Japanese relocation during the second world war in Canada. Particular focus on Grade 6 Social Studies curriculum.

1. Japanese attack in Pearl
Harbor, a United States
Naval Base.
December 7th, 1941

2.  Prior to World War II, 22,096 Japanese
Canadians lived in British Columbia; three
quarters of them were naturalized or native
born Canadians.

3. “Take them back to Japan. They do not
belong here, and there is only one
solution to the problem. They cannot be
assimilated as Canadians for no matter
how long the Japanese remain in Canada
they will always be Japanese.”
-Thomas Reid, Member of Parliament
for New Westminster, January 15, 1942

4. During the war, 21,460 were
forcibly removed from their
homes; families were broken up
and sent to internment camps.
After the war, 3,964 were
deported to Japan; one third of
them were Canadian citizens.
The 10 internment camps, 3 road camps, 2
prisoner of war camps, and 5 self-supporting
camps were scattered throughout Canada.
During the war years, Japanese Canadians
were regarded as possible threats to
Canada’s domestic security. Their actions
were monitored; their rights suspended. Yet
no hearings or trials were ever held and no
charges of treason were ever laid

6.  What was the perspective of the Canadian
government during the relocation of the
Japanese during WWII?
 Do you agree with the relocation and control
of a group of people during war time? (The
War Measures Act was enacted on 22 August
1914, and gave the federal government full
authority to do everything deemed
necessary “for the security, defense, peace,
order and welfare of Canada”.)

7.  What was the perspective of the Japanese in
Canada? How do you think they felt?
 How did these events affect the Japanese
community after the war? How might they
have felt towards the Canadian government?