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BloombergDemocrats' Michaud Criticizes Canada-Colombian Trade Agreement
By Theophilos Argitis
May 7 (Bloomberg) -- Michael Michaud, a leader of U.S. congressional Democrats opposed to a free-trade agreement with Colombia, said Canada's plan for an accord with the Latin American country won't improve human rights.
``I don't buy Prime Minister Harper's argument,'' Michaud said by telephone, referring to Canada's Stephen Harper. ``The president of Colombia, if he wants to truly treat the workers fairly and deal with labor rights and low standards, he can pretty much do that now. He doesn't need a trade agreement to deal with that.''
Canadian Trade Minister David Emerson said in an interview two days ago that he's ``cautiously optimistic'' a pact with Colombia can be reached by September. Harper has made the issue a priority, saying an agreement will help improve democracy in Colombia and help President Alvaro Uribe stem violence against labor leaders.
A Canada-Colombia accord also would give Canadian farmers preferential access to the U.S.'s third largest market for wheat exports in Latin America at a time when Democrats in Congress are stalling a similar deal over concerns about violence against labor organizers in Colombia.
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