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e-4189 (Civil and human rights)

E-petition
Initiated by Betty Sveinson from Edmonton, Alberta

Original language of petition: English

Petition to the Government of Canada

Whereas:
  • Since their arrival as immigrants in 1750 German and Austrian Canadians have contributed significantly to Canada's development;
  • They helped Britain conquer New France, and of 30,000 German soldiers Britain recruited to help suppress the American Revolution, more than 2,000 remained in Canada;
  • German and Austrian immigrants founded Lunenburg, Moncton, and the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, and helped to found York (modern day Toronto) and Berlin (today's Kitchener) in Ontario;
  • Three Canadians of German descent , Charles Fisher (Fischer) William Henry Steeves (Stieff) and Sir Charles Tupper, were Fathers of Confederation;
  • Two German Canadians served as Prime Minister of Canada, Sir Charles Tupper, as 6th and John Diefenbaker, as 13th;
  • During World Wars I and II, innocent German and Austrian Canadians were interned in Canada alongside enemy combatants without regard for their loyalty to Canada; and
  • The Government of Canada has apologized to the Ukrainian Canadian, Japanese Canadian and Italian Canadian communities for the wrongful internment of their members.
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to apologize for the wrongful internment of German and Austrian Canadians during World Wars I and II, and further request that the Government of Canada commit to never again hold, imprison, or intern innocent Canadians based solely on their ethnic origin.
Open for signature
November 10, 2022, at 3:10 p.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
March 10, 2023, at 3:10 p.m. (EDT)
Photo - Heather McPherson
Edmonton Strathcona
New Democratic Party Caucus
Alberta