Italian Canadian Experiences During World War II

This press release was received this morning –

Toronto, December 6, 2012 – A travelling exhibit commemorating the experiences of Italian-Canadians who were interned in Canada during the Second World War is set to begin a three-year tour of Canada.

The exhibit, Ordinary Lives, Extraordinary Times: Italian Canadian Experiences During World War II, presents through video, audio and text, a rich collection of interviews conducted with those who were interned, as well as with researchers, historians and other members of the community.

Senator Linda Frum attended the launch event today at the Columbus Centre of Toronto, on behalf of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada, under the Community Historical Recognition Program (CHRP), has given a $277,520 contribution to help produce the exhibit. This funding will also help to expand the digital archive of many projects of the Italian internment experiences.

“The wartime internment experienced by those of Italian origin during the Second World War marks an unfortunate chapter in our nation’s history,” said Senator Frum. “The Government of Canada recognizes the historical experiences of the Italian-Canadian community during that period.”

When war broke out in Europe in September 1939, Canada was governed by wartime emergency measures that had a significant impact on the lives of many Italian Canadians.

The CHRP has made available approximately $4 million for projects to recognize the experiences of the Italian-Canadian community.

The exhibit will be on special preview at the Columbus Centre of Toronto until the end of December 2012 before it begins its three-year Canada-wide tour.

If you want to know more about this subject List of Internment Camps (WWII) go to www.windsor-communities.com/italian-list.php

Dave Obee Gives Two Talks

His first talk, entitled “Destination Canada”, will be given on Saturday, March 24th from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. at the West Vancouver Memorial Library.

More than seven million people arrived in Canada from Europe, the United States, and Asia between 1815 and 1930.

This talk discusses the wide variety of sources that deal with immigration to Canada, including ship passenger lists (available from 1865 through 1935), border-crossing records, and naturalization and citizenship documents.

The second talk, “Writing Your Family History”, will be held from 2:30 to 4:00 p.m. in the Welsh Hall, and touch upon the reason for writing a family history, and how a well-written story will make other family members more interested in the research that you are doing. He will also discuss ideas that will help you get over writer's block.

For more information, visit the West Vancouver Memorial Library at http://www.westvanlibrary.ca/, or write info@westvanlibrary.ca.