Home · War & Conflict · Second World War · Relocation to Redress: The Internment of the Japanese Canadians
Topic spans: 1941 - 1997
Relocation to Redress: The Internment of the Japanese Canadians
As Canadian soldiers were fighting overseas in the name of democracy, at home the federal government was staging the largest mass exodus in Canadian history. During the Second World War, roughly 22,000 Japanese Canadians were forcibly evacuated from the west coast and resettled in other parts of the country. Their struggle continued after the war as they fought for an apology and redress for their loss. CBC Television and Radio covered the crucial issues in their journey from relocation to redress.
Photo of Japanese woman and kids from Library and Archives Canada - C046355
10 television clips
14 radio clips
Starting over in Ontario
Broadcast Date: Nov. 7, 1973
Muriel Kitagawa and Hide Shimizu describe their experience of the evacuation and resettlement in this CBC Radio interview. They discuss their property loss, their anticipation of prejudice in Toronto, and the prevailing sense of urgency. Kitagawa describes the everlasting impact of being branded an enemy alien. "It's a scar that you carry around with you forever," she says resolutely.Starting over in Ontario
• In the resettlement, Japanese Canadians settled in Ontario and Alberta. The majority of the evacuees elected to move to Toronto and future generations dispersed throughout the province.• As of April 1, 1949, all restrictions were removed. Japanese Canadians were free to live anywhere in the country.
• Muriel Kitagawa was a writer for the Japanese newspaper, the New Canadian, before the war. She published This Is My Own: Letters to Wes and Other Writings on Japanese Canadians, 1941-1948, in 1985.
• Hide Shimizu was made a member of the Order of Canada in 1982 for her efforts in organizing education in the internment camps. Shimizu set up schools and supervised teacher training. She passed away on Aug. 22, 1999.
• During the 1970s, the Japanese community began to discuss the subject of redress. The movement began to gather steam in 1976, while celebrating the 100th anniversary of the arrival of the first Japanese Canadian immigrant.
Starting over in Ontario
Medium: Radio
Program: This Country in the Morning
Broadcast Date: Nov. 7, 1973
Guest(s): Muriel Kitagawa, Hide Shimizu
Host: Peter Gzowski
Duration: 18:49
Photo: National Archives - C046355
Last updated:
May 22, 2008
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24 clips in this topic . page
Television
4:29
Sept. 22, 1988
A formal apology and compensation package are offered to the Japanese Canadian community.
Radio
4:01
Dec. 13, 1950
Bill Herbert reports on the arrival in Japan of the first Canadian soldiers heading for action with United Nations forces in Korea.
Topic from Radio-Canada
For Teachers - Educational activities
External sites
- National Association of Japanese Canadians
- University of Washington Libraries: Japanese Canadian Internment
- Internment of Ukranians in Canada 1914-1920
- Japanese Canadian History
- Japanese Canadian National Museum
- Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre
- History of The New Canadian
- National Archives: Living Memory: Muriel Kitagawa
Starting over in Ontario.
The CBC Digital Archives Website.
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Last updated: May 22, 2008.
[Page consulted on Feb. 14, 2012.]