Ontario Bill 105 (42nd Parliament, 2nd Session)

Bill 105, 42-2

Ontario — Bills

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Bill 105, Armenian Heritage Month Act, 2022

Babikian, Aris

Royal Assent received. Statutes of Ontario 2022,

chapter 4

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Bill 105 Royal Assent (PDF)

EXPLANATORY

NOTE

This Explanatory Note was written as a

reader’s aid to Bill 105 and does not form part of the law.

Bill 105 has been enacted as

Chapter 4 of the Statutes of Ontario, 2022.

The

Bill proclaims the month of May in each year as Armenian Heritage Month.

Bill 105 2022

Act to proclaim the month of May as Armenian Heritage Month

Preamble

Ontario

is home to more than 100,000 people of Armenian heritage. Armenians began migrating

to Canada in the 1880s. The first Armenian to do so was Garabed Nergarian, who settled

in Port Hope, Ontario in 1887. Approximately 37 Armenians came to Ontario in

1892 and 100 more settled in the province in 1895. After the Hamidian massacres

of the mid-1890s, Armenian families began settling in greater numbers in

Ontario. Decades later, approximately 2,000 survivors of the 1915 Armenian

Genocide — mostly women and children — came to Canada as refugees.

the early 1920s, over 100 orphaned Armenian children, later called the

“Georgetown Boys”, were brought to Georgetown, Ontario by the Armenian Relief Association

of Canada, an organization that provided assistance to Armenian refugees in

adjusting to Canadian society. In what became known as “Canada’s Noble

Experiment”, it was considered one of the first Canadian humanitarian acts on

an international scale. In 2010, the Georgetown Farmhouse (now the Cedarvale

Community Centre) was designated an historic and protected municipal site.

May

is a significant month for the Armenian community. May 28, 1918 is widely

celebrated by Armenian people around the world as the day Armenians regained

sovereignty over their historical territory after 600 years of colonization,

occupation, subjection and genocide. The 1918 Armenian Declaration of

Independence is a symbol of Armenians’ aspiration for freedom, democracy and

independence. May 28th is one of the most important Armenian holidays, and many

parades and festivities take place during the month of May.

proclaiming the month of May as Armenian Heritage Month, the Province of

Ontario recognizes the significant impact that Armenian Canadians have had on

Ontario’s social, cultural, educational, economic, and political institutions,

as well as their contributions to art, science and literature in the province.

Armenian Heritage Month is an opportunity to educate Ontarians about the

struggles and achievements of Armenian Canadians in a society that respects

freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. These core values have

contributed to the strength and diversity of Ontario.

Therefore,

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of

the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Armenian

Heritage Month

The

month of May in each year is proclaimed as Armenian Heritage Month.

Commencement

This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short

title

The

short title of this Act is the Armenian Heritage Month

Act, 2022 .

Bill 105 Original (PDF)