Date
June 16, 2011
Maker
Columbus Centre
Accession#
ICEA2010.0003.0002
Interview 1 With Antoinette (Toni) Ciccarelli
Antoinette (Toni) Ciccarelli was born in Guglionesi, Italy on September 23, 1915. She was six years old when she immigrated to Canada with her mother and sisters. Her father, Vincenzo who had immigrated earlier died after the family moved to a farm in Scarborough some years after their arrival. After her father’s death, the family moved to downtown Toronto, where Toni worked in various grocery stores and did volunteer work at Casa D’Italia. On June 10, 1040, she was sorting mail at the Front Street Post Office when she was picked up by two RCMP officers, taken to a police station and fingerprinted. She was designated an enemy alien and had to report to the police monthly until the end of the war. In her interview she describes the arrest and internment of local Italian Canadians such as the Orlandos. Despite the hardships she faced during the war years she eventually returned to volunteer work; working with organizations such as the Canadian Cancer Society, Villa Charities, Variety Village and the Heart and Stroke foundation.
In this opening clip Toni Ciccarelli introduces herself and speaks of her early years living in Italy. She also speaks about her parents and siblings.
Toni Ciccarelli recalls her family voyage from Naples, Italy to Ellis Island in the United States. Her sister had contracted measles on the ship and the family was quarantined once they landed at Ellis Island.
Toni Ciccarelli talks about arriving in Canada from the United States and settling into their family home. She also discusses her father’s death shortly after their arrival in Canada.
Toni Ciccarelli talks about having to leave school and begin working to support her family after her father’s death.
Toni Ciccarelli describes the events of June 10, 1940. She was working at the Post Office when the RCMP came to find her and took her to be fingerprinted. She was declared an enemy alien for her involvement as a volunteer at the Casa d’Italia.
Toni Ciccarelli describes how she felt after being fingerprinted and being declared an enemy alien.
Toni Ciccarelli recalls that there were quite a few Italian Canadians on her street who were arrested. In particular she mentions the Orlando family.
Toni Ciccarelli talks about the Orlando family.
Toni Ciccarelli talks about a few of the other Italian Canadians who were arrested on June 10.
Toni Ciccarelli talks about why the Orlando boys were arrested and the Orlando’s tailor shop. She also speaks about the Italian Canadians who were picked up at the local church.
Toni Ciccarelli discusses the discrimination Italian Canadians faced in Toronto during World War II.
Toni Ciccarelli talks about the Casa d’Italia in Toronto.
In this clip Toni Ciccarelli talks about having to report monthly to the RCMP. She also mentions that it was difficult to find work as an Italian Canadian and that many, including herself, anglicized their names to find work.
Toni Ciccarelli talks about her brother Joe who served in the Canadian military during World War II.
Toni Ciccarelli speaks about her monthly reports to the local authorities. She also shares her memories from the end of the war.
Toni Ciccarelli talks about issues of redress and apology.
In this final clip Toni Ciccarelli speaks about the struggles she had to endure during the war years and her struggle to get an apology for the Italian Canadian community.
Date
December 07, 2010
Maker
Columbus Centre
Accession#
ICEA2010.0003.0001
Interview 2 With Antoinette (Toni) Ciccarelli
Antoinette (Toni) Ciccarelli (née Bassano) was born in Guglionesi, Campobasso, Molise, Italy on September 23, 1915. She was 6 years old when she immigrated to Canada with her mother and sisters. Her father died after the family moved to a farm in Scarborough some years after their arrival. After her father’s death, her mother moved the family to downtown Toronto, where Toni worked in various grocery stores and did volunteer work at Casa d’Italia. On June 10, 1040, she was sorting mail at the Front Street Post Office when she was picked up by two Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) officers, taken to a police station and fingerprinted. She was released and had to report to the police whenever she left town. She describes some internees, such as Mr. Orlando, and also describes other Italian Canadians from her neigbourhood who served in the Canadian military. Toni tells of meeting Prime Minister Brian Mulroney and asking him for her fingerprints when he gave his apology in Concord, Ontario. She relates details of her wedding and family and her move to Caboto Terrace after her husband, Pat (Pasquale) Ciccarelli died. She concludes with a description of her fund raising activities at the Columbus Centre.
In this opening clip Toni Ciccarelli introduces herself and speaks about her early life in Italy and her father’s migration to Canada.
Toni Ciccarelli speaks about her migration to Canada through Ellis Island.
Toni Ciccarelli talks about the various cities her family lived in Southern Ontario upon their arrival in Canada. She then goes on to talk about the untimely death of her father.
In this clip Toni Ciccarelli describes how her family survived after the death of her father. Toni was forced to leave school and began working in various fruit stores in Toronto.
Toni Ciccarelli talks about the discrimination faced by the Italian Canadian community in Toronto after Italy’s war declaration.
Toni Ciccarelli talks about the difficulty she had finding work as an enemy alien and how she made the decision to anglicize her name. She also speaks about reporting to the authorities.
In this clip Toni Ciccarelli speaks about the arrest of Eliseo, Roy and Italo Orlando and going to visit those arrested at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) grounds.
Toni Ciccarelli speaks about her volunteer work
