Mr. Speaker, this being Women's History Month, I would like to pay tribute to a trail-blazing woman in municipal politics: Françoise Bouchard, the outgoing mayor of Dixville. Originally from the Eastern Townships, Ms. Bouchard was the first female city manager, the first female municipal councillor and the first female mayor of her town. She made local history with her fierce commitment, her indomitable spirit and her quiet pride.
Since 1984, she has devoted no less than 40 years of her life to politics. At 84, she is now the oldest mayor in Quebec. Despite her venerable age, she has not lost her spark. During her last term in office, the municipality has been able to acquire unused buildings to lay the foundation for an ambitious project to set up municipal offices, build a community centre and provide accessible housing. Ms. Bouchard's accomplishments command respect. I thank her for everything she has done.