<strong>Britain&rsquo;s request</strong>
<hr />
During war, special measures must be taken by every country. Canada&rsquo;s defense committee prepared a policy as to the treatment of German residents in Canada. It outlined that they were to be registered with the government and to be treated as law biding citizens if they adhered to the rules of the country.

Those in question were to dutifully report to the RCMP monthly, and forbidden possession of firearms, ammunition, dynamite or gunpowder. Of over 16,000 registered in Canada, only 261 were interned by May 1940.

With France failing and Italy threatening to enter the war, Winston Churchill and High Commissioner Vincent Massey predicted an increase in prisoners of war, and asked Canada to house a percentage of them.

<strong>Canada&rsquo;s response</strong>
<hr />
With the number of German registrants, not interned in Canada, the government envisioned possible problems in honoring Britain&rsquo;s request. regina had already witnessed a disturbance between soldiers and a number of German residents in their city. But as the French fled Paris, King and his parliament agreed unanimously to aid the Sovereign.

It was clear that if these prisoners remained in England they would be all to available to assist possible German invaders. Also British manpower used to guard the prisoners could be released for other defensive operations.

So began the internment camps in Canada, under the supervision of the Department of National Defence.
<hr />
<strong>Internment Camps in Canada</strong>

Brigadier General de Panet was appointed Director of Internment Operations in Canada, his second in command being Lieutenant Colonel Hubert Stethem. Their headquarters were located in the West Block of the Parliament Buildings. The director reported to the Secretary of State, but the Department of National Defence became responsible for guarding, discipline, censorship of mail, welfare of prisoners, and the maintenance and operation of all camps.

The United Kingdom covered costs of any prisoners of war or internees sent to  Canada: transportation to the camp, building rental, food, and clothing. Arrangements were also made between involved nations, to implement POW labor, enabling agriculture and forestry industries to produce the necessary supply of products and easing the labor shortages somewhat.

Four internment camps operated within Alberta: Lethbridge, Kananaskis, Medicine Hat and Wainwright, detaining over 26,000 POWs and internees.

The Veterans Guard of Canada (VGC), organized in 1940, was assigned the duty of guarding the internees under the direction of the Camp Commandant. recruiting centers, requesting veterans fifty years of age and older, were filled with applicants who were well aware of the discipline and demands of army life and the emotional state of those imprisoned in a foreign country. Many  had been previously without work during the Depression and welcomed the opportunity to again serve their country.