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The Pre-World War II Years |
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1877
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Manzo Nagano, first Japanese individual known to land and
settle in Canada. Abandoned ship in New Westminster and subsequently ran
a gift shop, Japanese food store and hotel in Victoria, BC. |
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1887
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Kuno Gihei, visits Canada and returns to Wakayama-ken to recruit
fellow villagers to settle in the village of Steveston. Steveston becomes
the second largest Japanese-Canadian settlement before WWII. |
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1890s
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Issei, Japanese immigrants, establish stores, boarding houses
and other businesses along the streets adjacent to Hastings Mill, especially
along Powell Street. This neighbourhood becomes the major settlement of
Japanese Canadians until WWII. |
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1895
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Government of British Columbia denies franchise to citizens
of Asian descent. |
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1902
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Tomekichi Homma, a naturalized Canadian citizen, applies to
be included on the voters' list. After refusal by the Collector of Voters,
a BC judge declares ultra vires a clause barring Asians from voting but
this decision is overturned by the Privy Council of Britain. Loses the fight
for the franchise and cannot vote, hold public office or become lawyers,
pharmacists, architects, chartered accountants or teachers. |
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1904
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Japanese Canadian farmers begin to settle in the Fraser Valley
and establish themselves as successful berry farmers. |
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1905
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The first Buddhist temple in Canada opens at the Ishikawa
Hotel on Powell Street, Vancouver. |
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1906
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The first Japanese language school is established in Vancouver
by the Japanese Consulate. |
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1907
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Anti-Asian riot in Vancouver. |
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1908
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The Hayashi-Lemieux "Gentlemen's Agreement" further
restrict Japanese immigration to 400 male immigrants and domestic servants
per year, plus returning immigrants and their immediate family. "Picture
bride" system of marriage becomes widespread. In 1928, the limit is
reduced further to150 per year. |
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1914
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Outbreak of World War I. |
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1916
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After being rejected in BC, approximately 200 issei volunteers
travel to Alberta to join battalions of the Canadian expeditionary force
and are shipped to Europe. In 1917, surviving veterans are promised the
right to vote. |
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1919
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BC reduces the number of fishing licenses to "other than
white residents". Over the next five years, licenses to Japanese continue
to be reduced. |
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1920
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Japanese-Canadian mill-workers form the first Japanese-Canadian
union. |
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1921
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Asiatic Exclusion League is formed. |
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1924 & 1928
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Amendment to the "Gentlemen's Agreement". Japanese
immigrants not to exceed 150 per year. |
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1927
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Gains affiliation with the Trades and Labour Congress of Canada.
First agricultural producers' cooperative, the Maple Ridge Berry Growers
Co-operative Exchange is organized by YasutaroYamaga. |
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1929
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Jun Kisawa, an Issei fisher, wins a court battle to overturn
restrictions against Japanese Canadians using motorized fishing boats. |
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1931
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Remaining WWI veterans finally receive the right to vote and
become the only Japanese Canadians to be enfranchised. |
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1936
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Japanese Canadian Citizens League is formed and sends a delegation
to Ottawa to petition for the franchise. The petition is unsuccessful. |
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1938
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The New Canadian is established as the first English-language
Japanese Canadian newspaper. It becomes the only Japanese Canadian newspaper
allowed to publish during the years of uprooting. |
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1938-40
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RCMP kept surveillance on the Japanese community. However,
they recorded no subversive activity. |
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1939
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Canada declares war with Germany. |
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World War II and the War Measures Act |
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1941 Jan. 7
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A Special Committee of the Cabinet War Committee recommends
that Japanese Canadians not be allowed to volunteer for the armed services
on the grounds that there is strong public opinion against them. |
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Mar. to Aug.
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Compulsory registration of all Japanese Canadians over 16
years is carried out by the RCMP. |
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Dec. 7
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Japan attacks Pearl Harbor. Canada declares war on Japan.
Under the War Measures Act, Order in Council P.C. 9591, all Japanese nationals
and those naturalized after 1922 are required to register with the Registrar
of Enemy Aliens. |
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Dec. 8
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1,200 fishing boats are impounded and put under the control
of the Japanese Fishing Vessel Disposal Committee. Japanese language newspapers
and schools closed. Insurance policies are cancelled. |
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Dec. 16
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P.C. 9760 is passed requiring mandatory registration of all
persons of Japanese origin, regardless of citizenship, with Registrar of
Enemy Aliens. |
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1942 Jan. 16
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P.C. 365 designated an area 100 miles inland from the west
coast as a "protected area". |
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Feb.7
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All male "enemy aliens" between the ages of 18-45
are forced to leave the protected coastal area before April 1. Most are
sent to work on road camps in the Rockies. Some are sent to Angler. |
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Feb. 24
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P.C. 1486 empowers the Minister of Justice to control the
movements of all persons of Japanese origin in the protected area. |
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Feb. 26
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Notice is issued by the Minister of Justice ordering all persons
of "the Japanese race" to leave the coast. Cars, cameras and radios
confiscated. Dusk-to-dawn curfew is imposed. |
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Mar. 4
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B.C. Security Commission is established to plan, supervise
and direct the expulsion of Japanese Canadians.
P.C. 1665 Property and belongings are entrusted to the Custodian of Enemy
Alien Property as a "protective measure only". |
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Mar. 16
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First arrival at Vancouver's Hastings Park holding center.
All Japanese Canadian mail is censored from this date. |
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Mar. 25
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B.C. Security Commission initiates a program of assigning
men to road camps and women and children to ghost town detention camps. |
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June 29
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P.C. 5523 - The Director of Soldier Settlement is given authority
to purchase or lease farms owned by Japanese Canadians. He subsequently
buys 572 farms without consulting the owners. |
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Oct.
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22,000 persons of whom 75% are Canadian citizens (60% Canadian
born, 15% naturalized) have been uprooted forcibly from the coast. |
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1943 Jan. 23
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Order in Council grants the Custodian of Enemy Alien Property
the right to dispose of Japanese Canadian properties in his care without
the owners' consent. |
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1944 Aug. 4
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Prime Minister King states it is desirable that Japanese Canadians
are dispersed across Canada.
Applications for "voluntary repatriation" to Japan are sought
by the Canadian government. Those who do not must move east of the Rockies
to prove their loyalty to Canada. "Repatriation" for many means
exile to a country they have never seen before. |
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1945 Jan.
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150 second generation Japanese Canadians (nisei) are accepted
into the Canadian Intelligence Corps after pressure from the British government. |
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Sept. 2
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Japan surrenders. Atom bomb is dropped on Hiroshima.
All internment camps, except New Denver are ordered closed and settlements
of shacks bulldozed. B.C. Security Commission office in New Denver closes
in 1957. |
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The Post-World War II Years |
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1946 Jan. 1
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On expiry of the War Measures Act, the National Emergency
Transitional Powers Act is used to keep the measures against Japanese Canadians
in place. |
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May 31
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Boats begin carrying exiled Japanese Canadians to Japan. |
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Dec.
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The Privy Council upholds a Supreme Court Decision that the
deportation orders are legal. |
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1947 Jan. 24
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Deportation orders are cancelled. 4,000 Japanese Canadians
have already been "repatriated". |
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Apr.
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The Citizenship Act extends the franchise to Canadians of
Chinese and South Asian origin, but excludes Japanese Canadians and aboriginal
peoples. |
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July.18
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The Bird Commission is formed to inquire into losses though
sales by the Custodian at less than market value and through theft of property
in the case of the Custodian. |
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1949 Mar. 31
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Restrictions imposed under the War Measures Act are lifted
and franchise is given to Japanese Canadians. |
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1950
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Bird Commission findings awarded about $1.2 million and rejects
the National Japanese Canadian Citizens Association appeal that further
claims be considered as well as an indemnity for general losses.
Order-in-Council P.C. 4364 revokes an order prohibiting immigration of "enemy
aliens", and provides for some of those deported to re-immigrate to
Canada. |
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1967
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Canadian government announces a point system for new immigrants.
"Race" is no longer a criterion for immigration. |
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1977
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Japanese Canadian centennial is celebrated across Canada. |
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Redress Efforts in the 80s |
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1984 Jan.
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The National Association of Japanese Canadian Council meeting
in Winnipeg unanimously passes resolutions seeking an official acknowledgement
and redress for the injustices committed against JC during and after World
War II. The Council also calls for a review of the War Measures Act to ensure
that no Canadians will ever again be subjected to such wrongs. |
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Mar.
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The Special Committee on Participation of Visible Minorities
in Canadian Society (Task Force) an all-party parliamentary committee, publishes
Equality Now. They recommend that "The Parliament of Canada should
officially acknowledge the mistreatment accorded to the Japanese in Canada
during and after World War II and the Government of Canada should undertake
negotiations to redress those wrongs." |
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1985 Jan. 28
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Toronto City Council unanimously passed a motion urging the
Government of Canada to re-open negotiations with the NAJC towards a full
and just redress settlement for the treatment of JC during and after WWII. |
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1986 May 9
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Price Waterhouse Associates assesses income and property losses
at not less than $443 million in 1986 dollars. |
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1987 July 12
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The NAJC appeals to Prime Minister Brian Mulroney to intervene
personally to resolve the Redress issue. |
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Sept. 17, 1987
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The U. S. House of Representatives passes the Civil Liberties
Act of 1987, offering an acknowledgement and $1.37 billion in Redress to
Japanese Americans interned during World War II - $20,000 to each of the
estimated 66,000 survivors and $50 million fund to educate the American
public about the uprooting. |
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Oct. 1987
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Public support for the NAJC is mobilized in the birth of the
National Coalition for Japanese Canadian Redress. The Coalition consists
of a broad cross-section of individuals, ethnic organizations, unions, professional
associations and cultural groups. |
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Oct.
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Rally on Parliament Hill, Ottawa by supporters of Redress. |
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1988 Sept. 22
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Acknowledgement, apology and compensation. |
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1996
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The Census of Canada shows a Japanese Canadian population
of 77,130, of whom approximately one third indicate multiple ethnic backgrounds,
indicating an intermarriage rate of over 90% in recent decades. |
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2002
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125th anniversary of the first Japanese to arrive in Canada. |
