I agree it's very ambitious. We've gone from five trade agreements with five countries to 43 now, and we continue to check off one a day. Minister Fast is travelling the world, and I noticed Prime Minister Harper today over in Europe. We have the CETA, which is the most comprehensive agreement that Canada has ever entered into.
I'd like to segue to Mr. Neve. I know that part of that was the extensive agreement on labour and environmental aspects and human rights. I don't think there's anybody in this room or in Parliament who's not caring and compassionate and wants to make sure that we have our values of human rights respected around the world. As a matter of fact, a similar trade committee is heading to Peru next week to tour a mine. We want to make sure that those values are upheld and to do what we can as Canadians to ensure the proud Canadian reputation we have is respected around the world. So it's with great interest...and how we can work together, continue to respect the agreements.
You alluded to Colombia. When Mr. Peter Julian from the NDP was on the trade committee we went to Colombia. We went to a UN schoolroom, to classrooms to talk to the students. Then we met with some of the local individuals in a shanty town. Connie Watson, a CBC reporter, followed us. The issue we asked them about was whether they felt we should provide this trade agreement to open up doors or just back away.
So my question is to you, Mr. Neve. Do you think it's better that we engage developing countries like Colombia and other partners in the TPP, or do we isolate and trade just with countries that have human rights values more similar to Canada's?