Armenian National Committee of America
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PRESS RELEASE
April 21, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ANCA WELCOMES CANADA’S RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
— NATO Members Joins Growing Number of Nations
Officially Recognizing Turkey’s Crime Against Humanity
— Praises ANC of Canada for Success in Two Decade-Long Effort
OTTAWA, CANADA – With an overwhelmingly favorable vote of 153 to 68
in Parliament today, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
member Canada joined the growing number of nations that have
formally recognized the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).
The motion reads, simply “That this House acknowledges the Armenian
genocide of 1915 and condemns this act as a crime against
humanity.’
“Armenians in America and throughout the world welcome this
historic step by Canada,” said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director
of the ANCA. “The Canadian Parliament, in rejecting intense
Turkish government pressure, took an important step in further
isolating Turkey for its shameful, international campaign of
genocide denial.”
Today’s action, which followed yesterday’s second reading of the
Armenian Genocide Resolution, Bill M-380, is the culmination of
more than twenty years of work by the Armenian National Committee
of Canada, (ANCC) in Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, and
throughout the country. An ANCC team has been in the nation’s
capital for the past several weeks representing the community’s
views on this matter.
Bill M-380 was introduced last year by Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral
(Bloc Québecois), seconded by Sarkis Assadurian (Liberal), Alexa
McDonogugh (National Democratic Party), Jason Kenney (Conservative
Party). On February 21st, the Parliament held its first reading,
which included an hour of debate on the measure. Among those
speaking in favor of the Resolution during the first reading were
Derek Lee (Liberal), Eleni Bakopnaos (Liberal), Francine Lalonde
(BQ), Stockwell Day (PC) and the Hon, Lorne Nystrom (NDP).
The governing Liberal leadership paved the way for this vote by
allowing a “free vote,” meaning that individual members are allowed
to vote their conscience, without any pressure or negative
repercussions from their respective party leaderships.
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