Mind’s On - Discuss On a lined piece of paper, write down 3 things you know about how the Holocaust happened. Be prepared to share one with the class! Try to avoid the very obvious so we all do not come up with the same 3 points! Discussion - Give an example of racism during WWII.

Japanese Canadian Internment Camps

Background At the start of World War II, approximately 23,000 people of Japanese descent lived in Canada, mostly in British Columbia. 75% held Canadian citizenship and over 13,000 were Japanese-Canadians (they were born in Canada). Most Japanese-Canadians were hard workers, owned land, and paid taxes.

Pearl Harbour Japan attacks Pearl Harbour (Hawaii) on Dec. 7 1941in a surprise attack The damage was extensive and took out most of the US force stationed there This draws the US into WW2

Canada’s Response Canada declared war on Japan shortly after The Japanese were unfairly suspected of being spies as many were fisherman The property of the Japanese-Canadians (land, business etc.) were confiscated by the government and sold and the proceeds were used to pay for their internment

Anti Japanese Propaganda

Internment Camps The War Measures Act is once again brought in, stripping citizens of their rights to justify internment By the end of 1942 more than 22,000 men, women, and children of Japanese ancestry were taken to the camps

Conditions were poor, men were forced into labour Those unwilling to live in internment camps faced the possibility of deportation to Japan

After the Internment Camps Japanese-Canadians who remained in Canada were not allowed to return to the BC coast until 1949 Their homes and property was not returned It was not until 1988 that a formal apology came from Canada’s government The Canadian government also provided compensation, including $21,000 for survivors and restatement of their citizenship

David Suzuki Remembers https://www.nfb.ca/film/force-of-nature-the-david-suzuki/clip/force_of_nature_david_suzuki_clip_1

Examine these two accounts “I think the Japanese here should be treated exactly as our people are treated in Japan – they should be interned. It is definitely a practicable scheme. Others can do it, why can’t we…? In the East they don’t understand our problem here; they’ve never had it themselves.” Birt Showler, Vancouver Daily Province, 1942.

“I was in that camp for four years “I was in that camp for four years. When it got cold the temperature went down to as much as 60 below. The buildings stood on flat land beside a lake. We lived in huts with no insulation. Even if we had the stove burning the inside of the windows would all be frosted up and white.” Hideo Kukubo, Vancouver: The Japanese Canadian Centennial Project, 1978).

Historical Reflection Do you think the actions of non-Japanese Canadians were justified? In your notebooks, provide 3 points for either yes or no.