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Renewal - National Coalition
After the breakdown of talks with Mr. Crombie, the NAJC Strategy Committee met to develop a plan to rejuvenate public interest in redress as a Canadian human rights issue. The NAJC would seek broad-based support for a negotiated settlement, including individual compensation to Japanese Canadians affected by the government’s actions. A blueprint was drawn for the formation of a coalition that consisted of a broad cross-section of individuals, ethnic organizations, unions, professional organizations, and religious and cultural groups. Writers Margaret Atwood, June Callwood, Pierre Berton and former Justice of the B.C. Supreme Court Thomas Berger were among the first to join.
A series of rallies were planned in major NAJC centres culminating with a massive rally on Parliament Hill. The “Multicultural Rally” in Toronto in October 1987 received tremendous support from fifteen national ethnic organizations and the National Coalition for Japanese Canadian Redress was formed. , a bilingual Japanese Canadian, was designated to seek individuals and organizations to lend support to the Coalition and to coordinate the Ottawa Rally in April 1988.
Ethnic leaders speaking in support of the NAJC at the Multicultural Rally in Toronto October 1987. (photo: Toronto Chapter NAJC)
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