Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I'm not really sure what that means, but I can tell you that all of our staff are free to move. We've never had any difficulties of our Eritreans or other Eritreans moving within the country, in and out of site. We certainly have security at site, I didn't mean to say that, but there's a free flow of people.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  As to how recent that was, I think it was back in 2008 when that audit process was going on. I don't have the permission just to release that kind of documentation. It wasn't hired directly by us, in any case...[Inaudible--Editor]

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I think we are—I suppose indirectly, as we can't force anything on anybody—providing a tremendous example of how successful operations can run without human rights violations.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Certainly: there are many, many visitors to the Bisha site, international as well as local people who aren't involved with our company. We've also had interaction with Human Rights Watch. So we would be happy for MPs at the table, or any other organizations, to visit the Bisha site.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Certainly: the name of the subcontractor is Segen Construction. As to who owns them, we believe they are similar to a crown corporation. It's government-owned, in some manner, so it's a state corporation and not a private subcontractor. The other part of your question was...?

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Yes. When we initially started looking for contractors, and when our contractor was looking for subcontractors, we were advised of the appropriate subcontractor to use. I will give you an example. When we started the copper phase, it was late 2011. We commenced the copper phase with our own people and staff.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  It's not really my position to comment on what their policy might be. As to whether they will sometime in the future, I certainly can't be certain. They have said they don't wish to. That's my understanding. But in saying that, they are also aware that we are already providing that information.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Let me get back to...and I'm sorry if I was perceived to be in any way disrespectful to Mr. Cotler. I guess we have engaged over time with them. We insisted, for instance, in the use of Segen, that the subcontractor's employees, anybody who was on our site, had to be free of national service, had to be working of their own free will.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Well, first of all, I don't acknowledge the premise, because that's a premise that is asserted by people outside of certainly our mine site, and there are no human rights violations on our mine site.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  First of all, that's not in my purview as president and CEO of the company, and that is certainly not my objective. If you'd like to come to the country, I invite any one of you to the country. We'd be happy to sponsor you.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I don't know what else I can say. We provide a very good environment for our people.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I'll repeat myself as well, Mr. Cotler. I stand by the words in that report. I've said them many, many times to many, many people. There's no effort, by any government official, whether they be with the government or a crown corporation, or a state official, whatsoever with respect to corruption.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Okay. At any rate, we do a tremendous amount of good within the country, and we're very proud of it. I think you as members of Parliament actually should be very proud that you have a Canadian company in there establishing strong international standards.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I believe Mrs. Chyrum's source of information may be very limited. Directly to your question, no, it's not an accurate statement, either in the early days or now. I think I said in my preliminary, but I can expand on it a bit, that the average workforce of the Eritreans and the subcontractors was 440.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you.