Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
I, too, am stunned at hearing these kinds of comments. As I understand it, if we don't want any union activists to be killed, all we have to do is ensure that no one else is going to be unionized in Colombia. It absolutely bowls me over to hear comments like that, Mr. Chairman.
I believe Mr. Julian's amendment, which would appear on line 19 of the French version of the clause we are considering, would be a fabulous gift for the people of Colombia. If we could add to the current wording, which says “protect, enhance and enforce basic workers' rights”, by including the right to collective bargaining, what harm could it possibly do to us? It would be a wonderful gift for them.
Personally, I am a farmer in Quebec, I have been a union activist all my life, and I am happy to have had that right. We have built some great things in Quebec and Canada thanks to unions.
Why not offer this to the Colombian people? I really don't understand these kinds of comments, Mr. Chairman. Why not accept this amendment? I don't understand.