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Armenian National Committee of Canada
130 Albert Street, Suite 1007
Ottawa, Ontraio
KIP 5G4
Tel. (613) 235-2622 Fax (613) 238-2622
PRESS RELEASE
April 3, 2006
Contact: Art Hagopian
(905) 727-7755
Roupen Kouyoumjian
(514) 336-7095
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Recognizes the Armenian Genocide
Ottawa - The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia unanimously adopted a
Private Member's Motion 59, recognizing the Armenian Genocide and to
designate April 24th of every year as a remembrance day for the 1.5 million
Armenians who fell victim to the first genocide of the 20th Century.
The debate on the Motion, which was sponsored by Member of the Legislative
Assembly (MLA) Adrian Dix (Vancouver-Kingsway), commenced at 11:00 p.m. and
was voted upon at the end of the allotted one hour according to Private
Member's Motion rules.
MLAs Adrian Dix (Vancouver-Kingsway), Rob Fleming (Victoria-Hillside), Randy
Hawes (Maple Ridge-Mission), Dave S. Hayer (Surrey-Tynehead), John Horgan
(Malahat-Juan De Fuca), Murine Karagianis (Esquimalt-Metchosin), Leonared
Krog (Naniamo), Kevin Krueger
(Kamloops-North Thompson), John Nuraney (Burnaby-Wellingdon), Micheal Sather
(Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows), and John Yap (Richmond-Stevenston) spoke in
support of the Motion.
Since last August The Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC), The
Armenian National Committee of Canada - West (ANCCW), and The Armenian
National Committee of Vancouver (ANCV), have worked closely with the MLAs
Dix, Hawes, Sather, and Hayer to build non-partisan support for Motion 59.
The ANCC, ANCCW and ANCV delegates had numerous meetings with various MLAs
to brief them on the Motion's importance as a universal human rights issue.
In addition, the delegates presented historical overview of the Genocide and
supporting documents.
The executive director of The Armenian National Committee of Canada Aris
Babkian, on behalf of the Canadian-Armenian community, thanked MLAs Adrian
Dix and Randy Hawes for their leadership role in the successful adoption of
the Motion. Furthermore, Mr. Babikian thanked members who spoke in favour of
the Motion and the members who voted to adopt it.
Mr. Babikian said: `This is a historic day for our community in Canada and
in British Columbia. The steadfast support and the unanimous vote of the
MLAs demonstrates once again that the Turkish Government's denial policy and
rewriting of history will not succeed. We call upon the Turkish Government
to be constructive, to come to terms with its dark history and to
acknowledge its predecessors' guilt and extend a hand of atonement and
reconciliation to the Armenian People.'
-30-
Motion 59 Text
59 Mr. Dix to move -
Be it resolved that this House recognize the genocide of the Armenians as a
crime against humanity. Be it further resolved that this House urge the BC
government to designate April 24th of every year hereafter throughout BC as
a day of remembrance for the 1.5 million Armenians who fell victim to the
first genocide of the 20th Century.
The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of
offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of
the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of issues.
130 Albert Street, Suite 1007
Ottawa, Ontraio
KIP 5G4
Tel. (613) 235-2622 Fax (613) 238-2622
PRESS RELEASE
April 3, 2006
Contact: Art Hagopian
(905) 727-7755
Roupen Kouyoumjian
(514) 336-7095
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
Recognizes the Armenian Genocide
Ottawa - The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia unanimously adopted a
Private Member's Motion 59, recognizing the Armenian Genocide and to
designate April 24th of every year as a remembrance day for the 1.5 million
Armenians who fell victim to the first genocide of the 20th Century.
The debate on the Motion, which was sponsored by Member of the Legislative
Assembly (MLA) Adrian Dix (Vancouver-Kingsway), commenced at 11:00 p.m. and
was voted upon at the end of the allotted one hour according to Private
Member's Motion rules.
MLAs Adrian Dix (Vancouver-Kingsway), Rob Fleming (Victoria-Hillside), Randy
Hawes (Maple Ridge-Mission), Dave S. Hayer (Surrey-Tynehead), John Horgan
(Malahat-Juan De Fuca), Murine Karagianis (Esquimalt-Metchosin), Leonared
Krog (Naniamo), Kevin Krueger
(Kamloops-North Thompson), John Nuraney (Burnaby-Wellingdon), Micheal Sather
(Maple Ridge - Pitt Meadows), and John Yap (Richmond-Stevenston) spoke in
support of the Motion.
Since last August The Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC), The
Armenian National Committee of Canada - West (ANCCW), and The Armenian
National Committee of Vancouver (ANCV), have worked closely with the MLAs
Dix, Hawes, Sather, and Hayer to build non-partisan support for Motion 59.
The ANCC, ANCCW and ANCV delegates had numerous meetings with various MLAs
to brief them on the Motion's importance as a universal human rights issue.
In addition, the delegates presented historical overview of the Genocide and
supporting documents.
The executive director of The Armenian National Committee of Canada Aris
Babkian, on behalf of the Canadian-Armenian community, thanked MLAs Adrian
Dix and Randy Hawes for their leadership role in the successful adoption of
the Motion. Furthermore, Mr. Babikian thanked members who spoke in favour of
the Motion and the members who voted to adopt it.
Mr. Babikian said: `This is a historic day for our community in Canada and
in British Columbia. The steadfast support and the unanimous vote of the
MLAs demonstrates once again that the Turkish Government's denial policy and
rewriting of history will not succeed. We call upon the Turkish Government
to be constructive, to come to terms with its dark history and to
acknowledge its predecessors' guilt and extend a hand of atonement and
reconciliation to the Armenian People.'
-30-
Motion 59 Text
59 Mr. Dix to move -
Be it resolved that this House recognize the genocide of the Armenians as a
crime against humanity. Be it further resolved that this House urge the BC
government to designate April 24th of every year hereafter throughout BC as
a day of remembrance for the 1.5 million Armenians who fell victim to the
first genocide of the 20th Century.
The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of
offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of
the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of issues.