1. Canadian Minorities

2. Minorities Federal government established the Nationalities Branch of the Department of National War Services to combat anti- immigrant attitudes during the war The Wartime Informational Board reported in 1943 that “It is obvious that prejudice against foreigners and Jew in particular has grown”.

3. Treatment of Minorities While defending neutral immigrants, Canada implemented harsh policies against immigrants from nations who were at war with Canada. Including Italians, French, Natives Germans and Japanese.

4. German Canadians Mennonite and Hutterite Germans in Alberta were discriminated against more than any other German groups Mennonites were forced to end their German language programs Alberta’s 1942 Communal Property Act banned land sales to Hutterite colonies

5. More on German-Canadians Hundreds of Germans were interned under the War Measures Act During World War II Canada denied sanctuary to most German refugee applicants from the Third Reich As part of Canada's postwar policy of resettling displaced persons from Europe, some 15,000 east European ethnic Germans were admitted from 1947 to 1950

6. Native People and The War Over 3000 status Indians enlisted in WWII-- These figures do not include the Métis, Inuit or non-status Indians Until 1943, navy regulations required that enlistees be “British born subjects, of a white race”. 200 died in service Aboriginal peoples from every region of Canada served in the armed forces during the Second World War, fighting in every major battle and campaign of the conflict.

7. French Canadians… During the 1930’s many French- Canadian intellectuals showed sympathy for Franco and Mussolini because they fascist leaders portrayed themselves as opponents of communism Having been estranged from France politically, culturally, and demographically for nearly two centuries, they had few ties with France

8. Quebec Itself Felt an intrusion on provincial government jurisdiction Claimed the war would break up families Denounced the danger of linguistic assimilation

9. French Continued.. Although most French Canadians preferred that Canada remain neutral, they agreed to Canada’s involvement on the condition that enlistment be voluntary Conscription Crisis: Quebec vs. British Canada in 1944

10. Italian -Canadians Upon Italy’s entry in the war, Italian Canadian’s were fingerprinted and photographed 700 were arrested, including tailors, miners, shopkeepers, a United Church minister, and almost all doctors Coal miners went on strike to protest Italian workers

11. Japanese People and the War More than any other group, Japanese Canadians felt the brunt of Canadian’s animosity After Pearl Harbor, the federal government evacuated more than 20,000 Japanese Canadians living in coastal British Columbia

12. Internment Evacuees were first housed in the exhibition building in Hastings Park, Vancouver, where wooden bunks were installed in horse stalls in the livestock barns Later, most were transported to camps in the interior of the province several hundred males deemed “dangerous” were placed under armed guard at a camp in Lake Superior Bush County

13. Japanese Continued… The interned saw their property confiscated and auctioned off Families that wished to remain together had to agree to go to sugar-beet farms in Alberta and Manitoba where they had to perform back breaking labor After the war, Canada resettled the Japanese into Ottawa and attempted to deport many. After spending time in the camps, many Japanese chose to return to Japan

14. Canadian Justification… “The threat of Japanese subversion was created by the union of traditional racial attitudes and perceptions shared by the fears and anxieties conjured up by war”…~Peter Ward Historians argue that the evacuation of the Japanese was “as much for their protection, and by implication, the protection of Canadians in Japanese hands”.

15. Compensation… 1983 The package for interned Japanese Canadians included $21,000 to all surviving internees, and the re-instatement of Canadian citizenship to those who were deported to Japan. The agreement also awarded $12 million to the NAJC to promote human rights and support the community, and $24 million for the establishment of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation to push for the elimination of racism. Nothing was given for those that had been interred and died before compensation was given out.Canadian Race Relations Foundation

16. Sources www.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/calg ary/ww2etnic.htmlwww.ucalgary.ca/applied_history/tutor/calg ary/ww2etnic.html IB Canada Book

17. THE END