The Polish Presence in North-Western Quebec

In 1950, five years after World War 2, thousands of Polish nationals were stranded in refugee camps in Germany. They had been brought there as prisoners of war and were put to work on German farms to grow food for the war effort.

The Poles were liberated by the Americans and were trying to put their lives back together. A great number of them did not seek to return to the homeland because of its degree of destruction.

Instead, a great number of them sought to emigrate to Canada, more specifically North-western Quebec, where there were plenty of job openings in the mining sector that was in a gold rush.

This move was a brave one, taking them thousands of miles from the homeland. A new era began for these rather adventurous individuals. Finally, they could work and enjoy life like every human being should.

Thus began a family line that spans across four generations and will see the fifth generation soon.