21.9°C Vancouver 21.9°C VancouverMay 27, 2021 5:23 PM -
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says the Italian Canadian community has carried the weight of the unjust policy of internment during the Second World War.
Trudeau delivered a formal apology in the House of Commons this morning to Canadians of Italian descent.
He says more than 600 men were arrested and sent to internment camps, and four women were detained and sent to jail.
Trudeau points out they did not face formal charges, have the ability to defend themselves in a fair trial or a chance to present or rebut evidence.
He says 31,000 Italian Canadians were labelled ``enemy aliens'' after Canada declared war on Italy in 1940.
He says every thriving business or charity that Italian-Canadians have built in the years since, is a testament to their love for this country.
