Mr. Speaker, on October 4, at the invitation of the electoral council of the State of Chiapas, I led a Canadian mission to Mexico to observe the election there. Voters went to the polls to choose representatives for the 40 seats of the local assembly and mayors for 111 municipalities.
The joint Senate and House of Commons delegation was accompanied by a delegation from the Assembly of First Nations. To our delight, the election was a calm event with no bloodshed.
We are happy to note that government officials and citizens in the State of Chiapas are headed in the right direction, that is to say towards a stable and resounding democracy.
This mission shows once again the spirit of co-operation and assistance underlying our relations with our neighbours in Mexico. We wish the best of luck to our Mexican colleagues and thank them for their warm welcome.