Canada Apologises For Turning Away Jewish Refugee Ship In 1939
Last edited Wed Nov 7, 2018, 07:56 PM - Edit history (1)
Source: BBC News
1 hr. ago.
Canada's PM Justin Trudeau has apologised for his country's role in turning away a ship carrying over 900 Jewish refugees fleeing persecution. In 1939, German liner the MS St Louis sailed to Havana, Cuba, but that country's government refused them entry, although they had visas.
The US and Canada also blocked them, denying the passengers safe haven. The ship was forced to return to Europe and 254 of the refugees later died in Nazi concentration camps.
Addressing Canada's parliament, Mr Trudeau spoke of how the Liberal government of the day "was unmoved by the plight of these refugees". "The government chose to turn its back on these innocent victims of Hitler's regime," he said.
Canada's refusal was indicative of its restrictive rules towards Jewish immigration at the time. "Bitter resentment towards Jews were enshrined in our policies," said the prime minister on Wednesday. -More...
Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-46105488
Canada accepted fewer refugees than any other western country over the 12-year Nazi reign in Germany, 1933-1945.
Prime Minister Trudeau said of Wednesday's formal recognition of the historic wrongdoing "a long overdue apology". "We are sorry for the callousness of Canada's response, we are sorry for not apologising sooner."
The Canadian apology also comes in the wake of the shooting at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, an attack motivated by anti-Semitism.
Jewish refugees aboard the MS St Louis ocean liner wave as it docks in Antwerp, Belgium
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS_St._Louis
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, D.C.
https://www.ushmm.org/exhibition/st-louis/story/
= new reply since forum marked as read
However the film is very hard to find.
