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 23, 2008
Contact: Roupen Kouyoumjian

ANCC Congratulates First Nations for Government of Canada Apology

Ottawa–The executive director of the Armenian National Committee of
Canada (ANCC) congratulated the First Nations Chief Phil Fontaine on
the Canadian Government’s historic apology for the institionalized
abuse and discrimination in the residential school system. Aris
Babikian of ANCC met Chief Fontaine on June 22 at the Canadian Jewish
Congress’ annual meeting.

Babikian commended Fontaine and his colleagues for their wisdom,
patience and their leadership on achieving the important milestone.

Babikian said to the leader of the First Nations that the Armenian
people, who were victims of genocide nearly a century ago, are still
waiting for acknowledgment from the Turkish government. Babikian said
he highly valued the government of Canada’s statement and that he was
confident such strong ethical and moral pledges would speed up the
reconciliation and healing process between the First Nations and the
rest of Canadians.

Babikian pledged the Canadian-Armenian community’s and the ANCC’s
solidarity for the First Nations and said he looked forward to much
closer cooperation in the future.

During his keynote speech, Chief Fontaine said, `We have achieved the
impossible.’ He said that he considered the apology `so very important
to all Canadians because the residential schools meant the denial of
our existence and the denial of our culture.’ The apology, said the
Chief, would "start a new relationship and new existence for the First
Nations and Canadians . . . The June 11 apology is very much about
hope and reshaping Canada so everyone can be treated fairly. But most
important it’s about reconciliation. Reconciliation is about learning
to live together and to heal.’

Chief Fontaine reviewed the history of the mistreatment of the First
Nations in Canada and what the aboriginal people have achieved
lately. He said he was cognizant of the challenges the First Nations
are facing, specially in education, health care and housing. He
appealed for the support of `all right people’ to overcome these
challenges.

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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/Sections régionales

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