From Sicily to Hamilton: Four Generations of Italian Life in Canada

written by Simon Scime

Sam Scime, standing with his parents to his left on his wedding day in 1958.

Introduction

On October 17th, 2025, I had the privilege of conducting a semi-structured interview with Scott Scime, during which we had a meaningful discussion about the history of my family and the early stages of the Scime name’s arrival in Canada. This interview contains 33 questions, with several of them being follow-up questions, all recorded with my father in the video, allowing for as much information as possible on the topic. Throughout our discussion, we began by looking at the year 1928, when my great-grandparents immigrated from Italy to Hamilton, and we covered their journey and experiences as Italians who spoke little to no English. Later, this conversation moves to my grandfather’s childhood in Hamilton and his experiences as a second-generation Italian in Canada, then to my father, who identifies as a Canadian rather than an Italian, and finally to me. Doing this interview allows me to gain a much deeper understanding of my family as a whole, as well as to examine four separate generations of Italians in Canada and how each group experienced Canada differently. This interview explores Italian culture, heritage, and identity, and how this family is represented in Canada and in Canadian culture. Overall, this interview provides a valuable glimpse into the experiences of Italians in Canada from the early 20th century to the start of the 21st century, offering readers a comprehensive and in-depth view of how Italians lived there. 

From Sicily to Hamilton: A video interview in the home of Scott Scime.

Summary of Interview

Below is a link to the list of questions asked in the interview, as well as a summary of the answers.

Analysis

Upon reviewing my discussion with Scott Scime, I noticed that many themes and ideas from our course readings are found in the discussion that I had with my father. This is particularly evident in three readings from our course: The Skin of the Lion, written by Michael Ondaatje; Antonio D’Alfonso’s work, titled In Italics, In Defence of Ethnicity; and Filippo Salvatore’s work, titled Poems for Giovanni Caboto. These three readings vividly portray the immigration story of Italians coming to Canada in the early 20th century, covering many similar topics related to my great-grandparents’ immigration to Hamilton. Ondaatje’s passage takes place in Toronto between 1920 and 1930, chronicling the experiences of Italian immigrants arriving in Canada. At the same time, my great-grandparents’ story began in Canada, as they both separately immigrated to Hamilton in 1928. This creates significant overlap in these stories, as they take place in very similar time periods, and Toronto and Hamilton are geographically close. 

A clear connection between my family’s history and Ondaatje’s narrative is the shared value of hard work and dedication among the Italian immigrants in Canada. This idea is clearly illustrated in Ondaatje’s passage, “By noon, after four hours, they felt they could walk on the blue air… They sat on the crest of the roof during their breaks eating sandwiches, not coming down all day” (Ondaatje,179). This is because most Italian immigrant families came to Canada with almost nothing, as my great-grandparents came over with only the clothing on their backs. My great-grandfather worked tirelessly in Hamilton, earning a living in the garment industry, and spent his entire working career at the same establishment. He knew that with hard work, he would be able to put food on the table, as well as a roof over his family’s heads. That allowed for success for future generations, including my father and me, giving us more stable lives.

The idea of hard-working Italians can also be found in Filippo Salvatore’s work, Poems for Giovanni Caboto, where descriptions of the personal sacrifices and perseverance demonstrated by many immigrants, even during the harshest conditions, are illustrated. Salvatore notes that “I watch you live every day, as you wipe your sweaty brow or as you blow on your frozen fingers” (Salvatore, 169). This quote serves as a powerful reminder of the hardships Italian immigrants faced in their jobs, despite the harsh conditions they endured. A complaint about their work environment could lead to them losing their jobs, resulting in no pay, potentially leading to starvation. A personal example of their dedication is from my great-grandfather, who lost part of his hand, the very tool he needed to do his job, while at work. He only took a few days off, knowing that too much time away could lead to his being replaced by another eager immigrant. My great-grandfather understood that he needed to maintain a steady job to support his family, highlighting the overall idea that Italian immigrants had to work hard while balancing personal sacrifices and family well-being.

A further connection is found in Ondaatje’s passage, where the importance of chain migration and community involvement is illustrated. Throughout my interview, my father spoke about how my great-grandparents were able to come to Canada because their siblings had saved money and sponsored them. Additionally, when they came to Canada, they would not save for themselves; instead, they would save for their other siblings to follow. When my great-grandparents and other families arrived, they all moved to the same city and into the same neighbourhood. As more people immigrated, they all merged into these Italian neighborhoods. This is how their customs and language continued to survive. Similarly, within Ondaatje’s work, they would do the same thing, move to the same neighborhoods. Ondaatje noted that families and communities relied on each other for survival, as well as a sense of belonging. “Salvatorelli, Mascardelli, Daquila, Pereira, De Francesca. Most of them Italian, some Portuguese. Shifts from eight to four. He felt safer” (Ondaatje,190). If families had not looked out for one another, the Italian culture would not have survived in Hamilton or Toronto in the early 20th century, as their close relationships with one another kept them alive and allowed them to flourish. 

Lastly, D’Alfonso’s In Italics, In Defence of Ethnicity, resonates deeply within me as I continue to gain a greater understanding of my Italian heritage. D’Alfonso noted that ethnicity cannot be taken away; it is inherent in every immigrant (D’Alfonso, 176). Although I grew up as a Canadian, with my father and mother both identifying as Canadian, my Italian roots remain an essential part of who I am. However, this is not observed in traditional ways, such as speaking Italian or following Italian customs. In my family, this heritage is reflected in our commitment to hard work, honesty, and family unity. My Italian blood cannot be removed, even after generations of losing the culture, heritage, and language. My father’s interview helped to strengthen this feeling. I rediscovered these values during my interview with my father, specifically when I heard about the dedication and courage it took for my great-grandparents to leave their lives in Italy and start again in Canada.

In Ondaatje’s The Skin of the Lion, the narrative differs from the information I received from my father during our interview because Ondaatje’s work is fiction, whereas my interview is a primary oral source, containing only factual information. Oftentimes, fictional stories include lies or exaggerate the truth to make their work more exciting for the reader. This can lead to ideas that are not entirely true, making some readers question their ancestry, which happened to me. An example of this can be seen in Ondaatje’s observation that many Italians’ work went unnoticed and unrecognized compared to that of white Canadians. “The houses in Toronto he had helped build or paint or break into were unmarked. He would never leave his name where his skill had been. He was one of those who have a fury or a sadness of only being described by someone else. A tarrer of roads, a house builder, a painter, a thief – yet he was invisible to all around him” (Ondaatje, 199). However, I believe that this portrayal is much less accurate based on two main reasons. One being the type of work that my great grandfather did, and the strong connections to other Italian families, who would all congregate in these areas. 

To start, Ondaatje’s work covers blue collar labourers, who worked outdoors, building the infrastructure in Toronto such as buildings, bridges, and waterways. With that, many of these workers were not known by whites in Canada due to their social statuses as well as class differences. These jobs were seen as unskilled, dirty, and low paying, leading many of these men to not be respected by Canadian society. However, my great-grandfather worked a white collar job, where he was employed indoors pressing suits. With that, he was occupied at a semi-skilled job, earning him more respect and recognition from white Canadian society. On top of that, there is also opportunity for interactions between himself and white Canadians as he spent his time indoors, allowing him to make connections with these people. All in all, I believe that the point that Ondaatje made in his work is true, but does not reflect all Italians. Their respect depended on their specific circumstances that they were experiencing at the time. 

A second example is based on the stories that I heard from my family about how meaningful the connections to other Italians really were during this time. My father told me that my great-grandfather would go to the Italian club and church almost every day. This is due to the nature of his work and the strong connections he had with other Italian families within the Italian community, who often congregated in these areas. Even though my great-grandfather was a blue-collar laborer in the textile industry, and invisible as mentioned in Ondaatje’s narrative, he felt supported and recognized within the Italian community. This is evident in specific connections at the Italian Club and All Souls Church, where my great-grandfather was surrounded by people and families of the same background and facing similar circumstances. Places such as this became second homes, where they were all able to support each other, as they knew what each person was going through, having experienced the same thing themselves. Even if the broader Canadian society did not recognize their work, it was definitely celebrated within the Italian community. 

Ondaatje’s work also differs from that of my grandfather, who worked as a banker at CIBC in Hamilton during the mid-to-late 20th century. It was due to my great-grandfather’s sacrifices that my grandfather was able to recognize his dream of becoming a banker. This continued hard work led to many opportunities for career advancement. Without compromising his Italian value system, when he retired, his bank in Hamilton was the most prominent in the entire Hamilton region.  

Reflection

Participating in this project has allowed me to deepen my understanding of the Italian community in Canada, strengthening my bond with my family name. I have spent the entirety of my life in Canada, and have only seen myself as a Canadian, and not an Italian. However, through the meaningful conversation I had with my father, I have developed a much deeper connection to my Italian culture and heritage, thanks to the new information I gained. Prior to this interview, I had only a limited understanding of my background, with small, simple stories passed around, but nothing of depth, due to my age and interest at the time.  However, through my father’s explanations of my great-grandparents’ and grandparents’ stories, I have developed a deeper, more meaningful connection to my families’ history, allowing me to appreciate my Italian identity even more. Also, I have found myself part of a new community, as my family’s immigration story fits in with thousands of other Italians leaving Italy and immigrating to Canada. I am part of the broader Italian Canadian community. 

Looking back on the interview experience, I was not quite as prepared as I had expected to be. This is because I was only interviewing my father, who is a 3rd-generation Italian Canadian. Before the interview, I believed he would have some information about the history of the Scime family in Canada; however, since he is third-generation, I assumed he would not be able to provide much detail. To my surprise, I was proven very wrong! The brief responses I expected from each section turned out to be a wealth of information, answering almost every question in depth and allowing me, as well as the viewer, to grasp my family’s history far more than I had thought possible. 

Focusing on the interview itself, the tone and atmosphere were unexpected. I had never interviewed my father before this assignment, and it was a different experience because we had to address each other professionally, maintain a clear structure and stay organized throughout the interview. When speaking with my father, I am usually casual and easygoing; however, I found it quite challenging to maintain the role of interviewer and stay focused during our discussion, as our main goal was to capture the story from a professional standpoint. 

Some of my father’s responses were surprising. One such example was how close my grandparents’ families were. My father shared that when a sibling immigrated to Canada, they would raise money and focus on bringing other family members over. Instead of going out and making a living for themselves, they were dedicated to the family name and will do anything and everything to bring one of their siblings over. This was a massive undertaking with such large families. However, while doing this interview, I found it quite challenging to structure the questions and the conversation in a way that still told a story. This proved difficult, as when I asked one question about when my great-grandfather and great-grandmother came to Canada, he would answer, but would also expand on other sections, such as why they left, forcing me to think on the spot and adjust my later sections to avoid repeating myself. 

Lastly, knowing that my family is part of a much larger community of Italians has stayed with me. I find it heartwarming knowing that my family is part of a much larger group of Italians who sacrificed their lives in Italy to come to Canada and devote themselves to this country. Throughout our course, we have noted that, despite being treated disrespectfully by Canadians, these Italians were hardworking people who played a significant role in shaping Canada into what it is today. Knowing that fills me with pride, confirming that my family is an integral part of Canadian history, and that the sacrifices my great-grandparents made benefit this country, which I call home. Another piece of information that resonated with me from this interview was the knowledge that, in only two generations, the Scime family went from being fully Italian-speaking and living in an Italian community to me, with little Italian background and no Italian language. I find it quite interesting how quickly a family can lose its cultural identity, which, in my family’s case, happened in just 60 years. 

While conducting my first semi-structured interview, I further improved my communication skills, including active listening and natural responses, which I will use throughout my career, both academic and professional. Even though  I knew I was not being assessed on my own ideas or words, I had a key role in keeping the conversation moving smoothly. By listening carefully to my father’s words, I was able to make sure the conversation continued to flow by asking timely questions. All in all, looking forward, I would love to keep focusing on my family’s history, as there are other members I can interview, such as my uncle or even my father’s cousins. Doing this will allow me to enrich my understanding of the Scime family’s history, and develop a better appreciation for the role they played in Italian history in Hamilton. My goal is to preserve our family history and share these stories with future generations including my own children.

Gallery

All photographs have been approved for sharing from the private collections of Sam Scime and Scott Scime.

Bibliography

D’Alfonso, Antonio, In Italics: In Defense of Ethnicity. Guernica Editions, 1996, pp. 171-179.

Ondaatje, Michael. In the Skin of a Lion. McClelland and Stewart, 1987, pp. 179-205.

Salvatore, Filippo. Poems for Giovanni Caboto. Guernica Editions, 1992. pp. 167-171.

Scime, Simon. “Simon Scime – Scime Family Interview.” Youtube. 17, October, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btm3cYQOOWM; access at Italian Communities in Canada: Heritage, Cultural and Ethnographic Studies as of December 2025. https://www.italianheritage.ca/wp-admin/post.php?post=13271&action=edit

Scime, Simon “Simon Scime – Scime Family Interview” October 17, 2025. https://youtu.be/btm3cYQOOWM; access at Italian Communities in Canada: Heritage, Cultural and Ethnographic Studies as of December 2025, https://www.italianheritage.ca/wp-admin/post.php?post=13271&action=edit.

How to cite this page

Scime, Simon. “From Sicily to Hamilton: Four Generations of Italian Life in Canada” In Italian Communities in Canada: Heritage, Cultural and Ethnographic Studies, suprv. Teresa Russo. University of Guelph, 11 November 2025, Guelph .(https://www.italianheritage.ca/wp-admin/post.php?post=13271&action=edit). Italian-Canadian Narratives Showcase (ICNS), Sandra Parmegiani and Gurpreet Kaur.