Justin Trudeau apologizes to Italian Canadians for WW2 internment camps

[Anonymous]

A sad chapter in Canadian history.



Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formally apologized on Thursday for the internment of Canadians of Italian descent during the Second World War, saying the community has carried the weight of the unjust policy for generations.



He told the House of Commons that internees were business owners, workers, and doctors, but they were taken away to internment camps scattered across Canada.



"Once they arrived at a camp, there was no length of sentence," he said. "Sometimes, the internment lasted a few months. Sometimes, it lasted years. But the impacts — those lasted a lifetime."



Trudeau said the country didn't have to declare war on Canadians of Italian heritage when it declared war on Italy's fascist regime in June 1940.



He said 31,000 Italian Canadians were labelled "enemy aliens," and then fingerprinted, scrutinized and forced to report to local registrars once a month.



Trudeau said more than 600 men were arrested and sent to internment camps, and four women were detained and sent to jail without formal charges, ability to defend themselves in a fair trial or a chance to present or rebut evidence.



"To the tens of thousands of innocent Italian-Canadians who were labelled enemy aliens, to the children and grandchildren who have carried a past generation's shame and hurt and to their community — a community that has given so much to our country — we are sorry," he said.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7898092/justin-trudeau-apologizes-italian-canadians-ww2-camps/">https://globalnews.ca/news/7898092/just ... ww2-camps/">https://globalnews.ca/news/7898092/justin-trudeau-apologizes-italian-canadians-ww2-camps/

[Anonymous]

Did Trudeau say scusa

[Anonymous]

A sad chapter in Canadian history.



Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formally apologized on Thursday for the internment of Canadians of Italian descent during the Second World War, saying the community has carried the weight of the unjust policy for generations.



He told the House of Commons that internees were business owners, workers, and doctors, but they were taken away to internment camps scattered across Canada.



"Once they arrived at a camp, there was no length of sentence," he said. "Sometimes, the internment lasted a few months. Sometimes, it lasted years. But the impacts — those lasted a lifetime."



Trudeau said the country didn't have to declare war on Canadians of Italian heritage when it declared war on Italy's fascist regime in June 1940.



He said 31,000 Italian Canadians were labelled "enemy aliens," and then fingerprinted, scrutinized and forced to report to local registrars once a month.



Trudeau said more than 600 men were arrested and sent to internment camps, and four women were detained and sent to jail without formal charges, ability to defend themselves in a fair trial or a chance to present or rebut evidence.



"To the tens of thousands of innocent Italian-Canadians who were labelled enemy aliens, to the children and grandchildren who have carried a past generation's shame and hurt and to their community — a community that has given so much to our country — we are sorry," he said.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7898092/justin-trudeau-apologizes-italian-canadians-ww2-camps/">https://globalnews.ca/news/7898092/just ... ww2-camps/">https://globalnews.ca/news/7898092/justin-trudeau-apologizes-italian-canadians-ww2-camps/

They were seen as possible fascists.

[Anonymous]

A sad chapter in Canadian history.



Prime Minister Justin Trudeau formally apologized on Thursday for the internment of Canadians of Italian descent during the Second World War, saying the community has carried the weight of the unjust policy for generations.



He told the House of Commons that internees were business owners, workers, and doctors, but they were taken away to internment camps scattered across Canada.



"Once they arrived at a camp, there was no length of sentence," he said. "Sometimes, the internment lasted a few months. Sometimes, it lasted years. But the impacts — those lasted a lifetime."



Trudeau said the country didn't have to declare war on Canadians of Italian heritage when it declared war on Italy's fascist regime in June 1940.



He said 31,000 Italian Canadians were labelled "enemy aliens," and then fingerprinted, scrutinized and forced to report to local registrars once a month.



Trudeau said more than 600 men were arrested and sent to internment camps, and four women were detained and sent to jail without formal charges, ability to defend themselves in a fair trial or a chance to present or rebut evidence.



"To the tens of thousands of innocent Italian-Canadians who were labelled enemy aliens, to the children and grandchildren who have carried a past generation's shame and hurt and to their community — a community that has given so much to our country — we are sorry," he said.

https://globalnews.ca/news/7898092/justin-trudeau-apologizes-italian-canadians-ww2-camps/">https://globalnews.ca/news/7898092/just ... ww2-camps/">https://globalnews.ca/news/7898092/justin-trudeau-apologizes-italian-canadians-ww2-camps/

They were seen as possible fascists.

But, not German Canadians, many of whom were sympathetic to the Nazi cause.

[cc]

Actually, Canada held a great many Germans they suspected and so jailed  .. Ask people in Kitchener Ontario .. and other hotspots across the land



Remember, during the early years of the war, Italy was  every bit as much at war with us as Nazi Germany was



And then there was the Japanese



While not relevant to this issue, I never could figure out what Mussolini thought he could achieve in the long run

[Anonymous]

Actually, Canada held a great many Germans they suspected and so jailed  .. Ask people in Kitchener Ontario .. and other hotspots across the land



Remember, during the early years of the war, Italy was  every bit as much at war with us as Nazi Germany was



And then there was the Japanese



While not relevant to this issue, I never could figure out what Mussolini thought he could achieve in the long run

During the first world war, Berlin, Ontario became Kitchener, Ontario..



cc, German-Canadians were imprisoned for being sympathetic to an enemy power not for being German weren't they?

[cc]

Yes. Far as I know any held of any nationality were "suspect"  .. knowing of course in war, "suspect" became a very broad term and little to no proof was required



At the time,  Kitchener had a very high German population which was why many from there were suspect & many were held



I'm not making excuses for anything, but I think one would have to live through a deadly war  .. and face an enemy that was a very real threat to their own survival   .. (and of course all 3 were "driven" & voluntary aggressors  making feelings and suspicions even stronger)  .. in order to understand the feelings of the people  and of authorities one had to "be there" before they have the right to criticize  actions taken

cc, German-Canadians were imprisoned for being sympathetic to an enemy power not for being German weren't they?

In general, I believe that was the case for all 3 countries we were at war with .. . again fear of "aggressors" causes "normal" standards of law to be lowered greatly  ..  with the support of the general population



On the good side, my great grandmother, a Prussian, hated Nazis more than anyone I ever knew and lost her only son to them. She was trusted by Canadian military and was often called on as a voluntary translator .. yet some in the community were suspicious just because she was Prussian.

She understood the feelings against real time aggressors and never faulted them



Again,  in order to understand the feelings of the people  and of authorities one had to "be there" before they have the right to criticize  actions taken

I have little time for "long after the fact" critics and apologists who have no concept of what things were at the time



We are seeing this play out today "on steroids" where wokies are trying to destroy our own history .. "self flagellating" themselves for history they have no concept or understanding of  what things were at the time

[Anonymous]

I grew up among many people of Italian origin here in Ontario. Most of them were unaware of this chapter in Canadian history.

[Anonymous]

Oh ffs, another meaningless apology for something that happened before True Dope was born. He can't bring himself to apologize for his inept handling of vaccine procurement and PPE.

[cc]

Of course. He only admits to and apologizes for other's mistakes and incompetence

[Anonymous]

Of course. He only admits to and apologizes for other's mistakes and incompetence

Apparently, Trudeau never makes mistakes..



Any mistakes made are by cabinet ministers and he never knew anything about them.

[cc]

We have never had such a PM in history .. well OK, his daddy was a peach



Most have been responsible people

[Anonymous]

Of course. He only admits to and apologizes for other's mistakes and incompetence

Apparently, Trudeau never makes mistakes..



Any mistakes made are by cabinet ministers and he never knew anything about them.

He has gotten away with shit that would have ended Martin and Harper's terms in disgrace.

[Anonymous]

Ukrainians in Canada were interned too.

[Gaon]

Canada turned away European Jewish refugees.