Mr. Chair, it is important for all of us in the House to remember that the best way to help reduce poverty, the best way to fight famine and need and hunger around the world is to provide the fundamentals for a strong economy. That means even allowing people the opportunity to have a job in some of those countries.
As members of the House will know, Canada has made the Americas a priority. The Americas represent a remarkable opportunity for Canada to show its leadership in our own hemisphere and neighbourhood. We have had an unprecedented number of high level visits to the Americas, including our Prime Minister. One reason he went was to help build stronger relationships and ties.
The fruits of our efforts have already been seen. We have completed free trade agreements with Peru. We have launched negotiations with Colombia, the Dominican Republic and with CARICOM. We have increased our development program in the Caribbean.
We are acting on our commitment and Canada is willing to do more.
I know the parliamentary secretary and a group from the trade committee have just returned from the Americas and recently from Colombia and Peru. Would he expand a bit on that trip and the opportunities that he sees being afforded to our country, somewhat because of the trip that they took?