Interview with Emilio Mascia

Video interview with Emilio Mascia conducted in Italian.

In his second interview, Emilio Mascia talks more about his life, his family, and his uncle Luigi Mascia who was interned at Camp Petawawa. Emilio’s father came to Canada in 1920, moved back to Italy in 1927 where he married, and then returned to Canada in 1956. Emilio was born in Italy in 1931 and did not move to Canada until 1958. The family found out about Luigi’s internment from a military chaplain, who was occupying the Mascia house during the war. Emilio was very interested in his Uncle Luigi’s internment experience. Many stories were shared at family gatherings by friends and family, which included stories about the Ferri brothers, John Parenti, Berlino Colangelo, Antonio (Tony) Olivieri, and others. Emilio learned that the internees at Camp Petawawa were not mistreated and were not forced to do anything they did not want to do. Internees could even pursue interests like music and gardening. Emilio also talks about moving to Canada in 1958, where he landed a job teaching Italian for Father Mascari (St. Anthony's Church). He also found work at the White Oaks radio station and the Hamilton theatre ‘Playhouse’, where they played Italian films.