It is the acknowledgement and redress they have long been seeking. Today, in the House of Commons, Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announces a historic redress settlement for the Japanese Canadians.

The package includes:
• Payment of $21,000 to all surviving evacuees.
• A clearing of all criminal records related to violations of the War Measures Act.
• A re-instatement of citizenship to the "repatriated" Japanese.
• A $12 million community fund.
• A $24 million contribution to the establishment of a Canadian Race Relations Foundation.

• "I know that I speak for members on all sides of the House today in offering to Japanese Canadians the formal and sincere apology of this Parliament for those past injustices against them, against their families, against their heritage, and our solemn commitment and undertaking to Canadians of every origin that such violations will never again in this country be countenanced or repeated." – Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, House of Commons, Sept. 22, 1988.

• "We are such a small community, a minority among minorities. And we are getting smaller. But the song and the story of the struggle for justice that we have jointly created will endure through time. We can be proud of this and of one another." – Author Joy Kogawa, Japanese Canadian Redress: The Toronto Story

Medium: Television
Program: The National
Broadcast Date: Sept. 22, 1988
Reporters: Wendy Mesley, Karen Webb
Guest(s): Charles Kadota, Sisko Miki, Matsui Tagashira, Tony Tamayose
Duration: 4:30

Last update: April 9, 2006