By Cheryl Long
W
hile devoting a good portion of its
time to networking, fundraising
and organizing social events, there’s a far
more serious side to the Canadian Italian
Business Professional Association (CIBPA).
This summer, the organization launched a
special project to put in front of the public
eye the story of Canadian citizens of Ital-
ian heritage who were interned during the
Second World War. This was done through
a new documentary that was screened in
Toronto at the 2015 Toronto International
Film Festival (TIFF) Bell Lightbox event.
Titled Piazza Petawawa: The Paradox, the
documentary takes the viewer through the
trauma, hardship and heartbreak endured
by more than 700 Canadians of Italian heri-
tage during their detainment and intern-
ment initiated June 10, 1940 in a Petawa-
wa, Ontario concentration camp. Produced
by acclaimed photographer Rino Noto as
part of a joint project with the CIBPA, the
28-minute film was shown during the Ital-
NOVEMBER 2015
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