Afterword

By Maryka Omatsu

August 2020

It is indeed afterwards, that I am writing this. It is 40 years since I first became involved in the Japanese Canadian struggle for Redress from the Federal Government and 20 years after this book project, Redress: The Toronto Story was initiated. In 1980, I was a “sansei” (3^rd generation Japanese Canadian) activist lawyer, now in 2020, I am a senior and strangely enough, called upon again to fight for Japanese Canadian Redress, this time, from the Province of B.C.

It was a pleasure to read this book. I was touched, saddened and angered by the stories of the racist injustices done to men and women whom I had spent time with but had never known the secret wounds they carried in their hearts. I was empowered by the energy and determination that it took for them to fight for justice and of course very proud of our victory. That our community was able to gain the support of so many mainstream Canadian organizations, communities and individuals clearly proves that our cause was just and it is heartening proof of the fairness of Canadians.

The Toronto Story is a Toronto “nisei” (2^nd generation Japanese Canadian) activists’ recollections of their involvement in clearing our names. Heads held up high, they set out to prove that although at the time, we were the most hated people in Canada, we had been wrongly labelled “enemy aliens”. The Toronto Story will enrich the body of literature and knowledge about Japanese Canadians.

In 1942, opportunistic politicians and corrupt profiteers ethnically cleansed, incarcerated, dispossessed and destroyed the Japanese Canadian community. Compare the treatment of Japanese Canadians to that of German and Italian Canadians. Those white Canadians, whose ancestors, family and friends were part of the Fascist Axis in Europe, did not suffer our fate. Our history is a blatant example of systemic racism perpetuated by the State.

Due mainly to the Government’s planned destruction of our community during the 1940s, Japanese Canadians are scattered across Canada in tiny pockets with no core, no more Japan towns. Our over 90% intermarriage rate has hastened our genetic disappearance. Today the “gosei”, (5^th generation Japanese Canadian) are of 1/4 Japanese ancestry. Hopefully long after we have melted into the genetic mainstream, Canadian students will repeat our mantra… “never again”. I say this as I witness racism resurface today. However, I am hopeful that Canadians on learning of our past will refuse to let State or individual acts of racism steal the life, property and dignity of innocent Canadians.

In 1988, Japanese Canadians, one of the country’s smallest ethnic minorities won Redress against great odds. The settlement was over $400 Million. At the time, it was the largest human rights award in Canada’s history. It is the first time that individuals were compensated for wrongs done to a community or class of people. Considered unthinkable then, now it is a precedent that is taken for granted and has been followed by other wronged people: from survivors of Chinese Canadian head tax and First Nations Residential Schools to thalidomide victims.

The 1988 Japanese Canadian Redress victory is a legacy worthy of our “issei” (1^st generation) ancestors), who had cleared the way for us in this country. The trauma and heart break of the 1940s was endured by the community with stoic resolve. However, the Government’s racism left its mark on all. Every family has a loved one whose life never recovered from those years. Even in the 1980s when the community gradually overcame its fears of a racist backlash, there were many who were afraid. However, despite years of rejection and dismissal from Ottawa, Toronto Japanese Canadians worked to unite the community and push for justice. I am hopeful that The Toronto Story in recording this history, will help future descendants relate to the suffering and successes of their ancestors and will ensure the preservation of the historic memory of our community’s presence.