Mr. Speaker, on April 24, Armenians in Canada and around the world participated in a solemn commemoration of the 106th anniversary of the Armenian genocide.
In a matter of two years, the Turkish Ottoman Empire's systemic ethnic cleansing campaign took the lives of around 1.5 million people and forced around one million others to flee their homes.
Like many Canadians, I have close, personal ties to the Armenian community. Growing up, I learned of the Armenian genocide through stories shared by many best childhood friend, Nivarat Mardikyan, and family members who had seen the impact of these atrocities first-hand. These stories remind us of what human beings are capable of when driven by hate.
Today and everyday, let us reflect on the lives lost to genocide and recommit ourselves to standing against human rights abuse in all forms. We must never repeat the mistakes of the past. Lest we forget.