Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says, on Thursday, he will deliver a formal apology in the House of Commons for the internment of Italian Canadians during the Second World War.
After Italy declared war against Canada in 1940, the federal government interned hundreds of people of Italian heritage. In addition, tens of thousands of Italian Canadians were declared “enemy aliens” and, according to the Prime Minister’s Office, faced pain, hardship, and discrimination.

The PMO says the government’s policy went against the fundamental values Canada was fighting for during the Second World War.

Trudeau says, “Canadians of Italian heritage have made, and continue to make, immense social, economic, and cultural contributions to our country. We cannot undo our past failures, but through this apology we hope to help bring closure to those who were harmed, and ensure the lessons we learned are never forgotten.”