Fascism and Internment Immigration

by Adriana Albi Davies, Ph.D.

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Alessandro Urso mentions in his interview that he did not see himself as "emigrating" but, rather, as a newly qualified engineer, he saw himself "transferring" to a better position than the one he had. Immigration authorities had chosen for him a destination in Quebec-Armstrong near the American border. A friend, who found work in the petrochemical industry, encouraged him to come to Edmonton. The City of Edmonton also became a significant employer for both unskilled and skilled labour. Carlo and Lina Amodio, as newly-weds, came to Edmonton in 1967 and he was hired by the City of Edmonton as an assessor and worked for the City for over 30 years before moving into consulting work. 

A pattern emerged-while many began doing manual labour (regardless of their qualifications in Italy), they moved up the ranks in their chosen occupation or set up their own businesses. Frank Cairo came as a newly-qualified hairdresser and ended up establishing his own business, which developed into the Marvel School of Hair Design and associated businesses. Antonio and Aurora Frattin came in 1956 and he began to work for the Honeyboy Bakery and ended up as superintendent. In 1960, they established the Italian Bakery.

Earlier immigrants had established grocery stores but they sold the same goods as everyone else. Goods from Italy could not be obtained easily and were expensive. In the post-war wave of immigration, we see another phenomenon and Frank Spinelli played a key role. Initially he worked in the North but after a work injury, he received a compensation payment and began the Italian Centre Shop. He was a clever businessman and expanded his grocery store into a wholesale business supplying Safeway and other mainstream chains. The Saccomanno brothers, Frank and Maurizio, also began an Italian grocery store. They were to change the food habits of Edmontonians as were restauranteurs such as Giovanni Prete and Carmelo Rago and his father-in-law Maurizio Saccomanno who started the Sorrentino chain of restaurants. Ralph Maio set op the popular Sceppas, which flourished in various downtown locations before becoming Il Forno in the west end. There are numerous other restaurants that have enriched Edmonton's social life. 

Those who came as children (such as Adriana Albi, Silvano Vecchio, Rita Vecchio, Mario Rizzuto) went to university and qualified as teachers, doctors, lawyers and other specialists. This was an important sign in the entrenchment of the community and the validation that community members had "made it." Italian immigrants were now a part of the "mainstream." After the struggles of the first generation of immigrants in the three principal waves of immigration to Alberta, Italian Community members in Edmonton have become a part of mainstream society. They have, even, in the case of Sab Roncucci, influenced provincial and national policies in the area of multiculturalism.

Antonella Fanella notes the same patterns of employment in Calgary. She has done extensive research with post-war immigrants to Calgary. Many workers moved from Gallelli Construction, Atco Construction (Alberta Trailer), Cana Construction, the City of Calgary, CPR (Ogden Shops) to set up their own businesses with local, regional and national significance. For example, Carlo Simonelli began Canfer Rollings Mills, the Blasetti Family operates Big Horn Transport, Victor Fornaro started the New Hatchwear Uniform Company, Mike Cicaglione created El Molino Foods, and the Forzani Family owns Canada's largest sporting goods retailer, Forzani's.

Other Calgary immigrants became lawyers and the community includes two court judges, Gary Cione and Sal Lovecchio.  Others yet became professional athletes including Joe, John and Tom Forzani, Massimo and Bruno Geremia, Tom and Tony Spoletini and Mike Palumbo-all played for the Calgary Stampeders. Starting in the Bridgeland/Riverside district, they moved to other parts of the city so much so that a "Little Italy" no longer exists. Calgary's Italians now live in Huntington Hills, Beddington Heights, Dalhousie, Edgemont and Silver Springs. The community, numbering 11,240 in 1991, has become mainstream.

For more information on the pioneers check out the Regional Profiles section of our site.

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