by: Karyn MacPherson

During the Second World War in January of 1941 the Canadian government started to show obvious discrimination towards Japanese Canadians. People who lived in British Columbia, who were not Japanese did not like having the Japanese around and blamed them for everything and exhibited many discriminations towards them. When the war began the government wouldn't allow the Japanese Canadians to join the military to fight overseas for Canada. The public supported the government in this endeavour.

Japanese Discrimination

Japanese Canadians were discriminated against before the war began. They weren't allowed to vote, become lawyers or pharmacists, work for the government, or any company who had a contract with the government. They were accused of endangering white living standards by their low salaries and low living standards.

Once the war started only one newspaper was allowed to be circulated in British Columbia. The New Canadian, published information on anti-Japanese anger and panic. There were reports published of hateful words posted in Japanese store windows, and bricks thrown through windows.

During this time Japanese Canadians sixteen years and older were forced by the RCMP to be fingerprinted and photographed. They had to carry their new registration cards with them at all times. This was because the war had started and the government was nervous as to what the Japanese might do. They had to carry these registration cards until 1939.

This photo is an example of what a registration card looked like.

Japan bombed Pearl Harbour on this day. As most of you know Japan bombed America, the island of Oahu, Hawaii to be exact. This had nothing to do with Canada. So why did the government do terrible things to Japanese Canadians? I believe they did this because the government was scared.

The very next day after Pearl Harbour the Canadian government confiscated hundreds of Japanese fishing boats and the Japanese newspapers and schools were closed down. Only the all English newspaper was still allowed to be published.

Boats taken from Japanese Canadians after Pearl Harbour.

Around January 1942 the government began to remove Japanese men from age 18 to 45 years who lived within 100 miles of the Pacific Coast. The government said they were using the “War Measures Act”. This act declared that freedom regulations were limited to Canadians during the wars. In February about 20,000 men, women and children were removed from their homes and taken to temporary camps. About 75% of these people were of Canadian nationality. They were given only 24 hours from a notice that was posted by the government. The RCMP had the right to take vehicles, radios , cameras and other valuables.

This is the notice that was placed all over to tell the Japanese Canadians how they must abide by these rules.

Images of Internment was created by Dr. Henry Shimizu. It is about the life in New Denver, B.C., during World War II and the internment camps. This book holds 27 oil paintings of his life during this terrible time.

Japanese were given very little time to get their belongings before they were sent to one of the 4 camps. A group of Nisei protested that families should not be broken up and demanded that they stayed together. This protesting was one of the main reasons for the division of the Nisei and the Issei. Protesters were sent to prison camps in Ontario. Nisei is a person of Japanese descent but was educated in Canada. Issei is a Japanese person who immigrated to Canada in 1907.

This photo is of Nisei men being separated from their families and sent to different camps.

There were four types of camps that Japanese were sent to. They are road camp projects, internment camps, self-supporting projects and prisoner of war camps.

Road camp projects- Around 2,000 men were placed in this camp to work on different road construction jobs that the government wanted done. They were sent here in June of 1942 and were allowed to leave by October 1942, to join their families in internment camps.

Internment camps- Most Japanese Canadians were sent to these camps in various parts of British Columbia. About 12,000 Japanese were placed in tents, until shacks were built,or until hotels from abandoned towns were ready for use.

Self-supporting projects- small groups went to this camp. The people who went here had to pay for their own transportation, housing and living expenses. But if you had the money and were able to get here you could stay together with your family.

Prisoner of war camps- anyone who was a community leader or men who refused even in a slight way to listen, were sent to this camp located in Ontario. Around 700 men were sent during the war.

During the war there was a shortage of workers in the sugar beet industry in Alberta and Manitoba. So signs were posted for internees to go work on the farms. About 4,000 internees went to these farms and found the conditions were very unpleasant.

Men’s sleeping quarters.

Life in Internment campsLife in Internment camps was not always restricted. They were allowed to play some recreational games, and they did have summer festivals during the internment. Hide Shimizu was the first Japanese to teach in a public school. During the internment Hide taught the children education.

Class of internment students.

Girls from the summer festival.

Between 1943 and 1945 the federal government sold off Japanese Canadians homes, personal property, boats , farms and other things. Also in 1945 Japanese Canadians were told that they could choose between being deported to war infested Japan or could disperse into the Rocky Mountains. By 1947 around 4,000 had left Canada to move back to Japan.

September 22, 1988On September 22, 1988 Brian Mulroney, Prime Minister of Canada addressed the Japanese Canadians for the discrimination they experienced during World War II. The Prime Minister announced the Redress Agreement with association with the National Association of Japanese Canadians. Mulroney expressed his apology sincerely. The apology stated that all survivors of the internment were able to receive up to $21,000,any Japanese Canadians who were sent to the prison camp would have their criminal record cleared, 12 million dollars went to a Japanese community fund, and 24 millions dollars went to a Canadian Race Relations Foundations, so discrimination like this would never occur in the future.

ReferencesSunahara, Ann. Japanese Canadians. Online. Internet. 12 November 2009. Available HTTP: http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=A1ARTA0004108

Japanese Canadian National Museum. Timeline- Brief overview of Japanese Canadian History. Online. Internet. 15 November 2009. Available HTTP:http://www.jcnm.ca/resources/timeline

CBC. Apology and Compensation. Online. Internet. 17 November 2009. Available HTTP:http://archives.cbc.ca/war_conflict/second_world_war/clips/1621/

The Reader's Digest Association(Canada) Ltd. The Canadians at War 1939/45 Second Edition. Westmount, Quebec, 1986.