THE TORONTO NAJC ELDERS COUNCIL & JAPANESE CANADIAN LEGACIES IN B.C.

We feel fortunate to have Ron Shimizu, Addie Kobayashi, and Mike Murakami as part of our Elder’s Council. All three are “survivors”. Ron Shimizu is the Elders Council Convenor and he and Addie Kobayashi applied themselves with vigour to the task of finding survivors in the GTA, and beyond, for the JC Wellness Fund. Meanwhile, Mike, despite very challenging medical hurdles continues to help “connect the dots” of Japanese Canadian history in the East and gather important items for the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto.

JC survivors living outside of British Columbia owe a big thanks to Ron Shimizu. In November of 2018 Ron Shimizu urged the Toronto NAJC Board to send a letter to the National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC) to ensure that those outside B.C. were included in what was referred to as B.C. Redress at the time. This has since evolved to become a $100 million commitment to Japanese Canadian Legacies in B.C. as announced by Premier John Horgan this May 21st. While we have not received details of how this will work at the time of writing (June 7, 2022), it’s expected that the bulk of community funding will be B.C. focussed. We offer kudos to Japanese Canadian organizations in B.C. for their commitment and hard work on B.C. legacy projects long before this recent announcement. We are happy their work is being supplemented by funding from the B.C. Government, thanks to the advocacy of the NAJC. For that we are grateful.

We are waiting to hear what percentage of the B.C. Legacy monies will go directly to “survivors” outside of B.C. We are eager to hear whether any funds will be directed to the Momiji Seniors Healthcare Society, the largest JC Seniors home in Canada by more than double that of any other, Yee Hong and Castleview-Wychwood where additional “survivors” are housed.  

The Toronto NAJC has sent emails to Susanne Tabata, the B.C. Redress Project Director for information and clarity on how many, and how “survivors” in the GTA have been identified by the JC Wellness Fund. This information will help us to know how best to communicate the application process when details are known.  

NATIONAL REPRESENTATION AND COLLABORATION

Ron Shimizu was Toronto NAJC Secretary in 2018 and he drafted a letter to the NAJC in consultation with the Toronto NAJC Board and its then President Bruce Tatemichi. The letter was sent, on November 19, 2018, to the NAJC National Executive Board President. The letter read in part:

“The Greater Toronto Chapter of the NAJC (Toronto NAJC) appreciates that the GVJCCA and the National NAJC have initiated preliminary discussions with the B.C. Government regarding further redress measures for the suffering of Japanese Canadians primarily during and after the Second World War. We understand that a strategy has been developed by the NAJC “to develop meaningful redress measures resulting from their 2012 Apology to Japanese Canadians.” . . . “The Toronto NAJC respectfully requests that the National and the GVJCCA to fully interact with NAJC chapters and individual members on the NAJC on these discussions with the B.C. Government for the following reasons . . . “

You may request a copy of these letters by emailing: communications@torontonajc.ca

The Toronto NAJC received an email response from the NAJC, National Executive Board on January 31, 2019.

This is not the first time Ron has been a voice for inclusion and democratic processes for the Toronto JC Community, he and his wife Edy Goto were part of the Sodan Kai (study group) in the 80’s which set the community on the path to including all voices in the Redress campaign. Members of the Sodan Kai included lawyers Marcia Matsui, Shin Imai and Maryka Omatsu. In the late 70’s Ron’s wife Edy was the Assistant to the National Chair of the JC Centennial Committee, Roger Obata. Roger Obata was the founding president of the NJCCA/NAJC. Edy, who originally graduated with a degree in film, went on to become a lawyer while juggling the care of two children and community activities. They have been active members of the JC Community in Toronto and Hamilton for over 45 years.

EAST OF THE ROCKIES

The majority of Japanese Canadians still reside outside of B.C and the number of survivors estimated in the GTA is nearly a third of the estimated 6,000 remaining “survivors” across Canada. Thanks to the advocacy of Art Miki and Maryka Omatsu there was a modicum of inclusion in the early stages of the B.C. Redress endeavour. However, through the years inclusion in the process declined.

This is an opportunity for the B.C. Government and the NAJC to demonstrate leadership in doing their utmost to find ways to close the gap between those in B.C. and those who families were exiled outside B.C. and remain outside B.C. Tashme, was the largest Internment camp and according to Ryan Ellan of the Tashme Museum, most of Tashme incarcerates ended up in the East. While far fewer survivors may be left, the NAJC estimated there are still over 1800 “survivors’ in Toronto.

We hope that individuals and organizations outside B.C. will have input into the roll-out of funds so that B.C. Legacies might become a chance to collaborate nationally and create community beyond the borders of B.C. Operating as a command-and-control, performance-like project, with those from outside B.C.as “props” or token representatives serves only to highlight the disconnect between our scattered communities.  We all must strive to do better so that a true sense of community enabled by inclusion and collaboration can develop.

While many survivors thought Premier Horgan’s words of apology meaningful, it was agreed that more needs to be done to acknowledge the effects of “exile”.  The reaction of a few GTA survivors to the BC Legacies Announcement was similar “How do they think we got here?”

AN EMBODIED EXPERIENCE OF JAPANESE CANADIAN IDENTITY

The Toronto NAJC received an email this week from a young Toronto JC who wrote:

“I have had the idea of a JC pilgrimage to internment sites and locations that were central or tied to our history and contributions as well as struggles in Canada.

Do you think we could realistically start talking about how to get the ball rolling to put together a funded program for JC youth 16-29 fully funded and people up to another age or with financial challenges being partially funded for something like this?”

If anything like this is to take place, the time is now. We were impressed with the Powell Street Festival’s new outreach program with a national vision.

Bravo! Powell Street Festival Society proudly announces the 2022 Japanese Canadian Youth Cohort. This new program offers an expenses-paid opportunity for young Japanese Canadians, age 19 to 29, who were raised outside of British Columbia to attend the Powell Street Festival, participate in its production, attend training sessions, and create an embodied experience of Japanese Canadian identity as vibrant and vital.

The result of multiple years of planning, the Japanese Canadian Youth Cohort will be an annual offering, created to facilitate a tangible connection to Japanese Canadian history and one’s furusato (hometown) for young Japanese Canadians raised outside of British Columbia. (PSF Website)