Free Trade With Columbia?

Another interesting story on NPR dealing with the economy and interest groups was a segment devoted to America and Canada having free trade with Columbia. Canadian’s president signed a bill allowing free trade with Columbia; the bill is currently being reviewed by parliament. Surprisingly President Bush had attempted to pass a bill for free trade with Columbia but was shut down by the Democratically controlled Congress. I’d like to study further this proposed bill and the incentives to free trade with such an extremely violent and corrupt country. Personally I feel free trade with Columbia would be a good thing and perhaps stimulate our economy and inspire Columbia to diverge from its violent ways. American and Canadian labor unions, human right organizations and economic interest groups all disputed and lobbied parliament and congress. Last year alone there were over 34 assassinations in Columbia of labor union leaders and this year the number grew to 41 assassinations. Another staggering stat is that Columbia’s coca fields have actually increased by 27% from last year. It seems that Columbia is still entrenched in its violent corrupt ways. But is this reason enough to not support economic stimulus? If you feel that trading with a country that has political and labor assassinations and its major export is one of the most dangerous drugs in the world then you’re really supporting isolationism. America has made trillions in the production, sales and trading of military arms to some of the most horrible oppressive regimes in the world for instance Iraq or Israel. I would be very interested in seeing the ramifications of free trade with Columbia either from the United States or Canada.