New Westminster is keeping the memory of the Komagata Maru incident alive.
The City of New Westminster has proclaimed May 23 as Komagata Maru Remembrance Day in recognition of the arrival of 376 British subjects from India in Vancouver harbour aboard the Komagata Maru on May 23, 1914. They had hoped to enter Canada, but they weren’t allowed to leave the ship, and the Komagata Maru was forced to leave Canada on July 23 without allowing the passengers to disembark.
A proclamation from the City of New Westminster stated the federal government apologized in May 2016 for the events connected to the Komagata Maru, apologizing for its indifference and discriminatory laws.
The Descendants of the Komagata Maru Society had requested the city proclaim May 23 as Komagata Maru Remembrance Day New Westminster. The group is thankful the city approved its request.
“It’s a great tribute to those Komagata Maru passengers who suffered a lot during the tragedy,” Raj Singh Toor, vice-president and society spokesperson, said in an email to the Record. “We can’t undo the past but we can move forward and leave a legacy for future generations by educating them about the past.”
In March, council directed staff to start the process of naming the Q to Q ferry docks in Queensborough and downtown New Westminster, as well as the riverfront walkway in Queensborough, in commemoration of the Komagata Maru. Interpretative signage telling the story of the Komagata Maru will be developed, and will recognize community members who supported passengers of the ship.
That motion came after council had directed staff to look into the incident to see if New West families may have been among those who provided passengers with food, water and medication during the two months the ship remained in Vancouver’s harbour or may have been among the citizens who tried to lease the ship in an attempt to keep it from being sent back to India. But instead of a feel-good story about the community’s support for those aboard the vessel, research by city staff found that the 1914 city council was vehemently opposed to immigration and urged provincial and federal officials to “use every effort to prevent admission of these people” into Canada.
Council also directed staff to draft a formal apology to the community, families and descendents of those who were impacted negatively by actions and words of the council of New Westminster during the Komagata Maru incident.
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