Canada will formally apologize to the country’s Italian-Canadian community for the way it was treated during World War II, when 31,000 Italian-Canadians were declared enemy aliens and hundreds were sent to internment camps, Radio Canada International reports.

“I’m proud to stand up and say that our government will right these wrongs with a formal apology in the month of May,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told the House of Commons this week in reply to a question from Liberal MP Angelo Iacono, while noting that Canadians of Italian heritage “deal with ongoing discrimination related to mistakes made by our governments of the past that that continue to this day.”

We now urge America’s leaders to extend the same olive branch for past wrongs.

Consider the following:

600,000 Italians were declared “enemy aliens”  in the U.S. by President Franklin Roosevelt during WWII, with 10,000 Italians alone losing homes and businesses. Some of whom were also held captive in secret internment camps.

The Italians felt betrayed by their adopted country and would not speak of these events.

No acknowledgement ever was made public by the authorities, until compelled to do so many years later. It remained a secret for years. These events forced Italian families to make significant social changes. Fearing retribution and rejection, families stopped speaking their mother language (at least outside of the home).

Some “Americanized” their names, and children were urged to “assimilate” the American way, to avoid suspicion and harassment from community and school friends.

It is indeed ironic, while this was happening, Italian sons were serving in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Amends should be made.

 

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