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WWII in Canada

WWII in Canada. 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.

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WWII in Canada

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  1. WWII in Canada Internment of Japanese Canadians

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. How did the government pay for this? • The government passed a law called the “Custodian of Enemy Property Act” in 1943. • 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.

  8. 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.

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