Nearly all Canadian political forces stand for international recognition of Armenian Genocide

PanARMENIAN.Net - Over 1,000 Canadian-Armenians from Montreal, Laval, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, Cambridge, and St. Catharines gathered on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on April 24 to commemorate the 93rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of Canada.

 

After playing the national anthems of Canada and Armenia by Homenetment Montreal's boy scouts band, Taline Abrakian, the master of ceremonies, invited the gathering to observe a moment of silence in memory of the victims of the Armenian Genocide and all other genocides.



Immediately thereafter, Archbishop Khajag Hagopian, Prelate of the Armenian Prelacy of Canada; Rev. Mher S. Khatchikian of the Armenian Evangelical Church of Montreal; Very Rev. Georges Zabarian from Notre Dame de Nareg Armenian Catholic Church in Montreal and other clergymen conducted a requiem service for the victims of the Genocide.



Dr. Girair Basmadjian, president of the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC), extended the Canadian-Armenian community's "expressions of gratitude to the Canadian Senate and the House of Commons for their adoptions of resolutions recognizing the Armenian genocide." Moreover, he said that he was "proud as a Canadian of Armenian heritage to listen to our Prime Minister reaffirm, in no uncertain terms, the position of our government," on the Armenian Genocide as a Government policy.

 

Dr. Badsmadjian said that he welcomed the honest opinions of Turkish genocide scholars, authors and historians, who have confirmed unequivocally the Armenian genocide perpetrated by the Turkish government in 1915. "They deserve praise and congratulations because they are victimized by their current government, not the government of 1915. Actually, the government of today does not miss any opportunity to prosecute and punish honest Turkish academics who exercise their freedom of expressions for anti-Turkishness and treason. The terror against those academic voices is legalized by laws in Turkey."



Pierre Lemieux, parliamentary secretary for official languages and deputy whip of the Conservative Party, talked about the positive contributions the Canadian-Armenian community had made to Canada.  He said: "Armenian-Canadians are an integral part of this country's history, and Canadians of Armenian heritage have definitely made an important contribution to the Canada of today."



As official opposition and as government, the Conservative Party recognized the Armenian Genocide and would continue to do so, Lemieux emphasized. He reminded everyone of the "letter that Prime Minister Stephen Harper sent to the Armenian National Committee of Canada," where the prime minister said: "We have made it very clear that our recognition of the Armenian genocide represents the official position of the Government of Canada."



At the end of his speech, Mr. Lemieux read the Right Hon. Stephan Harper's message. The Prime Minister in his message "on the day of commemoration of the Armenian genocide," recalled "the terrible loss of life…and in particular the horrific suffering endured by the Armenian people." He also reminded Canadians "that both Houses of Parliament have adopted resolutions recognizing 'the first genocide of the twentieth century.'" 

 

Dr. Bernard Party representing the Liberal Party of Canada, relayed the message of the leader of the official opposition the Hon. Stephan Dion. Mr. Dion said that he greeted with "deep reverence" the people gathered on Parliament Hill to commemorate the 93rd anniversary of the Armenian Genocide." He paused to "remember those Armenians who were persecuted and killed in 1915" and expressed solidarity with the survivors."



Madam Nicole Demers, representing the Bloc Québécois, described her fond memories about her recent visit to Armenia and her admiration of the Armenian people. She told the gathering that she and her leader, Gilles Duceppe, would stand by the Armenian community until justice is rendered. She also urged Armenians to continue the struggle for the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide and that they should not stop until it is achieved.



Paul Dewar, representing the New Democratic Party, read the NDP leader, Mr. Jack Layton's message where Mr. Layton committed the NDP to work with the Canadian-Armenian community to "press other countries to recognize this horrific chapter of our collective history and for non-governmental organizations such as the UN to recognize one of the worse crimes against humanity in the 20th century." 



In his speech, Jon-Carlos Tsilfidis, director of public relations of the Pontian Community in Toronto, recalled the Armenian Genocide as "an unprecedented event in human history both in terms of the misery and destruction it exacted…Many have called it the first holocaust of the 20th century but sadly, it was not the last…Sadly, there are still some people who deny the very existence of the Genocide… This is why events such as the gathering of today are vital…We have to shout out the truth, to amplify our memories and to let them resonate in the historical record… In the Turkey of today, Armenian Genocide denial has somehow been transformed into national doctrine. 



"My message to you today is that we can never forget. We, as the Greeks of Pontos, share your pain of the past and are prepared for the challenges that lie ahead. We know all too well about 'relocations', 'deportations', and death marches.  We have been down that road ourselves as well. We will walk step by step with you."



The keynote speaker, Ken Hachikian, chairman of the Armenian National Committee of America, reiterated that "Canada's recognition of the Armenian Genocide both holds profound meaning for the Armenian nation and has sent a powerful message to the government of Turkey as well as to those who condone Turkey's campaign of denial by looking the other way… The acknowledgement of this crime by your Parliament and Prime Minister Stephen Harper - in the face of fierce foreign threats and intimidation and no end of political pressure - speaks to Canada's courage in matching her actions with her ideals. It also speaks to her special role as a worldwide leader in advancing human rights…In taking this step toward justice for the Armenian Genocide, Canada served many noble aims, first and foremost among them the cause of our collective conscience, our shared morality, and our common humanity as citizens of the international community."



Hachikian said that a "vital part of ending the cycle of genocide is rejecting the denial of past genocides…As Armenians we are owed a profound debt, but also carry a special burden like the Jews, Pontians, Assyrians, Cambodians, Rwandans, and, unfortunately, too many others - to bear witness to the suffering visited upon our people. To make sure that the horrors of our past are not repeated against any other people, anywhere in the world."



The ANCA Chairman said he considered it chilling and ominous "the growing military partnership between Sudan and Turkey. The recent red carpet, three-day visit to Turkey by Sudan's president," and the Sudanese Government usage of "Turkish arms to kill the people of Darfur."

 

The ANCA chairman said that he found it ironic that after 93 years of the Armenian Genocide that "Sudan is today using the same tactics - including starvations and deportations - used by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians in 1915." 

 

Furthermore, he said: "Sudan is today already employing the same hateful methods used by Turkey to deny the Armenian Genocide."



At the conclusion of his remarks, Hachikian stated that "denial stands in the way of the truth. And without the truth, we can never have justice."

 

Thereafter the dignitaries and the people at the gathering laid flowers around the Centennial Flame in memory of the victims.



Among dignitaries present were Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and Canadian Identity Jason Kenney's chief of staff; the Executive Assistant of the President of Canada-Armenia Parliamentary Group President, Gary Goodyear; and Eric Vernon representing the Canadian Jewish Congress.



Then started the march toward the Turkish Embassy to protest the Turkish Government's denial policy, and called on the Turkish Government to recognize the Genocide.



Earlier in the day, a delegation headed by Dr. Vagarch Ehrmadjian, Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Canada, visited the Embassy of Armenian in Ottawa and laid a wreath at the "Armenia Immortal" monument which is dedicated to the victims of the Armenian Genocide.