Mr. Speaker, I listened to my colleague, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, with great interest. I know he probably does not believe what he said. I know what he said was probably something that was put in front of him this morning.
Today's Turkish government is 75 years old, having celebrated its 75th birthday. It started in 1922. My colleague kept referring to Turkey Ottoman, Ottoman Turkey. Obviously we can see clearly that the member does not have his facts straight.
The atrocities of that particular time happened by the Ottoman empire. The Ottoman empire was collapsing. Everybody in that part of the world was committing atrocities. The Armenian genocide did happen. The 350 Greeks of the Black Sea were killed. People were moved. An exchange of population happened.
I wonder, would the hon. member also refute the fact that my ancestors had to flee Anatolia, that my grandfather had to go on a ship and had one arm cut off? If the member refutes that, I will certainly point out to him the December 1922 issue of National Geographic . His picture is there.
Let us not muzzle history. Let us not cover up history. Atrocities happen. The Armenian genocide happened. Is my hon. colleague also going to stand here and say that the atrocities in Warsaw did not happen? Is my hon. colleague going to say the Jews just stood there and took it and they did not defend themselves? The Armenians defended themselves.
Having heard what has been put in front of us, I am really shocked. I am really amazed that history had to be turned upside down and recorded as we see fit.
I stand and ask for unanimous consent for this motion to be recognized as votable.