Chapter 6 Lesson 8 Inquiry
Completion requirements
Inquiry
What was life like for the first Asian immigrants in Canada?
The first Japanese man to move to Vancouver was a sailer named Manzo Ngano. Japanese immigrants soon followed to become fishermen and to work in other industries such as canneries.
Life was difficult for the Japanese in British Columbia. But it became more difficult, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, America on December 7, 1941.
Rules of a country can change in war. For example, Canada has in the past, required Canadian citizens to fight for Canada (conscription).
The government was not sure who was loyal to British Canada. Would the Japanese support the British Commonwealth (Britain (UK), Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa)? Or, would they support Japan, who fought with Germany and Italy in World War II? Some people thought the Japanese had their own way of living and did not desire to become Canadians. So, Canadians of Japanese heritage were removed from their homes and businesses and sent to internment camps away from the coast.
The Canadian government shut down all Japanese-language newspapers and took possession of businesses and personal property. In order to pay for the housing and clothing of the Japanese, property belonging to Japanese Canadians was sold.
Muriel Kitigawa writes about this time, "You, who deal in lifeless figures, files and statistics, could never measure the depth of hurt ... to those of us who love this land."
In 1988, the Canadian government paid $21,000 to each individual who had been relocated.
Sikhs too had a difficult time. They came to Vancouver to work in railway and foresty industries. In 1914, a boat called the Komogata Maru was refused entry and people who wanted to come to Canada had to return to India.
Today, Asian languages are spoken throughout Canada. Chinese (including Cantonese and Mandarin) is the third most spoken language in Canada. There is a Punjabi Hockey Night in Canada broadcast in British Columbia. Many Filipino workers speak Tagalog in the Yukon.
Life was difficult for the Japanese in British Columbia. But it became more difficult, when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, America on December 7, 1941.
Rules of a country can change in war. For example, Canada has in the past, required Canadian citizens to fight for Canada (conscription).
The government was not sure who was loyal to British Canada. Would the Japanese support the British Commonwealth (Britain (UK), Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa)? Or, would they support Japan, who fought with Germany and Italy in World War II? Some people thought the Japanese had their own way of living and did not desire to become Canadians. So, Canadians of Japanese heritage were removed from their homes and businesses and sent to internment camps away from the coast.
The Canadian government shut down all Japanese-language newspapers and took possession of businesses and personal property. In order to pay for the housing and clothing of the Japanese, property belonging to Japanese Canadians was sold.
Muriel Kitigawa writes about this time, "You, who deal in lifeless figures, files and statistics, could never measure the depth of hurt ... to those of us who love this land."
In 1988, the Canadian government paid $21,000 to each individual who had been relocated.
Sikhs too had a difficult time. They came to Vancouver to work in railway and foresty industries. In 1914, a boat called the Komogata Maru was refused entry and people who wanted to come to Canada had to return to India.
Today, Asian languages are spoken throughout Canada. Chinese (including Cantonese and Mandarin) is the third most spoken language in Canada. There is a Punjabi Hockey Night in Canada broadcast in British Columbia. Many Filipino workers speak Tagalog in the Yukon.
Resources for Inquiry
Review the Resources for Inquiry located in Lesson 6 and Lesson 7 Inquiries:
Instructions
- Read the sources of information for the Chinese and other Asian immigrants to Canada.
- Think about the experiences of Asian immigrants.
- Think about why the government imposed a head tax or wanted to stop Asians from immigrating.
When you feel confident about the information you explored in this inquiry, complete the Lesson 8 Self-Check on the following page.