OTTAWA – The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today announced that on May 27, 2021, he will deliver a formal apology in the House of Commons for the internment of Italian Canadians during the Second World War.

Trudeau tweeted the news:  “Yesterday, I virtually met with some of the families of Italian Canadians who were interned during the Second World War. We spoke about this dark moment in Canada’s history and about how the Italian Canadian community has carried the weight of this unjust policy for far too long”. 

“I wanted them to know first that, in the House of Commons on May 27th, I’ll deliver a formal apology to acknowledge this historical injustice, bring closure to those who were affected, and make sure the lessons we’ve learned are never forgotten”.

After Italy declared war against Canada in 1940, the Government of Canada interned hundreds of people of Italian heritage. In addition, tens of thousands of Italian Canadians were declared “enemy aliens”, and faced pain, hardship, and discrimination. The government’s policy went against the fundamental values Canada was fighting for during the Second World War.