QUESTION PERIOD — Foreign Affairs
Conflict in Artsakh
November 3, 2020
Honourable senators, my question is for the government leader in the Senate.
Senator Gold, the situation in Artsakh is growing more and more grave by the day. The Armenian people are facing a hopeless and uphill battle. We heard just on Friday a freelance journalist, Neil Hauer, say clearly — and he’s a journalist on the ground right now in Artsakh — that we’re on the precipice of seeing another Armenian genocide.
Government leader, when will the Trudeau government acknowledge the realities happening on the ground? When will they call it out? And when will Canada stand up before it’s too late?
Senator, thank you for your question. As Government Representative in the Senate, I’m pleased to advise the chamber that the government continues to work hard to seek a peaceful end to the tragic circumstances to which you refer. This is a complicated geopolitical situation with a history that cannot be ignored, should not be ignored, and can’t be fully elaborated here. The government remains committed to working with its allies to secure an end to the hostility and to provide a peaceful resolution to this situation.
Government leader, we have a situation where the current government has contravened its own ban to Turkey on selling military weapons. That has been proven. Now, after the fact, we also have proof that technology has been used — it has been proven by independent news outlets, The Globe and Mail amongst others — on the ground to attack the Armenian people.
Government leader, the situation in Artsakh is getting worse and will become a genocide if we don’t move quickly. Are we any closer to figuring out who gave the directive to bypass the government’s embargo? Who gave the exemption to sell Canadian military technology to the Turkish government that was siphoned off to the Azeris, which has been used? Was it Mr. Trudeau, in his phone conversations with President Erdoğan, who gave the exemption?
Thank you for your question. Regarding the issue to which you refer, immediately upon hearing of these allegations, officials were directed to investigate these claims. In line with Canada’s robust export regime, and in light of the ongoing hostilities, the government has suspended the relevant export permits to Turkey so as to allow time to further assess the situation.
Measures must be taken immediately to stabilize the situation on the ground. It is the position of this government — and I repeat — that there is no alternative to a peaceful negotiated solution to this conflict.
