Prime Minister Paul Martin has described the internment of 5,000 Ukrainian Canadians as a "dark chapter" in Canada's history.

During a visit to Regina Wednesday, Martin signed an agreement acknowledging the wrongful imprisonment of the Ukrainian Canadians during the First World War.

"It's not enough just to remember the past, you have to learn from the past," said Martin.

When war broke out in 1914, Ukrainians living in Canada who still bore their Austro-Hungarian passports became "enemy aliens."

Despite Britain telling the Canadian government that Ukrainians were "friendly aliens," opposed to the war aims of Austro-Hungary, wartime hysteria created a hostile atmosphere.

Ukrainian adults and children in Canada were interned and forced into hard labour. They lost their right to vote and had land and other assets expropriated.

"Everything that was done to them took place not because of anything they had done, but only because of where they'd come from...who they were," said Ukrainian Canadian Congress vice-president Andrew Hladyshevsky.

The federal government has pledged $25 million to the Ukrainian community over three years. The money will be used to partly to fund memorials and educational exhibits.

Martin's pledge is part of Ottawa's efforts to respond to various ethnic and cultural groups that believe they are victims of past racial wrongs, discrimination and prejudice.

However CTV's Jill Macyshon said that "with so many people gone, it's not money the Ukrainian's want, it's recognition."