Canadians marked a dark chapter in our country’s history this morning, as 100 plaques were unveiled across the country to mark the 100th anniversary of the War Measures Act in Canada in the early part of the 20th century. 17 of the plaques were unveiled in Alberta.
During the First World War that thousands of Ukrainian immigrants were placed in internment camps in Canada for fear that they posed a threat to the country. There were 24 internment camps across Canada, four of them were in Alberta.
Jerry Bayrak’s helped to unveil the plaque at the Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex. His mother was born in one of the internment camps, and she is the last known survivor.
“She was born Mary H., no middle name.” Bayrak said after the unveiling on Friday.
While it’s an emotional memory for his family, he hopes that the plaques help bring the events of the past to light.
“Hopefully it will be common knowledge, hopefully it will get into the curriculum in the schools for the history”
“Governments have a solemn duty to defend against legitimate threats in wartime, but we look back with deep regret on an unjust policy that was implemented indiscriminately as a form of collective punishment and in violation of fundamental principles of natural justice, including the presumption of innocence.” Prime Minister Stephen Harper said in a written statement on Friday.
The Federal Government has created a fund to support commemorative projects. Bayrak would like to see a formal apology from the government, but he says the plaques are a good start.
The locations for the plaques in Edmonton are:
- St. John’s Institute – 11024 82nd Avenue
- St. John’s Ukrainian Orthodox Cathedral – 10611 110 Avenue
- St. Michael the Archangel Ukrainian Orthodox Church – 12104 129 Avenue
- Ukrainian Canadian Museum and Archives – 9543 110 Avenue
- Ukrainian Youth Unity Complex – 9615 153 Avenue.
With files from Sarah Richter
