FREEDOM DAY 2020
A LUNCHEON
On April 1, 1986 a celebration of “Freedom Day” was held at Toronto City Hall. This event commemorated April 1, 1949, the day Canadian citizens of Japanese Ancestry attained the right to vote and the freedom to live anywhere in Canada. While Redress had not yet been achieved this celebration marked a new phase of heightened awareness of the Redress issue in the mainstream and increased optimism that Redress could be achieved. Those on hand that evening included the Honorable Tom Berger, Justice Maryka Omatsu and Kay and Hide Shimizu. The Toronto NAJC organized the event with assistance from the Ad Hoc Committee for Japanese Canadian Redress.
Last year the Toronto NAJC celebrated the 70th Anniversary of Freedom Day with a presentation on Japanese Canadian enfranchisement. We have decided to mark this important milestone with an annual celebration. This year we will pay tribute to Hide Shimizu who was part of a Japanese Canadian Citizen’s League (JCCL) delegation that went to Ottawa in 1936 to lobby for the franchise. We are pleased to be joined by some of Hide Shimizu’s family.
We are already at 65% capacity for the event so don’t delay. ORDER TICKETS ONLINE
Questions? torontonajc@gmail.com
