Canada's pro-Armenian bias and boomerang effect Ottawa's missteps

Canadian Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, known for her pro-Armenian stance, has once again made provocative statements against Azerbaijan. Citing the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC), Yerevan media enthusiastically report that the head of Canada's diplomatic corps confirmed that "Ottawa will continue to pressure Azerbaijan to engage in good faith with Armenia, resolve the conflict through negotiations and peaceful political solutions, release arbitrarily detained Armenian prisoners, respect Armenia's territorial integrity, and refrain from using force and threatening rhetoric."

Canada's Foreign Minister has repeatedly demonstrated a one-sided stance. Official Ottawa has never condemned Armenia’s 30-year occupation of Azerbaijani territories or the violation of the rights of hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijanis.

It has also ignored Yerevan's disregard for four UN Security Council resolutions calling for the liberation of Azerbaijani territories. Instead, the self-proclaimed "guardian" of international law, pro-Armenian Joly, now urges Azerbaijan to "respect Armenia's territorial integrity" and release the leaders of the Karabakh junta.

Previously, during a visit to Yerevan last October, Joly also made provocative statements against Azerbaijan, threatening sanctions in the process.

"The issue of sanctions against Azerbaijan is already on the table," she told Armenian journalists.

Certainly, Baku did not ignore the statements from the Canadian representative. The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry sharply criticized Joly, highlighting Canada's bias and advising against using threats in discussions with Azerbaijan.

On July 1 of this year, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev received the credentials of Canada's newly appointed Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Kevin Hamilton. President Aliyev emphasized that during the occupation of Azerbaijani lands, ethnic cleansing and genocide were committed, and the territories were extensively destroyed.

The President stated that a crucial condition for a peace agreement is the amendment of the Armenian Constitution, as it contains territorial claims against Azerbaijan. Until this is addressed, a peace agreement will not be signed.  

In response to the ambassador's comments about the right of return, the Azerbaijani President emphasized that this right should be mutual, including for representatives of the Western Azerbaijan Community. In this context, the President highlighted that the indigenous Azerbaijani population faced ethnic cleansing in Armenia at various times, most recently in 1988, and its material and cultural heritage was completely destroyed. Aliyev's clear message was directed not only at Armenia but also at its supporters.

It is worth noting that Canada became the first non-EU country to join the EU's espionage mission in Armenia. Despite formally supporting Azerbaijan's territorial integrity and the inviolability of its borders, Canada maintains a biased policy towards Baku and Ankara.

In 2006, Canada officially recognized the "Armenian genocide." In October 2018, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited Armenia to attend the 17th Francophonie Summit.

It is also pertinent to note that in October 2020, Canada banned the export of components for Turkish drones, a move then Foreign Minister François-Philippe Champagne justified by stating that "Canada took these measures to stop violence and protect civilians," specifically Armenians.

However, the plight of Azerbaijanis who were subjected to Armenian attacks was not considered, highlighting Ottawa's double standards. By supporting revanchist sentiments in Armenia, Canada jeopardizes the fragile stability in the South Caucasus region.

On the other hand, considering Ottawa's "concern" regarding the leaders of the Karabakh junta under investigation, it would be interesting to observe the reaction of the Canadian federal government if the French-speaking province of Quebec attempted to secede from the country. Given that separatist sentiments still exist in this francophone province, such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

Indeed, there were attempts to separate from Canada in the second half of the 20th century, though they were unsuccessful. So why does Canada, which opposes separatism within its own borders, openly support it in the case of the Armenians? The answer is clear — it reflects the double standards of Canadian policy. However, Joly and other pro-Armenian figures in the Canadian government should not forget that the boomerang effect is very much real.