Salt Spring Island Archives

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Audio

Mary (née Murakami) & Tosh Kitagawa

2017

Accession Number
Date 2017
Media digital recording Audio mp3 √
duration 98 min.

353_Mary-Murakami-Tosh-Kitagawa_2017.mp3

otter.ai

16.02.2024

no

Outline

    Japanese Canadian history and human rights.
  • Tasha discusses her company and plans for the future with colleagues.
  • Mimi from Japanese government discusses exhibit on fighting for justice in the library with talks and sale of books.
  • Mary and Porsche Tausch, longtime members of the Japanese Canadian community, played key roles in securing honorary degrees for Japanese Canadian students expelled in 1942 and renaming a federal building in Vancouver.
    Asian Canadian history and injustices.
  • Mary, born on Saltspring Island, fell and her family was exiled, later becoming a teacher and advocate for Asian Canadian history.
  • Speaker shares personal history of Japanese Canadian incarceration during WWII, highlighting racism's long history in Canada.
    Racism and exclusion in British Columbia.
  • British Columbia legislature disenfranchised non-white communities, including Chinese, Indians, and Japanese, denying them professional opportunities and limiting their work to primary industries.
  • In 1900s, white supremacist groups in Canada and US advocated for exclusion of Asian immigrants, leading to riots and discrimination.
  • In 1914, the Komagata Maru incident involved the denial of entry to Canada for a group of Indian immigrants, highlighting the exclusion of Asian immigrants in early 20th century Canada and the US.
  • Chinese and Japanese Canadians faced discrimination and restrictions in the 1920s and 1930s, including a head tax, exclusion from certain industries, and the loss of licenses.
    Japanese Canadian incarceration during WWII.
  • In 1931-1949, Canadian government enacted over 100 orders and councils impacting Japanese Canadians, including ID card registration and incarceration.
  • Prime Minister Mackenzie King invoked the War Measures Act to intern Japanese Canadians without parliamentary approval.
  • Lieutenant General Maurice Pope and other officials confronted the hypocrisy of selling Victory Bonds while targeting Japanese Canadians.
    Japanese internment during WWII in Canada and US.
  • In 1945, Japanese Americans were released from internment camps, while Japanese Canadians remained confined.
  • Canada opposed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights due to concerns about communists, Japanese Canadians, and Aboriginal rights.
  • In 1940s Canada, Japanese Canadians faced internment and deportation due to racist policies, with some eventually receiving redress in 1988.
    Family history and survival in Canada.
  • Family shares their history of survival through generations in Canada.
  • In 1919, the speaker's family bought 200 acres of land in Sharp Road and began farming, eventually growing tomatoes in six greenhouses and raising 5000 egg-laying hens.
  • Parents hired Japanese Canadian women from Vancouver Island to help with harvest, providing a happy and carefree life for children.
    Japanese internment during WWII.
  • Eight months before Pearl Harbor, a Japanese attack on a Canadian family led to their internment and a young girl's traumatic experience.
  • Father is taken away by police, leaving family in distress.
  • Mother dressed children in their best clothes and waited for evacuation to war-torn Vancouver.
    Family's wartime experiences in Canadian internment camps.
  • Women and children were housed in a dirty, overcrowded barn with little privacy or sanitation.
  • Family of 4 forced to live in squalid conditions after father disappears during WWII.
  • Alice wrote a letter to the BC Securities Commission, describing the family's plight in an incarceration camp during a cold winter.
    Japanese Canadian exile and redress.
  • Parents lost property, money, and autonomy after government seizure during WWII.
  • Family exiled to Canada after Japanese attack on Saltspring Island, enduring poverty and hardship until return 12 years later.
  • Speaker 8 shares personal experiences of racism and resistance from their family, including a former Conservative MP who spearheaded the destruction of the Japanese Canadian community.
    Japanese Canadian history and honorary degrees.
  • Speaker 8 criticizes naming a federal building after Howard Green, an architect of hate, and advocates for replacing his name with that of a Chinese Canadian MP.
  • UBC finally honors Japanese Canadian students wrongfully expelled during WWII after 3.5-year campaign.
  • In 2008, UBC held a ceremony to honor Japanese Canadian students who were denied citizenship due to their ancestry.
    Colonization, racism, and injustice in Canada.
  • White speaker acknowledges colonization and biases, thanks speakers for educating on indigenous issues.
  • Speaker 8 shares their experience of being interned in Canada during WWII, highlighting the use of euphemisms to downplay the severity of their treatment.
    Renaming a street and property rights after Japanese internment during WWII.
  • Speaker 7 discusses how the government passed over 200 orders in council to govern by decree, including one that led to their incarceration.
  • Speaker 8 wonders how people would feel if the government told them to lead, highlighting the absurdity of the situation.
  • Resistance to Japanese internment in BC during WWII, with some standing up to RCMP and spending time in prison camps.
  • Iwasaki's property was sold for $5,250 in 1942, with the buyer offering an additional $7,000 in 1967-68.
  • Japanese Canadians lost valuable possessions during internment, including heirloom China and brass bed.
    Japanese Canadian history and land claims.
  • Speaker 8 reflects on family history and identity, sharing stories of their father's violin and experiences with racism.
  • Eight shares personal experiences with land ownership and reclaimed land.
  • Group discusses potential map of archaeological sites on an island, with concerns about sharing locations and potential impact on businesses.

Unknown Speaker 0:00
Thank you This is Tasha the last

Unknown Speaker 0:19
company

Speaker 1 0:32
you heard of it getting these tips are 766666 months

Unknown Speaker 0:43
three but I think that's because I was

Speaker 2 0:45
looking at the Center for the museum down there today and I said I want to kind of chip decks trying to figure out what to put in there you can

Unknown Speaker 0:53
put them on the table it's a lot smaller

Unknown Speaker 1:11
actually know that's going to give you peace of

Unknown Speaker 1:31
mind the web

Speaker 3 1:54
introduce somebody with the lenses dirty and some hair on the lens

Speaker 4 2:08
so what's gonna happen here introduce yo when that when in due course I'm gonna do with one hand

Unknown Speaker 2:28
keep those legs off so

Unknown Speaker 2:36
I wrote

Unknown Speaker 3:01
right I think I mentioned Georgia last

Unknown Speaker 3:19
year really our problem I think like the more that you want something

Unknown Speaker 3:47
to be your

Unknown Speaker 3:50
organization

Unknown Speaker 4:06
a good journal

Speaker 5 4:12
thank you for getting to hear this stuff this evening. And my name is Mimi, and I'm from the Japanese government. And this whole exhibit taking place in the library this month is put together by a history department of University of Victoria and Vancouver Island University. And they put together this fighting for justice on the coast. And we we had we planned for talks related to the subject, and today is the last one of the four talks. And this whole exhibit is hosted by Salisbury Napa. Just so it's been historical society in the library, and Japanese garden society. And if you haven't visit this exhibit, please take take your time to read. There's a lot of text in here. So after the talk, and this will be taken down in first day, so you have to note that this morning so that Yeah, I think we have only Yeah, you have only tomorrow yeah. Wednesday. Yeah. So, that so just the information and also we are selling. One is by donation, but pamphlet of this fighting for justice at the bank. And also we are selling rose Nakamise book about his personal history of the family called gamble at the back. So if you haven't read that, yeah, all the proceeds goes to the Japanese Gardens activity. So please take a look at it. And so tonight, we have a very special guest, Porsche, Fela and Mary chemic. Keiko Murakami and she is this older sister of rules and Richard and she they live on to mainland to acid. And so they came all the way from there. I didn't give you a little introduction about them. And fast I'm gonna talk about Porsche but both Mary and Porsche longtime member of the Human Rights Committee of the Japanese Canadian citizens Association, and they have worked tirelessly for justice for Japanese Canadians, and maybe plays a key role in getting UBC to confer honorary honorary degrees on the Japanese Canadians who are study studying at the University at the time of the uprooting so Tausch he was born in Mission BC, and lived there for 10 years until his family was uprooted. And the family was sent to this old for farming town north of Lethbridge. Alberta, to became share croppers for a sugar beet farmer. He graduated from Lethbridge high school after his family was released. In 1955, he returned to BC by himself and worked at different jobs, and he later became a businessman and retired during the fight for redress in the 1980s. he rejoined the Japanese Canadian community, and he and Mary were part of the Greater Vancouver Japanese Canadian citizens association for over 35 years. And they are responsible in successfully convincing UBC to grant honorary degrees to the 76 Japanese Korean students expelled in 1942. And the renaming of the federal Federal Building on 604 Barack Street in Vancouver, from Howard, Charles Green to Donna Douglas Young. Those who continue to speak at many functions about the history of the Japanese Canadians. And now, Mary. She was born on Saltspring Island, and she was seven years old. When she fell, her family was excelled exiled from the island. And her family was moved around to places before they returned to South Park, so spring Ireland in 1954. And she graduated from caston Arvada high school there and went on to University of Toronto. Now, after graduating, she attended UBC to achieve her professional basic status to teach the secondary schools in BC. But then she was rejected by the third school board because of her ethnicity, but she was accepted by the teacher at Kitsilano secondary in Vancouver.

Unknown Speaker 9:53
They said they

Unknown Speaker 9:54
didn't want any job teaching their students. Yeah, the school board told me Sorry, sorry, I had to tell you that.

Speaker 5 10:04
For the last two decades, she'll be speaking at many venues about the history of Japanese Koreans. In in January 2018, she will be co teaching a course at UBC, in the Faculty of art called Asian Canadian, Asian migration. Minor class with Dr. Joe price. He gave a lecture today no, the first lecture of this talk series. So now I'm gonna bring those two speakers in phones and make them fast. What's going to talk about? Thanks. Thank you. Thank you for coming, Josh.

Speaker 4 10:54
Good evening. Can you hear me okay. Can we use the mic or are we needed?

Speaker 4 11:11
Good hearing. I don't know why Rumi is asked at all people speak to you. But we're both humbled and honored. Having said that, I want you to know that age is very important if you're talking about wine or cheese

Speaker 4 11:32
we would like to acknowledge the unceded territory and ancestors of the land here on Saltspring the hook of me mum and send chosen speaking First Nations people of Salt Spring and surrounding areas who continue to use the stewards these lands. I will talk about the Asian and anti Asian environment that prevailed from the time ECE joined Confederation and 1871 to 1988. This would include the exploitation of Chinese labor, and the building of the railroad from 1880 to 1884, and the anti Asian riots in Vancouver in 1907. Since 2017, is the anniversary of the incarceration of 20 21,460 Japanese Canadians, it is fitting that roof review and dust discuss this regrettable chapter in Canadian history. Very little chronicle her personal history from 1896 to 1988. Her talk will include the forceful removal of her father by the RCMP in front of her and her young siblings to be sent to the road camps. It will chronicle her period and the horse barns at Hastings Park, and our time spent in seven different incarceration camps until their freedom in 1949. Her narrative will also include a struggle to obtain honorary degrees for the seven year six students expelled from UBC in 1942. And our success and getting the name of the building on 401 Broad Street changed from the Howard green building to the Douglas junk building.

Speaker 4 13:28
In order to understand the overt racism subjected to Japanese Canadians, prior to and during World War Two, one needs to go back to Confederation realization, the racialization and the discrimination against Asians did not begin with Canada's entry in World War Two. It is widely believed that colonialism ended with conflict with Confederation configuration, but in reality, it became stronger racism monks, many white British Colombians became more virulent as they fail to accept diversity. The white pop politicians use the power of the legislature to further the racist agenda. At Confederation, the British North America Act stated that control of the federal franchise would remain a provincial matter until parliament decided otherwise. At that time, the population of British Columbia was roughly 50,000 people of that number 10,000 were European Whites 40,000 were Aboriginal and Asians. Recognizing that they were vastly outnumbered. One of the first acts of the legislature was to was to disenfranchise Indians, Japanese and Chinese. In 1895 B See passed an amendment to the provincial elections act, which stated no Chinaman Japanese or Indian shall have his name placed on the register of voters for any electoral district or to be entitled to vote in any election. This acronym denied all people who are non white to practice in a profession such as law, medicine, accounting, engineering, and nursing, etc. Here you can see all the ethnic communities Chinese Indian Hindus due course Mennonites have rights, they were disenfranchise 1874, so on so forth, the 1931 and this is when they gained franchise finally. One had to be on the voters list in order to be allowed to work in the professions. The non whites were due to work only in the four primary industries, farming, fishing, mining and logging. Several 100 orders in Council were passed in an effort to curtail the success of the Asians. Responding to the anti Asian cinnamon in British Columbia. The federal government passed in 1885 The Chinese immigration act, which stipulated that all Chinese entering Canada must first pay a $50 fee, later referred to as a head tax. This was amended in 1887 8092 and 1900, with the fee increasing to its maximum of $500. In 1904, the Government of Canada collected about $33 million through this process, and this would represent $321,000,000.02 120 $16 from about 81,000 Head taxpayers. This represent reprehensible PAC system not only had the effect of constraining Chinese immigration, it prevented the Chinese women and children from joining their men, the Chinese community and Canada became a bachelor society and the Asian hysteria continued to be rampant in both Canada and the United States along the Pacific coast. In 1905, the whites in San Francisco formed the Japanese and Korean exclusion League. Two years later, a Canadian version appeared in Vancouver named Asiatic exclusionary. In a recent article from John Mackey of the Vancouver Sun he wrote, the object of this organization is to work for the exclusion from the Dominion of Canada, its territory and its possessions, all Asiatics but enforcement of an act similar to the tal that said a story in the Vancouver world. Org scan 1907. The list of signatures was headed by Mayor Bethune that includes several members of the legal legislature and a member of the Dominion parliament. In August 13 1907, the front page of the Vancouver world featured the story on the first public meeting of the Asia is Yannick exclusion League. Note the headlines, all all parties supposed to reappear, post Asiatics. In early September of 1907, anti Asian riots in Bellingham started as the movement to drive Punjabi Sikhs out of the lumber industry. Soon this rioting spread north into Vancouver, and angry mobs stormed through Chinatown, breaking store windows and assaulting Chinese in the area. The theme of these white supremacist writers was white Canada. The rioters then headed to the Powell Street, where they were met by angry Japanese Canadian merchants. The confrontation ensued, and the Japanese Canadian merchants are able to drive the rioters back. Racism in British Columbia persisted and in 1914 The Komagata Maru incident involved the Japanese scheme ship Komagata Maru on which a group of citizens of India attempted to emigrate to Canada, but were denied injury. The Komagata Maru sale from Hong Kong, Hong Kong data holding a brilliant Britain via Shanghai, China and Yokohama, Japan de Vancouver, carrying 376 patches from Punjab. The British held an eel of them 24 admitted to get Other, but the other 352 passengers were not allowed to disembark in Canada, the ship was forced to return to India. The passengers included 346 24 Muslims, and 12 Hindus all over the subjects. This is one of several incidents in the early 20th century, in which exclusion laws in Canada and the United States were used to exclude immigrants from Asia. As early as 1922, racist politicians such as Alan Webster, Neil komak, Sal Bernie, were spewing racist comments in Parliament. He said is it better to fight now, when Japan controls only one half of British Columbia, or to leave the fighting until 10 years hence, when she will win and she will but peaceful conquest have absorbed the whole of British Columbia, and a 1000s of trained troops scattered throughout British Columbia and the other provinces beyond the Rocky Mountains. The Chinese immigration act of 1923 Often referred to as the Chinese Exclusion tax, effectively closed off Chinese immigrants to Canada. Although we regression for most countries was controlled or restricted in some way, only the Chinese are so completely prohibited from immigrating. Before 1923 Chinese emigration was already heavily controlled by the Chinese duration act of 1885, which placed a head tax on all immigrants from China. Established on July 1 1923, that act had banned immigrants from entering Canada except merchants, diplomats, and foreign students. However, not only were Chinese from China ban ethnic Chinese with British and British Nationality, were also restricted from India and Canada. Since the minyan day coincided with the enforcement of the Chinese immigration I Chinese Canadians at the time, we refer to the anniversary of Confederation as humiliation day and refused to take any part in the celebration to protest the Chinese exclusion that Chinese Canadians closed their businesses and boycotted Dominion Day celebrations every July the beginning in the early 1930s, the Japanese Canadians are starting to excel in the fishing, agricultural and forest hinders. So the government began a systemic program to curtail and inhibit their success. In the fishing industry licenses are taken away incrementally from the Japanese Canadians. between 1931 to 1949, the Government of Canada enacted over 100 orders and councils that impacted Japanese Canadians. Beginning in 1938, the RCMP was keeping surveillance of the Japanese communities in 1940, that they reportedly found no subversive activities in any of them. However, between May and August of 1941, with the passing of water and council PC 117, called the Oregon the registration.

Speaker 4 23:28
The RCMP began registering all people of Japanese descent. Over the age of 16 years, ID cards were issued which had to be carried at all times. The ID cards were coded color coded to identify the three groups with Japanese Canadians, buff colored cards identified the Japanese nationals, the salmon, pink car roofer naturalized and the white cards were for the Canadian border, it was mandatory to carry these cards at all times. Failure to short was stopped by the police outside of your property meant at least six months in jail. This was done six months before December 7 1941. Thus, the government knew where every Japanese Canadian family lived. To give you an idea of how quickly the federal and provincial government acted on incarceration of Japanese Canadians. Here's a timeline of the events starting on December 8 1931, a day after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and right through until March the 25th. You see how quickly they reacted. government's not work that quickly. When Canada joined the Pacific War, Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King invoked the all powerful War Measures are without going through parliament this year Will the government to act without discussion or debate? Essentially, it was a rule by decree, which is a style of government allowing quick, unchallenged governance. Sorry, unchallenged creation of law by a single person or group. It is used primarily by dictators, Absolute Monarchs and military leaders. The War Measures Act gives hugging emergency powers to the federal cabinet, allowing it to govern by decree, when it received the existence of war, invasion, or insurrection real or apprehend it, it was used to limit the feudal Canadians in both World Wars. Immediately the government began the mass incarceration program through all people of the Japanese raised from BC regardless of whether the person was born in Canada or had citizenship, the military and the RCMP tried to convince the prime minister that Japanese Canadians pose no threat to the security of Canada and should not be removed from their homes. However, the countless orders in Council were passed who approved 21,460 innocent, hardworking, loyal citizens from the BC coast. The motto of the BC politicians was no jabs from the Rockies to the sea. The following quote from a BC politician reveals the vehement hatred many politicians from BC had for people of the Japanese descent.

Speaker 4 26:52
On January the eighth 1942 A conference held on the Japanese problem was held in Ottawa along with the delegates from BC were Lieutenant General Maurice Pope and diplomat s. Cod read, he noticed the hypocrisy of the as they're selling Victory Bonds of what they're doing to the Japanese Canadians. And Lieutenant General Maurice Polks, book, soldiers and population, politicians and memoir he wrote, When I agreed with the RCMP and the military, that the Japanese Canadians pose no threat to the security of the nation, all hell broke loose. I was afraid that the BC politicians were going to charge across the table to manhandle me, the rage was a sight to behold. One BC delegate conceded private privately to him that the war have afforded a heaven set opportunity to read themselves of the Japanese economic matters forevermore. Lieutenant General Pope understood then, that this exercise has nothing to do with security. It was just a myth. He said that he left that meeting feeling dirty all over. An escort reads book radical madron The memories of escort read, it was a special assistant to the external affairs. He recalls, they spoke of the Japanese Canadians and the way that the Nazis would have spoken about Jewish Germans. When they spoke, I felt that committee rule the physical presence of evil. Muriel Kanagawa nomination, writes in her book, this is my own, which is a series of letters to her brother with the bitterness the anguish is complete road could regale you who deal and lifeless figures, files and synthesis and statistics could never measure the depth of hurt and outrage Delta to those of us who love this lab. It is because we are Canadians that we protest the violation of our birth rate. Mary will detail the horrendous experiences that our family endured from early 1942 to 1949. The war in Europe ended in May of 1945. And the war in the Pacific officially ended after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 15 1945. The War Measures Act was enforced until December 31 1945. This meant that the government would have to release all of the internees for the various camps and beat fields. Knowing this, the hastily passed the National Emergency emergency transitional Powers Act 1945, which took effect on January the first 1940s Six. This act was enforced until March 31 1947. Immediately the past continuation of transitional Measures Act 1947, which allowed the government to maintain certain wartime orders and regulations, and stayed in place until April 30 1951. The US and Canadian governments treat their citizens quite differently. When World War Two officially ended on September the second 1945, all Japanese Americans were free to return to their homes, which in large part are still registered in their names. And December 1944, President Roosevelt rescinded executive order 9066 and the W Ra, which is an acronym for War Relocation Authority. They began a six month process of releasing the internees offered to resettlement facilities and temporary housing and shutting down the camps. In August 1945, the war is over. By 1946. The camps are cold, and all of them tourney's were released to rebuild their lives. However, in Canada, the Japanese Canadians are still confined to the incarceration camps, or the sugar beet fields in Alberta and Manitoba. As explained earlier, the War Measures Act was a vote and wasn't forced from August 25 1939 until December 31 1945, after which the National Emergency transitional Powers Act wasn't forced until March 31 1947. Then the constitution of transitional Measures Act, which is an act of maintaining certain wartime orders and regulations, and stayed in place until April the 30th 1951. The reason Canada did not renew this act was because Eleanor Roosevelt was organizing a group of countries including Canada to draft the Human Rights Act to the newly formed United Nations in 1945. She chose John Humphrey, a Canadian law professor to draft this document. After two years, the document was to be called the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was prepared for adoption at the UN, Canada, along with the Soviet bloc abstain and the first round of voting on December the seventh 1948. They worried that it would give the rights to communists, Jehovah's Witnesses, Japanese Canadians and Aboriginal Canadians. Canada also oppose economic and social rights. It only voted for the actual Declaration on December the 10th because its earlier obsession was so embarrassing. Such was the despicable behavior of the government of the day. Another major issue was the repatriation on loyalty survey. The government was attempting to ruin the Japanese Canadians and Canada since 1942. Racist politicians and British Columbia were relentless in their drive to remove all people of Japanese descent from British Columbia. They were led by MP in Alistair Mackenzie. The group included the Gregor McIntosh from the islands. Aw, Neil from Comox Alberty Alberni Thomas re, he's the one newest minister, and how our green Vancouver center he's the one that was going to have that building the 401 broad building named after him, and Mary will tell you about that later. Vancouver councillors have their own Helford Wilson and George buscombe. Officials create a questionnaire to distinguish loyal from disloyal attorneys, and given attorneys the choice to move east of the Rockies immediately or be repatriated to Japan at the end of the war. Some 10,000 are unable to move on short Nautilus, Nautilus, or simply hesitant to remain in Canada after the war time experiences chose deportation. The government's stress that this was strictly voluntary, and no pressure whatsoever was being exerted. The same issues handled much differently in the United States. I just want to read you a direct passage from Adzuna Allah's book, the politics of racism. In December 1944, however, the federal government panic, the United States Constitution and finally three Japanese Americans, ruling on a petition of habeas corpus, filed a civil rights lawyer James Purcell. All on behalf of the former California state employee, Mitsui Endo, the United States Supreme Court rule that loyal Americans could not be denied freedom of movement. Neither Mutsu and or any other Japanese American could be denied access to any area open to other Americans. anticipating this judicial decision, the American authorities announced in December 1944 that Japanese Canadians Americans could return to their homes on the Pacific coast as of January the second 1945. That's the politics of racism by answering the deportation of Japanese case began in May 1946. But many hundreds of of them had second thoughts and balked at the forced removal. Under intense pressure from a newly formed organization called cooperative committee on Japanese Canadians. The government relented in 1947. Those that were not deported to Japan were allowed to remain. By this time 3964 Japanese Canadians had already been exiled. In 1947, under intense pressure many politicians and academics, the federal government revoked the legislation to repeat repatriate the remaining Japanese Canadians to Japan. It was only in April 1949 That all restrictions were officially lifted from Japanese Canadians and the Game Fair Franchise and the freedom of movement.

Speaker 4 36:41
On September 22nd 1988, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney signed the redress agreement and apologized to all members of our community for the despicable treatment that government inflicted on us. He further stated that the treatment of Japanese Canadians was morally and legally unjustified. Thus ended an ugly chapter in Canadian history. As a footnote, we see a dangerous parallel the United States under the government headed by Donald Trump, the president DACA Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program has had seen elements that lead to our incarceration Thank you.

Unknown Speaker 37:59
Think I have to grow a little bit

Unknown Speaker 38:12
I think I better get my glasses ready.

Speaker 6 38:28
Before I start, I want all of you to remember that this is not a charge against any of you. What, whenever we speak, we hope that everyone will do his or her best to make this country a better place.

Speaker 6 38:58
The story that I'm about to reveal to you this evening is a Canadian story about a Canadian family. I hope that the information that is presented will help you to understand how one family survived the horrors of the uprooting dispossession, incarceration, imprisonment, enslavement, and even deportation by the democratic government of Canada. I was born in the Old Lady mental hospital up along what is what was known as Creamery Hill. I don't think any of you are old enough to know about Creamery hill there was a creamery where MB bakery is today. My three sisters, Alice, violet, rose, and my brother Richard were also born they're only my youngest Brother Bruce was born in the prison camp, but died in 2008. Our family history and Canada began in 1896 When my maternal grandfather Kumano skid O'Connell came to Canada as a young man 121 years ago. My grandmother, REO Tamara bukan have followed in 2000 I mean 90 9003 As a picture bride. Initially they worked in the forest, but later moved to Steve Austin to begin fishing. My mother was born there in 1904. In order to be fishers, they have to be naturalized, thus making them British subjects and Canadian citizens. Their successes in the fishing industry enabled them to buy five fishing boats. And in order to keep their growing family safe after their two year old daughter ground, they sold for their boats and bought prime land on sharp road that this was in 1919, which later grew to 200 acres. It consisted of virgin timber, lush Valley, and a seafront. They became successful farmers like growing tomatoes in their six large greenhouses. In this picture, you only see five but there was another one closer to the house. To their two storey house was filled with the latest appliances and beautiful oak furniture. They enlarge that house later. They were retired by 1941 Leaving the labor to their two sons, Victor and James and several sponsored immigrant man from Japan. My family lived across the road on 17 acres that my father cleared himself cutting huge trees dynamiting the roots and burning the stumps. It was a physically challenging task. After the land was cleared and plowed my parents cut the URI and Kimiko for Candler academy group strawberries, and asparagus and cane berries and vegetables for the built six large chicken houses to accommodate 5000 egg laying hens. During the summer they hired Japanese Canadian women from Vancouver Island to help with the harvest in order to allow the women to bring their children father built a comfortable bunkhouse for them to live in. Our parents hired babysitters to look after us children. We were provided with a happy and carefree life. The harvest of 1942 was going to enable them to buy more land and luxuries for our home. Even a tennis court for my oldest sister Alice. I find it amazing that my grandparents and parents were able to achieve that level of success. When so many laws were passed by the BC legislature against alien people to curtail their advancement. At that time, it was legal to discriminate against people of Asian descent and First Nations. Through this maze of countless orders in council, Avon people persevered. They continued to work hard, obey the laws and continue to contribute to the welfare of the larger community. During the Depression years, my grandparents and parents provided food and clothing to destitute people who came to their door. When the school on Rainbow Road was being built. The Japanese Canadian community donated labor or money. They also contributed money for the building of the Anglican Church and for the purchase of their Oregon. When the Japanese Canadians began succeeding in fishing and farming, they were accused of unfair competition working too hard for long hours and less pay. They were paid less because the whites decided the Japanese did not need as much money because they had a lower standard of living. In the eyes of the dominant society, the non whites were classified as second class citizens incapable of assimilation and the inability to learn how to speak English. When ordering council 117 was passed, called the Oriental registration that my husband mentioned, all the Japanese Canadian on Saltspring island over the age of 16 were instructed to go to Victoria to register with the RCMP. My grandparents who are naturalized citizens were issued seven colored cards. My uncles who were Canadian born were issued white cards, and my father, who was a national was issued above colored card as a kid, my mother, who was born in Canada, the reason that she was married to a national, she no longer was considered born in Canada. This all happened eight months before Pearl Harbor was bombed. On the day, Pearl Harbor was bombed by the Japanese Air Force. My father had just returned from the hospital after surgery. When he heard what had happened, he said, stupid. How can a small country like Japan expect to beat a large and powerful country like the United States? Nothing good, will result for our family. And he was right. At school the next day, Alice was accused by her teachers for starting the war. All the students turned towards her as a teacher pointed an accusing finger at her. On the way home. He was bombarded with rocks thrown by boys who chased her until she disappeared into the forest. She was bloodied. But not wanting to worry her parents, she went into the chicken house and wash the blood out of her hair and body and then went into her house. We were not allowed to go to church or school after that. It was too dangerous. On March 17 1942, we watched an RCMP pickup trucks speed into our yard. The officer came to arrest my father. My mother, knowing that such a day would arrive, had his clothing pack into large bags. Father hurriedly assured us that He will be fine. But we felt otherwise. As we watched the officer roughly shove our father onto the back of the pickup truck. My father fell forward just to reassure us Father quickly stood up and told us that he was alright. However, in our hearts, our hearts were beating wildly as we noticed the gun in the officers holster.

Speaker 6 48:22
We were terrified that our gentle, hardworking loving father was being taken away to be shot. My mother stood still watching this unbelievable scene. holding tightly to my one and a half year old brother. I am sure that every cell in her body must have been exploding with pain. As the officer jerked the truck into gear. My father nearly fell again. The four of us girls ran after the truck crying, Daddy, Daddy comeback. With tears flooding our eyes. We chased the truck until it disappeared into a void. There was no time to grieve. My mother had many tasks to perform. She had five children to look after 5000 chickens and to gather the eggs and prepare them for market and look after the crops. Fortunately, my 13 year old sister was way mature for her age. She leaked into father's vacant shoes and took over when the custodian of enemy alien property came to give orders to my mother. He also brought a document that he wanted her to sign. It said the government will look after the property interest until our return after the war. Since my mother knew Gavin mode since he was alive, she trusted him. He told her that not one chopstick will be missing from her house when she returned. Of course, she signed. His orders were for her to get rid of the chickens and to pack all of her belongings and put them into one of the largest room with a heavy heart. She sold all the chickens to some Chinese merchants from Victoria, who heard about my mother's dilemma. These were the chickens that she hatched from the egg stage in her incubators, and nurtured them to the x plane stage. We were told to wait for the next order. That day came for all remaining 72 Japanese Canadians on April 21 1942. Four other men were taken away with my father. The women became reluctant single parents to young children. Mother dressed us in our very best clothes, and made sure that our shoes were polished. As we waited outside for a friend, Mr. Gardner. Take us away the ominous, eerie silence. In golf. There's like a thick fog. There were no longer any sounds of life. The clucking of the chickens, the cheerful voices of the adults at work, and children that play along with the barking of our Beloved beloved dog money that we had to give away.

Speaker 6 51:43
That's him. In this silence, we waited. Mr. Gardiner drove us to the war. In Ganges. We saw piles of clothes, bags and suitcases belonging to the exile. We were allowed two suitcases for adults and one for each child. These de partie families did not know at that time that they would never see their beloved home ever again. To ship Princess Mary took us to Vancouver. As the darkness of night descended upon us. We were taken to Hastings Park and registered to our for we were instructed to go into the animal barn, which was vacated by animals. Not long before our arrival. The pungent smell of urine and feces assaulted or nostrils and lung. Sea of mud metal bunk beds greeted or unbelieving eyes. 3000 women and children are being housed there. The men and boys 12 years older and older were housed in the forum. My grandfather who was in the state of shock even before we left the island was separated from my grandmother, who was in the barn with us. And each bunk was a large bag filled with straw, which became our mattress and to Army blankets. The bunks were so tightly packed together, that in order to find some privacy among strangers, blankets and sheets were strung along the railings. Some families had to live in the animal stalls or maggots were still crawling out between the boards or toilet while we were there were troughs with running water that was carried away. animal waste line was spread around the trust and deaden the smell but it made it worse. For unpalatable food was served to us in tin plates. In the poultry section of the barn. Hundreds of people got diarrhea and food poisoning. mother kept us out of the barn as much as possible to air out our hair, clothes and skin. At night we heard the anguished cries of the elderly women who were totally lost without their husbands and family. We worried about grandfather who was not allowed to contact my grandmother, including the men and boys over 8000 inmates pass through Hastings Park. Before they were distributed to the sugar beet farm, the prisoner of war camp and to the prison camps. After two and a half weeks in this hellhole we were sent to Greenwood BC and a near nearly abandoned mine In town, we live in a tiny single room in a building that was empty when the fight when the miners left. While their mother received a heavily censored letter from Father, letting us know that he was working. building roads would pick and shovel with 100 Excuse me 100 other men separated from their families. We were so relieved to learn that he was still alive. A $20 Bill felt out of the envelope. The men were paid 25 cents an hour after paying room and board while living in crowded railway box cars or cats. The men were ordered to send $20 to their families for their keep each month. Father was in the Yellowhead camp nearby, just inside the BC Alberta border. There were 100 men in each camp stretching all the way to Blue River BC in July of 1942, the married men are told that if they agreed to go to the prairies or Ontario to work on the sugar beet farms, they wouldn't be able to reunite with their families. father left the road camp on July 21 1942 and went to join our grandparents and their family toiling on the killer farm in McGrath, Alberta. We had a joyful reunion on August the 15th. Six months after father disappeared. The next day was the beginning of a nightmare for our family. At the Jensen farm, we were unceremoniously deposited in front of a tiny can by gifting shack, literally an empty box beside a pig pen. There were no beds or cooking facilities. Father had to use his own money to buy lumber to build bunk beds along the walls. So at least we had a place to sleep. Mother Ferris mostly from cans, because she could not prepare food without a stove or water supply was upon that we shared with the animals. With no laundry or bathing facility. We depended on the pond to keep us clean. After living and working there for several months, my parents felt that if they continue to live in that condition, we would surely all die. My Sister Alice wrote an impassioned letter to a representative of the BC Securities Commission in Lethbridge, Alberta. He's describing our plight. He came one hot day, looked at the shack and promised to move us through one of the incarceration camps. These were dotted along the eastern side of Slocan lake with an RCMP escort we arrived in pop off in November of 1942. From there we were moved to Bay farm than to attend. In slow Ken. This was during one of the coldest winters in British Columbia. The snow was deep, and inside the camp was very cold. We were fed in a communal Hall, where we were able to keep warm for part of the day. The outhouse was a distance away. I do not know how my parents cope with a baby still in diapers, and four young children crammed into a cold camp. On January 119 43, we were moved to a newly created camp called Roseberry. Situated on the northern end of Slocan lake where unfinished tarpaper shacks awaited us. We may as well have been asked to live in a basket the icy air seeped into the raw floorboards from ill fitting windows and handmade doors. There were no inner walls, ceiling or insulation. The 14 by 28 shack was divided into three rooms, bedrooms on each side of the middle common room. There were two double bunk beds on in each bedroom. The small middle room was used as a kitchen, laundry and eating area. There was a tiny two burner wood burning kitchen stove and a wooden sink. In an effort to heat the center room. A small oval tin stove was used or raw wet wood to heat the whole shack. When we woke up in the winter morning, our bedding would be frozen to the sheet of ice covering the wall. We all went to bed early because six candles could not light up the night for very long. When spring arrived, it was a relief to feel the warmth of the sun. All the father's went into the forest to harvest cedar logs, which they split two into shakes to cover the outer walls. That summer electricity was installed with 125 watt bulb in each room. Later, water was piped into the kitchen sink. And it did not drain into any system. We had a bucket under the sinks which we had to empty. We ate in two shifts, because the small handmade cable would not accommodate seven of us at once. Ordering Council PC 469 which was passed on January 19 1943, shocked my parents, empowered because Jodean of enemy alien property to dispose of our property without our consent. The government reneged on their promise to return our property after the war. The small amount of money given to us after the sale was deposited into our frozen bank account, which my parents could not access. A small amount was doled out to us each month to keep us alive.

Speaker 6 1:01:45
Even when my youngest brother Bruce was born in Roseberry, they would not give us a penny more for diapers and clothes. We were forced to pay for our own imprisonment. A loyalty service was given to all internet families in 1945. The ultimatum given was go east of the Rockies, or be repatriated to Japan. Most of those who signed to go to Japan were actually deported because you cannot repatriate someone to a country. They've never been to remaining and BC was not an option. Because we chose to remain in Canada, our family was moved to New Denver, five miles south of Roseberry. We lived there for one year until May of 1946. Eight months after the Pacific War had ended. Father felt that Canada would come to her senses one day and allow us back to Saltspring island. He reluctantly chose to take the family back to the dreaded sugar beet farm in McGrath, Alberta. By then we were destitute. The government had emptied our frozen bank account. My oldest sister wanted to attend university to become a journalist. However, she had to work in a grocery store because her income was crucial to our survival. The farmer would not pay for my parents labor until after the harvest late in the year. My parents walked five miles two and five miles back to the field. When my mother injured her right here, she still had to go to work. In the twilight, we could see her dragging her right leg as she made her way home. There was no hot bath to ease her pain, or her weariness. In the summer month, my two sisters and I looked after our younger brothers and cooked the meals. We often put Richard and Bruce on wagon and took them to the field so that our parents did not have to worry about us. We moved twice more first to another farm and McGrath and then to Cardston to run a restaurant that was started by my uncle. We saved enough money in five years, and were able to return to Saltspring island in 1954 12 years after being exiled. We met with vile racism and death threats. The RCMP told us that their services were not for people of your race. The fact that we stayed reflects the courage and perseverance of our parents who refuse to believe that we did not belong on Saltspring island. But that is a story for another time. Okay, now I'm going to talk a little bit about the building on For one broad on September the 13th 2006, I read an article in the Vancouver Sun that a Nike story Federal Building was named after Paul Howard Charles Green, former Conservative MP representing Vancouver Quadra. At the dedication ceremony, honorable Michael forte, Minister of Public Works and Government Services praised Howard green for his services to Canada. But he failed to mention that he was a vile racist, who helped to spearhead the destruction of the Japanese Canadian community. When I saw Greene's name it triggered memories of many conversations our family had about BC politicians. When I was a young child, I sent a friend to the Vancouver Public Library to get as many newspaper headlines attributed to how green it was a time consuming exercise. So my friends stopped after filling two pages. However, that was enough to know that Howard green hated people Japanese descent. I immediately wrote to minister for Jay to refresh his minutes memory of what Prime Minister Brian Mulroney said on September 22 1988, when redress was one bar community. I quote, Mr. Speaker, not only was the treatment inflicted on Japanese Canadians during the war, both morally and legally unjustified, it went against the very nature of our country, Canada. I question Mr. Forte. Why the same Conservative government under Mr. Stephen Harper would honor one of the most powerful architects architects of hate, who helped to send 22,000 Innocent Canadians into exile by naming a federal building on 401 Broad Street in Vancouver, after Howard Charles Green. I reminded him that if his staff had done some thorough research into the life of Mr. Green, they probably would not have chosen him. The idea of removing Mr. Greens name from the building met with a lot of backlash from the Senate and the politicians in Ottawa. I heard my name sheltered in the Senate, several politicians left angry voicemails on my phone. However, we the members of our community, persevered with the help of other ethnic and Caucasian advocates. We did succeed. On September the seventh 2007 Howard Greene's name was replaced with Douglas Zhang, the first Chinese Canadian Member of Parliament in Canada. And the next one I want to tell you about is the giving of honorary degrees to the expelled Japanese Canadian students at UBC. In 1942, there were 76 UBC students of Japanese descent, who were expelled from campus when the Pacific War began. First, the male students belonging to the Canadian officers Training Training Corps, the cLTC were told to hand in their uniforms by the top UBC administrators. President clink Chancellor McKechnie Dean's and listen, and Lieutenant Colonel Gordon Shrum. All Japanese Canadian students were told that they must leave the campus. Only two professors stood up for them and try to help them complete their year and graduate. They were economic Professor Henry Angus and commerce Professor eh Morell. They continue to advocate for them, even after the students were forced to leave. When I saw all of the American universities along the Pacific coast, presenting honorary degrees to their former Japanese American students. I wrote my first letter to UBC President Stephen to May 2008, to see if UBC can do the same. Since the Senate tributes committee deals with such matters, he sent my letter to them. My request was refused outright because the chair said If those former students did not qualify, and they were not expelled. When I read her letter of refusal, I realized that she did not know the history of Japanese Canadians, especially after 1942. It took three and a half years to convince them that UBC was culpable in not defending her students at that time, like the American universities did. The process was a long and frustrating journey for my husband and me. UVC reacted only when we went to the media to share our struggle with the public. This news went all across Canada, and UBC started getting negative publicity. They reacted after we went public. On November the 17th 2011, UBC finally voted to honor these former students, they agreed to a special honorary degrees ceremony to create an educational component to educate future UBC students about this dark past and to digitize historical documents.

Speaker 6 1:11:27
On May the 30th 2012, a most memorable convocation took place at the chant center. Only can under 76 students attended to receive their diploma and hood. There were only 23 Students still alive on that day. The youngest was 89 years old. Those who could not can were too frail to travel. But they were able to watch the ceremony because it was live streamed across Canada. Today, in 2017, there are only nine students still alive. So thank you for listening.

Speaker 4 1:12:21
Any questions? I don't know how much time we have really? Yeah. We can take a few questions, if you like. Brian,

Speaker 3 1:12:39
mentioned we started the wait for the restoration of Earth confirm. Conferring reason?

Speaker 7 1:12:48
Yes. And they finally agreed in 2012. Well, 24 years? Yes.

Speaker 3 1:12:57
Yes. And that was only after all the American universities have done?

Speaker 4 1:13:03
Well, they reacted immediately. There was no fuss. They said we have to do it. And they did.

Speaker 6 1:13:10
But but in the United States, the Japanese American community is very strong. And they had the backing of Japanese Canadian senators, congressmen, university faculty members. There, they had no opposition. They what happened was, someone suggested that this should be done. And they all agreed let's do it. And it took less than a year for all the universities in Washington, Oregon and California to hold the ceremony. Yes. What year would that have been about 2008? Oh, it was that late in the States? Yes.

Speaker 4 1:14:01
And actually very got the idea. She was surfing the web. And she saw the ceremonies. As he said, well, there must be some Japanese Canadian students up saying so she started to investigate. And that's when she started her quest. Lady in

Unknown Speaker 1:14:20
other universities followed suit.

Speaker 6 1:14:24
Well, actually, there was only UBC at that time. Yes. You Vic is very young yet. Yeah.

Speaker 8 1:14:37
It's not really a question. But in my older years, I'm really gotten up against the understanding that I as white people, we are colonized. We are part of this system as much as you or the indigenous people or this sort of preferred race thing. And it's, it's like, becoming very aware that even though I never thought I was biased in any way, there is this thing that has gone on that people, many people, I'm so glad that you and Tom Chu and Mary are doing this, because we need to become educated about these things to understand the fallacy and the illusion. Lots of us have been living under, you know, and I can understand what, what I studied a little bit is the Canadians were British and British were very class conscious and very racist. Right, as opposed to the Americans. It's a different system. And I just wanted to say thank you, because we need all these stories about the indigenous people about new cars, Chinese people, the stories you mentioned about the Indian people, we we need to figure out those things that are true that we may have been educated about, and get rid of them. So thank you very much.

Speaker 6 1:16:25
May I say one thing? If you read the the RIP report made by the Canadian government, they have used so many euphemisms to describe what they did to us. The reason is because they wanted to soften the story so that people would say, Oh, they didn't it wasn't so bad. You know, they went to these

Unknown Speaker 1:17:00
counts.

Speaker 6 1:17:02
Okay. Yeah, it was like going on a summer camp. When this

Speaker 8 1:17:07
has happened to any people that were not any people, any immigrants, this discrimination. This is a terrible thing for in the extreme, but

Speaker 6 1:17:21
I disliked the word internment, which is usually used to describe or what happened to us. That is a euphemism. A country cannot enter for own citizens, according to the Geneva Convention, that cannot be done. But Canada did intern 22,000 people because they relabeled us as enemy aliens. So they intern aliens. Yeah. And Tasha and I belong to the project seven year project at the University of Victoria called landscapes of injustice. And they had research assistants digging up from the archives, the dispossession, you know, of land and one of the area that they studied was Saltspring island. So I am looking forward to finding out what happened to our property and who got it. Yeah.

Speaker 4 1:18:36
What are the properties that they did a thorough research on is that he was at the property on Sunset drive. And there's a petition at the front of you care to sign it's trying to rename. He was document I mean, sunset drive thru. He was Aki drive. Well,

Speaker 6 1:18:56
actually, that was my sister roses idea.

Unknown Speaker 1:19:04
I support when we don't live on that road.

Speaker 6 1:19:08
Do you have Well, no, what we have to do is get so many percent of people living on Sunset drive to sign on. Yeah. And

Unknown Speaker 1:19:18
agree to have I don't live there. So it's really important we sign

Speaker 6 1:19:21
Yes. Because what we want to do is have advocates saying that we would like to change that road. Yeah. Couldn't get any more. Yeah.

Unknown Speaker 1:19:35
Any other questions? Or comments? Yes.

Unknown Speaker 1:19:37
I just can't get out of my head. The fact that at the value of the properties, the boats, hundreds and hundreds of boats, when your money go, and who what? What

Speaker 4 1:19:50
the government did is that the past 10 months after the season, all the properties, they pass another order in council to get out Get rid of them. They promised that they will keep my interest, but they use the money to incarcerate to pay for our incarceration. In other words, we paid for our own incarceration. This never had even in banana republics. Such a thing doesn't have to one day throw you in jail. The government pays for the for the upkeep, but we had to pay for our own incarceration.

Speaker 8 1:20:29
But how did the How did it actually happen, wasn't it?

Speaker 4 1:20:35
Well, are they passed, as I mentioned earlier, they were governing by decree, they were passing over 200 orders in council, they were just banging them out daily, because the previous one didn't cover this, and so on and so forth. So they kept amending and passing more orders in council to cover their bases to cover their footsteps. And so they were just as I said, in my talk earlier, they were governing by the creek and just like a tin pot dictator, same idea.

Speaker 6 1:21:10
Can you imagine like, if the government came to your house and said, You have to lead How would you feel? You know, they take the husbands away, break up the family and then put you in a barn to live. Any fighting anybody?

Speaker 4 1:21:39
Well, there was a lot of resistance Monday on the younger men, and the ones that resisted were sent to prison to Ontario, Anglia, prison, the landlord and Petawawa. They were first sent to the immigration building in Vancouver, at the foot of Berlin Street. And from there they were shipped to England, or Petawawa. There

Speaker 6 1:22:04
was one university of BC student who stood up against the RCMP when they came to pick him up at his house. And he said, You can't do this to me. I was born on Bowen Island. I'm a Canadian citizen and a British subject. So I'm not going but then two RCMP officers grabbed him by the arm and drag them away. And at the age of 18, he spent four years in the prisoner of war camp. Yeah. It's hard to believe that the government did such a thing.

Unknown Speaker 1:22:46
political opposition after the war ended to these decrees that said they couldn't come back to the

Speaker 4 1:22:55
CCF they called it something before they renamed that the CCF but I think it was what's his name for Saskatchewan started CCS. Tommy Douglas. Yeah. And many of the CCF are protesting from day one. So there were a few but they were vastly outnumbered in BC and the federal government that was just kind of overwhelmed by the the hatred and things that came out of the BC politicians. It was very virulent.

Speaker 6 1:23:30
You know, I feel that there were a lot of good people speaking out for us. But their voices were drowned out by those who wanted us out of BC it was I guess, the original ethnic cleansing. And yes, but yes, Rose and I would like to have sunset drive, renamed Iwasaki drive. He had 640 acres, you know, and I heard that, you know, just part of the waterfront was divided into like 49 lots, and each was being sold for a million dollars. And for Mr. Iwasaki, he would have never, never sold that piece of land. And if you know, he wasn't exiled, he still would have had that. I

Unknown Speaker 1:24:38
think he was forced to take 15,000

Speaker 6 1:24:41
No, no, no less. It was five Was it not? 5000 Yeah. Bought it for $5,250 motor motor I think Brian could tell us a little bit about your second property, because he wrote his master's thesis on that.

Unknown Speaker 1:25:11
I could talk for days. Yeah.

Speaker 3 1:25:15
Who was the agent of the customer utility property here. Violence purchased in purchasing Iwasaki his property for $5,250 less the $262.50 that he received as a commission on the sale, occasion on sale to sell. That's what he was Aki was offered but didn't take the earpiece to cash the check. During the war, and later, when they convened the bird commission to look at the prices that were paid for Japanese properties, he was offered a further about $7,000 for a total of 12,000. Eventually cash book checks, thinking that he didn't catch those, he probably would get nothing at all. So but he was actually story is very important, because in 1967 68, he took the government to court, and he fought a court battle. First here in British Columbia, and then the Supreme Court tried to get his land back but was

Unknown Speaker 1:26:24
unsuccessful. I would have liked to know Him. Character, particularly

Unknown Speaker 1:26:29
painful episode.

Speaker 6 1:26:33
O'Brien just mentioned the Burke Commission. The Japanese Canadian community felt that, you know, we weren't paid enough for our losses. And but I looked, I got all the archival material from Ottawa, and on the bird Commission's sheet, there was nothing of value listed in either my grandparents sheet and ours. The reason is, we were told that as soon as we left our homes, there were people with pickup trucks, going from house to house, ransacking and taking all the furniture and whatever. And after 1954 When we came back to the island, my mother and my sister Alice went to one of the garage sales. And on this table was my mother's China that she has, you know, put in boxes and stored before she left. And so my mother went up to the woman and said, How did you get my China you must have stolen it. My mother said, because she was very direct,

Unknown Speaker 1:28:04
that she was short, but direct.

Speaker 6 1:28:07
And the lady really got angry at her and told her to get off her property and never come back again. But then my mom and I went to there was an antique store here. Back then. And my mother said, oh, there's my dad's brass bed, and the oak dining room suite. And this and that it was all in this antique store. And my grandparents never got, you know, payment for that because it was all stolen. And I know that there are lots of stuff. One of the things that I really want to look for is my father's violin. He, he brought it like he was born in 1899 into a very privileged household. His father never worked a day in his life. His mother had maids and servants to look after the household. And he was sent to learn how to play the piano and the violin. And he brought the violin when he came and he used to play the violin for us. And often and so we never found you know, my My Sister Alice said that they wrapped it up in some silk cloth and took it and hid it in the rafters of the house. But they must have gone through very thoroughly to get everything because none of none of the are all or valuables was listed on the on the bird commission sheet. So anyway, we don't have any heirlooms because there was nothing left for us

Unknown Speaker 1:30:21
you have to say Mom Stop going to those garage sales. It was too painful to recognize belong to some Japanese

Speaker 6 1:30:35
Okay, another euphemism is the word Japanese. You know, our family has been in Canada for 121 and a half years. Yet, when somebody looks at me the idea identify me as Japanese. Not Canadian. You're

Unknown Speaker 1:31:00
more Canadian than me. I was born in England. Your third generation?

Speaker 6 1:31:05
Yes, but one time. In Vancouver, there was a lady who spoke with a really heavy English accent. And she asked me my you speak really good English. You know, where did you learn how to speak? good English. So anyway, it doesn't matter how many generations we have been, you know, in Canada. I am forever, you know, considered a Japanese. But I have I often like to say I am a Canadian, of Japanese descent. Yeah. So anyway, but we are interested in having that petition signed. So can you do that for us on that?

Unknown Speaker 1:32:07
I was just curious. I might not recognize me, but my parents bought your grandparents farm in 1973. And what's

Speaker 6 1:32:16
your surname? Smith? Hunt? Yes. Okay.

Unknown Speaker 1:32:24
What did I know, as a kid? I remember we cleaned up those greenhouses for two years, because they were all smashed down in the creek happened? Yeah. Was it done deliberately? Oh, of course. I was going through the rock that someone told me that the snow had bottomed out. And I just wanted to ask one of you. So they were smashed up.

Speaker 6 1:32:49
Yeah. But you know, I was filmed three times on shop road. And the first time it was with my mother, it was a CBC program. And I really didn't want to go back there. It was painful for my mother. Because our land was reclaimed by nature. And it wasn't anything like it was when we left. And then there was a second or third time I was filming. And then some people came out of some of the houses on the bottom of sharp road. And they had no idea that they were living on stolen land. Yeah, well, we were. So we really gave them a story.

Unknown Speaker 1:33:38
You know, my mother renamed the creek O'Connell Creek. Yes. You and your mother did come. Yeah. And she was really happy to see that happen. We planted a tree, but it died. I know. We're finding another truth. But you know, what do you do? Many people in between us, right? And it was extremely shameful. But I understand more than most people in this room because I grew up with that story.

Speaker 6 1:34:10
But anyway, what we're trying to do is keep the story in the public domain. So I am Dr. John Price. You've heard Dr. John Price. and I are going to teach a new program at UBC in January in the arts faculty in it's called Asian Canadian Asian migration story. And we're going to teach the Japanese Canadian history

Unknown Speaker 1:34:48
so thank you very much again.

Unknown Speaker 1:35:00
what's coming? Thank you

Unknown Speaker 1:35:22
everyone

Unknown Speaker 1:36:12
to the archives didn't know

Unknown Speaker 1:36:20
I just told them I'd ask about it if you find out anything

Unknown Speaker 1:36:24
you might just be talking about the old

Unknown Speaker 1:36:27
term geological kind of map that shows the whole island maybe somebody had to zoom in a park

Unknown Speaker 1:36:35
doesn't show any

Unknown Speaker 1:36:37
lowland I'll make up a wall

Unknown Speaker 1:36:53
archaeology

Unknown Speaker 1:37:03
something that's not online that that exists like that possible to get a copy of it I'll tell you why. There's a heart is looking at I don't even know about this another good news person of hearts is looking at putting up like putting into Mozart. Like, I don't know, I don't know what it was like something. And someone's concerned that, you know, we're you know, they better be careful where they dig or be aware of businesses and whatnot. So they had asked this group that I'm with to look into

Unknown Speaker 1:37:41
it's possible to share that map but first, I just want you to know that people are aware of that too, but I got some from Google. Okay, okay. You know, what might be? Unless if you if you run across, let me know, but

Unknown Speaker 1:38:05
he's often on Saltspring these days.

Unknown Speaker 1:38:12
Okay. Oh,

Unknown Speaker 1:38:17
well, okay. Well, I'll

Unknown Speaker 1:38:18
tell maybe I'll tell Chris that there's some people that are concerned and then like, link them together. So nobody has to necessarily share any locations but right, they could just be aware that they met. Nice to see you again.

Unknown Speaker 1:38:35
Bye. Okay, all right.