Thank you very much, Excellency.
You mentioned at length, and this is also the scope of our study, human rights and the environmental concerns that have been raised with this potential free trade agreement between both countries, and you spoke to the fact that you are very much trying to address these issues.
With all due respect, on the human rights side of it there are alarming numbers that we read about and hear on the news with respect to trade union activists. For example, in 2006 a total of 78 Colombian trade unionists were murdered. That's a staggering number, and that's something that has been brought not only to my attention but to the attention of all committee members, I believe.
There is legitimate concern that these issues need to be addressed, so I want to get clarification from you, Your Excellency, of how strongly you think the human rights aspect and the environmental aspect should be incorporated in the agreement. Do you think they should be central to the free trade agreement? Trade is important, of course, but obviously these other issues are very prevalent and top of mind to many people, so we feel they go hand in hand.
The feedback we get from our own government here in Canada, for example, on this free trade agreement is that free trade will help improve the human rights situation. So we feel the only way that legitimately can be addressed, aside from the domestic initiatives you're taking, is through a free trade agreement that will be part of the central agreement, as opposed to a side agreement.
I wanted to get your thoughts on that.