Raffaele remembers a man from Winnipeg [Ottavio ?] came to
Grimaldi to visit and that's how he learned about work
opportunities in Canada. This was around 1947-48.
He had served in the military in Africa and in
Grimaldi there was not much work or food. The man said
that most of Grimaldi would be in Winnipeg. The
man made the application for him and also provided the
money for his passage.
Raffaele's father-in-law [Vincenzo Potestio] was already in Canada working
at the time . He also had a first cousin in Trail, BC
[named Ferraro].
Raffaele came to Canada first, and his brother
followed six months later.
He went from Grimaldi to Paris. From Paris he took the
boat to Quebec with a couple of guys from Grimaldi. From
Quebec he went to Winnipeg to meet the man who helped
with his application. Then he traveled 200 miles to a
farm by truck.
He remembers having a great time on the ship. All
Raffaele brought with him was a suitcase. His wife did
not join him at this time.
The farmer they worked for was deaf. The farmer's
son-in-law and one of Raffaele's friends would do the
communicating through writing and then translate for
Raffaele. Raffaele worked on the farm doing gardening
and other odd jobs. He worked there for a month and got
paid $14.00.
He took the bus to Winnipeg, looking for his cousin
Frank who operated a restaurant. He ended up getting a
room for a night and met an Italian family. He found
Frank and told him that he had to leave the farm job
because the guy who translated English to Italian for him left.
From Winnipeg Raffaele got a job laying track for the
CN for one month. He had to carry a level, a straight
edge, and a jack. One day he got a telegram from Mr.
Nigro regarding a job.
In 1949 he went to Edmonton. He got a job with
Imperial Oil, his wife and three kids came over in 1951.
Very few Italian men worked for the company at this
time.
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