Seeing red : the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion in Canadian history and memory

Abstract

The Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion are a group that has been historically overlooked. Since they first volunteered to fight in the Spanish Civil War there has been a stigma associated with this group, a taint of communism that made them ‘suspect’. This negative association led to increased attention from the RCMP and ultimately the denial of veteran status from the federal government. This study explores the way in which these volunteers have been viewed since their enlistment and return to Canada and how these views have shaped the memory, or lack thereof, of the Mackenzie-Papineau Battalion.