Chamber delegates with MPs at the Parliamentary Press Conference. From left: Janko Peric, Omar Alghabra (MP for Mississauga Erindale), Andrew Telegdi (MP for Kitchener-Waterloo), Borys Wrzesnewskyj (MP for Etobicoke Centre) John Marion, Frank Jankac, Steve Pocrnic, Joe Draganjac

John Marion addresses the Press Gallery

With a delegation of the Canadian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce in attendance in the House of Commons Gallery, Liberal MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj (Etobicoke Centre) introduced his Private Member's Bill urging the acknowledgement and commemoration of a tragic episode in our nation's history when persons of Croatian origin were interned and used as forced labour by the Canadian government during the First World War.

"With the outbreak of World War I, prejudice and racism was fanned into xenophobia culminating in the implementation of the War Measures Act by the Canadian government. While some would prefer to sweep this event into the dustbin of history, the Croatian Canadian community remembers, and through public acknowledgement by the government, seeks to bring closure to this painful episode of our common history." said Wrzesnewskyj.

MP Borys Wrzesnewskyj introduces the Internment Bill at Press Conference

"The internment operations were a dark episode in our nation's past. Not only were persons of Croatian origin disenfranchised, they also lost their possessions, sent away to live behind barbed wire and to work as forced labourers to develop our nation's infrastructure. In addition to internment, other Croats had to register as enemy aliens and report to local authorities on a regular basis. Mr. Wrzesnewskyj's bill has been a long time in coming for Canadians of Croatian origin," said John Marion, member of the Committee on Education, Culture, and Heritage of the Canadian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce.

Wrzesnewskyj's Bill C-374 mirrors legislation that addressed the Ukrainian internment which passed with the full support of all parties in the House of Commons.