Japanese Canadian legacies honoured as part of redressing historical wrongs (flickr.com)

Media Contacts

Lindsay Byers

Press Secretary
Office of the Premier
Lindsay.Byers@gov.bc.ca

Ministry of Attorney General

Media Relations
778 587-3237

National Association of Japanese Canadians: BC Redress

Susanne Tabata
bcredress@gmail.com
604 328-5492

Backgrounders

Redressing historical wrongs against Japanese Canadian communities in B.C.

The National Association of Japanese Canadians (NAJC) was established in 1947 and has a long history of advocating for and providing support to the community. The organization was responsible for negotiating the historic Redress Settlement for the community with the federal government in 1988.

The B.C. government and the NAJC have been working closely with members of the Japanese Canadian community to develop a comprehensive recognition package to redress the historical wrongs and to honour the legacies of internment-era survivors.

Timeline:

  • In 2012, the Government of British Columbia delivered a public apology to the Japanese Canadian community for the traumatic internment of nearly 22,000 people during and after the Second World War.
  • After the apology, the NAJC continued to advocate for greater supports for the Japanese Canadian community and in 2018 met with the Province to discuss measures to build on the public apology and deliver a more comprehensive and definitive acknowledgment based on direct input from the community. 
  • In 2019, with support from the Province, the NAJC carried out extensive consultation with the Japanese Canadian community.
  • Initial recommendations based on these consultations were presented to the Province in November 2019 in the report Recommendations for Redressing Historical Wrongs Against Japanese Canadians in B.C.
  • Government pledged to act on the recommendations and included commitments in the 2020 mandates for the attorney general and parliamentary secretary for anti-racism initiatives to deliver lasting recognition of historical wrongs committed by the Province of B.C. against the Japanese Canadian community during the Second World War.
  • From April to September 2021, Rachna Singh, Parliamentary Secretary for Anti-Racism Initiatives, led a series of meetings with the NAJC, in which proposals were presented to the B.C. government by representatives from the Japanese Canadian community who spoke about six topics, culminating in the comprehensive NAJC submission Legacy Initiatives to Redress Historical Wrongs Against Japanese Canadians 2021. The report is a community-validated and detailed set of specific initiatives about: antiracism; education; monument; heritage; community and culture; and seniors’ health and wellness, with a priority on the urgency of survivors’ health supports. 
  • In 2021, an initial $2-million grant was provided to the Nikkei Seniors Health Care and Housing Society to develop and deliver programming for internment-era survivors across Canada, through the Japanese Canadian Survivors Health and Wellness Fund.
  • A primary goal of this grant was to find survivors of the internment era and do an initial outreach by creating a database to help them access future health supports.
    • Almost $1.2 million was provided directly to survivors, with more than 1,800 people receiving up to $650 each to support their health or assist with financial hardship.
    • An additional 50 organizations shared almost $470,000, which supported: a variety of seniors’ events to mark the 80th anniversary of internment; supports for seniors; and outreach and education initiatives throughout B.C. and Canada.
    • More than $53,000 went to 19 small seniors’ groups to support projects such as a curling tournament hosted by the Vancouver Nisei Curling Club, a memorial garden in Lillooet, and an introduction to Ikebana with the Vancouver Ikebana Association.
  • This $2-million funding was an interim measure to deliver supports to elders while the Province worked with NAJC on a more fulsome recognition package. This work has resulted in a $100-million recognition package, announced on May 21, 2022.