But if Canadian extractive industries increase their level of activity in Colombia and there are rules guiding their activities, and they are subject to Canadian laws of the Canadian Parliament, and in this case a very robust labour agreement, and to annual human rights reportage, doesn't that have the capacity to help provide legitimate economic opportunities in those rural communities that can help people wean themselves from the narco economy, which is a violent one and has been displacing Colombians for far too long and is not guided by any labour agreements? We can debate how robust these agreements are, but I don't think there are any labour agreements guiding how the drug lords and demobilized paramilitary who have evolved into drug gangsters, and FARC, which is part of an.... I mean, there are no labour laws guiding their activities. So aren't we better off to help Canadian companies participate in the Colombian economy and to guide their activities based on laws and rules that we set as parliamentarians here in Canada?
On May 4th, 2010. See this statement in context.