I would like to reassure certain committee members. The Bloc Québécois has, of course, voted in the past in favour of free trade agreements and will certainly do so again in the future. However, as you know, we prefer a multilateral approach over a bilateral approach. We note that there are some inconsistencies. There is not necessarily a common denominator that highlights the positives of free trade.
As I see it, there are two fundamental aspects to free trade. There is the trade aspect, so to speak, the exporting and importing of goods. The process does not really involve much contact with people. It really does not affect those areas in which we would like to see some improvement, namely human rights, social rights and labour laws.
The companies that you represent want to invest and set up operations in Colombia. Some are already doing business with this country. We hear the claim that trade will automatically improve human rights, but are these companies really interested in improving the situation? We've seen what has happened with globalization. Companies have set up operations in other countries to take advantage of conditions that do no exist here at home, namely lower wages and less stringent labour laws. The environment was often a secondary consideration. We know that's true.
That being the case, will your members really want to help improve the human rights situation and the social conditions of Colombians, or even protect the environment, even though the government sometimes shows some favouritism? Do you really think this is what your members want?