Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Welcome to our witnesses.
Mr. Chairman, for the record, certainly in the Conservative Party we welcome the Liberal Party's amendment. We're still studying that amendment, and the jury's still out on it, but we certainly welcome the intent behind it to try to find some common ground here. That common ground is helpful not just to Canadian jobs but certainly to Colombian jobs and opportunity in Colombia.
The very statement that a member of Parliament can make allegations against the president of another country at committee, Mr. Chair, I really take exception to. There is absolutely no proven allegation against President Uribe or any group in Colombia. Putting that on the record and trying to say it's fact.... We're slipping out of our responsibility as members of Parliament.
I have one quick question to Mr. Moist. I'd appreciate a very quick answer, because I'm splitting my time.
We had a group of agricultural producers at the last committee meeting. We had a group representing pulses and lentils who have probably the most potential to gain business in Colombia. Right now they are trying to sell red beans to Colombians at 50% duty. At the end of the day, the reality is that we're shutting Colombians off from cheaper, more nutritious, more available food by not trading with them and by forcing our producers to trade under a tariff system.
So give me a very quick answer: what is wrong with providing cheaper, more nutritious food to Colombians?