Ottawa (11 July 2008) - Federal NDP Leader Jack Layton says it's "simply outrageous" for Ottawa to sign a trade deal with Colombia with a clause calling for the South American nation to pay a fine to a special fund whenever a union activist is murdered.

It's not clear how the fund would work and the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper has not released any details on the payment scheme, negotiated with the government of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe.

NDP trade critic Peter Julian describes the proposal, written into the Canada-Colombia trade plan, as "kill-a-unionist-pay-a-fine." He predicts that it will become a significant issue during the fall session of Parliament.