Becoming Canadian

Memories of an Italian Immigrant

When John Potestio immigrated to Canada at the age of 14, he could not have known the ways in which being Canadian would seep into his whole being. Emigrating from Grimaldi, Italy after WWII, Potestio and his family began their new experience and adventure in Canada in Halifax, then took the train through Montreal and finally settled in their new home of Port Arthur. Along the way, Potestio was introduced to Canadian ways and started to get acclimatized to his new country. Once in Port Arthur, those introductions continued. There were language barriers and differences in customs and traditions, but Potestio’s family grew into their life in a new country. Flourishing in a new world would be a challenge and adventure that Potestio took on, and he eventually became a proud Italian Canadian.

Thunder Bay Museum Historical Society has released Potestio’s new book, Becoming Canadian: Memories of an Italian Immigrant. It is a tale of a new immigrant and his integration into what is now his home country. What started out as writing down stories of his life for his grandchildren became a book that would benefit the wider public. “I realized as I was writing that there were many things that could be of importance to others. As I wrote, I came to see that immigration stories can have a broad audience,” he says.

Potestio considers himself a Canadian with strong Italian roots. Upon visiting Florence, Italy years after coming to Canada, Potestio recalls seeing a young traveller with a Canadian flag on his backpack. “I felt something. I didn’t really know what it was, but I felt this sense of pride in being Canadian. This feeling that Canada is where I’m from. I hadn’t realized how attached I was to Canada.” Taking a trip through time and travelling with Potestio is entertaining and thought-provoking. It continues to be a life well-lived.

The book is available through the Thunder Bay Museum online at thunderbaymuseum.com, or in the museum gift store.