Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you very much. I'm very happy to have the opportunity to respond to the question. I currently oversee 26 Canadian embassies and high commissions in the Americas. Our economic footprint in the region is a lot about investment and exploitive industries as well, where the C

International Trade committee  Perhaps I could add to that, and this relates back to the question Mr. Fast posed about what the benefits are of these mechanisms and the knock-on effects that they have in terms of advancing human rights in the country. One of the important elements that these kinds of agreemen

International Trade committee  I agree that these are important questions the government is addressing. If you're suggesting that it's the only country in the Americas where union leaders are under threat, I would disagree. El Salvador has been mentioned before as a country that's gone through a peace process

International Trade committee  I would like to respond at a general level. You spoke of some elements of the judicial sector—attacks on lawyers or threats to those who participate in the system. Then you made some more general comments about the human rights situation and its relation to economic undertaking

International Trade committee  I'm sorry, did you ask what steps Canada can take or is taking?

International Trade committee  Okay, let me talk a little bit about, particularly, what CIDA has been doing, because that's where our major investment in human rights is. Since 1999, Canada has contributed about $4.5 million to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia. We were very

International Trade committee  I haven't met with the specific individual you mentioned, but we have ongoing and regular consultations with NGOs and with experts in the academic sector, the human rights advocacy sector, and human rights defenders. Our embassy regularly meets with Colombian NGOs. Our Minister

International Trade committee  The chief negotiator may have more specific comments on the question of how an FTA might accelerate conditions that would permit a greater scope for rule of law and good governance in the country, but that's certainly a view we subscribe to. I can address your most specific que

International Trade committee  Yes, I would lead off, followed by Ms. Nelder-Corvari.

International Trade committee  Thank you very much, Mr. Chair and members of the committee, for this opportunity to come forward and speak to you today about Canada's FTA negotiations and human rights in Colombia. As I mentioned, my colleague Carol Nelder-Corvari, who is the chief negotiator from the Departmen