Canadian Senate Recognizes Genocide

[wh00t]

Almost unanimously -- 39 to 1.

 

OTTAWA—With Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) representatives from throughout Canada watching from the gallery, the Senate of Canada, by an overwhelming vote, adopted a motion to recognize the Armenian Genocide. Motion 44 was sponsored by Senator Shirley Maheu and seconded by Senator Raymond C. Setlakwe, both from Quebec. The motion, see attached text, was adopted 39 to one.

 

An ANCC delegation has been in Ottawa for the past week educating Senators about the importance to Canada of standing up against Turkey's campaign to deny the first genocide of the 20th Century.

 

After the vote, a beaming Senator Maheu said: "This recognition enables Armenians the world over to turn the page on this sad chapter of their collective history and resolutely face the future."

 

A tearful Senator Setlakwe said: "I supported Senator Maheu's motion to preserve a historical memory. Humanity is far from being safe from a repetition of this massacre. That it is all the more important that the Genocide be recognized. Africa and many other places in the world are threatened by this sort of barbaric behavior."

 

"The Senate recognition of the Armenian Genocide is an important message to the world that such a mark on human dignity will not be tolerated," said Hagop Der Khatchadourian, The Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC) Chairman. "In keeping with the Canadian tradition of preventing such crimes against humanity, the adoption of the motion will enhance Canada's standing as a compassionate and a fair-minded country, where principles take priority over expediency and short-term political or economic gain," said the ANCC chairman. "We congratulate Senators Maheu and Setlakwe for sponsoring the motion and we would like to salute the Senate of Canada for its principled stand on such an important human rights issue," said Der Khatchadourian.

 

The ANCC President, Dr. Jerair Basmadjian, urged the Government and the House of Commons to "call a spade a spade and follow in the foot-steps of the Senate, the legislative assemblies of Ontario and Quebec and recognize the Genocide of the Armenians as such." In 1980 the legislators of Ontario and Quebec recognized the Armenian Genocide and urged the Government of Canada to follow suit.

 

ANCC was the driving force behind the motion. During the past fifteen months ANCC and its coast-to-coast chapters worked closely with senators, providing them with voluminous documentation on the Armenian Genocide.

 

 

 

2. Resolution on the Recognition And Commemration of the Armenian Genocide

Whereas on April 24, 1915, the Ottoman Turkish authorities arrested, and later executed, over 2300 prominent leaders of the Armenian community in Istanbul, without cause or reason, but for their race and religion, signaling the beginning of the first genocide of the 20th century;

 

Whereas using the First World War as a cover for their operations, Ottoman Turkish authorities ordered and carried out the systematic slaughter of Armenians living in six provinces of Eastern Anatolia and Cilicia, in an effort to exterminate the Armenian presence in those regions;

 

Whereas the Ottoman Turkish authorities exiled the survivors of the massacres from their homes and native lands;

 

Whereas the historical record clearly demonstrates that the events occurring between 1915 and 1918 that resulted in the massacre and exile of the Armenian population of Eastern Anatolia and Cilicia constitutes a genocide as defined by international customary law and by the United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide of December 11th, 1948;

 

Whereas the government of the Republic of Turkey distorts the historical record and denies that the Armenian Genocide took place;

 

Whereas the parliaments of Argentina, Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Russia, Sweden, Uruguay and the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches have condemned the massacres of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire and recognized them as constituting a genocide;

 

Whereas the Armenian Genocide has also been recognized by the National Assembly of Quebec, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and the Canadian Council of Churches;

 

Whereas thousands of Armenian Genocide survivors and their descendants now reside in Canada as Canadian citizens and enrich Canada's multicultural heritage;

 

Whereas Canada is a country which prides itself on the rule of law and of the respect of human rights and liberties;

 

Whereas April 24th has become a symbolic date of remembrance for Armenian-Canadians and for people of Armenian origin all over the world;

 

Whereas the resolution of the Armenian Genocide issue could help peacefully resolve several long-lasting conflicts in the South Caucasus

 

Be it Resolved That this house calls upon the Government of Canada:

 

a. to recognize the genocide of the Armenians and to condemn any attempt to deny or distort a historical truth as being anything less than a genocide, a crime against humanity, and;

 

b. to designate 24th of every year hereafter throughout Canada as a day of remembrance of the 1.5 million Armenians who fell victim to the first genocide of the 20th century.

[MosJan]

BrAvO

[khodja]

SHAME ON THE UNITED STATES

[MosJan]

hagarag amen inch ir jamanakn uni USA el klini ham

mer xndir pit lutsvi shudov

Hampere hogis hampere...

 

Yev menq Hayits mer Qicharin Mer Masisi Lanjin pit Parenq !!!

 

[ June 15, 2002, 09:12 PM: Message edited by: MosJan ]

[Arine]

Great news!

I was just wondering if this is the final recognition of the gencoide by Canada?

Does this mena thta the Canadian government is fully recognizing the Genocide?

[MadArmo]

Fantastic !!!

 

I wonder if Turkey is going to cut off diplomatic ties with Canada over it, Anyway great work ANCC We are all proud of your efforts and hard work. Time to harvest the fruits of your labor...

 

http://home.earthlink.net/~artsakh/_images/armen.gif

[MosJan]

if this is the final recognition Atom Yegoyan is saved by the bell:) in case of turkey sueing him or the mediamax over Ararat. since the movie is made in canada / corect me if i'm wrong.

[wh00t]

Arine, we cannot view this as official government recognition. Such a resolution would have to be accepted by the House of Commons (where the Liberals have recently reiterated, in reponse to representative Sarkis Assadourian's inquiries, that they would NOT accept it), and then finally to the government for approval.

 

We have to be able to make this distinction.

[Arine]

In my opinion The House of Commons will recognize it too. IF they were totally against the recognition, I'm sure that Senate wouldn not have recognized it. I know that they're different brances of government, but still I think that if their government was against such recognition they wouldn't pass it. Am I correct? ANyone with me on this one?

[wh00t]

On another note, should Canada really be commended for this? The representatives of the United States have showed themselves to be much more open to the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

 

While the Armenian resolution seems to have widespread support in the CanadianSenate (or this this just a trump card being played to honor Egoyan?), the cause has widespread in both the Senate AND the House. In addition, there has been little recognition in Canadian high-ranking officals, whereas in the United States the current leader and Speaker of the House have at one point or another called a spade a spade. Not two mention at least two or three US president in the past. No such Canadian figures in recent memory come to mind.

 

I am reluctant to congratulate my country on this one. In my opinion this bill still has little chance of passing the House. At least the US was willing to pass their House bill before it was pulled by Clinton minutes before the vote!

[Arine]

I remember the House passing the bill and Clinton rejecting it. So the next time when ANCA presents the bill to the president of the US (whoever it will be), the bill has to go only through the president right? I mean the president is the final stage for the recognition, if, of course, he signs the bill. Am I correct or not.

 

In my opinion ANCA didn't do the right thing by trying to make Clinton recognize it at the last minute, cause it was Clinton's 2nd term and he wasn't going to run again, so that means that he didn't need any votes. ANCA should introduce the bill to BUsh at the end of his 1st term, cause he's running for the 2nd term. If he doesn't sign it then we should even be voting for him.

[Arine]

In the last sentence

i meant to say shouldn't .