Key Historical Events in Canadian History

Japanese Internment in Canada:

• Internment of Japanese Canadians during WWII after the Pearl Harbor bombing due to fear of espionage.

• Majority of Japanese Canadians were not linked to military and were placed in brutal camps in British Columbia.

• All belongings, including boats, were seized by the government.

• By 1942, investigations showed no threat from Japanese Canadians, yet internment continued.

• Prime Minister Mackenzie King attempted to deport 4,000 interned Japanese Canadians, many of whom were Canadian citizens, raising issues of rights and citizenship.

Historical Context of Antisemitism:

• At the onset of WWII, Canada had anti-Jewish sentiment and restricted Jewish immigration (only 5,000 allowed).

• The Christie Pitts Riot (1933) saw a Jewish baseball team confront Nazi supporters, with police arresting few.

• Mayor William James Stewart pledged to prosecute hate speech (first law against hate speech in Canada).

Failure to Assist Jewish Refugees:

• In May 1939, 900 Jewish refugees were turned away from Canada, leading to their return to Europe where many perished during the Holocaust.

Apologies and Recognition:

• Prime Ministers Brian Mulroney and Justin Trudeau issued apologies for the wrongs committed against Japanese Canadians and the Jewish community, respectively.

• Trudeau’s apology in 2018 recognized the failures in allowing antisemitism to flourish in