Olivia Chow

[Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, October 9th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, Canada is a country that has standards, both for human rights and for labour law. That is why I cannot support the proposed free trade agreement with Colombia. If Canada is to stand up for human rights and the protection of workers, we cannot sign a free trade agreement with a country where workers do not have basic freedoms.

The government believes that a free trade deal with Colombia is a good idea because of “modern economics”. Free trade, however, does not benefit everyone equally. Nobel prize winner Joseph Stiglitz said last year, “Standard economic theory does not say that everyone will be better off as a result of trade liberalization, only that the winners could compensate the losers”. Free trade will not benefit the common people of Colombia.

The Canadian Council for International Co-operation reports that this trade agreement would have a significant impact on Colombia's agriculture which represents a significant portion of the country's GDP. The proposed free trade agreement is slanted and Colombia stands to lose the most. Clearly, those who will hurt the most are those who are workers at the bottom of the ladder.

In Colombia, labour laws do not give workers basic protection. Its labour code does not meet the International Labour Organization's minimum standards. I would expect that Canadians would be outraged if this were the case here in Canada. Why should Canada encourage trade with a country where workers' rights are not valued?

Violence against labour organizers in Colombia is rampant. There have been 2,685 union workers killed in the last 25 years. Due to impunity, 97% of these murder cases remain unsolved. It is not only that Colombians do not have basic workers' rights, they are incapable of asking for them because their very lives are threatened.

Someone who recently came to Canada from Colombia and is living in Ottawa said:

Free trade means big countries like Canada versus [a] small country like Colombia. Colombia has no final products...industry is not well developed. Colombia has a lot of basic natural resources, so big developed countries like Canada can take advantage... [getting] cheap natural resources, tax free. Then the natural resources are processed abroad. For Colombia, it means that jobs are created outside. There is no benefit for common people. Free trade with Colombia is a sophisticated way to take advantage of the common people...It's not a secret, in Colombia the guerillas, paramilitary, the police and drug dealers work together. You never know who is who; you never know who is honest.

This statement from that Colombian woman clearly demonstrates that violence affects day-to-day life. Here in Canada we take human rights for granted. We cannot forget that our actions affect what happens elsewhere, and that we have a responsibility to help our own economy without hurting the lives of others in a faraway country.

As a member of the United Nations, we have international obligations, and this legislation demonstrates that the Conservative government is not respecting those commitments.

Even the United States Congress rejected a free trade agreement with Colombia. American President Barack Obama has said, “We have to stand for human rights and we have to make sure that violence isn't being perpetrated against workers who are just trying to organize for their rights”.

The Conservative government is only concerned about Canada's economic interests, without regard to possible effects on the Colombian people. Colombia is not such a significant trading partner for Canada, but the benefits for Canada will not be significant enough to justify this trade agreement.

The Prime Minister has stated that it is a “ridiculous” idea to expect other countries to deal with their social, political and human rights problems, but I know many Canadians who feel that it is a more ridiculous position to encourage a trade system that does not uphold the rights of its own people.

In the past, Canada has sanctioned irresponsible governments. We cannot turn back and imply that leaders can do whatever they want without consequences. Canada cannot set a precedent that suggests that economic interests outweigh basic human rights.

International pressure should be put on the Government of Colombia to allow for the development of democracy there. We should not be encouraging trade in a place where labour organizers are routinely targeted. We need to work toward a better strategy for international investments that would benefit Canadians as well as the hard-working people of Colombia.

This free trade agreement does not achieve the goal of supporting the hard-working people of Colombia. International investment must be done in a way that respects human rights and is sustainable in every sense of the word. The free trade agreement inhibits the rights of Colombians. We must not support this agreement. We must show all Canadians and our trading partners that human rights remain a fundamental value and priority of the Canadian people and their government.

[Petitions, October 9th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, it is my pleasure to present petitions from the people of Trinity—Spadina asking us to support a universal declaration on animal welfare. They point out that animals can feel pain and suffering and that all efforts should be made to prevent animal cruelty and reduce animal suffering.

We know that a majority of Canadians have pets and rely on them for companionship. Often when there is a natural disaster, animals are forgotten during the relief efforts and emergency planning. That is why the petitioners are supporting a universal declaration on animal welfare.

[Federal Appointments, October 9th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, actually that is not true. This behaviour is not new. We saw it when the Liberals were in power and now we are seeing it with patronage appointments to the immigration board, to our judiciary and to the boards of crown corporations.

Appointments are a reward program for bagmen, campaign managers and failed candidates. The more pork they bring into the Conservatives, the more rewards they will get.

When will the Conservatives stop this abuse and stop this unethical and illegal behaviour?

[Federal Appointments, October 9th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, it is the same old story of shady fundraising behaviour.

Michael McSweeney, a registered lobbyist for the Cement Association of Canada, organized a fundraiser for the Natural Resources minister from his corporate office. Robert Poirier organized a fundraiser for the Industry minister and was rewarded with an appointment to the Toronto Port Authority, better known as the Tory pork authority.

Will the ministers actually admit that using private companies, crown corporations and lobbyists to raise money for themselves is unethical and unacceptable?

[Afghanistan, October 9th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, after eight years of fighting a war in Afghanistan, there is more corruption, more drug trade, more civilian and troop deaths and more insurgency. Hundreds of thousands of Afghans still do not have access to potable water.

Everyone agrees that there is no military solution possible and that a new direction is needed. New Democrats have opposed this war right from the beginning. We believe that spending $9 on war fighting and $1 on development is wrong. We believe that spending $18 billion on a combat mission is wrong.

Canada must formally announce to NATO the withdrawal of our troops, and we should do it now. Canada must bring hope, peace and stability in Afghanistan by gathering countries in the region to support negotiations to end the war. We must establish a road map for peace.

It is time to end the war, not extend it.

[October 8th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, fair and equitable treatment of live-in caregivers means the end of exploitation. As long as the live-in caregivers come in as temporary foreign workers, many of them will be exploited by people who have power and money. We have seen it, yes, and we have heard their testimony, and some of those stories are tragic.

The best way to solve the problem is to allow them to come in as permanent residents with the condition that they have to work in Canada for two or three years and then the condition can be removed.

Coming in as permanent residents means that they could walk away from a job without fearing deportation. It means that they could speak up if they have been told to work in unfair living conditions, and that is the kind of action that needs to take place now.

[October 8th, 2009]

Madam Speaker, Canada was built by immigrants, from the Irish refugees fleeing the potato famine at the turn of the century to the Chinese workers who helped build the Canadian railway that united Canada.

These immigrants built Canada because they were able to establish roots in Canada, they were able to stay here permanently. Some got married, had children and grandchildren. They had a future in Canada. They built the nation.

Now, in 2009, the Conservatives treat migrant workers as economic units, not as nation builders. Here and now, across the country, we have over 364,000 temporary foreign workers who have little future in Canada. Last year alone, 192,519 were brought into Canada as migrant workers. They toil year after year but most of their children and their parents will not have a chance to come to Canada and join them. This is unfair, unjust and un-Canadian. If foreign workers are good enough to work here, these workers should be good enough to stay here permanently.

Through the exploitation of tens of thousands of migrant workers and their families, the Conservative government is driving down wages and working conditions for Canadian workers.

The Conservatives promised to fix it, but they did not deliver. They said they would fix the live-in caregivers program, yet today no action. There is nothing temporary about live-in caregivers. As long as we do not have a national universal child care program or a home care program for seniors, these caregivers are needed in Canada permanently.

By offering the chance of permanent status to these workers, we can eliminate unfair conditions and wages, just as the rest of Canadians expect for themselves.

All workers should have access to employment insurance and Canada pension plan since they contribute to it, but right now migrant workers cannot get it. They should have access to the health care system because they pay for it through their taxes, but most of them cannot get it in the first few months. The same holds true for all health and safety protection and workers compensation if they are injured at the job. They should have the right to join a union. Temporary foreign workers deserve the same rights as Canadians take advantage of every day.

Families are the foundation for healthy and strong communities and every individual should be afforded the same rights.

The citizenship and immigration committee spent two years and formulated two reports with many recommendations to stop the exploitation of temporary foreign workers and welcome them as nation builders, not just economic units.

When will the Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism heed the call of his colleagues and stem the flow of migrant workers into this country, improve the working conditions for those who are here, provide them with hope so they can stay here permanently to help build communities that are harmonious, healthy, diverse and vibrant?

[Economic Recovery Act (stimulus), October 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, the Harbour Village Resident Association started a home energy retrofit project. The project offered residents an opportunity to lower heating bills, reduce their carbon footprint, and make their homes more comfortable.

This is made possible through the home renovation tax credit and the ecoenergy program. People are getting a home energy audit for $131.75 and receiving information on where to make the biggest difference with the least investment.

Why will the member not support home energy upgrades, so people can get a grant back from the government which will make a big difference in energy bills?

[Tax Harmonization, October 7th, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, we know it is the minister who is spending $6 billion of our tax money and signed an agreement for the HST tax hike. We know he refuses to properly fund seniors' pensions. What we do not know is why he is adding a new tax that would take a big bite out of the retirement savings of people across the country.

Mutual fund fees will be subjected to an 8% tax grab. Why are the Conservatives making life harder, more difficult and less affordable for Canadians?

[Toronto Port Authority, October 1st, 2009]

Mr. Speaker, recently the Minister of Transport appointed Robert Poirier to the port authority. Mr. Poirier is a generous Conservative donor who organized yet another fundraiser, this one for the industry minister, at $1,000 a plate.

Other board members include Craig Rix and Jeremy Adams, both former staff of the Harris Conservative government. No wonder Torontonians call it “the pork authority”.

When will the Prime Minister disband the board and return the port and the waterfront to the good people of Toronto?