Interview with Eugene William Guagneli

Eugene William Guagneli is the son of Luisa Guagneli, one of four Italian Canadian women interned in 1940 at Kingston Penitentiary. At the time of his mother's arrest he was a teenager about to begin high school in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Along with his father and uncle, Guagneli was declared an enemy alien, although he was born in Canada. He recalls his mother’s involvement in the Italian community, mainly with the church and the Orders Sons of Italy Ladies Auxiliary. She also taught Italian language classes. He believes that his mother was targeted by an informant due to her standing in the community, rather than any real political support for fascism or the Italian government. He describes the day the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested his mother in their home, including rough treatment at the hands of one of the officers. He also notes her detainment at the Don Jail in Toronto as being very difficult and that the family had little knowledge about her whereabouts at the time. After her release his mother did not speak about the experience and what he knows is mostly from conversations he overheard.