Fraternal Societies Labour Activism Fascism Internment Discrimination

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The apology came as the culmination of a campaign on the part of the National Congress, headed by President Annamarie P. Castrilli, a Toronto lawyer, to research and make known the history of this dark chapter in the history of Italian immigration to Canada. The researches determined the number of Italians arrested and interned, confiscation of property, loss of jobs and other related events. A brief was presented to the Government and, eventually, the Prime Minister invited to address delegates to the biennial meeting of the National Congress. The 150 Congress delegates were joined by 450 other community representatives at the luncheon, as well as representatives of other ethnic communities. ³

The Prime Minister noted that he would be making a formal apology in the House of Commons. According to the Congress, nearly 700 Italians were interned. I further note:

In his address the Prime Minister referred to two internees by name, one who was a young shoemaker at the beginning of the war and the other, Dr. Julius Molinari, who is now Professor Emeritus of the Italian Department at the University of Toronto. Dr. Molinari told me that his father came to Canada in 1913 and his mother in 1917; he himself was born in Canada. ⁴

The effect of this was that the national media, for the first time, reported on this issue and this hitherto unknown aspect of the Italian community's history was communicated to all Canadians. Some were disappointed because the issue of reparations had been ignored but, for the rest, it was felt that a moral victory had been won. 

As is often the case, wartime policy is controversial in retrospect and many feel that the internment of Canadian citizens, Italians and otherwise, during both world conflicts of the twentieth century was one of the saddest chapters in Canadian history.

See the Canadian Overview for a discussion of internment in other parts of the country.

Related Links.

• Book Excerpt: Stan Carbone discusses the impact of World War II on the Italian communities of Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg.

• Una Storia Segreta: When Italian-Americans were 'Enemy Aliens'
  Una Storia Segreta [A Secret Story] was developed by the American Italian Historical Association's Western Regional Chapter. It is dedicated to those who endured the confusions and losses of World War II largely in silence.

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