The Powell Street Festival Society is proud to share this news from the Greater Vancouver Japanese Canadian Citizens’ Association (JCCA) Human Rights Committee. Read the motion below or download a copy of the motion here. For more information, please see this article in The Bulletin.

Invitation re-posted here for your information:

Apology for the City of Vancouver’s Role in the 1942 Internment of Japanese Canadians
On September 24th, the City of Vancouver will introduce a motion to apologize for the racist motion that was passed in Vancouver City Council in 1942 by Alderman Halford Wilson and seconded by Alderman George Price. This motion was intended to remove all Japanese Canadians from the Pacific Coast to central parts of Canada. It was also designed to instill fear in the hearts of the general public that all Japanese Canadians were a threat to the security of BC and removal was desirable and essential. The vote on the motion will take place on September 25th and three members of the Japanese Canadian community will speak to the motion.

Everyone is invited to the meeting.

THE MOTION
7. Apology for the City of Vancouver’s Role in the 1942 Internment of Japanese-Canadians
MOVER: Mayor Gregor Robertson SECONDER: Councillor Kerry Jang

WHEREAS

1. The year 2013 marks the 71st year since the War Measures Act was invoked and all residents of Japanese descent were forcibly removed from coastal British Columbia;
2. The Vancouver City Council in 1942 unanimously passed a motion (Appendix A) calling for the removal of the enemy alien population from the Pacific coast to central parts of Canada, specifically anyone of Japanese descent without any consideration for place or birth or citizenship;
3. These residents of Japanese descent were unable to return to the City of Vancouver until April 1, 1949, four years after the end of the Second World War;
4. The year 2013 marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the historic Japanese Canadian Redress Agreement with the Government of Canada and one year since the Province of British Columbia’s apology for its complicity and support of the internment;
5. The year 2013 marks one year since the University of British Columbia’s recognition of and granting of honourary degrees to students of Japanese descent who were forced to leave their UBC studies in 1942;
6. Since 2010 the City of Vancouver has been working with Canadians of Japanese descent to preserve the history of the internment for future generations;
7. On October 5, 2010, the City of Vancouver joined the Canadian Coalition of Municipalities against Racism and Discrimination thereby committing to taking action to combat racism and discrimination;
8. June 21, 2013, to June 20, 2014, has been proclaimed the Year of Reconciliation in the City of Vancouver in an ongoing effort to heal deep historical wounds, and build new relationships that bring all communities together based on mutual respect, dignity and hope.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City of Vancouver does hereby take full responsibility for its actions. With humility and respect, the City of Vancouver formally apologizes for its complicity, its inaction, and for failing to protect her residents of Japanese descent;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the City of Vancouver pledges to do all it can to ensure such injustices will not happen again to any of its residents, thereby upholding the principles of human rights, justice and equality now and in the future.

More details available on the City of Vancouver’s website vancouver.ca/meetingschedule

The Japanese Canadian Citizen’s Association (JCCA) Human Rights Committee request the honour of your presence at a reception following the City of Vancouver’s apology to Japanese Canadians.

September 25, 2013
Vancouver Japanese Language School, 6:00 p.m.
487 Alexander Street, Vancouver, BC
(on the corner of Jackson Ave. and Alexander Street)
Reception and refreshments.
Limited street parking.

For more information about the reception, please contact the JCCA office at 604-777-5222 or email gvjcca@shaw.ca

Speakers:
Ken Noma, President, National Association of Japanese Canadians
Randy Enomoto, Editor, Race, Racialization & Anti-Racism in Canada and Beyond
Kerry Jang, Councillor, City of Vancouver
Lorene Oikawa, MC, JCCA Human Rights Committee & Vice President, BCGEU

１９４２年にバンクーバー市議会で可決された日系カナダ人強制収容に対する謝罪

１９４２年、Alderman Halford Wilsonが日系カナダ人に対する人種差別的な動議を提出し、Alderman George Princeの賛同を得て可決されました。この動議は、太平洋岸に住む全ての日系カナダ人をカナダ内陸部に強制移動させるというもので、この可決により、日系カナダ人はブリティッシュコロンビア州の安全を脅かす存在であり、排除されるべきだという考えが一般市民の心に植え付けられることになりました。そして、２０１３年９月２４日、バンクーバー市がこの歴史的事実に対し謝罪するという動議が提出されます。翌日２５日には謝罪の可否を問う投票が行なわれ、日系カナダ人コミュニティーから３名が動議についてスピーチを行う予定です。

バンクーバー市議会会議には誰でも出席できます。

詳細はバンクーバー市ウェブサイトをご覧下さい。
vancouver.ca/meetingschedule

バンクーバー市の日系カナダ人への謝罪の決議を受け、 日系カナダ市民協会 (JCCA) 人権委員会のレセプションが行なわれます。皆様のご参加をお待ちしております。

９月２５日
バンクーバー日本語学校にて午後６時より
487 Alexander Street, Vancouver, BC
（Jackson Ave. と Alexander Streetの角）
レセプションと軽食あり。
路上駐車場には限りがあります。

レセプションの詳細はJCCAオフィスまでお電話（604-777-5222）かメール（gvjcca@shaw.ca）でお問い合わせください。

スピーカー
Ken Noma（National Association of Japanese Canadians委員長）
Randy Enomoto （Race, Racializaion & Anti-Racism in Canada and Beyond 編集長）
Kerry Jang（バンクーバー市市議）
Lorene Oikawa（JCCA人権委員会副委員長、BCGEU）

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