History

With the outbreak of World War I, the War Measures Act (1914) was implemented as a result of an Order In Council by the Canadian Government. This resulted in the internment of 8,579 "enemy aliens" of which over 5,000 were Ukrainians who had emigrated to Canada from territories under the control of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. It also meant an additional 80,000 individuals (of which the vast majority were Ukrainians) were obliged to register as
"enemy aliens" and then required to report to local authorities on a regular basis.

These internees were used to develop Canadian infrastructure as "forced-labourers". They were used to develop Banff National Park, the logging industry in Northern Ontario & Quebec, the steel mills in Ontario & Nova Scotia, and in the mines in British Columbia, Ontario & Nova Scotia. This infrastructure development program benefited Canadian corporations to such a degree that the internment was carried on for two years after the end of World War I.

Canadian Alliance MP Inky Mark says he is disheartened by the lack of compassion shown to Ukrainian Canadians by the Chretien government. The year 2000 marked the 80th anniversary of the end of the First National Internment operations. Mark says the Liberal government refuses to correct injustices to Ukrainian Canadians and other Europeans during Internment operations, which ended in 1920. Mark released a transcript from a June 8, 1993 letter from the Honourable Jean Chretien, then leader of the Opposition, penned to the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

"The Liberal Party understands your concerns . . . we support your effort to secure the redress of Ukrainian Canadians' claims arising from their internment and loss of freedoms during the First World War. We will continue to monitor the situation closely and seek that the government honours its promise"

"Seven years of procrastination is enough," Mark stated, "I call on the Prime Minister to directly make a commitment to solving this long-standing grievance".

Mr. Mark is working on a private members bill which will address three issues;

• it will force the government to apologize publicly to Canada's Ukrainian population,
• it will pay some restitution to surviving family members, and
• it will return property of value that was seized during the period.

The Dauphin-Swan River MP also paid tribute to all those who have continued untiring efforts towards the cause. Dauphin resident Peter Bilash is among them. Bilash was recognized in 2000 for his work in promoting the rich heritage of Ukrainian people in Canada. The unveiling of the Tomb of the Unknown Ukrainian Soldier and the plaque to honour Phillip Konowal, the Ukrainian soldier decorated with the Victoria Cross, at the Selo Ukraina site south of Dauphin, Manitoba, are testament to Canada's Ukrainian identity.

On July 11, 1999, a triangular plaque was unveiled in Victoria, BC, commemorating the six internment camps in British Columbia used to intern Canadians of Ukrainian descent during the First World War. The plaque shows the location, opening and closing dates of all six BC camps on an outline map of the southern part of the province.

On August 4, 1999, a triangular plaque was unveiled at La Ferme, Quebec, to honour Ukrainian Canadians who were interned between 1914 and 1920. The most notorious camp was located at Spirit Lake near Amos, Quebec.