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Japanese Canadian commemorative monuments in British Columba

Overview

British Columbia has unveiled new commemorative installations to honor Japanese Canadians who were forcibly uprooted and interned during the Second World War.

In Victoria, a monument near the provincial legislature features a 300-foot-long ‘Wall of Names’. Developed by the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society and the provincial government, the memorial consists of 100 granite panels listing the names of nearly 22,000 individuals displaced from the coast starting in 1942, alongside more than 3,000 children born during the internment era. Paul Kariya, President of the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society, stated that while the monument cannot restore what was lost, it serves to make a permanent record of those affected. Haiqa Cheema, Assistant Deputy Minister of the B.C. Ministry of Attorney General, noted that the displacement policies caused lasting harm, including the separation of families and significant health impacts.

During the conflict, following the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Canadian government implemented policies that saw the seizure of homes, businesses, and possessions belonging to Japanese Canadians. Many were forced into internment camps or exiled to Japan, often with as little as 24 hours' notice. To mark the opening of the Victoria memorial, members of the Japanese Canadian community gathered in Winnipeg, noting the importance of recognizing this history to prevent future discrimination. Survivors and descendants expressed that the monument provides a vital way to memorialize family histories that were often silenced in the decades following the war.

In addition to the Victoria memorial, a mural titled ‘Remembering and Honouring Japanese Canadians in Chemainus’ was unveiled in Chemainus. This installation depicts the local Japanese community’s involvement in the forestry and fishing industries prior to the war, aiming to highlight historical contributions in communities beyond traditional internment sites.

Entities

Victoria · Japanese Canadian Legacies Society · Chemainus Festival of Murals Society · Paul Kariya · British Columbia Legislature

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

Timeline

  1. [CULTURE] 26 sources
    Victoria monument honors Japanese Canadians interned during WWII

    A new granite monument in Victoria, B.C., honors the nearly 22,000 Japanese Canadians interned or displaced during World War II.

  2. [CULTURE] 4 sources
    British Columbia unveils monuments honoring Japanese Canadian history

    New monuments in Victoria and Chemainus, British Columbia, honor the thousands of Japanese Canadians forcibly displaced and interned during the Second World War.

Sources

agassizharrisonobserver.com · albernivalleynews.com · barrierestarjournal.com · chemainusvalleycourier.ca · cranbrooktownsman.com · crestonvalleyadvance.ca · goldstreamgazette.com · haidagwaiiobserver.com · kelownacapnews.com · kimberleybulletin.com · ladysmithchronicle.com · lakecowichangazette.com · mapleridgenews.com · oakbaynews.com · peninsulanewsreview.com · pqbnews.com · revelstokereview.com · saanichnews.com · sookenewsmirror.com · thenorthernview.com · theprogress.com · vancouverislandfreedaily.com · vernonmorningstar.com · vicnews.com · victoriabuzz.com · westerlynews.ca · winnipeg.citynews.ca · wltribune.com

This summary has been updated 2 times: see revision history