Mr. Speaker, the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia have reached a peace agreement after 52 years of armed conflict.
The Bloc Québécois commends this historic agreement and congratulates the Colombian president, Juan Manuel Santos, who was recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
However, the people of Colombia rejected that agreement by a very narrow margin in a referendum with a very low turnout rate. This referendum illustrates just how hard it is to rise above the suffering left by 52 years of conflict and grief; it is hard, but also courageous.
For the sake of all the direct and indirect victims of the conflict, for the sake of the younger generation, who deserve a safe country in which to flourish, it is important to pursue the path of peace.
We urge all sides to continue the dialogue in an inclusive process and choose the brightest possible future for all Colombians.