Federico Lenzi moved to Kelowna from Italy in 1926 with the hope of starting a new life.

While seeing Canada as a land of opportunity, it would eventually be the country where he was torn from his family and placed in an internment camp during the Second World War.

As shared by his grandson Raymond Lenzi, Federico91裸聊视频檚 story is similar to those of many Italian-Canadians who lived through the war 91裸聊视频� tragedies that have prompted plans for a formal apology from the Canadian government later this month.

Accused of sympathizing with the enemy

Raymond said his grandfather91裸聊视频檚 first job in Canada was managing an orchard in Kelowna for a man in the Canadian Armed Forces named Major Hutton.

91裸聊视频淢ajor Hutton took a liking to him,91裸聊视频� explained Raymond. 91裸聊视频淗e knew my grandfather had farming experience.91裸聊视频�

Eventually, Federico had saved enough money to bring his pregnant wife and three children over from Italy and buy his own 15-acre fruit farm by Summerland Station.

In the late 1930s, political tensions began to escalate. After Italy allied with Germany in 1940, more than 600 Italian-Canadians suspected to be fascist sympathizers were sent to internment camps, according to the Canadian government. Around 31,000 more were registered as 91裸聊视频渆nemy aliens.91裸聊视频�

While tending to his farm, Federico also worked at an apple box-making factory part-time. During a conversation at work about the Second World War, someone accused Federico of being a Benito Mussolini supporter.

Although Federico denied the accusation, in August 1940, he was sent to an internment camp in Alberta91裸聊视频檚 Kananaskis area, about 80 kilometres west of Calgary.

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The government seized Federico91裸聊视频檚 farm while he was interned, though his family continued to work the land under federal custody.

Federico spent his days of internment chopping wood under the supervision of a single guard. One day, that guard had a heart attack.

Despite the opportunity to escape, Federico and the other men rushed their captor back to the compound.

91裸聊视频淪omeone asked him, 91裸聊视频榃hy didn91裸聊视频檛 you run, Fred?91裸聊视频� and he said 91裸聊视频業 want to be a Canadian.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频� Raymond said.

After a year, Federico was released from the camp after a 91裸聊视频榟igher up91裸聊视频� in the army wrote a letter vouching for him. Raymond believes it was the same man who gave Federico his first job, Major Hutton.

Upon returning home, he received a bill from the government for holding custody of the property. Over the years, Federico didn91裸聊视频檛 tell his family much about his internment experiences.

91裸聊视频淢y grandfather told me a few things about it, but it91裸聊视频檚 part of the culture not to complain,91裸聊视频� said Raymond. 91裸聊视频淗e was a proud Canadian. He never spoke bad about our country, despite what happened.91裸聊视频�

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91裸聊视频楾hey deserve closure91裸聊视频�

This month, the Lenzi family and thousands of other Italian-Canadians will get an apology from the federal government for their treatment during the Second World War.

The government announced plans for the apology after Liberal MP Angelo Iacono raised the issue in the House of Commons on April 14.

91裸聊视频淧arents were taken away from their homes, leaving children without their fathers in many cases and families without a paycheque to put food on their tables. Lives and careers, businesses and reputations were interrupted and ruined, and yet no one was held responsible,91裸聊视频� said Iacono.

91裸聊视频淚talian-Canadians have lived with these memories for many years and they deserve closure,91裸聊视频� he added.

The National Congress of Italian-Canadians has been lobbying for an apology like this since the 91裸聊视频�90s. In 1990, former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney made an unofficial apology at a congress of Italian-Canadians. In 2018, the RCMP issued a Statement of Regret for its participation in the internment. But the community still felt that was not enough.

Gord Hotchkiss, co-chair of the heritage committee at the Kelowna Canadian-Italian Club (KCIC), has researched the internment of Italians in Canada during the Second World War.

91裸聊视频淚n this case, Federico Lenzi was lucky because he had children who took over the farm while he interned. Not every Italian was as fortunate; in many cases, families lost their businesses and the financial hardship was significant because there was no one to step in for the primary provider while he was being interned,91裸聊视频� Hotchkiss explained.

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Through his research, Hotchkiss has found at least 55 of the interned Italian-Canadians were from British Columbia: 44 from Vancouver, seven from Trail, two from Youbou, one from Greenwood 91裸聊视频� one, Fredrico Lenzi, was from Summerland.

The Kelowna Canadian-Italian Club (KCIC) told the Capital News it is grateful for the upcoming apology.

91裸聊视频淪ome of our members and their families were directly impacted by the internment of Italians and the declaration of many others as enemy aliens.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淯nfortunately for the Italian community, this precipitated a legacy of shame that was in no way earned by either their actions or their loyalties. This apology acknowledges the injustice that led to a dark chapter in the history of Canada91裸聊视频檚 Italian citizens.

91裸聊视频淲e can now turn the page and move on as we always have, continuing to contribute our passion, our culture and our dedication to the community and nation that we have helped to build.91裸聊视频�

On the other hand, Raymond feels the upcoming apology is too little, too late.

91裸聊视频淭hey should have apologized to the people they threw in those camps. How many Italians were good, hardworking citizens that helped bring Canada to where it is today?91裸聊视频�

In 1988, the federal government formally apologized to Japanese-Canadians and offered $300 million in compensation. Through the Second World War, 22,000 Japanese-Canadians were interned.

Trudeau says he will deliver the formal apology in the House of Commons on May 27.

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amandalina.letterio@kelownacapnews.com
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