Internment of Italian Canadians

06/30/2026

06/18/2026

On the 82nd anniversary of the Internment of Italian Canadians, 92 year old Nick Zaffiro gave an impactful account of his father, Francesco Zaffiro's unjust internment during the Second World War and how his father worked to re-establish the Sons of Italy Trieste Lodge in Hamilton upon his release, in spite of being advised by authorities not to have any association with the Italian community. https://youtu.be/zVGVSaevUmQ?si=JUdWwgPKNr8rB4lM

06/17/2026

Liuna Station Immigration Square

06/11/2026

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06/10/2026

86th anniversary..... Joe Baiardo Sam Cino

06/10/2026

86 years ago today, approximately 31,000 Italian Canadians were declared enemy aliens. 600 were arrested and put in internment camps during the war. None were ever convicted of any wrongdoing. This is the story of Francesco Zaffiro from Hamilton, who was taken from his James Street North shoe repair shop, leaving his family to wonder what happened to him. On May 27, 2021, the federal Liberal government finally provided an official apology to Italian Canadians for the wrongful arrest and imprisonment of Italian Canadians and their families.

U Scarparu Senza Scarpi (the Shoeless Shoemaker) is an educational ...

06/10/2026

June 10th, 2026 marks the 86th anniversary of the wrongful arrest and subsequent internment of Italian Canadians after Italy joined the Second World War as an ally to Germany. In total, over 600 Italians, 74 from Hamilton, Ontario, were interned in camps under the authority of the War Measures Act and the Defense of Canada Regulations. Many internees were Canadian Citizens with sons enlisted in the Canadian forces, combatting fascism overseas. Regardless, approximately 31,000 Italian Canadians were declared “enemy aliens”, and had to report regularly to local registrars. Families, wives and children, were deprived of their only source of income.

On June 10th, 1940 Italy declared war on Great Britain and its alli...