Mr. Speaker, a meeting is being held this week in Oslo, where ministers, and leaders of labour organizations and NGOs are discussing the serious problem of child labour.
Representatives of more than 40 countries will be trying to find solutions to the most serious forms of child labour: slavery, prostitution and unsafe work. The Bloc Quebecois salutes and fully supports this endeavour.
The Bloc Quebecois is aware that forced child labour is primarily the consequence of poverty and underdevelopment. The drastic cuts to government aid to development imposed by the Liberal government are not likely to lead to any improvement in this situation.
We call upon the government to act promptly to follow up on the report by the Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade on the exploitation of child labour and to conclude development pacts to eliminate what we consider a blot on the record of humanity.