Internment of Japanese Canadians

The bombing of Pearl Harbour by the Japanese had a huge impact on Canada:  Many people became worried about a possible Japanese invasion of Canada.  Coastal communities on the west coast (BC) “blacked out” their areas at night to hide their location form possible Japanese airborne attackers.  Because the coast of BC had a large population of Japanese Canadians, they became a target of suspicion.

Why were other Canadians suspicious of Japanese Canadians?  They worried that if Japan attacked, Japanese Canadians might assist the invaders.  There were rumours that the Japanese had planted spies in Canada to prepare for an invasion.  Most Japanese Canadians worked as fishermen. No one could know what they did or who they met with when they were fishing in the Pacific Ocean.  Most white Canadians were already prejudiced against people of other backgrounds, including the Japanese.

The Facts:  In 1941, over 23,000 people of Japanese descent lived in Canada.  22,000 of them lived on the coast of BC.  There was absolutely no evidence that any of them were planning to support Japan instead of Canada.  Some members of the Japanese Canadian community had even fought for Canada in WWI.

Results:  Suspicion of Japanese Canadians soon began to turn into hysteria.  Under the War Measures Act in 1942, the government decided to “invite” the Japanese Canadians who lived on the west coast to move inland.  They began to set up “relocation centers” in the Okanagan.  Initially, 750 people volunteered to move. Soon, they were all forced to leave their homes.

Where they went:  The government set up “Internment Camps” in isolated regions of British Columbia.  Japanese Canadians were forced to stay here until the end of the war.  Families were split up, and women and children went to different camps from their husbands / fathers.  While in the camps, they worked as labourers for the government.

How did the government pay for this?  The government passed a law called the “Custodian of Enemy Property Act” in  This Act allowed the government to confiscate and sell Japanese Canadian property.  People in the Internment Camps lost their houses, cars, shops, fishing boats, and any other property as it was auctioned off at low prices to their neighbours.  The money from the sales was used to pay for the camps.

After the War  The government offered Japanese Canadians two choices  Repatriate to Japan  Move east of the Rocky Mountains  Over 40 years later, in 1988, the federal government finally apologized to the Japanese Canadian community. It even offered compensation:  1400 people who had been affected by its policies were awarded $21,000 each.