Ottawa, ON — The Hon. Candice Bergen, Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada and the Official Opposition, issued the following statement on the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide:

“Today is the somber anniversary of Medz Yeghern, the Great Evil. In the middle of the First World War, 1.5 million innocent Armenians were murdered.

“The Ottoman Empire tried, but failed, to wipe out an entire people and their vibrant culture. Today as many as 100,000 Canadians are of Armenian descent and continue to make incredible contributions to Canada.

“On this sad day, I think of the women, men, and children whose lives were lost, and the generations stolen from the world. We must never forget these atrocities. I’m proud that it was under the former Conservative government that Canada finally recognized the massacres as genocide.

“The Conservative Party of Canada will continue to combat the ongoing denial of this genocide and discrimination faced by Armenian people. We stand with the Armenian community in Canada and with Armenians around the world in commemorating the victims of the genocide.”