THAT Council formally apologizes for the injustice of the motion of the June 1914 Council that passed a resolution saying it was “unalterably opposed to the admittance of Hindus and other Asiatic races into this country…" and that "... these people would prove a serious menace to our civilization, both economically and socially ..." and its cruel effects on individuals and families impacted by the Komagata Maru incident. 

By DESIBUZZCanada Staff

VANCOUVER – After a number of local municipalities and the provincial government proclaimed May 23rd as Komagata Maru Day, the City of Vancouver has followed suit with an apology for the racist action the doomed ship carrying 376 passengers who were not allowed set foot in Vancouver due to the racist laws enacted at the time.

Raj Singh Toor, the grandson of one of the passengers on the Komagata Maru, and Vice President and spokesperson for the Non-profit Descendants of the Komagata Maru Society, has been leading the charge in getting various provincial and civic govts to honour the legacy of the ship’s passengers and to acknowledge an historical wrong.

Vancouver Councilor Jean Swanson brought forward the Komagata Maru apology and Komagata Maru proclamation motion June 9 on behalf of a request by the Descendants of the Komagata Maru Society.

The Apology Reads: Komagata Maru Apology and Remembrance Day Proclamation

*THAT Council formally apologizes for the injustice of the motion of the June 1914 Council that passed a resolution saying it was “unalterably opposed to the admittance of Hindus and other Asiatic races into this country…" and that "... these people would prove a serious menace to our civilization, both economically and socially ..." and its cruel effects on individuals and families impacted by the Komagata Maru incident.

*THAT the City of Vancouver declare, by proclamation, that May 23rd shall be known as “Komagata Maru Remembrance Day” in Vancouver.

WHEREAS

On May 23, 1914, three hundred and seventy-six British Subjects from India of Sikh, Muslim and Hindu origin arrived in Vancouver Harbour aboard the Komagata Maru, seeking to enter Canada;

On June 23, 1914, Vancouver Mayor Truman Baxter organized an anti-Asian rally, and the first speaker was the prominent politician H. H. Stevens. “I have no ill-feeling against people coming from Asia personally,” he told the crowd, “but I reaffirm that the national life of Canada will not permit any large degree of immigration from Asia . . . I intend to stand up absolutely on all occasions on this one great principle—of a white country and a white British Columbia” 

 The overflow crowd of 2,000 unanimously adopted a resolution proposed by Vancouver Alderman Frank E. Woodside to immediately to deport the passengers. 

On the night of June 29, 1914, Vancouver City Council unanimously passed a resolution moved by Alderman William R. Hamilton, and seconded by Alderman Malcolm McBeath, protesting the ship's landing in Canada.

 On July 23, 1914, the Komagata Maru was forced to leave as a result of a discriminatory act by the Government of Canada, without allowing the passengers to disembark;

 The British were ruling India at that time, and when the Komagata Maru arrived in India, British troops shot at the passengers. Around 20 people were killed on the spot. Many were injured, and the rest of them were put in jail for a long period of time.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED:

  1. THAT Council formally apologizes for the previous Council’s injustices and their cruel effects on individuals and families impacted by the Komagata Maru incident.
  2. THAT The City of Vancouver declare, by proclamation, that May 23rd shall be known as “Komagata Maru Remembrance Day” in Vancouver.

I will speak in City of Vancouver Council June 10 Wednesday about Komagata Maru Apology and Komagata Maru proclamation .

The Komagata Maru apology and Komagata Maru proclamation Motion was approved unanimously on Wednesday, June 10. 

 “I would like to say thank you to the Mayor and City Council of Vancouver for recognizing the Komagata Maru passengers and approved unanimously Komagata Maru apology and Komagata Maru proclamation Motion behalf a request from the Descendants of the Komagata Maru Society. I am glad to be a part of making this happen," said Toor 

The provincial government formally apologized for the Komagata Maru incident in May 2008, and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau apologized on behalf of the federal government in the House of Commons in 2016.