Trudeau apologies to Italian Canadians for WW2 internment

“To the men and women who were taken to prisoner of war camps or jail without charge — people who are no longer with us to hear this apology — 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,” Trudeau said.

Story continues below advertisement

Trudeau noted that the parents of Frank Iacobucci, a former justice of Canada’s Supreme Court, were among those labeled enemy aliens under a policy he said went against the values ​​that Canada had gone to war to defend.

“When, on June 10th 1940, this House of Commons declared war on Mussolini’s fascist regime in Italy, Canada did not also have to declare war on Italian-Canadians,” Trudeau said. “To stand up to the Italian regime that had sided with Nazi Germany — that was right. But to scapegoat law-abiding Italian-Canadians — that was wrong.”

“When the authorities came to their door, when they were detained; there were no formal charges, no ability to defend themselves in an open and fair trial, no chance to present or rebut evidence,” Trudeau said. “Yet still, they were taken away to Petawawa or to Fredericton, to Kananaskis or to Kingston.”