“They Went to War” Campaign

In 2014, commemorating the 100th anniversary of World War I, the Japanese Canadian War Memorial Committee with the Nikkei Place Foundation will fundraise $110,000 to restore the Cenotaph in Stanley Park, reproduce the Japanese Canadian Legion #9 flag, and replace of the plaque that dedicates the monument.

This iconic monument is a lasting memorial and testament to the ultimate sacrifice Japanese Canadians were willing to make for freedom and justice. It serves as a symbol for the battles fought for Canada and the fight for equal status amongst Canadians.

Thank you for helping answer the call to preserve the memory of these Japanese Canadian heroes.

Whenever the call of duty sounded, young Japanese Canadian men answered that call. They fought for Canada, and they also fought for Japanese Canadians, in the hope of gaining equal rights. It was the veterans who led the charge in gaining the franchise in 1931 and 1948. These brave young volunteers fought battles that helped define Canada as a nation on the world stage and were witness to some of the fiercest combat and highest casualty rates fought in various theatres of war. Japanese Canadians stood shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow Canadian soldiers and sacrificed their lives together.
Today, we remember the battles fought for us and we will share their legacy with future generations through the cenotaph in Stanley Park.

Thank you for helping answer the call to preserve the memory of these Japanese Canadian heroes. It is the least we can do for the these young men who made the ultimate sacrifice for Canada and for us. May they the rest in peace.