October 28, 2026
Today, the Ukrainian Canadian Students’ Union (SUSK) joins Ukrainian Canadians and all Canadians in marking National Internment Commemoration and Education Day. We remember the men, women and children who suffered during Canada’s First National Internment Operations of 1914 – 1920.
Under the War Measures Act, adopted on August 22, 1914, the Government of Canada interned 8,579 “enemy aliens.” More than 5,000 of them were Ukrainians who had come to Canada from lands that were then ruled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Around 80,000 more, were forced to register as “enemy aliens” and report regularly to police.
They were held in 24 receiving stations and internment camps, from Nanaimo, British Columbia, to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Internees were put to forced labour, working in logging camps, steel mills and mines. Their property and savings were confiscated, and much of it was never returned. The operations did not officially end until June 20, 1920, nearly two years after the war was over.
These people were imprisoned not for anything they had done, but because of who they were and where they came from. On release, many hid their Ukrainian identity, language and faith to protect their families. More than a century later, their descendants still carry that silence and shame.
As students, we believe remembrance begins with knowledge. Too few Canadians have ever heard of the internment operations, and not enough classrooms include this material. The recognition won through the Internment of Persons of Ukrainian Origin Recognition Act (2005) and the Canadian First World War Internment Recognition Fund (2008) matters, but recognition must be carried forward by each new generation.
Today SUSK calls on:
– Ukrainian Students’ Organizations (USOs) to hold or join a commemoration in their community and share the internees’ story on campus.
– Students to learn more about the camps, the families affected, and the 24 sites across the country.
– Educators and school boards to include Canada’s First National Internment Operations in the curriculum, using the free resources available through internmentcanada.ca
We honour the memory of the internees and reaffirm our commitment to human rights and the dignity of every person.
Вічная пам’ять. Eternal memory.