Government of Canada Commemorates Cunningham v. Tomey Homma as a National Historic Event
News Release
December 10, 2017 Burnaby, British Columbia Parks Canada Agency
Canada’s national parks, historic sites, and marine conservation areas enable Canadians to experience their rich and varied history in a special way. To celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, the Government of Canada invites Canadians to experience nature and learn more about our history.
Today, John Aldag, Member of Parliament for Cloverdale — Langley City, on behalf of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, Catherine McKenna, commemorated the landmark legal case, Cunningham v. Tomey Homma, as a national historic event with the unveiling of a HSMBC plaque. A special ceremony was held at the Nikkei National Museum and Cultural Centre in Burnaby, British Columbia.
The Government of Canada is committed to connecting Canadians to the significant people, places, and events that contributed to our country’s rich diverse heritage. In 1900–1903, prominent Japanese Canadian Tomekichi “Tomey” Homma fought a ground-breaking legal battle against a provision of the British Columbia Provincial Elections Act, which barred Asian Canadians and First Nations from voting. While he won in the lower and superior courts, the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in England, then Canada’s highest court of appeal, upheld the Act, affirming the power of the provinces to disqualify voters on the basis of “race”.
Tomey Homma and his court case have since become symbols of the early 20th-century human rights movement. The injustice of this legal precedent inspired generations of activists who fought to secure equal voting rights for all Canadians, which was achieved only in 1960.
This year also marks the centennial of national historic sites and Parks Canada invites Canadians to discover and be inspired by the stories of the people, places, and events that shaped the Canada of today. We encourage you to learn more about our country’s history, and discover truly Canadian places and stories with Parks Canada.
Quotes
“Japanese Canadian Tomekichi Homma fought courageously against race-based laws that restricted voting rights to Asian Canadians and First Nations. He is one of the brave activists who paved the way to equal human rights in Canada. As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of Confederation, I encourage Canadians to learn more about this court case that marked the beginning of the protracted struggle for political and equal rights in our country.”
John Aldag,
Member of Parliament for Cloverdale — Langley City
Quick Facts
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In 1895, an amendment was made to the British Columbia Provincial Election Act that disqualified Japanese Canadians, First Nations, and Chinese Canadians (women were also excluded from the vote). In 1900, after being denied to have his name entered on the voters’ list for the Vancouver electoral district, Tomey Homma sued the registrar, Thomas Cunningham.
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Tomey Homma was interned at the Popoff relocation camp near Slocan City in British Columbia during the Second World War, where he died on October 18th, 1945, four years before the official enfranchisement of Japanese Canadians. He is buried at the Mountain View Cemetery in Vancouver.
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Created in 1919, the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada advises the Minister of Environment and Climate Change regarding the national historic significance of places, people, and events that have marked Canada’s history.
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Contacts
Laura Judson
Public Relations and Communications Officer
Parks Canada
250-654-4086
laura.judson@pc.gc.ca
Media Relations
Parks Canada Agency
855-862-1812
pc.media@pc.gc.ca