Panel Presentation at the International Citizens Forum in Tokyo

Draft Notes: Implications of the Redress Movement in Canada

Tatsuo Kage 13/10/99

In the 1980’s the presenter was involved in the redress movement for Japanese Canadians in Vancouver, British Columbia. It was a movement to rectify injustices inflicted on Japanese Canadians and Japanese residents solely on the basis of race, as the government has later admitted. The legal basis of the forced removal and internment was the War Measures Act - the government was empowered to issue orders to restrict and infringe democratic rights of citizens for “security reasons.”

After the Redress settlement in 1988 he worked with the Redress implementation program organized by the NAJC with the support of the Canadian government. His role was to coordinate the dissemination of information regarding the Redress settlement, particularly individual redress payment for Japanese Canadians in the Western Canada and Japan who were eligible for the payment.

From his experience at the movement stage, he observed the gradual process of awareness developing of the wartime injustices among the public - both Japanese Canadians and the public at large.

In Canada public awareness was achieved not through public hearings, legislative efforts or lawsuits. Instead, the National Association of Japanese Canadians concentrated it efforts on lobbying and recruiting community support - to begin with - from the Japanese Canadians themselves.

The NAJC negotiated the Redress Settlement with the government - a thorny process extending over 5 years, but with the unified efforts of the community coupled with the support of the mainstream media, prominent Canadians and organizations, an agreement was reached and the prime minister of Canada announced the settlement in the House of Commons. It was supported by all parties.

The government acknowledged that the Japanese Canadians had been unfairly treated by the racist-motivated emergency measures of removal, internment and confiscation of property and assets. It agreed to pay symbolic but substantial individual compensation: $21, 000 for each surviving individuals who were residents in Canada when the pacific war started. (Ca. 18,000 people - both Canadian citizens and Japanese nationals - applied and received the payment.)

In addition, the community received 12 million dollars to assist the rebuilding of the community - cultural centres, seniors’ homes were built, community conferences were held, various cultural artistic and academic projects were supported. The Foundation was set up and it was run by Japanese Canadians.

It took several years to establish the Race Relations Foundation with the funds of 24 million dollars, but it has finally been in operation for a few years.

The board of the Foundation is appointed by the government and Japanese Canadians do not have much to say about the direction and operation of the Foudation. Mr. Art Miki, former president of the NAJC is the only Japanese Canadians on the Board.

Implications for future:

The following characteristics of the settlement and implementation in Canada may be useful in considering further strategies in the redress movement of war victims in Japan and Asian Pacific countries:

- The government acknowledged the wrong doings over 40 years ago even though it was “legal” with the law of the time. Through this “acknowledgment” the government accepted the moral responsibility, but it did not assume the legal responsibility for the damages. Redress was ex gratia payment, i.e., the government showed its good will.

- Individuals who resided in Canada on December 7, 1941 and were alive at the time of the settlement were eligible for the payment. The nationality (citizenship) and residence in either 1941 or 1988 were not a factor for the eligibility. For example, in 1946 4,000 Japanese Canadians were “deported” to Japan and many of them continued to live in Japan, but all of them were in Canada when war broke out which made them eligible for the payment.

- The payment was done expediently: within a few months after the settlement announcement application forms in both languages were produced and distributed widely. A few months after filing an application people started receiving a cheque and a document called “Acknowledgment” written in either English or Japanese.

- In order to assist applications a number of field offices by the community were setup with government funds of 3 million dollars. Within British Columbia, where the majority of Japanese Canadians lived before the war, over 10,000 contacts were made to assist applications through these field offices and information meetings during one year period after the settlement.

- A joint delegation of the government and the NAJC visited Japan and held information meetings and accepted applications and supporting documents. During 10 day visit over 700 contacts were made. It meant about a half of the eligible people attended the meetings held in Japanese cities.

- Some Japanese Canadians say that the settlement should have reached before their parents had passed away , those who had suffered most and who would have been pleased to see their honor restored through the Redress settlement.

- It has been said that the community redress is to commemorate those who experienced the hardships but who passed away before Redress. Depending on the situation it may have been more appropriate to make spouses and children eligible for the payment, but this aspect was hardly discussed in the Canadian context.