INTERNMENT OF ENEMY ALIENS DURING WORLD WAR ONE WAS IT JUSTIFIED ?

EARLY UKRAINIAN IMMIGRATION TO CANADA Despite previous periods of independence, the Ukrainian people did not have a nation to call their own in the 19th century; instead, Ukrainian territory was controlled by two powerful empires, Russia and Austro-Hungary Canadian immigration officials labelled Ukrainian immigrants arriving in Canada as Austrian or Russian, depending on their passport. The term Ukrainian was not commonly used. Approximately 171 000 immigrants of Ukrainian ethnic origin came to Canada between 1892 and 1914, the majority of whom came from the part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

OUTBREAK OF WORLD WAR I When Great Britain, Russia and France, declared war against Germany and Austria-Hungary on August 4, 1914, Canada, as a colony of Britain, was automatically at war. Almost immediately, the Government of Canada stated that enemy aliens (citizens of a country that is at war with the country in which they are living) could be arrested and detained if they tried to leave Canada. It was created to prevent citizens of the Central Powers from returning to their homelands and serving in their countries’ militaries. The War Measures Act, (August, 1914) gave the government emergency powers to censor and control all publications and communications; arrest, detain or deport anyone; and take, use or control any property for the security, defence, peace, order and welfare of Canada.

RESTRICTIONS ON ENEMY ALIENS The War Measures Act required enemy aliens to register with authorities at different locations throughout Canada. From October 1914 to February 24, 1920, 80 000 individuals, the majority Ukrainian, were forced to report each month to special registrars, or to local North West Mounted Police forces. Enemy aliens were issued with registration cards that identified them, their nationality, place of residence and place of employment. The registration cards had to be carried at all times, and those failing to do so could be subjected to arrest, fine or even imprisonment. Restrictions were also imposed on freedom of speech, association and movement for enemy aliens. Municipalities were told to watch all Germans and Austrians living within their areas. Out of patriotism, many employers also dismissed Austrians and Germans from work.

INTERNMENT OF ENEMY ALIENS Many enemy aliens were interned over the course of the war for failing to regularly report as regulation demanded, or when attempting to leave Canada for the United States to seek work. In total, 8579 enemy aliens (including 81 women and 156 children) were interned in one of the 24 internment camps across Canada. The internment camps housed 7762 Canadian residents, 5954 non-Germans from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, 1192 Germans, 205 Turks and 99 Bulgarians. Internees from the Austro-Hungarian Empire were officially designated as Austrians, although the vast majority were different minorities, including Hungarians, Czechs, Slovaks, Croats, Poles, Slovenes and Ukrainians. The majority of these were Ukrainian No Ukrainians carrying passports from the Russian Empire were interned during the war because Russia was an ally of Great Britain.

INTERNMENT CAMP CONDITIONS Internees were required to provide work only for their own comfort, cleanliness and health. Any additional work completed for the government, was voluntary and required payment. Internees received the same pay a Canadian soldier would receive for noncombat work (25 cents per day). Internees were put to work building roads, clearing land, cutting wood, building railways, and building Canada’s national parks, including Banff National Park in Alberta. Due to labour shortages across Canada during the last two years of the war, many internment camps closed between 1916 and 1918 when internees were shipped to larger camps, or paroled to private companies to work as full-time employees. They were allowed to work for private businesses; government; or for the railway companies. Although many camps closed from 1916 to 1918, several camps ( e.g. Vernon, British Columbia) were not closed until 1920, a full year and a half after the end of the war. Upon being released, internees’ possessions and finances were not always returned, and they often faced continual security checks.

CANADA’S FIRST NATIONAL INTERNMENT OPERATIONS, 1914-1920