A talk about the Evacuation from British Columbia to Chatham
14 November, 2013 at the Chatham-Kent Museum
By Jerrel R. Hind.
We have just observed Remembrance Day this past Monday remembering the tragedy of so many of our country men and women who gave their lives during time of war and rightfully so that their sacrifice should be remembered.
War is full of tragedy, hundreds of thousands of civilians lost their lives, cities and town destroyed, national fortunes lost and people displaced.
For many Canadians this was the stuff of news broadcasts during the war years 1939 – 45, and though Canadians were “joining up” and going overseas and rationing soon set in we think generally the war was somewhere on a far-off shore
This past October a small sign was erected on the Doyle Side-road marking the spot where for some Canadian citizens would recall a very different and personal experience of war in Canada. The sign simply states “HISTORIC SITE Chatham Evacuee camp 1942”.
On December 7, 1941 the Empire of Japan launched an attack on the 7th Fleet of the United States at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii. This catalyst would begin a series of measures that would affect the lives of every Japanese-Canadian then living in British Columbia.
The war with Japan clearly was the excuse, but the reason for the abuse of the Japanese-Canadians was more an economic one, than a necessity for national security. The federal government had been under significant pressure by various BC governments to remove the Japanese-Canadians to other parts of the Dominion. Prime Minister McKenzie King was not adverse to the idea but knew it would not be popular in other provinces that didn’t want the ‘yellow people’ in their back yard any more than did British Columbia.
Anti-Japanese-Canadian legislation did not have to wait for the attack on Pearl Harbour, in fact it began on 7 January, 1941, a full eleven months prior to the attack that would start the war in the Pacific. A Special Committee of the War Cabinet by Order in Council had already stopped men of Japanese origin from volunteering to join the Canadian military. This at the same time as an aggressive recruitment program was active throughout the country. Why would they do that?
Beginning in March of 1941, (nine months before the war with Japan), all people of Japanese origin over the age of 16 regardless of whether they were naturalized or native-born in Canada, were required to register with the R.C.M.P and carry an identity card with them at all times or be subject to arrest.
When 23,303 Japanese-Canadians in BC watched the sun set over the Pacific December the 6th 1941, they could have had no idea how much their lives would be change before it set the next day
– It is important to note the figure of 23, 303 people of Japanese origin living in Canada.
60.2% were born in Canada = 13,982.
14.6% were naturalized Canadians = 3495 75% Canadian citizens.
Leaving 5,826.
– In 1941 22,096 were in the province of British Columbia or 95% of the J-C population inCanada.
– 1200 were living outside of the province
– 132 in Ontario
The population of Japanese-Canadians in Ontario in 1941 was 320 by the summer of 1942 that number would double and at wars end would be in the thousands. This talk will examine the reasons and results of this forced evacuation of Canadian citizens under the shadow of the Second World War and why did they choose to settle in Ontario and Chatham in particular.
Approximately 350 Japanese Canadian men came to work on sugar beet farms in Southwestern Ontario, arriving on or about May 24th 1942. Camps in Kent County were set up at Dresden, Valetta, Dover Centre, and on Harold English’s farm (English Sideroad) in North Harwich.
Southwestern District:
| Camp | Location | 1st Arrival/Date | Total |
| Centralia | Farm two miles from town | (63) | 63 |
| Harwich | Harold English Farm | 1/06/42 (21) | 30 |
| Dover Centre | Frances Ouellette Farm | 1/06/42 (20) | 47 |
| Dresden | Fair Grounds | 2/06/42 (55) | 55 * |
| Eatonville | Eatonville Hotel/Roadhouse | 55 * | |
| Essex | “Old Oaken Bucket” Tourist Camp | 1/06/42 (19) | 19 |
| Glencoe | Fair Grounds | (58) | 58 |
| Petrolia | Fair Grounds | 6/06/42 (17) | |
| Valetta | Municipal Grounds | 6/06/42 (31) | 31 |
| Wallaceburg | ‘Old refinery’ of Consolidated Lumber Co. | ||
| Total Population: | 320 |
- 55 moved from Dresden to Eatonville
