Attitudes towards Finland have varied on the Finnish Canadian scene.

The impact of 1918 continued in Canada

The depression years

"Finland shows what free men can do" (Churchill)

State of War between Finland and Canada

1945-1948, views polarized here on what was good for Finland

New waves of immigrants arrive with their Finnish war experience in mind

Joint celebrations in 1967.

This page is based on Vapaa Sana archives and on the internet pages of the Embassy of Finland in Ottawa. Published in issue 47, 2007.

The newly independent republic of Finland was the subject of mixed feelings among Finnish immigrants here in Canada in the wake of the civil war. During the 20s many former supporters of the losing side of the Finnish civil war arrived in Canada. One of the reasons for their decision to sail over the Atlantic was to get rid of any 1918 labels. Here in Canada they even formed organizations of “former red guard members”. Also former soldiers of the government side moved to Canada, and established an organization here in 1927. In the early 30s Canada restricted entry of immigrants and the number of Finns arriving here declined sharply.

During the great depression many Finnish immigrants returned to Finland. But also Soviet-Russia was a popular destination, on ideological grounds. Many lost their lives later during Stalin’s purges.
Finland had been active in upgrading its relations with emigrants from the mid 1920. The Finland-Society was established in 1927 to act as a bridge. Here in Canada Finnish consular officials were also active in supporting patriotic and conservative activity of the Finnish Civil War veterans organizations, the Loyal Finns in Canada, and the Finnish Lutheran congregations as alternatives to the strong socialist movement here.

The Soviet attack against Finland on November 30, 1939 caused a major wave of sympathy in Canadian general public opinion. Within the Finnish community there were voices on the left though not so convinced of the situation. The Soviet Union had set up a government of the “Finnish People’s Republic” (later abandoned by the USSR). Britain and France offered Finland military assistance.
About 250 Finnish immigrants left Canada to defend Finland and joined the “American Legion.” Initially the Canadian Foreign Enlistment Act was a hindrance for Canadian citizens who also wished to volunteer. Goods and funds were collected by many Finland Aid organizations and the Canadian Relief Fund. Canada announced on March 1, 1940 that its citizens were free to enlist for service in the Finnish armed forces.
This lead to the creation of a historically unique “Finland’s Little Army” in Canada. Colonel Hunter, MPP of Ontario, was offered the command of would-be Canadian and British forces in Finland.
The contigent was disbanded before setting out, though, as armistice was declared just on March 13, 1940. Finland-Aid activity, however, continued for another year.

The relations between Finland and Canada cooled during the spring and summer of 1941 as Finnish co-operation with Germany, Canada’s enemy, increased. A few days after Germany attacked the Soviet Union on June 22,1941, Finland launched operations against the Soviet Union profiling its role as a co-belligerent. The British Delegation in Helsinki, which looked after Canadian interests in Finland, was closed on August 1, 1941. A week later, Finnish consulates in Canada were ordered closed.
The Soviet Union pressured Britain to declare war against Finland. London in turn pressured the Commonwealth to join in the declaration of war. At first, Canada was reluctant to declare war against Finland. Finally, on December 6, 1941 (Finland’s Independence Day) Britain declared war on Finland and Canada followed suit a day later. Two hours before the news of Pearl Harbor reached Ottawa, Finnish immigrants were issued exemption certificates that protected them from harsh treatment as enemy aliens in Canada.
Unlike the Japanese, Italian, and German immigrants, the Finnish citizens in Canada were only required to be fingerprinted by the RCMP, some restrictions applied to their mobility and ability to own firearms. Mail service and money transactions stopped, and some property was confiscated. During the remainder of the war Finnish Canadians gave their full support to the Canadian war effort by enlisting in the Canadian armed forces, working in the war industries, and raising funds.

Finland disengaged itself from the war against the USSR in September 1944. Finland was the only country on the losing side of WWII that was never occupied by the allies.
The requirement for Finns to be registered in Canada was removed in September 1945 and in December small scale Finland Aid shipments and personal mail service to Finland resumed. The Paris Peace Treaty was ratified by the Parliament of Canada on September 19, 1947 and Finland’s enemy status was rescinded.
Diplomatic relations were resumed on November 21, 1947 and Finland opened a Legation in Ottawa. In March 1948, the Canadian Custodian of Enemy property released all confiscated property belonging to citizens of Finland.
Particularly during 1945–1948, the so called “years of danger” in Finland, the attitudes towards their old country amongst Finnish-Canadians were politically split. On the right wing side there was major concern about the future of Finland, while on the left the center-left Popular Front government was seen as a democratic opening. The differences could be seen clearly in the way the leading newspapers Vapaa Sana and Vapaus covered Finland. Statements by visitors from Finland were used to support the papers’ views.

A new wave of immigration started after 1945. The attitudes of new arrivals reflected their experiences in Finland during the war years. The old divisions in the approach to Finland remained though. The attitudes of the cold war made it easier to forget the situation of 1941–1945. On the left, references to Finland “being on the wrong side during the war” could be heard for decades.
Among the new Finnish Canadians there were many who were not convinced of the necessity of the post-war acclimatization by Finland to the geo-political realities of the time.

1967 was a year of celebration both in Finland and in Canada. For Finland it was a golden jubilee marking fifty years of independence while Canada observed its centinery. In many Finnish communities the occasion was marked with the first joint observances of their Finnish heritage by all Finnish societies, ranging from the Finnish Organization of Canada to national Finns