The National Congress of Italian Canadians is an umbrella organization that represents Italian Canadian organizations in Canada. It was founded in 1974 as a successor to the Federation of Italian Canadian Associations. The congress has a federated structure with seven district organizations.
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Redress for internees
Since 1990, the congress has sought compensation for Italian Canadians who were interned and arrested by the Canadian government during World War II. At one stage in the mid-1990s, the congress voted to drop its request for compensation and focus on clearing the Royal Canadian Mounted Police records of surviving internees; in later years, however, it resumed its efforts for compensation.
Canadian prime minister Brian Mulroney apologized for the internment policy in November 1990 but did not provide financial compensation. In November 2005, the government of Paul Martin reached an agreement in principle with Italian community organizations, including the congress, to devote $25 million to public education and commemoration efforts. Four years later, the congress accused federal citizenship and immigration minister Jason Kenney of using "divide and conquer" tactics within the Italian community in overseeing these revenues.
Political activism
The congress has traditionally supported Canadian federalism. In November 1996, it joined with the Canadian Jewish Congress and the Hellenic Canadian Congress in issuing a pamphlet calling for renewed Canadian unity. It has also promoted the right of Italian citizens living in Canada to participate in Italian elections.
Several congress members have been active in Canadian political life, including Laureano Leone, Rosario Marchese, and Annamarie Castrilli.