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Anti-German propaganda, stories of German atrocities abroad, and fear of saboteurs drove many Canadians to demand protection from their government. Some 8,579 "enemy aliens" were interned behind barbed wire to remove the supposed threat, while tens of thousands more were forced to register with authorities and abide by stringent rules of conduct for the duration of the war. Sir William Otter, the distinguished Canadian soldier who oversaw the internment operation, stated that 8,579 "enemy aliens" were incarcerated in camps across the country. Otter classified 3,138 as "prisoners of war," while the others were civilians. The majority of internees were of Ukrainian origin.
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