Mr. Speaker, Armenians in Laval—Les Îles and across Canada are commemorating the 30th anniversary of the Baku genocide and the 32nd anniversary of the Sumgait genocide. These heinous crimes against humanity took the lives of many people in those cities in Azerbaijan.
The horrific days that they went through are still fresh in the memory of those who survived. Today, let us take a moment to pay homage to each and every one affected directly or indirectly by this barbaric, senseless violence and to raise awareness so that history does not repeat itself.
As we commemorate this horrific tragedy, let it serve as a reminder of how lucky we are to live in a country like Canada, where the most basic human rights are upheld and common values like respect, tolerance and justice are shared.