As I continue my attempt to track down as many of the queer Parliamentarians as possible this week, I managed to catch up with Liberal MP Mario Silva after Question Period today, before he dashed off to his next engagement.
Q: It’s the last stretch before the summer, so I’m wondering what you have planned to do before the House rises?
A: We still have a series of committee work that we’re doing, both at the Human Rights and the International Trade committee. There’s a possibility of our Trade committee going in the next couple of weeks to Brazil, so that’s on the table. We also have a visit from [Colombian] President Uribe in the next couple of weeks as well, so that’s going to be part of our committee, so we’re going to be dealing with that as well. So there’s a few issues left. We’re dealing right now with the Colombia free trade agreement – we’ve finished with Peru, there’s a possibility of engaging countries like Brazil in the future with free trade agreements, so those are things that we’re working on as a committee.
Q: This bill right now on the free trade deal with Colombia – I take it the committee is looking forward to getting that?
A: Yes, although I think that’s going to take a long stretch – there’s going to be still a lot of work to be done, even in the fall. It’s not an easy issue because it’s not a question of just trade, it’s also a serious issue of human rights that people are raising are raising on this, and we’re listening to the various opinions that there are on this issue.
Q: Any other pet causes or issues that you’re still looking to raise before the summer comes?
A: That would be it for now.
Of course, I think that Silva was being coy about that last answer, because not half an hour later I got a press release announcing that he and another MP would be launching a Parliamentary initiative to combat antisemitism, so I’ll bring you more on that as it develops.
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