Montreal Gazette

June 15, 2002

Armenian genocide recognized

OTTAWA

The Canadian Senate has adopted a motion to recognize the 1915 Armenian genocide in Ottoman Turkey.

The motion, sponsored by Quebec senators Shirley Maheu and Raymond Setlakwe, was adopted Thursday. The strongly worded motion calls upon the government of Canada "to recognize the genocide of the Armenians and to condemn any attempt to deny or distort a historical truth as being anything less than a genocide, a crime against humanity" and "to designate April 24 of every year hereafter throughout Canada as a day of remembrance of the 1.5 million Armenians who fell victim to the first genocide of the 20th century."

Although the motion blames the government of Ottoman Turkey for the genocide, it also points a finger at the government of modern-day Turkey, saying it "distorts the historical record and denies that the Armenian genocide took place."

Setlakwe, whose parents were survivors of the Armenian massacres, said it was also a personal triumph.

Contacted by The Gazette yesterday, Erhan Ogut, Turkey's ambassador to Canada, refused to comment.