Italian-Canadian Narratives Showcase
Italian-Canadian Narratives Showcase
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Internee List

In 1940, 31,000 Italian Canadians were officially designated as enemy aliens. Of these, about 600 were taken from their homes and separated from their families. They were held in prisons and remote camps.

An online commemorative wall honours these internees.

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Double row of 14 internees in light spring/summer wear posing for photograph; 6 are seated in front row. An identification card reading "A18" is positioned on the ground in front of the internee seated at the far right. This image was likely taken at the same time as DICEA2011.0001.0005. The third individual standing from the far left is Nello Trasciatti; it appears he was the last Italian Canadian released from camp on July 6, 1945. Photograph is dated in blue ink to 1943. As a result, this picture would have been taken in Fredericton Internment Camp, where the remaining Italian Canadian internees were transferred in July 1942. The identification card used suggests it was a formal picture taken by a government official. This photograph belongs to a collection preserved by Italian Canadian internee Osvaldo Giacomelli. Previous to his death, he had spoken on the record about his internment to journalists and academics. Some suggestion has been made that Giacomelli was a fascist supporter and Mussolini-adherent. He was one of the longest-serving of the Italian Canadian internees, released on May 29, 1945. Giacomelli himself felt that he was wrongfully interned, and sued the Government of Canada in 2005. When Giacomelli died in March of 2006, his case was still unresolved.

Timeline

June 10, 1940 edition of the Winnipeg Free Press with lead story announcing the entry of Italy into World War II on the side of Germany. Also reported is the death of Norman McLeod Rogers, Minister of National Defence, in a plane crash. The edition carries an article with the headline "Canada's Italian Alien Problem Faces Ottawa", which notes, "In company with other Italian consular officials in the dominion, Pietro Colbertaldo, regent vice-consul in Winnipeg, will be given his passport and the local consular office closed". The article specifies that although there are 2432 Italians residing in Manitoba, "According to a Free Press informant in touch with the alien situation in Canada, Italian residents in eastern Canada present the main problem to the authorities". In fact, only one Italian-Canadian from the province, a John Urso from Winnipeg, was interned. The Winnipeg Free Press is the oldest newspaper in western Canada. The paper dates back to 1872, when it was known as the Manitoba Free Press. For more information on the history of the newspaper, see [leads to an external page]: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/history.html

Focusing on the lead up to World War II and its immediate aftermath, the timeline presents the dates of key events and happenings, along with photographs and videos. The timeline sets the historic environment in which the internment of Italian Canadians occurred.

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Memories of World War II

June 10, 1940, Italian dictator Benito Mussolini declared that Italy had joined the war on the side of Germany. Within minutes of this announcement, the Canadian government gave the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) orders to arrest Italian Canadians considered to be a security risk.

Under the War Measures Act, 31,000 Italian Canadians would be officially designated as enemy aliens. Of these, about 600 were taken from their homes and separated from their families.


No one was formally charged in a court of law.

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This is a charcoal sketch of an internment camp guard tower created by Jemma Kim in 2012. It is part of a series of sketches created for use in the Italian Canadian as Enemy Aliens: Memories of WWII permanent exhibit. The view is of a large guard tower looming looming over a rural landscape. A barbed wire fence is also in view. The scene is night time and a large beam of light flashes from the guard tower. The barren trees in the right foreground suggests that it is winter or fall season. During World War II, Italian Canadians were interned at three internment camps. They were located at Petawawa, ON, Kananaskis, AB, and Fredericton, NB. There are many other internment camps in Canada which also housed German Canadians, Ukrainian Canadians, and other POWs both during the First and Second World Wars.

Life in Canada

This is a charcoal sketch of a steamship created by Jemma Kim in 2012. It is part of a series of sketches created for use in the Italian Canadian as Enemy Aliens: Memories of WWII permanent exhibit. The ship is shown coming into port (shown lower left). There are big clouds in the far background. There are no visible passengers on deck. The creation of the steamship allowed for large numbers of immigrants to cross the Atlantic in faster, sturdier, and larger vessels. Italian immigration to Canada is divided into three phases: 1867-1913 (pre-war); 1945-1961 (post-war); and 1961-present (sponsorship period). During the first two periods, Italian immigrants arrived on steamships landing either at Ellis Isand, New York or at Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Between 1876 and 1942, roughly 18.5 million Italians migrated to other parts of Europe, Northern Africa, Australia, North and South America. Only 126,000 came to Canada, which needed cheap labour for resource extraction, factory work and construction.

Life as a migrant was difficult.

Italians were given some of the most laborious and dangerous jobs. They lacked job security and experienced discrimination on and off the job. With low wages, and in an effort to save money, they often lived a frugal lifestyle.

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Becoming The Enemy

Within half an hour of Italy’s declaration of war, the police began arresting individuals across Canada. Suspects were taken from places of work. Homes were ransacked in an attempt to find evidence.

Italian Canadians were taken to local jails to await transfer to internment camps. Many had no idea why they found themselves in this situation. They were not told what was going to happen to them.

Many others were subjected to enemy alien designations, loss of work, vandalism, verbal abuse, and violence.

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This is a charcoal sketch of an internment camp with view of guard tower and an internee by Jemma Kim in 2012. It is part of a series of sketches created for use in the Italian Canadian as Enemy Aliens: Memories of WWII permanent exhibit. The view is of the barbed wire fence and guard tower and an unidentified internee. The internee is running beside the barbed wire fence. The barren tree suggests it is winter or fall season. During World War II, Italian Canadians were interned at three internment camps. They were located at Petawawa, ON, Kananaskis, AB, and Fredericton, NB. There are many other internment camps in Canada which also housed German Canadians, Ukrainian Canadians, and other POWs both during the First and Second World Wars.

Italian Canadians Today

This is a charcoal sketch of an Italian Canadian family created by Jemma Kim in 2012. It is part of a series of sketches created for use in the Italian Canadian as Enemy Aliens: Memories of WWII permanent exhibit. The family consists of a father, a mother, and a child. The family's identity is unknown. Their backs are turned and they are walking down a tree-lined pathway which leads to a house in the far background. The blooming trees suggest it is summer.

Immediately after the war, the Italian Canadian community became fragmented. Individuals feared being targeted again by the Canadian government. They attempted to return to a normal life as quickly as possible.

Once released, many of the internees were obliged to start over. Although some were able to return to their jobs, many others had to find new employment.

Italian Canadians also had to work to rebuild community organizations and to establish a rapport with the large wave of newcomers arriving from war-torn Italy.

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It’s Just History

Along with the Italian Canadians, the government also interned German Canadians, Japanese Canadians and others.

What occurred during World War II was not an isolated case. Canada has a history of interning populations it considers a threat to public safety.

While security is in the interest of all Canadians, we must strive for a balance between individual rights and public safety. This balance should be maintained during periods of crisis. In a democratic society there should be room for multiple political beliefs, opinions and religions.

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Charcoal sketch of a modern day protest created by Jemma Kim in 2012. It is part of a series of sketches created for use in the Italian Canadian as Enemy Aliens: Memories of WWII permanent exhibit. This is a generic scene of a modern day protest. Details of individuals' identities, place, location, and time are unknown. The people are holding up protest signage and are lobbying together. In the background is a small cluster of high-rise buildings.
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