Debates of April 23rd, 1996

Supply

[Osvaldo Nunez, Bloc, Bourassa, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to participate in this debate on the Armenian genocide and I want to salute my Armenian friends from Montreal who are in the gallery.

[An hon. member]

And from Toronto.

[Osvaldo Nunez, Bloc, Bourassa, QC]

Yes, my friends from Toronto and throughout Canada.

Needless to say I strongly support the Bloc Quebecois motion, which states that, on the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the Armenian genocide that started on April 24, 1915, this House and the federal government recognize the week of April 20 to 27 of each year as the week to commemorate man's inhumanity to man.

I cannot support the government's amendment, as this was a genocide, not a tragedy. The extermination of one and a half million human beings is not a simple tragedy, it is a genocide. I commend my hon. colleague, the member for Ahuntsic, a riding next to mine, for the great work he has done on this issue.

As you know, I was born in Latin America, an area that has gone through dictatorships and civil wars, which have resulted in millions of murders, disappearances and blatant violations of the most basic human rights. I am therefore very sensitive to the ordeal the Armenian people have gone through. This people has been persecuted for centuries, but one event defies the imagination: the genocide that took the lives of one and a half million Armenian men, women and children between 1915 and 1917. I should point out that these were unarmed and often defenceless civilians.

During this tragic period of our history, more than 2,000 churches and 200 monasteries were desecrated, while half a million survivors were exiled and forced to live in foreign countries and with foreign cultures. Unfortunately, no reparation has taken place and no action has been taken against those responsible for this genocide.

Armenians are now scattered all around the world, in the United States, Canada, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, France, Lebanon, Syria and so on. But half of them are still living in Armenia. Canada's cultural heritage has been enriched by the arrival of 60,000 Armenians, I am told, 25,000 of whom live in Quebec.

As an immigrant myself and in my capacity as the official opposition critic for citizenship and immigration, I want to salute all our fellow citizens of Armenian origin and to recognize their most valuable contributions to Canada and Quebec. It is a very active and dynamic community whose members are present in all sectors of society, including economy, trade, social and community organizations, culture and politics.

I take this opportunity to salute the hon. member for Don Valley North, who is the first member of Armenian origin to sit in this House. As you know, I am the first member of Latin American origin to sit in Parliament. We share the same responsibility and honour.

The Armenian community is well integrated to its host country and it is also well structured. It has its own schools, churches and cultural centres. In spite of the hardships, Armenians managed to preserve their language, culture, traditions and values. Last Sunday, I delivered a speech in Saint-Laurent's Alex Manoogian school, during the commemoration of the 81st anniversary of the Armenian genocide.

I was very touched when a wreath was laid in honour of the martyrs by a man of over 85 years of age, who was a survivor of that genocide in Armenia, in 1915.

I am proud that the Government of Quebec and the National Assembly recognized the Armenian genocide, as did Ontario, Russia, Israel and the European Parliament. I am also pleased by the attitude and the action of Uruguay's president, who took part in a ceremony to commemorate this genocide.

As for the UN committee on the prevention of discrimination and the protection of minorities, it adopted, on August 29, 1985, a report which states that the 1915 extermination of Armenians is an example of genocide.

Meanwhile, the Canadian government merely deplored the fact that a large number of Armenians were killed during the wars that marked the end of the Ottoman empire, and extended its sympathy to the Armenian community. Given its tradition of democracy and respect for human rights, I hope that, some day, Canada will formally and clearly recognize the Armenian genocide. Why is the Canadian government waiting to make this long-awaited decision by Armenians and, I think, by Quebecers and Canadians as well? The government should stop making speeches and start taking concrete action. Even senator Bob Dole, who is now a candidate to the U.S. presidency, criticized Turkey for refusing to recognize the Armenian genocide.

I also want to express my support for the construction of a memorial for the Armenian martyrs by the city of Montreal. Mayor Pierre Bourque promised to erect such a monument in Marcelin-Wilson park, at the corner of Henri-Bourassa and l'Acadie boulevards, not far from my riding. The ground was broken for it in a ceremony on April 22, 1995 attended by various VIPs but then, seemingly as a result of pressures from the Turkish and Canadian governments, the work was stopped.

It must be noted, however, that such monuments are already in place in a number of cities throughout the world, in France, Lebanon, the United States, Switzerland, Colombia, Argentina, even in Toronto and Ville-St-Laurent in Canada. There are plans in Los Angeles to build an Armenian genocide museum. I therefore appeal to the mayor of Montreal to keep his promise to erect a monument to the Armenian martyrs.

I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to point out the worrisome state of human rights in the world. According to Amnesty International, torture is still practiced in more than one hundred countries. Basic human rights are being violated in Liberia, Algeria, Indonesia, China and other countries. Despite some improvements in Latin America, Amnesty International, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and a number of NGOs have condemned certain countries' use of torture, violence, repression, forced relocation of indigenous communities, the emergence of paramilitary groups, disappearances and impunity.

I feel it is my duty to condemn in this House the contradictions and lack of cohesiveness in the Canadian government's record in promoting democracy and human rights. When the Liberals were in opposition, they had a great deal to say about it, but now they are in power, they place trade before human rights.

This government does nothing to dissuade Canadian companies that invest in countries that do not respect human rights. It ought to follow the example of the European Union, which has taken such actions as making it illegal to import rugs that have been made by child labour.

The Canadian government ought to ensure that its trade agreements include clauses on the respect of human rights. It must be realized that repressive governments lead to instability, which is not propitious to trade and to investment.

I thank the Armenian community for marking, each year, the sad anniversary of this genocide. It has all my admiration and esteem, and deservedly so, for its struggle, its courage, its faithfulness to its language, its culture and its traditions.

It has not forgotten, nor will it ever forget, this tragic event. I support its efforts and tenacity in persuading the international community to do justice to its nation. I salute all those of Armenian origin, and offer them my sympathy and my undying solidarity.

[Sarkis Assadourian, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to thank those who participated in this debate. It is the first time this issue has been debated in Canadian history.

I also want to thank the parties involved, in this case the Bloc Quebecois, the Reform Party and the Liberal Party. I regret that the NDP and the Progressive Conservative Party did not participate in the debate.

I think it is incumbent on all of us to stand for one moment of silence for the victims of genocide.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

It being 6.27 p.m., it is my duty to interrupt proceedings and put forthwith any question necessary to dispose of the business of supply.

The question is on the amendment to the amendment. Is it the pleasure of the House to adopt the amendment to the amendment?

[Some hon. members]

Agreed.

[Some hon. members]

No.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

All those in favour of the amendment to the amendment will please say yea.

[Some hon. members]

Yea.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

All those opposed will please say nay.

[Some hon. members]

Nay.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

In my opinion the nays have it.

And more than five members having risen:

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

Call in the members.

(The House divided on the amendment to the amendment, which was negatived on the following division:)

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

I declare the amendment to the amendment negatived.

The next question is on the amendment.

[Don Boudria, Liberal, Glengarry—Prescott—Russell, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I wonder if there would be unanimous consent for the question to be deemed to have been put and that the result would be that applied to the previous motion in reverse.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

Does the hon. whip of the official opposition agree?

[Madeleine Dalphond-Guiral, Bloc, Laval Centre, QC]

Agreed.

[Bob Ringma, Reform, Nanaimo—Cowichan, BC]

Agreed.

[Jim Peterson, Liberal, Willowdale, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I wish to be recorded as voting with the government on this issue.

[Eleni Bakopanos, Liberal, Saint-Denis, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to vote for the amendment.

[Sarkis Assadourian, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am voting with the government.

[Tony Ianno, Liberal, Trinity—Spadina, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I am also voting with the government on this amendment.

[Andrew Telegdi, Liberal, Waterloo, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I will be voting with the government on this amendment.

[The Acting Speaker (Mr. Kilger)]

While we are going through this process, while individual members are rising to indicate their vote, the table officers and I are having some difficulty in hearing clearly what that vote is. I ask the indulgence and co-operation of the House.

[Tony Valeri, Liberal, Lincoln, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I would like to be recorded as voting with the government on the amendment.