Speech (House debate)

{
    "time": "2009-05-28 18:05:00",
    "attribution": {
        "en": "Mr. Glenn Thibeault (Sudbury, NDP)",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "content": {
        "en": "<p data-HoCid=\"1506728\" data-originallang=\"en\">Mr. Speaker, I want to commend the hon. member for <a data-HoCid=\"128261\" href=\"/politicians/dean-del-mastro/\" title=\"Dean Del Mastro\">Peterborough</a> for a very passionate and a great speech tonight. I may disagree with some of the opinions on what this bill would do, but I truly appreciated what he had to say.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506729\" data-originallang=\"en\">I am glad to have the opportunity to speak tonight to Bill <a data-HoCid=\"3627109\" href=\"/bills/40-2/C-302/\" title=\"An Act to recognize the injustice that was done to persons of Italian origin through their \u201cenemy alien\u201d designation and internment during the Second World War, and to provide for restitution and promote education on Italian-Canadian history\">C-302, An Act to recognize the injustice that was done to persons of Italian origin through their \u201cenemy alien\u201d designation and internment during the Second World War, and to provide for restitution and promote education on Italian-Canadian history</a>. The New Democrats and I are pleased to support this bill and to assist with its movement through Parliament. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506730\" data-originallang=\"en\">Let me begin my speech this evening by telling the story of an Italian born Sudburian who was the victim of the government's internment policy. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506731\" data-originallang=\"en\">Dr. Luigi Filippo Pancaro arrived in Canada in the late 1920s after graduating with his medical degree from the University of Rome. During the early 1930s, Dr. Pancaro and his wife settled in Sudbury with the large Italian community and became a member of the staff at the Sudbury regional hospital. In addition to joining the hospital staff, Dr. Pancaro also opened a private practice and became the family doctor for many members of the Italian community. On June 11, 1940, Dr. Pancaro was suddenly and without reason pulled away from a patient he was seeing, placed in the back of a police van and transported to the Sudbury jail.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506732\" data-originallang=\"en\">Dr. Pancaro's abduction occurred a day after Italy had declared war on Canada. The evening before he was taken away in a police van, Prime Minister Mackenzie King ordered the internment of hundreds of Italian Canadians identified by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as enemy aliens. Once Dr. Pancaro reached the Sudbury jail, he was locked in a cell with many other Italian born men, most of them his patients. Dr. Pancaro was part of a group of Italians that were sent to the internment camp in Petawawa, situated in the Ottawa Valley, where he remained for two years.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506733\" data-originallang=\"en\">The roundup of Italian Canadians was virtually completed by October 1940. Most of them were sent to Camp Petawawa. It is difficult to establish exactly how many Italian Canadians were interned, although estimates range from 600 to 700. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506734\" data-originallang=\"en\">After that bitter experience, Dr. Pancaro returned to Italy to practise medicine. He did ultimately return to Sudbury in 1956 where he continued his successful medical practice until 1981.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506735\" data-originallang=\"en\">The facts are simple, that people of Italian origin like Dr. Pancaro were subject to internment at the hands of the government during World War II and that this act of persecution was carried out upon these people for no reason other than their Italian origins. The internment of Italians during World War II has been acknowledged but never redressed officially in the House of Commons. This bill provides an opportunity to do what should have been done long ago with dignity. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506736\" data-originallang=\"en\">To be clear, there have been steps taken to make amends for the disgraceful treatment of Italian Canadians. In 1990, the National Congress of Italian Canadians outlined the injustices in a brief sent to then Prime Minister Mulroney. The brief outlined the desire for an acknowledgement of the injustice, compensation paid and an apology. The PM did indeed apologize in 1990. He mentioned repatriations, and former Prime Minister Paul Martin also promised repatriations. Sadly, many of the commitments were empty promises. Despite these words, money has never really flowed and although money was announced with great fanfare and media attention, successive governments did not follow up on honouring their pledges and ensuring that Italian Canadians could access these funds.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506737\" data-originallang=\"en\">Though Italian Canadians had to endure tremendous hardships 70 years ago, they were not thwarted in their drive to incorporate themselves into Canadian communities across the country and to become leaders in their own right in the promotion of Italian heritage and culture. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506738\" data-originallang=\"en\">I would like to take this opportunity to recognize some of the tremendous contributions that certain organizations and individuals have made in my riding of Sudbury toward the promotion of Italian heritage and culture.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506739\" data-originallang=\"en\">Sudbury is lucky to host the Caruso Club, one of the largest Italian associations in all of Ontario. Formed in 1947, the Caruso Club is a not-for-profit organization with a goal to promote, enhance and preserve Italian culture and heritage within the Canadian multicultural mosaic, to render assistance to persons of Italian nationality in need and to establish and maintain a library and archives of Italian heritage.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506740\" data-originallang=\"en\">I would like to offer thanks to the current board of directors: Sav Doni, John Santagapita, Egidio Manoni, Linda Zanatta-Beaudoin, Danilo Monticelli, Lina Sanchioni, Bob Armiento, Ugo Rocca and board president, Tony Nero for the club's continued contributions and support for the local community. Felix Santacapita, who passed away a few years ago, is another one of the many committed community members who gave countless hours at the Caruso Club. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506741\" data-originallang=\"en\">One of the largest events the club organizes is the annual Italian festival. During this four day event, Sudburians have the opportunity of participating in a variety of events and presentations, including sporting events like cycling, soccer, and bocce tournaments and the Ms. Caruso pageant, an event my daughter Trinity is excited to take part in this year. She is able to do that, as my wife is from Italian ancestry.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506742\" data-originallang=\"en\">A key organizer behind this event is Ms. Benita Dellece. Benita has played a tremendous role in increasing the community's awareness and appreciation of Sudbury's Italian community through her efforts in organizing this event. In addition to the Italian pageant, she has played a huge role in educating hundreds of Sudburians about the city's rich Italian heritage and culture.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506743\" data-originallang=\"en\">Another important member of the Sudbury and Italian community is John Fera, who was recently re-elected as president of the United Steelworkers Local 6500. Mr. Fera has spent many hours around the bargaining table advocating for his union brothers and sisters, and he continues the legacy of outspoken and community-driven Italians in Sudbury.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506744\" data-originallang=\"en\">There is precedence for official apologies in the House of Commons. Given that official apologies in the House of Commons have been offered for past actions of the Canadian government to Canadians of Japanese origin, first nations, Canadians of Chinese origin and other communities, I urge all members to join me in voting in favour of sending Bill <a data-HoCid=\"3627109\" href=\"/bills/40-2/C-302/\" title=\"An Act to recognize the injustice that was done to persons of Italian origin through their \u201cenemy alien\u201d designation and internment during the Second World War, and to provide for restitution and promote education on Italian-Canadian history\">C-302</a> to committee.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506745\" data-originallang=\"en\">The New Democrats have stood against internment and the War Measures Act for decades. We will stand again in support of this bill to ensure that Italian Canadians are given the formal apology that is so long overdue and that the wrongs committed nearly 70 years ago can be righted.</p>",
        "fr": "<p data-HoCid=\"1506728\" data-originallang=\"en\">Monsieur le Pr\u00e9sident, je f\u00e9licite le d\u00e9put\u00e9 de <a data-HoCid=\"128261\" href=\"/politicians/dean-del-mastro/\" title=\"Dean Del Mastro\">Peterborough</a> de son excellent discours passionn\u00e9 ce soir. Je ne partage pas n\u00e9cessairement son opinion sur l'objet du projet de loi, mais j'ai vraiment appr\u00e9ci\u00e9 ce qu'il avait \u00e0 dire.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506729\" data-originallang=\"en\">Je suis heureux d'avoir l'occasion d'intervenir ce soir dans le d\u00e9bat sur le projet de loi <a data-HoCid=\"3627109\" href=\"/bills/40-2/C-302/\" title=\"An Act to recognize the injustice that was done to persons of Italian origin through their \u201cenemy alien\u201d designation and internment during the Second World War, and to provide for restitution and promote education on Italian-Canadian history\">C-302, Loi visant \u00e0 reconna\u00eetre les injustices commises \u00e0 l\u2019\u00e9gard des personnes d\u2019origine italienne en raison de leur d\u00e9signation comme \u00ab sujets d\u2019un pays ennemi \u00bb et de leur internement durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale, \u00e0 pr\u00e9voir une indemnisation et \u00e0 promouvoir l\u2019enseignement de l\u2019histoire italo-canadienne</a>. Les n\u00e9o-d\u00e9mocrates et moi-m\u00eame sommes heureux de l'appuyer dans son cheminement au Parlement.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506730\" data-originallang=\"en\">J'aimerais commencer mon discours ce soir en racontant l'histoire d'un Sudburois n\u00e9 en Italie qui a \u00e9t\u00e9 victime de la politique d'internement du gouvernement.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506731\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le Dr Luigi Filippo Pancaro est arriv\u00e9 au Canada vers la fin des ann\u00e9es 1920 apr\u00e8s avoir obtenu son dipl\u00f4me de m\u00e9decine de l'Universit\u00e9 de Rome. Au d\u00e9but des ann\u00e9es 1930, le Dr Pancaro s'est install\u00e9 avec sa femme \u00e0 Sudbury, au sein de sa grande communaut\u00e9 italienne, et il s'est joint au personnel de l'h\u00f4pital r\u00e9gional de Sudbury. En plus de son travail \u00e0 l'h\u00f4pital, le Dr Pancaro a ouvert son propre cabinet priv\u00e9 et il est devenu m\u00e9decin de famille pour la communaut\u00e9 italienne. Le 11 juin 1940, alors qu'il traitait un patient, il fut soudainement et sans raison jet\u00e9 dans une fourgonnette de la police et conduit \u00e0 la prison de Sudbury.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506732\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le Dr Pancaro fut enlev\u00e9 un jour apr\u00e8s que l'Italie eut d\u00e9clar\u00e9 la guerre au Canada. Le soir avant son enl\u00e8vement, le premier ministre Mackenzie King avait ordonn\u00e9 l'internement de centaines de Canadiens d'origine italienne qui, selon la Gendarmerie royale du Canada, \u00e9taient des sujets d'un pays ennemi. Quand le Dr Pancaro eut atteint la prison de Sudbury, on l'enferma dans une cellule remplie d'autres hommes n\u00e9s en Italie, dont la plupart \u00e9taient ses patients. Le Dr Pancaro faisait partie d'un groupe d'Italiens envoy\u00e9s dans un camp d'internement \u00e0 Petawawa, dans la vall\u00e9e de l'Outaouais, o\u00f9 il demeura pendant deux ans.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506733\" data-originallang=\"en\">Le processus d'arrestation des Canadiens d'origine italienne \u00e9tait presque termin\u00e9 en octobre 1940. La plupart d'entre eux furent envoy\u00e9s au camp de Petawawa. Il est difficile d'\u00e9valuer avec pr\u00e9cision le nombre de Canadiens d'origine italienne qui ont \u00e9t\u00e9 intern\u00e9s; on \u00e9value cependant leur nombre autour de 600 \u00e0 700. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506734\" data-originallang=\"en\">Apr\u00e8s cette exp\u00e9rience qui laissait un arri\u00e8re-go\u00fbt amer, le Dr Pancaro est retourn\u00e9 pratiquer la m\u00e9decine en Italie.Il est finalement revenu \u00e0 Sudbury en 1956 o\u00f9 il a continu\u00e9 \u00e0 pratiquer la m\u00e9decine, et ce, jusqu'en 1981. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506735\" data-originallang=\"en\">C'est simple, des gens d'origine italienne comme le Dr Pancaro ont \u00e9t\u00e9 intern\u00e9s par le gouvernement pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale et ces pers\u00e9cutions n'ont pas eu d'autre raison que leurs origines italiennes. L'internement des Italiens pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale a \u00e9t\u00e9 reconnu \u00e0 la Chambre des communes, mais on n'y a jamais offert officiellement de r\u00e9paration. Ce projet de loi nous donne l'occasion de faire ce que nous aurions d\u00fb faire avec dignit\u00e9 depuis longtemps.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506736\" data-originallang=\"en\">Pour \u00eatre clair, des mesures ont \u00e9t\u00e9 prises pour tenter de faire amende honorable pour le traitement honteux dont les Canadiens d'origine italienne ont \u00e9t\u00e9 victimes. En 1990, le Congr\u00e8s national des Italo-Canadiens a pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 bri\u00e8vement ces injustices dans un m\u00e9moire envoy\u00e9 au premier ministre Mulroney. Le m\u00e9moire expliquait sommairement que les Canadiens d'origine italienne souhaitaient la reconnaissance des injustices commises ainsi que le versement de d\u00e9dommagements et des excuses. Le premier ministre a en effet pr\u00e9sent\u00e9 des excuses en 1990. Il a mentionn\u00e9 des rapatriements, et l'ancien premier ministre Paul Martin a aussi promis des rapatriements. Malheureusement, beaucoup des engagements pris \u00e9taient des promesses creuses. En d\u00e9pit de ces belles paroles, l'argent n'a jamais vraiment \u00e9t\u00e9 vers\u00e9 et m\u00eame si son versement avait \u00e9t\u00e9 annonc\u00e9 en grande pompe et force publicit\u00e9 dans les m\u00e9dias, les uns apr\u00e8s les autres les gouvernements n'ont pas jug\u00e9 bon de respecter ces engagements et de verser ces fonds aux Canadiens d'origine italienne. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506737\" data-originallang=\"en\">M\u00eame si les Canadiens d'origine italienne sont pass\u00e9s par des \u00e9preuves sans nom il y a 70 ans, cela ne les a pas emp\u00each\u00e9s de s'int\u00e9grer aux collectivit\u00e9s canadiennes dans tout le pays et de devenir des chefs de fil \u00e0 part enti\u00e8re dans la promotion de la culture et du patrimoine italiens. </p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506738\" data-originallang=\"en\">J'aimerais profiter de cette occasion pour remercier certains organismes et particuliers de ma circonscription, Sudbury, pour leur contribution extraordinaire \u00e0 la promotion de la culture et du patrimoine italiens.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506739\" data-originallang=\"en\">Sudbury a de la chance que le Caruso Club, l'une des plus importantes associations italiennes de l'Ontario, ait \u00e9t\u00e9 cr\u00e9\u00e9 dans cette ville en 1947. Le Caruso Club est un organisme sans but lucratif ayant pour objet de promouvoir, mettre en valeur et pr\u00e9server la culture et le patrimoine italiens dans le contexte de la mosa\u00efque multiculturelle du Canada, de venir en aide aux personnes de nationalit\u00e9 italienne dans le besoin ainsi que de cr\u00e9er et maintenir une biblioth\u00e8que et des archives consacr\u00e9s au patrimoine italien.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506740\" data-originallang=\"en\">J'aimerais \u00e9galement remercier les membres de l'actuel conseil d'administration: Sav Doni, John Santagapita, Egidio Manoni, Linda Zanatta-Beaudoin, Danilo Monticelli, Lina Sanchioni, Bob Armiento, Ugo Rocca et le pr\u00e9sident Tony Nero pour le contribution et le soutien continus du club \u00e0 la collectivit\u00e9 locale. Felix Santacapita, qui est d\u00e9c\u00e9d\u00e9 il y a quelques ann\u00e9es, est l'un des nombreux membres de la collectivit\u00e9 qui a consacr\u00e9 d'innombrables heures au Caruso Club.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506741\" data-originallang=\"en\">L'un des plus importants \u00e9v\u00e9nements que le club organise est le festival italien annuel. Durant quatre jours, les Sudburois peuvent participer \u00e0 une multitude d'\u00e9v\u00e9nements et de repr\u00e9sentations, y compris des manifestations sportives comme des courses de v\u00e9lo ainsi que des tournois de soccer et de boules ainsi que le concours Miss Caruso, un \u00e9v\u00e9nement auquel ma fille Trinity se r\u00e9jouit de participer cette ann\u00e9e. Elle peut y participer, car ma femme est d'ascendance italienne.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506742\" data-originallang=\"en\">L'une des principales organisatrices de cet \u00e9v\u00e9nement est Mme Benita Dellece. Gr\u00e2ce \u00e0 ses efforts d'organisation, les habitants de Sudbury connaissent et appr\u00e9cient davantage la communaut\u00e9 italienne de leur ville. En plus du concours de Miss Caruso, Benita a sensibilis\u00e9 des centaines d'habitants de Sudbury \u00e0 la richesse de la culture et du patrimoine italiens de la ville.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506743\" data-originallang=\"en\">Un autre membre important de la collectivit\u00e9 de Sudbury et de la communaut\u00e9 italienne est John Fera, qui a r\u00e9cemment \u00e9t\u00e9 r\u00e9\u00e9lu comme pr\u00e9sident de la section locale 6500 du Syndicat des m\u00e9tallurgistes unis. M. Fera a pass\u00e9 de nombreuses heures \u00e0 la table de n\u00e9gociation pour d\u00e9fendre les droits de ses fr\u00e8res et ses soeurs syndiqu\u00e9s. Comme les autres membres de la communaut\u00e9 italienne de Sudbury, il n'h\u00e9site pas \u00e0 dire ce qu'il pense et il est d\u00e9vou\u00e9 \u00e0 sa collectivit\u00e9.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506744\" data-originallang=\"en\">Il existe un pr\u00e9c\u00e9dent en mati\u00e8re de pr\u00e9sentation d'excuses officielles \u00e0 la Chambre des communes. \u00c9tant donn\u00e9 que des excuses officielles ont \u00e9t\u00e9 pr\u00e9sent\u00e9es \u00e0 la Chambre pour des torts commis par le gouvernement du Canada envers les Canadiens d'origine japonaise, les membres des Premi\u00e8res nations, les Canadiens d'origine chinoise et les membres d'autres communaut\u00e9s, je demande \u00e0 tous les d\u00e9put\u00e9s de se joindre \u00e0 moi pour voter en faveur du renvoi du projet de loi <a data-HoCid=\"3627109\" href=\"/bills/40-2/C-302/\" title=\"An Act to recognize the injustice that was done to persons of Italian origin through their \u201cenemy alien\u201d designation and internment during the Second World War, and to provide for restitution and promote education on Italian-Canadian history\">C-302</a> au comit\u00e9.</p>\n<p data-HoCid=\"1506745\" data-originallang=\"en\">Les d\u00e9put\u00e9s n\u00e9o-d\u00e9mocrates se sont oppos\u00e9s \u00e0 l'internement et \u00e0 la Loi sur les mesures de guerre pendant des d\u00e9cennies. Nous appuierons maintenant ce projet de loi afin de nous assurer que les Canadiens d'origine italienne re\u00e7oivent les excuses officielles qu'ils attendent depuis si longtemps et que les torts qu'ils ont subis il y a presque 70 ans puissent \u00eatre corrig\u00e9s.</p>"
    },
    "url": "/debates/2009/5/28/glenn-thibeault-1/",
    "politician_url": "/politicians/glenn-thibeault/",
    "politician_membership_url": "/politicians/memberships/1205/",
    "procedural": false,
    "source_id": "2792283",
    "h1": {
        "en": "Private Members' Business",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "h2": {
        "en": "Italian-Canadian Recognition and Restitution Act",
        "fr": ""
    },
    "document_url": "/debates/2009/5/28/",
    "related": {
        "document_speeches_url": "/speeches/?document=%2Fdebates%2F2009%2F5%2F28%2F"
    }
}