Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my eloquent colleague from Elmwood—Transcona. I would like to ask him a question inspired by a press release from a coalition of Quebec organizations made up of the Comité pour les droits humains en Amérique latine, the Quebec Network on Continental Integration, the Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain CSN, the United Steelworkers, the Project Accompaniment and Solidarity Colombia, and Development and Peace, a Catholic organization.
These organizations commented on a recent report by the United Nations and Amnesty International about the escalating violence against indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, including murder and forcible displacement from communal lands to open them to agro-industrial activities and natural resource extraction.
The report also mentions that corruption and fraud are widespread among Colombian authorities. It states that currently, more than 60 members of congress have been charged or convicted or are under investigation for connections with paramilitary groups.
My question is this: Why should we believe that the Colombian government will enforce human rights, the free trade agreement and the investor protection provisions respectfully?