Winnipeggers witness unveiling of Japanese Canadian monument in B.C.

On a Saturday afternoon, Miki Stewart and her family gathered at the Japanese Cultural Association of Manitoba, reflecting on their parents who were interned at the Tashme camp in British Columbia following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The siblings, along with over 150 others, witnessed the unveiling of a Japanese Canadian Monument in Victoria, B.C., which honors the 22,000 Japanese Canadians displaced under the government's restrictions.

The monument, consisting of 100 granite slabs surrounded by a traditional Japanese garden, bears the names of the displaced individuals. Stewart and her sister Yumi Falk, both born in the camp, recalled their parents' resilience and strength, which defined their family's survival. Their parents rarely spoke about their suffering, but they did share stories of their life inside the camp.

Doreen Amadatsu, who was just three years old when her family was forcibly removed from Vancouver, was present at the watch party. She emphasized the importance of the monument in teaching future generations about this dark chapter in their history. Amadatsu feels that Victoria is a fitting location for the monument, as it serves as a stark reminder of the prejudice and discrimination faced by Japanese Canadians.

Patrice Yamada, whose family is among those honored on the monument, expressed her emotional reaction upon seeing her family's name inscribed in stone. She believes the event provides an opportunity for people to come together, re-connect, and condemn the injustice committed against their community. Yamada stressed that the monument represents an opportunity to acknowledge the wrongs of the past and to ensure such discrimination never occurs again.