What Is Japanese Internment In Canada

Prior to WWII, over 22,000 Japanese Canadians lived in British Colombia, with three quarters of them being naturalized or native born Canadians. Since the late 19th century, many Japanese immigrated to Canada, specifically to British Colombia. By 1914, 10,000 Japanese had permanently settled in Canada. However, these people faced massive discrimination once they arrived in Canada. Japanese immigrants were forced to cope with legislated racism, unfair living and working conditions, and a population that wanted them gone. When Japan attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941, this ignited violent hostility towards Japanese Canadians. Immediately following the assault by Japan on Pearl Harbour, Canada declared war on Japan and invoked the War Measures Act to declare every Japanese Canadian an enemy alien, regardless of where they were born and whether they were Canadian citizens or not. The federal government, at the instigation of racist politicians, used the War Measures Act to order the removal of all Japanese Canadians residing with 100 miles of the Pacific coast. In 1942, 20,881 Japanese Canadians were removed from their homes, had their property confiscated and sold, and shipped to internment camps in the interior of British Colombia.
The internment of Japanese Canadians during WWII was not justified as Japanese Canadians posed no threat to national security, contributed to Canada’s war effort in both world wars, and had to endure the unreasonably harsh conditions at the internment