OTTAWA – A retractable, high-quality, permanent and re-useable metal banner (with carrying case) is now available, free of charge, to help communities commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War I internment operations in Canada.
Informational banner about the first world war-era internment operations in Canada.
Building on a very successful Holodomor banner project late last year, the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Foundation (www.ucclf.ca) has commissioned a new visual display, making it possible for Canadian Ukrainian communities and groups, large or small, across the country to provide basic information about the nature of, reasons for, and effects of Canada’s first national internment operations (1914-1920).
The banner – titled “Without Just Cause!” – includes a short historical background of the internment operations, as well as three powerful quotations: two from internees and one from a contemporary newspaper editorial.
In the background is the now-iconic image of a group of prisoners interned at Banff-Castle Mountain, one of 24 such sites across Canada.
“Each prisoner is reacting to his being photographed behind barbed wire in a different way,” said UCCLF spokesperson Borys Sydoruk. “Their emotions range from obvious shame and embarrassment, to outright defiance. It exemplifies the crippling and lasting legacy the internment had on their psyches. All were innocent of any wrongdoing, some were, in fact, born in the country, a few were shot dead in escape attempts. All were unjustly rounded up under Canada’s War Measures Act and made to work in Canada’s concentration camp archipelago.”
Thanks to the generosity of UCCLF’s many supporters, a limited number of internment banners will be available, free of charge including delivery, within Canada. These will be distributed in September. Leaflets providing a reading list of additional sources will accompany the banner.
Organizations or community groups wishing to secure a banner should send an e-mail to [email protected] on or before August 28, with the following information: name of organization; complete postal/shipping address; contact person’s name, email, home and cell phone numbers; and a sentence or two explaining when and how the internment banner will be displayed.
Commenting on this initiative, Mr. Sydoruk added: “Thanks to the generosity of UCCLF’s supporters, we are able to offer Canadian Ukrainian organizations a ready-made display, easily assembled, taken down, stored and, importantly, re-used year after year, which will offer the public a chance to learn about the internment, and recall the thousands of men, as well as some women and children, mostly of Ukrainian background but also others, who fell victim to this misguided policy of the Dominion Government.”
For more on the Ukrainian Canadian Civil Liberties Foundation and to support the organization, readers may visit www.ucclf.ca.