In 1942, 23,000 Japanese Canadians lived on the West Coast of British Columbia. The majorities of them were Canadians by birth or naturalized citizens. While they worked as fishermen and laborers and paid their taxes, they were denied the right to vote. Thirty-five years after the first person of Japanese origin settled in Canada, Japanese Canadians continued to face persecution and racism. Despite the racism, the community continued to develop and prosper. During the years of limited …showed first 75 words of 653 total…

…showed last 75 words of 653 total…third were children under the age of sixteen. On March 1949, four years after the war was over, the last of the wartime restrictions and the War Measures Act were lifted. Japanese Canadians were allowed to travel freely and return to the West Coast. Prior to this date, in 1948, Japanese Canadians received the right to vote. Public sentiment was beginning to lean in the community's favour. Japanese Canadians were gaining strength and resolve to mobilize politically.