Many of the opposition events on Parliament Hill are ditching the high-profile annual United Nations convention on local weather change this yr, citing human rights considerations within the host nation Azerbaijan little greater than a yr after the mass exodus of almost 120,000 ethnic Armenians from their properties within the once-disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
“It is the primary time that no Inexperienced MPs will likely be attending deliberately, as the results of the selection of the host nation,” mentioned Kitchener-Centre Inexperienced Occasion MP Mike Morrice.
Morrice mentioned Azerbaijan’s credibility as host of COP29 is questionable, on condition that it is a significant oil producer. However he mentioned “it is the truth of the ethnic cleaning of Armenians that makes this alternative all of the extra appalling.”
He referred to as on the federal authorities to restrict its participation to a small variety of representatives, with no elected officers apart from Setting Minister Steven Guilbeault.
A Canadian-Armenian political advocacy group, the Armenian Nationwide Committee of Canada, says solely Canadian public servants ought to attend and elected officers ought to keep away.
“Nations with the report that Azerbaijan has, by itself standing, shouldn’t be the host,” Morrice mentioned.
In statements despatched to CBC Information, the NDP and the Bloc Québécois additionally mentioned they don’t seem to be sending any representatives to the convention.
“There are important human rights considerations in Azerbaijan the place COP29 is being hosted. The NDP will not be attending,” the NDP mentioned.
The Bloc Québécois mentioned its atmosphere and local weather change critics will not be out there to journey.
The Bloc’s climate-change critic, MP Kristina Michaud, informed CBC Information she’s not attending as a result of she does not need to journey lengthy distances whereas pregnant, and additionally due to the Armenian exodus.
“I think about myself an ally of Armenia,” she mentioned, “and subsequently I’ve a deep discomfort going to Azerbaijan.”
She mentioned it is awkward for the UN to carry climate-change conferences in fossil fuel-producing nations two years in a row, after the United Arab Emirates hosted in 2023.
“The unease was current in Dubai final yr, and I dare imagine it is going to be the identical in Baku this yr,” she mentioned. “Regardless of this, I proceed to imagine our presence at this worldwide discussion board is important, however it is going to be with out me this yr.”
Cupboard attendance unclear
In an announcement issued final week, Guilbeault’s workplace informed CBC Information no resolution has been made but “however it’s more than likely the minister will have the ability to attend.”
Guilbeault has criticized Azerbaijan’s fossil gas report previously.
“We count on from nations that host worldwide conferences like local weather change conferences or biodiversity conferences like we did to be sure that they do not put their very own pursuits forward of worldwide pursuits,” he informed journalists earlier than a cupboard assembly in June.
“We’re not going to Azerbaijan to advertise Azerbaijan’s personal curiosity. We’re going there to work collectively, to be sure that we come to a mutual resolution to struggle local weather change and to cut back our dependencies on fossil fuels.”
Final yr, the Canadian Area Company prevented sending representatives to a world convention hosted by Azerbaijan, citing human rights considerations.
In September, International Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly issued an announcement to mark final yr’s occasions in Nagorno-Karabakh, stating that “greater than 100,000 civilians, together with 30,000 youngsters, have been forcibly displaced to Armenia” because of Azerbaijan’s army operation, which she referred to as “unjustified.”
Armenia and Azerbaijan fought two main wars within the final three and a half a long time over the enclave, which had a majority Armenian inhabitants however is a part of Azerbaijan underneath worldwide regulation. A self-declared Armenian republic on the territory, unrecognized by the UN, dissolved final yr after the exodus.
The 2 nations have been locked in a gradual peace course of since. Baku has mentioned Armenians who escaped final yr are welcome to return to Azerbaijan underneath its rule, although there even have been a number of stories of Azerbaijani forces razing Armenian properties and cultural websites. Nobody has reportedly taken up the Azerbaijani authorities’s provide of return.
“Canada should make it clear that it stands in opposition to the exploitation of world platforms corresponding to COP29 by autocratic regimes looking for to cleanse their picture,” Sevag Belian of the Armenian Nationwide Committee of Canada informed a information convention Tuesday.
The Armenian authorities itself supported Azerbaijan internet hosting COP29.
Armenia will host COP17, the UN’s biodiversity convention, subsequent yr.
