GC30 Compensation and Redress to Japanese Canadians Interned During WWII (1984C562)

WHEREAS the statement of the Minister of Multiculturalism which expresses “regret” over Japanese Canadian injury due to internment and confiscation is inadequate and does not acknowledge wrongdoing; and

WHEREAS the recent act of the Minister of Multiculturalism to establish a fund for victims of racism in Canada does not address the specific need for compensation to Japanese Canadians; and

WHEREAS the War Measures Act remains in force, and the powers of the Canadian government for arbitrary action similar to the Japanese internment have been recently expanded by the Emergency Planning Order (1982) and the act to create a Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (1984); and

WHEREAS Canada has undertaken international obligations to insure that the civil and political liberties of its citizens and permanent residents will not be jeopardized by law;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

THAT the 30th General Council of The United Church of Canada request the government of Canada to:

1. FORMALLY and publicly acknowledge the injustice done to Japanese Canadians through injury of confiscation and internment;

2. ENTER into negotiation with the National Association of Japanese Canadians to determine suitable financial compensation as was recommended by the Special Parliamentary Task Force on Visible Minorities in their report commonly known as “Equity Now”;

3. DEVELOP an appeal procedure for Canadian citizens to protect against future injustices through invoking the War Measures Act; and

4. REQUEST the Division of Mission in Canada to alert the membership of The United Church of Canada to available resources to aid study of the issues of compensation to Japanese Canadians and to the implications of the War Measures Act for future injustices.

    

GC30 1984 ROP, pp. 105, 532, 570