In Gratitude

While acknowledging our elders past and present, we are grateful to the community members who continuously believed that this injustice should be redressed:

The NAJC NEB and its chapters for ongoing continuous support and community-led work – against all odds.

Former BC MLA Naomi Yamamoto for leading the 2012 BC Government apology and the community members who supported this initiative spearheaded by Tosh Suzuki and Roy Inouye.

Former NAJC ED Ken Noma, UVic Professor Emeritus John Price, NAJC Presidents David Mitsui, and Lorene Oikawa who brought the BC Redress conversation forward with support from BC leaders Tsugio Kurushima, Rick Ogasawara, George Uyeda, Eiko Eby.

Justice Maryka Omatsu for leadership in the 2019 community consultations, producing Swimming Upstream, working with co-chair Art Miki, Judy Hanazwa, Lynn Kobayashi, Les Kojima, Eiko Eby, and Kevin Okabe.

Maryka Omatsu, Art Miki, Lorene Oikawa for enduring work on the redress team up to and until the May 21, 2022 announcement.

Angus McAllister who helped to steer early communications strategy for BC Redress along with the team to include Carmel Tanaka.

Presenters and advocates for the package: Cecilia and Mary Point, Bernie Williams, Mary Kitagawa, Aki Horii, Masako Fukawa, Mike Perry-Whittingham, Art Miki, Mary Kimoto, Howard Shimokura, Kelvin Higo, Judy Hanazawa, Lynn Kobayashi, Ron Shimizu, Ruth Coles, Cathy Makihara, David Iwaasa, Keiko Funahashi, Karen Kobayashi, Jay Haraga, Laura Saimoto, Karah Foster, Mayor Leonard Casley, Kirsten McAllister, Rob Poncelot, Luke Straith, Jordan Stanger-Ross, Michael Abe, Sherri Kajiwara, Connie Kadota, Emiko Morita, Kathy Shimizu, Ellen Crowswords, Tsugio Kurushima, Tami Hirasawa, Brian Sugiyama, Ryan Ellen, Darius Maze, Cary Sakiyama, Wendy Matsubuchi, Peter Wallace, Theresa Tremaine, Wendy Matsubuchi, Peter Wallace, Ron Nishimura, Dan Tokawa, Eileen Kage, Shinobu Homma, Linda Kawamoto Reid, Christian Cowley, Mariko Kage, Chuck Tasaka, Ramses Miki Hansen, Alex Miki, Keiko Miki, Naomi Katsumi, Stephane Hamade, Kiyoshi Denbo, Susan Matsumoto, Takashi Ohki, Audrey Kobayashi, Gary Matson, Chuck Tasaka.

Paul Noble’s continued work throughout the entire set of research, data analyses, reports and presentations to the BC Government. John Endo Greenaway, whose care in design speaks for the community. And Paul Kariya, whose unwavering support continues with the Japanese Canadian Legacies Society.

And, to all of you.

– Susanne Tabata, NAJC BC Redress Project Director, CEO Japanese Canadian legacies Society

Japanese Canadian Legacies are initiatives that honour our elders past and present. We are grateful to be doing this work on the ancestral lands of the Coast Salish peoples.