Armenian National Committee of Canada
Comité National Arménien du Canada
130 Albert St., Suite/Bureau 1007
Ottawa, ON
KIP 5G4
Tel./Tél. (613) 235-2622 Fax/Téléc. (613) 238-2622
E-mail/courriel:national.office@anc-canad a.com

PRESS RELEASE

June 13, 2008

Contact: Roupen Kouyoumjian

Hon. Jason Kenney Honoured with ANCC Man of the Year Award

Ottawa–Hon. Jason Kenney, Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and
Canadian Identity, received the Armenian National Committee of
Canada’s (ANCC) "Man of the Year" award at a June 11 reception held by
the Embassy of the Republic of Armenia and the ANCC to celebrate the
90th anniversary of the independence of the First Republic of
Armenia. The ceremony was held at the National Press building.

Members of Parliament, the diplomatic corps, journalists,
intellectuals, NGOs and prominent members of the Canadian-Armenian
community attended the milestone celebration of one the most proud
chapters of Armenian history.

After playing the national anthems of Canada and Armenia, master of
ceremonies Tina Soulahian invited Dr. Girair Basmadjian, president of
the ANCC, to deliver the opening remarks.

Dr. Basmadjian said that he considered the establishment of the first
republic in 1918, after 600 years of occupation by the Ottoman Empire
as `a resurrection of a nation that was condemned to annihilation
three years before that date–a resurrection that proved to be the
precursor for a rapid establishment of all the necessary institutions
of a sovereign state.’

Commenting on the current state of Nagorno-Karabagh, Dr. Basmadjian
drew a parallel between Nagorno-Karabagh and Kosovo. He said: `Because
of the decisions taken by the free world regarding Kosovo, we dare
think that international policy makers have realized the importance of
the principle of self-determination over the territorial integrity of
sovereign states.’

Arman Akopian, charge d’affaires of the Republic of Armenia in Canada,
lamented the loss of the first republic which ` lasted only
two-and-a-half years and was eventually destroyed by the invading Red
Army.’ Akopian said that he valued the achievements of the First
Republic which `managed to create a new spirit of freedom and liberty
and eventually became a powerful and highly cherished symbol that
remained an inexhaustible source of hope and aspiration for several
generations in Armenia and in Diaspora. When in 1991 Armenia, for the
second time during the 20th century, fully restored its independence,
there was no debate about the state symbols, and the proud tricolour
flag of the First Republic was once again raised over the Parliament,
said Akopian.

Aris Babikian, the executive director of ANCC, said Hon. Kenney is `a
man whose energy, commitment and principled stand on human rights has
made him a legend in many segments of our civil society. He is also a
man who has changed the face of multiculturalism and has played a
central role in shaping government of Canada’s policy vis-a-vis
addressing the injustices which have befallen on our Native people’s
and on many multicultural groups.’

Babikian said that cherished this year’s Man of the Year Award winner
for his `strong faith and moral fortitude’ which `not only shaped his
future and his political career, but has also shaped and touched
everyone’s life who has worked and associated with him. His
humanitarianism, straight talk, sincerity are other remarkable aspects
of the man.’

Dr. Basmadjian presented the award to Hon. Kenney. In his acceptance
remarks, Hon. Kenney said he `was moved by this honour. One of the
most important things to me in my political vocation is human
rights. This is because I was influenced in this direction by the
teachings of John Paul II with respect to the inalienable nature of
human dignity … when one looks at the history of the Armenian
people, one sees an amazing, ancient, centuries-old fight for human
dignity for basic human rights against wave after wave of oppression.

`They struggled to survive against the currents of history. A struggle
which began three millennia ago, but which found its true identity and
rooting in the conversion of the Armenian nation as the first
Christian people."

Casting a long glance at Armenian history, Hon. Kenney said: `We see
in all of Armenian history, from that time in the Armenian kingdom to
today in the modern Armenian republic and in the breadth and dynamism
of the Armenian Diaspora across the world, an amazing story of the
human spirit. A story of struggle against adversity and emerging
against the often unjust, cruel and violent currents of human history.

`Tonight we commemorate the 90th anniversary of the first modern
Armenian republic…We know that that the republic itself was
something of a miracle. 1918, just three years, just a flash of time
after the great calamity, the genocide of 1915, a nation was born from
its ashes, a state was born from destruction of the 1915 calamity.’

The 2008 Man of the Year award winner added: `The idea that the
Armenian people did not give up after the indignity of what happened
to them in 1915, after having been marched through the desert and
rounded up and treated as animals, to have maintained their human
dignity in the face of violence and oppression is a story which must
be of an inspiration to anyone at any time.

`The Armenian community perhaps more than any other is a community
that understands the importance of memory and we, the government of
Canada, the people of Canada, as we saw today with the historic
apology [to native Indian], understand the importance of memory and it
is the importance of memory, which led to the Parliament and
eventually, the government of Canada and Prime Minister Harper to
acknowledge the historical reality of the Armenian Genocide.’

The honoree concluded his remarks by `thanking the Armenian National
Committee of Canada, all of those who do such great work to promote
Canada-Armenia relations today. I accept it [the award] on behalf of
all of those colleagues who’ve worked so hard on these issues and we
rededicate ourselves to that cause. We thank the Armenian community
for its contribution to Canada and for being a voice for human
dignity.’

The Man of the Year award miniature sculpture of famous Armenian
composer and priest Gomidas is the work of Canadian-Armenian Artist
(will add the name).

****

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/Sections régionales
Montréal – Laval – Ottawa – Toronto – Hamilton – Cambridge – St. Catharines – Windsor – Vancouver