Thanks, Mr. Chair.
Thanks for coming today.
Fortunately, Jordan is not Colombia, but there are some provisions that seem be very similar to the Colombian trade deal. So I'd like to start with the labour provisions. Could you explain to us the similarities or differences between what we called in the Colombia trade deal the “kill a unionist, pay a fine” provisions and what I think more adequately in Jordan might be considered the “commit a crime, pay a fine” provisions?
I want to cite a report that came out in the spring from the National Labor Committee regarding the IBG factory in Jordan. Women are brought in from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and India. Their passports are stripped. According to this report they're forced to work 15-hour shifts, seven days a week, with a mandatory all-night, 23-hour shift at least once a week. They are paid 35¢ an hour, which is half of the legal minimum wage of 75¢ an hour in Jordan. There are allegations of sexual harassment and rape. According to the report, the workers are housed in filthy, primitive dorms not fit for human beings. The dorms lack heat and water and are infested with bed bugs.
These are allegations that have been rendered public internationally. I wonder if, as part of the discussion around the Jordan agreement and the labour rights provision, officials from the Canadian government have visited that factory to see whether or not the allegations are true. If they have not, what would be the next steps for our government to take when there are clear violations of both our agreement and Jordanian labour law?