Often when beginning my aboriginal education class, I will ask students where their families originally come from. This often leads into discussions about ethnicity, cultural background and language. A segment of any given class will say that they are of Ukrainian background but never learned to speak their language. Older generations of their families had immigrated to Canada around the beginning of the twentieth century yet many didn’t pass on the Ukrainian language to their children or grandchildren.

Was this simply a question of assimilation or was it something else?

During the Northwest Rebellion of 1885, as Métis and Cree resisters were being suppressed by Maj.-Gen. Frederick Middleton’s 8,000-man army, an incident was playing out which would have consequences for both Ukrainian-Canadians and others immigrants from Eastern Europe some 29 years later.

One of Middleton’s subordinates, Lt.-Col. Otter, decided he would attack a Cree chief named Poundmaker who had tried to keep the peace between the warring factions. Poundmaker had set up camp with his people at a place called Cutknife Hill. Forewarned about Otter’s advance on the camp, Poundmaker’s right-hand man, Fine Day, proceeded to outflank Otter’s troops and began picking them off one by one. Poundmaker, when told of what was happening, went to the battle and called off Fine Day. His men allowed Otter and his troops to escape, thus avoiding a massacre.

When the Northwest Rebellion ended, Poundmaker was sent to Stony Mountain Prison and received a three-year sentence. Seven other Cree leaders, some of whom had participated in the killing of civilians, were hanged along with Louis Riel.

Otter never defended Poundmaker in spite of the fact that Poundmaker spared his life and the lives of his men. After his release, Poundmaker succumbed to the severe treatment he had received while in prison.

Some 29 years later 5,000 Eastern Europeans – many of them of Ukrainian descent – were rounded up as enemy aliens and placed in 24 detention camps across Canada. While there, they suffered under the harshest of conditions with some dying in the camps. Others were shot while trying to escape.

Another 80,000 immigrants had to register as enemy aliens and carry identification papers with them at all times. This was because they had come from places such as Galatia, which was considered a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire that was at war with the British Empire, of which Canada was a part.

And who was in charge of the 24 detention camps? It was Otter, the same man that Poundmaker had allowed to escape with his men and who had refused to come to the chief’s defence when it was needed following the Northwest Rebellion.

Similar to the experience of Aboriginal people who spent time in the residential schools after the Northwest Rebellion, those Ukrainians and other Eastern Europeans who were sent to the detention camps didn’t want to talk about their experiences there.

For many, living in Canada was made easier by suppressing their identity and assimilating as best they could.

As a result, their children and grandchildren never learned the Ukrainian language.

Brian Rice is an associate professor of education at the University of Winnipeg.

Published in Volume 64, Number 4 of The Uniter (September 24, 2009)