Armenian National Committee of Canada
130 Albert St., Suite 1007
Ottawa, ON
KIP 5G4
Tel. (613) 235-2622 Fax (613) 238-2622
E-mail:national.office@anc-canada.com
www .anccanada.org
For Immediate Release
February 8, 2007
Contact: Kevork Manguelian
Tel. (613) 235-2622
ANCC Discusses the Armenian Genocide with Israeli Cabinet Minister
Ottawa-Canadian Jewish organizations organized on Feb. 6 a Parliamentary
dinner to conclude the two-day biennial conference on advocacy in Canada.
During the dinner Aris Babikian, executive director of the Armenian National
Committee of Canada (ANCC), discussed with Avi Dicter, Israel’s minister of
public security the Israeli government’s policy vis-à-vis the Armenian
Genocide. During the discussion, the minister stated that he is not aware of
any decision or policy by his government to deny the Armenian Genocide.
Minister Dicter headed the Israeli parliamentary delegation which attended
the Feb. 5 to 6 conference here.
ANCC President Jean Megerditchian also attended the dinner. Others in
attendance included the prime minister, Opposition Leader Stéphan Dion, Bloc
Québécois Leader Gilles Duceppe and NDP leader Jack Layton.
Earlier in the day Babikian participated in a panel discussion titled
`Having Our Voices Heard: Enhancing Effectiveness of the Ethnic Community
Advocacy.’ He presented the Armenian National Committee’s advocacy work in
the past 40 years on behalf of the Canadian-Armenia community and specially
the organizations efforts to secure the recognition of the Armenian Genocide
by the federal, provincial and municipal governments. In his presentation he
also touched upon the obstacles which the ANCC had to overcome.
Babikian’s presentation was summed up with three P’s `Persistence,
Persuasion, Patient.’ The panel included Richared Kurland, vice-chair,
Canadian Jewish Congress-Pacific Region; and Anna Chiappa, executive
director, Canadian Ethnocultural Council. After the presentations, a
stimulating dialogue took place between the panelists and the attendees.
Among the many panel discussions held at the conference, the media panel
(Robert Fulford; National Post, James Travers; Toronto Star, Francois
Bugingo; Télé-Québec) was particularly exceptional.
The two-day conference was jointly organized by the Canadian Jewish
Congress, Canadian Council for Israeli and Jewish Advocacy, Canada-Israel
Committee, National Jewish Campus Life, Quebec Israel Committee, and
University Outreach Committee
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The ANCC is the largest and the most influential Canadian-Armenian
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of
offices, chapters, and supporters throughout Canada and affiliated
organizations around the world, the ANCC actively advances the concerns of
the Canadian-Armenian community on a broad range of issues.
Regional Chapters
Montréal – Laval – Ottawa – Toronto – Hamilton – Cambridge – St. Catharines
– Windsor – Vancouver