I agree, there's a lot more to be done, and I think it's encouraging to see the progress that's been made.
One supplemental question. You had asked during your opening comments about our not hearing who's supporting this as far as the large corporations are concerned. I'd like to read into the record an unsolicited e-mail by a British Columbian. Basically the subject line reads: “Free Trade with Colombia will benefit the workers, employees and unions in Colombia”. It reads:
Dear Mr. Cannan:
This letter is in support of the Free Trade Deal being negotiated between Canada and Colombia. I am fully in support of the implementation of this deal as soon as possible. It has the prospect of generating many benefits for the citizens of both countries. I have travelled extensively throughout Colombia from each of the major cities through rural areas and tiny, remote towns in the Andes and along both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. I have had opportunities to talk with people from all walks of life there: farmers, street vendors, army and police staff as well as successful businessmen. With this extensive experience I firmly believe that a free trade deal will provide enormous benefits to the workers, to the cooperatives I have visited, to the business communities in Colombia as well as Canada. It will further extend the incredible positive changes that have been happening which I have seen occurring since I first entered the country in 2001. I have returned to Colombia every year since then for several months at a time and so speak from first-hand experience not through second-hand information. These benefits are not just economic they include better rights and opportunities for the workers and more markets for some of the small businesses and cooperatives I have seen. Keeping this trade door shut will further support those segments of society that are responsible for the harsh and dangerous situation that exist. There is no doubt that there is violence, kidnapping, extortion and corruption. These aspects have been greatly reduced in the last 8 years. By opening up trade it opens up a great window of opportunity that helps the existing democratically elected government to continue its very successful programme of positive change. If there are voices in Canada against this deal I firmly believe they are voices from organizations that truly do not know the situation on the streets, the villages and the officer towers throughout Colombia from Santa Marta through Medellin and Bogota and down to Pasto in the south. They have not seen and experienced the actual conditions and situations of the people who have lost homes and farms to the displacement from the FARC guerillas or to the power of the mafia and their control of the various drug cartels. Those who would oppose this deal have not seen the desire and energy of people who want to work in a fair and just manner and now have more jobs from the investments that are returning to Colombia as it becomes a safer more open society trying to help itself. Canada can help this progress to continue and in the process enhance its own trading options.
I ask that you please put this free trade through the house for passage as soon as possible. It has the potential to further enhance the positive changes that are occurring there. It has the possibility of opening up more details between Canadian and Colombian companies.
Sincerely,
Darren Grams
Williams Lake, B.C.
I'd be happy to circulate that if anybody's interested.
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I just wanted to share that. It was unsolicited. I know there are some people who have some genuine concerns--so do I--that the situation is far from perfect. But I believe that providing hope for individuals, such as the ones we've seen there, and others....
The gentleman who came from Vancouver Island--he was in the forest industry--and moved there five years ago is bringing sensitive integration of environmentally sensitive logging to the country, working with the Colombians and educating them to the fact that there are environmental and social issues. Canadian companies are helping to make Colombia a more prosperous and safer country to come.