"Made in Bangladesh" - The Fifth Estate (Published October 2014, Originally aired October 2013)

YouTube Link is here:

https://youtu.be/onD5UOP5z_c

This is a powerful documentary produced by the CBC's Fifth Estate.

After the video, we will break into small groups to discuss what you have just watched. Please consider the following questions:

1. What happened in Rana Plaza on April 24, 2013?

2. Why are Canadian retailers attracted to manufacturing in "less developed countries?"

3. What is meant by "The Race to The Bottom?" or "Clothes Without a Conscience?"

4. Name one "ethical sourcing" issue that is presented in this documentary.

5. Suggest one concrete step that retailers in the developed world should take in order to address the ethical issue that you presented in Question 3 (above).

6. Would the suggestion that you made in Q #4 above cause costs to rise? If so, how might increased costs impact the competitiveness of the economy of Bangladesh? Would that matter?

7. The documentary features a fashion designer named Sujeet Sennick. What did Mr. Sennick come to realize?

8. The documentary also features a clothing manufacturer named Barry Laxer, owner of "Radical Designs." How did his world change, and how did he respond?

On the CBC Fifth Estate web site, below the video link, you will find several follow up stories related to the Made in Bangladesh documentary. Look for the link to "After the Cameras Went Away" and "Bangladesh to lay murder charges" and "Bangladesh Garment Workers to Get Compensation from Loblaws," and "Sujeet Sennick, in His Own Words."

Have a look at these links, and report on one of them to the class.

https://www.cbc.ca/fifth/episodes/2013-2014/made-in-bangladesh