A British Columbia woman whose four children were abducted by her ex-husband and taken to Iraq was in Ville St. Laurent on Wednesday for a vigil demanding action from the federal government.
Alison Azer hasn’t seen her children in nine months. In August, her ex-husband Saren Azer, took the kids on what was supposed to be a European vacation, but they never came home.
Now, Azer is travelling around Canada to raise awareness and get a promise of action from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“Sunny ways are not going to get my kids home,” said Azer. “The governments in that region need to know that Canada means business.”
Saren Azer is a physician and member of the Kurdish community. He had previously travelled to Northern Iraq for humanitarian work and that’s where Alison Azer believes he is with their children.
“Several incredible people in the Kurdish regions of Iraq and Iran have reached out to me, sometimes by name, sometimes anonymously, with photographs and words of support,” said Azer. “We expect that Canadians in distress are a priority for this government and my children are in distress.”
In December, Azer travelled to the village where her ex and children are living but the armed group controlling the area refused to let her see them. She has gone to Ottawa five times to plead for help.
The most recent time, she was to meet with Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion, who represents the riding St. Laurent is situated in.
“It’s moving slowly,” said Azer. “But there is progress being made.”
