Harper government back in the middle of historic Turkey-Armenia dispute

Not an easy issue to stickhandle, given the Harper government’s strong public profile on the Armenian genocide. However, a full minister vs a junior minister sends the signal:

The Harper government is sending Immigration Minister Chris Alexander to Armenia to attend the commemoration of the 1915 massacre of Armenians at the hands of Ottoman Turks. It’s a historic tragedy that Ottawa calls genocide, to the anger of Turkey.

Meanwhile, junior foreign affairs minister Lynne Yelich is off to Turkey to lead Canada’s delegation, including veterans of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, at ceremonies marking the centenary of the start of the Gallipoli campaign.

Canada’s position is noticed by both sides. The Conservatives have publicly endorsed the Armenian view that the 1915 slaughter of 1.5 million people was genocide. The label has strained relations between Canada and Turkey, which wants the Harper government to change its stand.

Armenia and Turkey both invited Gov. Gen. David Johnston to their events, but he chose to attend a Gallipoli ceremony at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa on Saturday.

Armenian ambassador Armen Yeganian said his government is more than pleased that a “high-level” representative from the Harper cabinet will be in Armenia.

From a diaspora politics perspective, the Armenian Canadian community is twice as large, more politically active and more established than the Turkish Canadian community.

Harper government back in the middle of historic Turkey-Armenia dispute – The Globe and Mail.