday.
