Tom and Joan Francis
Tom Francis was born in Entebbe but spent many years of his childhood living in various cities including Mbarara, Masaka, and Kampala. Joan was also born in Entebbe, Uganda and spent most her childhood in Kampala. She received training as a teacher and had just returned to Uganda when the expulsion decree was announced. Tom was halfway through completing a Master’s degree in agriculture when they were rendered stateless by Idi Amin’s decree.
Both Tom and Joan held Ugandan passports and applied for admission to Canada based on the advice of Tom’s mother. After visiting Canada in the 1960s, she advised her children to resettle in Canada if ever they were to leave Uganda. Upon arrival in Montreal, Tom enrolled at McGill University within their agriculture department as they had strong ties with Makerere University. Joan secured a position within the university’s administration staff.
After completing his PhD in agriculture at Guelph and working for Agriculture Canada for several years, Tom took up a position at the Western University until his retirement in 2008. Joan joined the department of Fine Arts at Western University and continued her career in university administration until she retired in 2008 as well. Tom and Joan reflected on their experiences during the expulsion and outlined the various elements of adjusting to Canadian society.
The interview was conducted at a Tom and Joan’s home in Mississauga, Ontario.
Interview Audio:
Part I:
Part II: