New Westminster apologize for role in Komagata Maru incident

NEW WESTMINSTER (NEWS 1130) — The mayor of New Westminster has apologized to the South Asian community for what he calls the city’s “discriminatory and exclusionary” actions during the Komagata Maru incident.

Mayor Jonathan Cote says while the city cannot take back its “regrettable views and actions of the past,” it is committed to doing better now, and strengthening its relationship with all ethnic and cultural minority groups.

In his apology, Cote spoke directly to the community, families, and descendants of those impacted by the incident.

“Thank you to our South Asian community for hearing our apology and I look forward to working with you in the future to build a more connected and inclusive community for all.”

Yesterday at Council, with representatives of the South Asian Community in attendance, the City of New Westminster apologized to the South Asian community and descendants of the Komagata Maru. Read more: https://t.co/RzzO4TP1qx #newwest pic.twitter.com/8x8IUqMSlB

— City of New Westminster (@New_Westminster) September 28, 2021

When the apology was drafted and approved during a 2019 council meeting, Raj Singh Toor, spokesperson for the Descendants of the Komagata Maru Society asked council to consider naming a street, park, or other City assets after the Komagata Maru.

“After staff were directed to report back on any connection between New Westminster and the Komagata Maru incident, no proof was found of direct support by New Westminster’s South Asian community to the passengers of the Komagata Maru,” a statement from the City reads. “Staff did find, however, that City actions at the time were supportive of discriminatory, racist and exclusionary laws that ultimately brought about the plight of the passengers.”

Related Articles: 

• City of Vancouver marks first Komagata Maru Remembrance Day

• Surrey street renamed Komagata Maru Way to remember immigration tragedy

• Vancouver mayor says sorry for city’s role in turning away South Asians in 1914

Apart from the apology this week, City Council will be renaming the Queensborough River Walk as well as the Q to Q Ferry docks in Queensborough and Downtown in commemoration of the Komagata Maru. Locations will include interpretive signage describing the Komagata Maru incident and the City’s connections to it.

In 1914, 376 Indian immigrants arrived off the coast of B.C. on the Japanese steamship Komagata Maru, only to be denied entry into Vancouver, which at the time was the country’s most diverse city.

Immigration regulations at the time required migrants to arrive in Canada directly from their country of origin – a journey that was virtually impossible at the time.

With the exception of 20 passengers who had previously lived in Canada, officials refused to allow the immigrants in, even though they were British subjects just like every other Canadian at the time. The vessel returned to India, where 19 of the passengers were killed in a skirmish with British authorities, and dozens of others were imprisoned or forced into hiding.

– With files from The Canadian Press