We've had very strong assurance from our security forces and others that the process will be protected. I don't think anybody should be naive. Those who hate the fact that people can have freedom and can choose for themselves will be out to try to destroy and to hurt.
When you look at the overall participation rate, and final figures were out today—we're just looking at those right now—it's something along the line of 38%, 39%. Sometimes there can be an initial reflection of “that's not very high”. Well, in the last election in Vancouver--and I'm from B.C. and I love Vancouver--the turnout was less than that. I don't think that delegitimizes the mayor. In the last election in Halifax it was 26%. I don't think that makes the process in Halifax any less legitimate. And those people who went to vote in those cities did not do so under threat of their life, of their families being killed, kidnapped, or homes being burnt to the ground and their livelihood destroyed. All things considered, I think we need to take that into effect.
We would have liked to have seen a higher turnout. We would have liked to have seen a higher turnout in the last federal election in Canada. So let's just keep that in mind.
We shouldn't be surprised that in one of the areas of intense activity, as far as Taliban extremist activities is concerned, where we see everything from girls going to school having acid thrown into their faces, schools being burnt down, elderly women being decapitated, the intentional slaughter of children.... I mean, we are dealing with a demented and perverted force—being the extremist Taliban element—and they are very active in this area where Canadians have paid a high price.
As I said, we hope it will go well. Security will be provided at optimum levels, and I think we should not be naive about things that may happen.