Redress and Momentum: Lessons from the Japanese Canadian Redress Agreement  

Image courtesy of the National Association of Japanese Canadians
“Repatriation” to Japan, Slocan, 1946. NNM 1996.178.1.33.

It took decades of advocacy by the Japanese Canadian community before the wrongs committed by the Canadian government during the Second World War, including their forced relocation, internment, and confiscation of property, were formally addressed.  

On September 22, 1988, then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney presented the Japanese Canadian Redress Agreement to Canada’s House of Commons, “to put things right with their children, and ours, so that they can walk together in this country, burdened neither by the wrongs nor the grievances of previous generations.” 

That Agreement also marked the birth of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation (CRRF), mandated to eliminate all forms racism and racial discrimination in Canadian society by conducting research, providing resources, facilitating discussions, promoting training, and collaborating with various organizations and governments to develop policies and programs aimed at tackling racism. 

The CRRF continues to uphold that mandate. Over the past year, we released the third national survey documenting Canada’s progress on issues related to racial discrimination across the country in partnership with Environics Institute for Survey Research. Over the past three years, we have contributed $11.1 million to support the powerful work of more than 598 organizations across Canada through our National Anti-Racism Fund. Since the beginning of 2025, we have facilitated two national dialogues and held nine trainings in over five cities across Canada.   

The intention of redress is to clear a path forward with fewer “wrongs and grievances”, in which all our communities can thrive. But despite strong progress, hate, xenophobia and discrimination, including a 19% rise in anti-immigrant sentiment over the past three years, continue to challenge Canada, fueled by the rapid, algorithmic amplification of misinformation and extremist views. 

The normalization of extreme discourse today puts at risk many of the democratic values that were created to support human rights and dignity. In moments like this, we have to question public policy to ensure that we are not reacting out of fear, but are continuing to create norms for a future that includes everyone. The anniversary of the Japanese Canadian Redress Agreement is an opportunity to recall one of the worst public policy decisions in the history of our government and take it as a warning of what we can quite easily fall into it again.

Mohammed Hashim, CEO of the CRRF

Now, more than ever, we must continue to foster efforts that address systemic racism, promote understanding and support communities affected by discrimination as we reflect on the history of Japanese Canadians and our shared journey towards equity.” – Caroline Ishii, Executive Director of the National Association of Japanese Canadians. 

Caroline Ishii, Executive Director of the National Association of Japanese Canadians. 

At the core of Canada’s evolving national identity are values of accountability, empathy, and justice. In this digital age, the Japanese Canadian Redress Agreement calls on us to challenge not only tangible policies of exclusion, but the harmful narratives that lay their groundwork.  

In these rapidly changing times, our work is to continue to safeguard these principles for future generations in Canada.