Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to draw to the House's attention one more victory for democracy and a return to peace for the millions of citizens of Liberia.
Last week marked the second round of balloting in the first democratic election held in over 15 years in Liberia. The turnout was 74%.
This poor west African country has endured more than 14 years of civil war, which left more than 300,000 dead and forced many thousands more into exile.
Not only was this democratic election a historical event, but it was also proof that things are changing for the better in that part of the world, as evidenced by the victory of Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the first black woman to be elected to such a position in Africa.
The Bloc Québécois salutes the women and men of Liberia for their determination to open the door to democracy, and extends its best wishes to the new president as she assumes her duties.