Italian Community Gets Cash. No Apology. .

I've been slow to getting around to this but a piece over at Alternavision jolted me into action.

Earlier this winter, Montreal's Italian Community was presented with $2.5 million dollars in compensation by the Canadian government (then under the leadership of Paul Martin and the Liberal Party) for about 700 Italian-Canadians accused of being 'enemies of the state' during World War II.

No pubic apology was forthcoming in the House of Commons. Interestingly, just the opposite happened in 1990 when Conservative Prime Minister Brian Mulroney offered a public apology minus the money.

Either way, the whole notion of apologies and monetary compensation for past injustices is not a game worth playing. Never mind that it was a time of war and some fascist organizations did indeed operate on the continent (though were mostly harmless). Families were destroyed and businesses lost. This is to not condone the government and its actions (there's ample reason to believe that racial overtones were part of their decision to intern Italians. Lest we forget the eugenics movement was still fresh in the minds of many Canadians.)

It was all a human travesty. Let us leave it at that.

The Italian community has moved on for the most part and opening old wounds serves little purpose. In fact, for me, what has been more irritating is how history books and columns in newspapers have usually ignored that Italians were interned at all. The popular community often cited are the Japanese but the Italians (as well as Germans and Ukranians) have taken a back-seat - our attention spans can't process too many nationalities mistreated.

As a Canadian of Italian heritage and a historian by education, I never sought a government apology. The Italian National Congress of Italians need to focus on more relevant things to enhance the community.

Last, the cheque was presented along with former Minister of Multiculturalism Raymond Chan which went straight into the coffers of the communities rather than the families of the former prisoners - whom of which are mostly deceased by now. To me, this is an injustice.

As is usually the case when it comes to post modern crusades to right past wrongs, this is the act (whatever the good intentions) of a select minor group of 'esteemed' political figures who decided the community wanted (if not demanded) this. Forget the fact that many Italians want this chapter closed once and for all.

If I were involved, which I'm not, I would have taken the cheque and given it right back to the taxpayers. Not to mention abolishing that mythical abomination - Minister of Multiculturalism.

But that's for another post at a later date.