B.C. Redress | Have your say!

We’ve had Zoom Conference and In-Person Consultations. But if you’ve missed these you still have time to let us know what YOU have to say to this question “What should the Government of British Columbia do to redress its history of racial discrimination and unjust actions that devastated the Japanese Canadian community?”. The deadline for online submissions is Friday, September 6, 2019.
http://najc.ca/wp/bc-redress-consultations-online-submission/

B.C. Redress – The Politics of Injustice

A statement by the Toronto NAJC Executive Committee (Board of Directors)

In 1988 the Canadian government apologized and addressed its wrongdoing towards Canadians of Japanese descent, but the B.C. provincial government’s shallow 2012 apology, expressing regret but not responsibility, falls short of justice. 

Historians and legal experts are now unpacking the layers of actions that enabled the mass incarceration of over 21,000 Japanese Canadians and the finger points directly at every level of government in British Columbia. Following the lead of provincial legislation, organizations like the Law Society of B.C. and the Pharmaceutical Council incorporated discriminatory legislation into their rules and by-laws and barred Japanese Canadians from entering their professions.

The racism directed at Japanese Canadians in British Columbia beginning in 1895 evolved into more than a half-century of human rights abuse, which included, ethnic cleansing, as some would argue. In addition to discriminatory provincial legislation, laws set federally were exclusively the result of the actions and lobbying of B.C politicians. While the federal government provided significant symbolic restitution for property losses, the province whose gain was greatest has not made amends for the trauma and losses of property, culture, language and family history – endured by its Japanese Canadian citizens.

Anti-Asian sentiments in B.C. disenfranchised Chinese Canadians in 1871 and the west coast Asiatic Exclusion League coloured the B.C. political scene for decades, leading up to the two days of Vancouver race riots in 1907 directed at all Asian groups. In 1895 Japanese Canadians were disenfranchised followed by South Asians in 1907. It was not until 1947 that Chinese and South Asians were enfranchised and not until1949 that Japanese Canadians were given the vote. B.C. was the only province in Canada to disenfranchise Japanese Canadians and South Asians, which because of the British North America Act, barred anyone denied the vote in their province from voting federally. The 1908 disenfranchisement of the Chinese by Saskatchewan was the only other instance of Asian disenfranchisement in Canada.

As Canadians we can now pride ourselves on our diversity and tolerance. Thus, it comes as a surprise that the severity of the incarceration, expulsion, and human rights abuse of Japanese Canadians was significantly harsher than that of Japanese Americans. In fact, the protections offered by the U.S. Constitution resulted in the 1944 unanimous decision by Supreme Court Justices in the Ex parte Endo (Mitsuye) case that the U.S. government could not continue to detain a citizen who was “concededly loyal” to the United States and Japanese Americans were able to return to their homes. Meanwhile in Canada, due to the B.C. lobby, Orders in Council denied Japanese Canadians the right to move freely in most provinces, the right to return to their homes in the B.C. defense or “protected zone” and upheld the right of the government to deport Canadian citizens, including children and those born in Canada, to a country they had never seen and whose language they did not speak.

This continued until April 1st, 1949, a day referred to in the Japanese Canadian community as Freedom Day. The objective of B.C. politicians was achieved. Prior to the mass incarceration 23,149 JCs lived in Canada with only 1053 living outside B.C. but by 1951 the numbers of JCs living outside of B.C. had swelled to over 21,376. In addition, over 4000 were deported to Japan. 

In 2016 Japanese Canadians were identified as the most “assimilated” of any racialized group. Ironically, one justification for racism against Japanese Canadians was the accusation that they would never assimilate. While the reasons for this rapid assimilation are deplorable, one outcome is that succeeding generations are very connected to the diverse cultures and ethnicities of Canada. And the history of the Japanese Canadians in Canada is spreading to all those communities as rapidly as Japanese Canadian assimilation. Mark Sakamoto’s book, Forgiveness, A Gift from My Grandparents, is a good example of bi-racial identity. His award-winning memoir tells the story of his grandmother Mitsuye’s WWII experience, along with that of his Scottish-Canadian grandfather.

The trauma of the injustices and discriminations wrought upon the Issei (first generation) and Nisei (second generation) were often internalized as a sense of shame and an identity struggle that marked their experience as Canadians. Most were hesitant to speak of these injustices as they struggled to rebuild their lives. However, their children and grandchildren and those interested in civil and human rights issues, continue to process and understand this experience in academic, political and legal contexts, and feel outrage and anger. But also, inspiration and respect for the grace, dignity, and resilience of the Japanese Canadians directly affected. As history continues to write itself through the light of constitutional failure, these voices grow louder still. 

Funds from the 1988 Redress agreement helped create cultural centers, seniors’ centers and initiatives to rebuild a decimated community. One legacy is the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, established as part of the 1988 Federal Redress settlement. What can B.C. do to address the loss of property, opportunity and inter-generational trauma?  And the devastation of the heart of the Japanese Canadian community, Vancouver’s Powell street neighbourhood, yet to rebound from the wound inflicted on former residents? New research shows that over seven properties in the Powell Street neighbourhood, stolen from Japanese Canadians are currently owned by the City of Vancouver. Gaining attention as well, is the Provincial government’s abdication of its responsibility to educate its young citizens – a role taken up by churches, missionaries and a handful of Japanese Canadian teachers.

We applaud the current provincial government’s recognition that the 2012 apology as it stands is inadequate and was made without consulting those affected by the mass incarceration. Steps towards B.C. Redress are underway with the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC), the organization that won the 1988 Redress Agreement. In 1988 the NAJC represented all Japanese Canadian organizations from east to west and is the only National organization of Japanese Canadians.

Today, the objective voiced by those most affected is for redress initiatives that reflect Japanese Canadian community values of human rights, anti-racism, civil rights and equality. And the assurance that similar injustices will not be repeated towards any racialized or marginalized citizens. Over 160 pieces of discriminatory legislation spanning 70 years were enabled by B.C. politicians of all political stripes. The province of British Columbia now has the chance to show that it recognizes its historical role for legislated and institutionalized racism with concrete actions and meaningful words that wave the flag of “never again” with profound understanding and deep conviction.

B.C. REDRESS INFORMATION

Please check www.torontonajc.ca for updates and details of a mid-October event to inform the Japanese Canadian community about the report to be issued to the B.C. Government on B.C Redress. We also invite community groups to contact us at torontonajc@gmail.com to present to your group or Board members.