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ANCC Congratulates First Nations for Government of Canada Apology

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  • ANCC Congratulates First Nations for Government of Canada Apology

    Armenian National Committee of Canada
    Comité National Arménien du Canada
    130 Albert St., Suite/Bureau 1007
    Ottawa, ON
    KIP 5G4
    Tel./Tél. (613) 235-2622 Fax/Téléc. (613) 238-2622
    E-mail/courriel:national.office@anc-canad a.com

    www.anccanada.org
    PRESS RELEASE

    June 23, 2008
    Contact: Roupen Kouyoumjian

    ANCC Congratulates First Nations for Government of Canada Apology

    Ottawa--The executive director of the Armenian National Committee of
    Canada (ANCC) congratulated the First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine on
    the Canadian Government's historic apology for the institionalized
    abuse and discrimination in the residential school system. Aris
    Babikian of ANCC met Chief Fontaine on June 22 at the Canadian Jewish
    Congress' annual meeting.

    Babikian commended Fontaine and his colleagues for their wisdom,
    patience and their leadership on achieving the important milestone.

    Babikian said to the leader of the First Nations that the Armenian
    people, who were victims of genocide nearly a century ago, are still
    waiting for acknowledgment from the Turkish government. Babikian said
    he highly valued the government of Canada's statement and that he was
    confident such strong ethical and moral pledges would speed up the
    reconciliation and healing process between the First Nations and the
    rest of Canadians.

    Babikian pledged the Canadian-Armenian community's and the ANCC's
    solidarity for the First Nations and said he looked forward to much
    closer cooperation in the future.

    During his keynote speech, Chief Fontaine said, `We have achieved the
    impossible.' He said that he considered the apology `so very important
    to all Canadians because the residential schools meant the denial of
    our existence and the denial of our culture.' The apology, said the
    Chief, would "start a new relationship and new existence for the First
    Nations and Canadians . . . The June 11 apology is very much about
    hope and reshaping Canada so everyone can be treated fairly. But most
    important it's about reconciliation. Reconciliation is about learning
    to live together and to heal.'

    Chief Fontaine reviewed the history of the mistreatment of the First
    Nations in Canada and what the aboriginal people have achieved
    lately. He said he was cognizant of the challenges the First Nations
    are facing, specially in education, health care and housing. He
    appealed for the support of `all right people' to overcome these
    challenges.

    ********

    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.

    Regional Chapters/Sections régionales

    Montréal - Laval - Ottawa - Toronto - Hamilton - Cambridge -
    St. Catharines - Windsor - Vancouver
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