Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thanks to our witnesses.
I'd like to start with the issue of the “buy American” provisions in the Senate bill. We know the Senate bill will pass today. Closure yesterday was voted on by a majority of over 60 U.S. senators. The House of Representatives bill very clearly has the “buy American” provisions in it. The conference is very clearly going to include the “buy American” provisions. President Obama indicated on Thursday he wants to sign off on it. Very clearly the government strategy has failed to appeal to Bush administration rhetoric.
My question on that--and I'm going to get my four questions out and ask you to answer each of them in turn--is what has the department prepared as a contingency plan? What type of structure has it put in place for a sectoral agreement in iron and steel, a managed trade agreement? We know we purchase more steel from the U.S. than we sell to them. The strategy all along should have been acknowledging why President Obama was elected, and that was to portray massive trade reform, rather than making appeals to old rhetoric, and move forward in a way that's contingent with how the U.S. population spoke. What is plan B on that issue?
The second question is around NAFTA. Unfortunately, Mr. Sunquist, I'll have to disagree and most Canadians will disagree when you talk about prosperity, because most Canadians are earning less now than they were in 1988, prior to the implementation of NAFTA. President Obama was elected on that mandate of trade reform. President Calderon has also said that because of the massive pressure in rural Mexico he is now willing to look at NAFTA renegotiation. What plans have the department put into place for what seems to be a real thrust from our two NAFTA partners to reform NAFTA on more of a fair-trade model, with social, environmental, and labour protections?
The third question is product promotion and publicity worldwide. What budget has Canada allocated to our direct product promotion and direct product publicity?
My fourth question is because you referenced Canada-Colombia. In the last six months I'd like to know if the department has been tracking the number of trade unionists and civil rights and human rights activists who have been murdered by paramilitaries connected to the Colombian regime. Do you track that, and if so, how? Can you tell me how many people have been murdered by paramilitaries connected with the regime we want to sign a trade agreement with?
Those are my four questions. Thank you.