o - Memorial University of Newfoundland DAI

Saskaloon petilioned the governmenl to suppress suspeaed Nazis at Loon Lake whom
they believed ready to take up arms apinst the CaMdian govenuTaeni once war was
declartd. T These fears seemed Iqitimale when it was Ieamed !hat several German
businessmen Wtte auempting to purchase Antic:05ti Island in the Gulf of the St.
la'NttOOC allegedly for Ioging. Minister of Justice Ernest Lapointe aur:mplCd to
reassure the public with a speech in the House of Commons swire dw '"The Secrel
Service of the Royal CaMdian Mounted Police have the situation well in hanei.··
Canada was not alone in its l.l5e of illfef1Unent during both World Wars, the
United Stales. Australia and Briwn abo imprisoned eoemy aliens. In fact. both
Canada's and AusnJia's imernment opemions were baed 011 the British model. The
British tint beprl internment opem:ionI durins tbe Boer W. and continued l:bem in
both World Wan. Internment of enemy aliens was defined as me conocntration of an
ethnic group without lrial.' In World War I all three countries interned men of
military age of enemy citizenship. The British House of Commons passed the 'Alien
ResIrictioo. At;t' 011 5 August 1914 a1lowiDI the)O'ier1UDeftt to COIItrOI the activities of
its enemy aJicas. inc!udinC where cbey lived. if they needed. to rqisltr and ifthey
'Jonathan Waaner. "Heim ins Reich: The SIOI'y of Loon River's Nazis.·
S4skDrdu:wtuI History, 29 (l976).
IDdxIles. HOMU D/CommcNU, 29 June 1938.
'Panayi. MUtorilies ill WanillV. 7.
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