October 28 marks National Internment Commemoration and Education Day.
The War Measures Act, enacted on August 22, 1914, gave the Canadian government sweeping powers to conduct WWI. On October 28, 1914, an order-in-council provided the government with the authority to intern civilians as prisoners of war.
Categorized as “enemy aliens,” 8,579 immigrants from the multinational Austro-Hungarian, German and Ottoman empires and from the Kingdom of Bulgaria were held in 24 “receiving stations” and internment camps across the country. Most of the civilian internees came from the western Ukrainian regions of Halychyna, Bukovyna, and Zakarpattia and were labelled as “second class” prisoners of war. The last camps closed in February 1920 and Canada’s first national internment operations officially ended on June 20, 1920.
Held in 24 receiving stations and internment camps across the country — from Nanaimo, BC to Halifax, NS — these “second class” prisoners of war (POWs) were generally separated from “first class” German and Austrian POWs. Many were transported into the country’s frontier wildernesses and obliged to work for the profit of their jailers. Personal wealth and property were confiscated, not all of which was returned on parole or following the end of the internment operations.
We honour the memory of the internees by sharing the story of the internment operations and understanding our responsibility to educate all Canadians about this injustice in the history of our country. May our knowledge serve as a reminder of the need to always remain vigilant in defense of civil liberties and human rights.
October 28 is National Internment Commemoration and Education Day.
Join an event in your local community to help raise awareness in remembrance. Visit the Ukrainian Canadian Congress website for a list of commemorations.
For more on Canada’s first national internment operations and the WWI Internment Legacy Fund that supports educational and commemorative initiatives nationwide visit internmentcanada.ca.
Photo: Monument titled “ВИТРИВАЛІСТЬ – ENDURANCE” designed by Artist Herman Poulin.
The monument was an initiative of the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Foundation intended to educate, raise awareness and honour the many thousands of Ukrainians and other eastern Europeans who were victimized by Canada’s First World War national internment operations of 1914 to 1920.
Funded in part by the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund (today Canadian WWI Internment Legacy Fund), was unveiled on October 1, 2023, at the Alberta Legislature Grounds in Edmonton, Alberta.