Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Ms. Keenan, I think that both our extractive industries and the members of this committee would take offence at the suggestion that our extractive companies are going into other countries and making rape and pillage their norm. I know people who are in the extractive industries, and they are fine, upstanding people who run reputable companies. So personally, I find your characterization highly offensive.
I shouldn't speak for the rest of the committee, but I think this is an accusation that goes beyond the pale. I have attended the PDAC convention in Toronto, the prospectors and developers convention. It's enormous. It's attended by people from every country in the world. Every country that has a booth there places a high value on the expertise of Canadian companies and the reputation of the Canadian extractive industry. They want our companies to go to their countries and do business there. I could probably name 50 countries off the top of my head with whom I have had conversations.
I have been in Burkina Faso. I have seen the wonderful project that Iamgold has in that country and the wonderful work that they are doing to create alternative economic opportunities for the people of Burkina Faso. These people are thrilled that they now have a school for their youngsters and a training centre for their young people, who are getting the ability to do electrical and plumbing work, and take real jobs into the economy. They have a health care clinic populated with competent health care workers who are providing assistance to the people of Burkina Faso in an area that is four hours removed from Ouagadougou. So there are good things going on with our extractive industries.
We can also look at the Equator Principles. You talked about Bill C-300. Canadian extractive companies comply with the Equator Principles. We have a counsellor—there are no complaints against Canadian companies she's dealing with. We have a fine reputation around the world. You talked about Talisman. Talisman was in South Sudan, and there were some accusations against Talisman. Talisman threw up their hands and decided to pull out. China went in, and we know the sad tale that's ensued.
You've heard Dr. O'Neill's testimony. You heard what she said here. What you're telling us is 180 degrees removed from the good work that USAID is seeing done. They talked about 800 permanent jobs being created in Peru in the agricultural sector. I've visited countries in Africa where, in tandem with Canadian companies working in Kenya, we have agricultural projects going on in Ethiopia. We have agricultural projects that are creating real opportunities. The private sector, the extractive industry, they're all part and parcel of this. It's not that we're only working in that area. CIDA has much money going into capacity-building in these countries—developing judicial processes, developing a civil society. It can't be one or the other. Civil society, a fair and open judiciary, transparent elections—these things can't happen unless there is a reliable and growing economic process happening at the same time.
When you look at these things happening in tandem, is it not possible for CIDA to partner with companies and make life better for people in these emerging economies?