Mr. Speaker, speaking from the left, Canada has maintained unbroken diplomatic relations with Cuba for 50 years and has established important trade and investment links with Cuba.
The U.S. government and Congress have imposed an illegal and immoral blockade in Cuba. Now U.S. Senator Jesse Helms, chair of the foreign relations committee, is trying to target foreigners, including Canadians, who invest in Cuba, barring entry to the U.S. and cutting off preferential trade rights.
I call upon the Government of Canada to strongly condemn and lobby against this bill which would have a particularly grave
impact on sugar product exports to the U.S. and investment projects in Cuba.
The Helms bill has been referred to as the Canada bashing act of 1995 by Cuban expert Jorge Dominguez of Harvard University.
Finally, the leader of the Reform Party may wish to raise this issue with his political soulmate Newt Gingrich during this love-in in Washington today.