Events › Canadian History You Never Knew: Japanese Canadians Fought at Vimy, Too (Hybrid Online)

This page is for online participation. If you wish to join the program in-person, please visit the Hybrid In-person page.

"The 200 men go not only as soldiers to fight in the Canadian war. They go to sacrifice themselves in the battle to achieve rights here at home. The question of franchise in British Columbia is still not settled. The sacrifice of these men is to break this barrier." -- CONSTITUTION OF THE JAPANESE CANADIAN OVERSEAS VOLUNTEER SOLDIERS (1916)

Every day is Remembrance Day when we think of those whose shoulders we stand on, as we enjoy our freedom and democracy. They died so that we may live. But who exactly are we remembering? Do we know their stories, their origins? It is important to honour people as individuals and not only their final resting places. In this presentation, you will learn about Canada’s nearly forgotten warriors who were given the right to vote on the battlefield in 1917, but when they returned home, it was back to being banned. 

They formed a Canadian Legion Branch to help champion their cause -- Legion Branch #9 was the heart of the Japanese Canadian returned soldiers' community, and finally, in 1931 their dream came true. As we mark the 100^th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Legion, come and hear about the history and demise of this branch and the members who belonged to it during the Second World War.

Presenter 

Debbie Jiang is a public historian who enjoys researching and writing about Canadian history that we should know but don't. A storyteller at heart, Debbie's work has appeared in Canada’s History Magazine, Kayak Magazine, Honouring Bravery, Nikkei Voice, Legion Magazine, CTV, CBC and Radio-Canada. Currently, Debbie is writing a book about the Japanese Canadians who served in the First World War. She will be honoured this spring as the co-winner of the 2025 Larry Wong Prize for Chinese Canadian Community and Public History. Originally from Ottawa, Debbie is the former national coordinator of the Lest We Forget Cenotaph Research Project at Library and Archives Canada. In her free time she is the Chair of the 2947 Royal Canadian Army Cadets and volunteers for the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 291.

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