Louis (Luigi) Biamonte Mike Biollo Father Giovanni Bonelli Camillo Bridarolli Mr. & Mrs. Henry Butti John Camarta Domenico Chiarello Joe Fabbri Mario Grassi Victor Losa Filomena Michetti Mrs. Mamie Meardi Tony Nimis Giorgio W. & Norma Pocaterra Mr. & Mrs. John Segatti Romano Tedesco & Mrs. Irma Giacobbo Angelo Toppano

1  |  Page 2
 

• Anglo-Saxon temperament, culturally, is cool, level-headed  [Victor gave this as a reason for the civil attitude toward the Italian community]  (Italians more excitable, culturally)
   

• no societies before WWII; numbers didn't warrant
   

• after - not organized, no ties.
   

• Italian gatherings in those days never went beyond living rooms
   

• Calgary had more - their numbers were greater
   

• consul was in Edmonton because it was the capital city, not because of the numbers
   

• dialect - (Losa hates "dialects") couldn't understand Friulani
   

• during Fascism they were trying to downplay/abolish various dialects
   

• now [1973] they're bringing them back & encouraging them
   

• Italian organizations didn't fare as well as some other nationalities
   

• education not as good as many other ethnic groups
   

• only miners, common laborers; not professions until recent times
   

• after 50 years in Canada, went back to Italy [~1965]  Not shocked by changes because he kept in touch, was informed, well-read.
   

• never suffered nostalgia
   

• considers himself thoroughly Canadian, yet keeps in touch with homeland, but without sentimentality (attributes this to his personal "strength of character")
   

• would immigrate if he had to do it all over again
   

• perhaps he would have gone to Vancouver, the Pacific coast because it's warmer, but he would have stayed in Canada - loves Canada - a rich country.

Listen to Oral History  |  Read Short Biography  | Read Full Transcript

[<<previous]

[back] [top]