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MARIA DIZIO: SETTING A PATTERN FOR SUCCESS
Maria DiZio and her husband Tommaso came to Canada in the 1950s. Tommaso was a farmer and Maria’s family didn’t approve of their marriage so the young couple came to Canada to start a new life. They settled in Timmins, Ontario, where many Italians found well-paying but often dangerous work in the mines.
But Tommaso lost his opportunity to work in the mines when his employers discovered he had health problems. Italian women in the 1950s were expected to stay home, but Maria knew her family would face great hardship if she didn't find a way to help. She found work sewing skating costumes in Timmins. With the $25 that she earned for her first costume, she was able to pay the rent and feed her family for a month. In the decades to come, Maria would develop a thriving buisness sewing high couture wedding gowns.
Photo: Maria DiZio using the sewing machine she used in Timmins in the 1950s
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In 1497, a man called Giovanni Caboto – or John Cabot – would become the first Italian to sail to the shores of what would one day become known as Canada. Giovanni was an explorer whose trip was funded by wealthy merchants from England. The Italian immigrants who would come here in later centuries weren’t quite so lucky. They had to finance their voyage, and their resettlement in Canada, with a lot of hard work.
The first large wave of Italian immigration to Canada came in the 1880s after the unification of Italy. Southern Italians felt their interests were not being served by the dominant north and came to Canada to escape economic unrest and unemployment. Italian immigrants gained a reputation as good workers and they found jobs labouring on the railways, in construction, or in the mines.
With Germany and Italy’s defeat in the Second World War came more economic hardship for the Italian population. During the time of reconstruction, there simply were not enough jobs so thousands of young people, like Maria and Thommaso DiZio, came to Canada in the 1950s with the dream of building a better life.
Photo: Maria and Tommaso DiZio and a picture of Thommaso at the time of their immigration to Canada.
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- The mines in Timmins and the surrounding areas attracted new immigrants in the 1950s. Take the excellent Timmins Underground Goldmine Tour. You’ll be fitted with boots, miner’s suits, and a helmet equipped with a light. A retired miner will lead you into the now disused mine. This is a fascinating experience. And as the mines are located behind the Shania Twain Centre, you can learn more about the Canadian pop diva on your way out.
- Maria found work sewing costumes for skaters at the McIntyre Arena. In the 1950s, this was one of the only skating rinks that was open year-round and so in the summer Olympic skaters came here. The charming design of the McIntyre café has changed little since the fifties. Have a look at the photos on the walls of the famous skaters who trained there, including Barbara Ann Scott.
- There still is a small but vibrant Italian community in Timmins. Many gather to eat or play bocce in the Dante Club. The building with its Roman pillars and Canadian and Italian flags is home to a wonderful restaurant serving inexpensive Italian dishes like lasagne, spaghetti, meatballs and sausages. And if you get to the center after 2pm, be sure to visit the bocce courts downstairs. Here friendly locals are often happy to teach you how to play this Italian game.
- Learn more about the history of the region at the Timmins Museum. The Cochrane Gallery displays the evolution of Timmins from the Precambrian age to the present. The outdoor Mining Court features equipment used in the mines in the 1930s.
- Don’t have the time to go to Timmins? If you’re near Vaughan, Ontario, you can visit the Magnotta Winery established by Maria’s daughter Rossana and her husband Gabe. Take a tour of the winery where you can visit the temperature controlled wine cellars. You can also watch as the wine is produced with state-of-the-art technology. Afterwards, you can participate in free wine-tasting. Rossana says her mother has been a role model to her as an entrepreneur. Visiting Magnotta shows you that a good role model teaches you to see the amazing things you can accomplish if you work hard, don’t let obstacles discourage you, and most importantly - believe in yourself.
Photo: Delve into history on the Timmins Underground Goldmine Tour
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HISTORY OF REGION
Timmins Museum
70 Legion Drive, South Porcupine
Telephone: +1 (705) 235-5066
http://www.museumsnorth.org/timmins/
MINING HISTORY
Timmins Underground Goldmine Tour
220 Algonquin Blvd. E
Timmins, Ontario
Canada P4N 1B3
Telephone: +1 (705) 360-8500
http://www.timminsgoldminetour.com/
OLYMPIC SKATING HISTORY
McIntyre Arena and Cafe
McIntyre Rd.
Schumacher, ON P4N5B5
Telephone: +1 (705) 360-8455
ITALIAN COMMUNITY
Dante Club
162 Cedar Street South
Timmins, On
Dining room reservations recommended
Hours: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 11:30am to 2:00pm; 4:30pm - 8:00pm
Telephone: +1 (705) 267-3349
THE WINERY
Magnotta Vaughan Winery and Brewery
271 Chrislea Road
Vaughan, Ontario L4L 8N6
Telephone: 1 (800) 461 9463
www.magnotta.com
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SCN
Tue, October 31, 2006 @ 8:30 pm (CST)
channel m
Sun, October 8, 2006 @ 11:00 am ()
Mon, October 2, 2006 @ 8:30 am ()
Tue, May 16, 2006 @ 1:00 pm (PST)
Sun, February 19, 2006 @ 9:30 pm (PST)
SCN
Tue, November 1, 2005 @ 10:00 pm (CST)
Canadian Learning Television
Mon, October 17, 2005 @ 9:30 pm (EST)
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Post-viewing Questions:
1. When Maria and her husband Tommaso came to Canada to escape economic hardship in post-war Italy they met with disappointment. What qualities did Maria exhibit that led to her success in Canada?
2. Although traditionally Italian women worked in the home, Maria and Tommaso worked as equal partners in their Canadian venture. How did this flexibility toward gender roles affect their lives and the life of their daughter?
3. Maria’s daughter Rosanna credits the example of her mother’s hard work, persistence and positive outlook with her own success as an entrepreneur. Who in your life has influenced your life choices and your ambitions for yourself?
4. The Italian community gave Rosanna the Valigia D’Oro (The Golden Suitcase) as acknowledgement of her success as a self-starting businesswoman. Why is it important for communities to honour their member’s achievements? What other communities offer similar recognition to their members? What role do other ethno-specific organizations play in assisting their members in making a meaningful life in their new home, Canada?
Further Research
1. Although many Italians came in the post-war period, some Italian immigrants had come to Canada in earlier times. How were Italian immigrants treated during the Second World War in Canada? Compare this treatment to the treatment of Japanese Canadians during the same time? (For further reference see “Kimiko Murakami: Triumph over Internment” - another film in the Mother Tongue series)
2. Because sewing and textile work are taught as important skills in Italy, many Italians came to Canada and relied on this expertise to make a life in Canada. Research a short essay on the importance of immigrant labour to the textile industry in Canada. (The role of women immigrants in the textile industry is also a focus in the episode, “Mary Lee Chan: Taking on City Hall”, another film in the Mother Tongue series.)
Additional Research Question
This film tells the story of a woman who is a role model to women in her family and in her community. Who, in your life has been a role model? If you would like to share the story about this person with other young people to whom you think this story might act as a beacon, please add it to the website www.mothertongue.ca. Alternately, if you would like to read stories that others have posted, please click on the website and become a part of a dialogue about the importance of role models.
Note:
These starting points for discussion and research questions were written by Dr. Carole Ann Reed, an educational consultant. Dr. Reed has worked as a human rights educator for almost twenty years in the Toronto area and has authored and co-authored many articles, curricula, and educational kits as well as a book. The topics she writes about include issues such as the Holocaust, the Rwandan genocide, women’s rights and anti-racism. For several years she was the Director of the Holocaust Centre of Toronto.
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This series of educational videos was made possible with funding from
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Mother Tongue: A woman's history of ethnic Canada is a 13-part TV series that documents Canada's multicultural history from a female perspective. Each program tells the story of a notable woman in one of Canada's communities, including a Black fugitive slave, an Acadian mail order bride, and an Icelandic suffragette.
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