On June 10, 1940, after Italy's declaration of war on Great Britain and her allies, Canadian PM Mackenzie King, declared 31, 000 Italian Canadians considered a threat to the nation as ENEMY ALIENS. These individuals were fingerprinted, photographed, and ordered to report monthly to the RCMP. Of these, about 600 were sent to internment camps across Canada. This was made possible under the implement
ation of the War Measures Act. Columbus Centre of Toronto is a proud recipient of the Community Historical Recognition Program (CHRP), Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) - federal funding given to communities who suffered under the historical War Measures Act.
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The first phase, Italian Canadians as Enemy Aliens: Memories of WWII (ICEA), produced a web, book, and exhibit. The project was completed by May 31, 2012.
* Visit the website at www.ItalianCanadianWW2.ca.
* Get your copy of Beyond Barbed Wire: Essays on the internment of Italian Canadians. (Co-publication with Association of Italian Canadian Writers (AICW), in partnership with Guernica Editions and Accenti Magazine). Email [email protected]
* Visit the permanent exhibit onsite in the JD Carrier Gallery at Columbus Centre. Mon to Fri (10am-5pm).
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The second phase of the project, Italian Canadians as Enemy Aliens: From Memory to Legacy produced a new travelling exhibit, Ordinary Lives: Extraordinary Times, Italian Canadian Experiences During WWII. For complete tour dates, visit: http://bit.ly/15P4Gc2
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The third phase of the project is the installment of Monument: Italian Canadian War Stories. This new monument will be erected in the Villa Colombo garden. The monument will explore the struggles and successes of the Italian Canadian immigrant story and the Italian Canadian internment history. To be completed: June 2013.
