Internment of Ukrainians in WWI

Internment of Ukrainians in World War I

In 1914, the Canadaian Government implemented the War Measures Act. This act gave power to the governor in council in the event of war, invasion, and insurrection.

.(a) Censorship and the control and suppression of publications, writings, maps, plans, photographs, communications and means of communication;(b) Arrest,, detention,, exclusion and deportation;(c) Control of the harbours, ports and territorial waters of Canada and the movements of vessels;(d) Transportation by land, air, or Water and the control of the transport of persons and things;(e) Trading, exportation, importation, production and manufacture;(f) Appropriation, control, forfeiture and disposition of property and of the use thereof.

Powers of the Governor in council include:

Between 1941 and 1914,Approximately 170,000 Ukrainians who were hoping for a better life emigrated to Canada, from the Western Ukrainian regions of Halychyna and Bukovyna. They were attracted by the offers of free land in Canadian prairies.

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Among the 80,000 "enemy aliens", 8,597 were Ukrainian-Canadians were interned. 5,000 of them were Ukrainians who escaped the Austria-Hungarian empire. The rest were Ukrainians who were already Canadian citizens before the war

Ukrainians were mistakenly labelled as "Austrian" or"Austrio-Hungarian. During the war, Austria was not an ally of Canada. As a result, about 80,000 Ukrainians were forced to register as "enemy aliens".

As enemy aliens, they were required to report to government authorities and carry government-issued identity papers. When they didn't have there papers with them, Ukrainians were severely punished or killed.

There wer 24 internment camps in Canada during the WW1.

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In internment camps, internees were forced into labor. They helped develop the infrastructure of Canada. Federal and provincial governments and private concerns benefited from the internees' labour.

Conditions in internment camps were terrible. There were not enough food. The authorities keep an eye on the internees always.

How did the internment impacted and changed Canada?

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Canada was sorry for what it did in the past. Bill C-331 recognized the internment of Ukrainian Canadians during the First World War and called for negotiated settlement between government and members of the Ukrainian-Canadian community in November 2005. The Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund was also created to support projects in commemorating the dark past of the Ukrainians in Canada.

1914-1920

Most of the Ukrainians interned were native born Canadians. There was no evidence that those Ukrainians were disloyal to Canada. However, the Canadian government considered them a threat.