Kamagata Maru Incident Canada 1914 : Tragedy and Reconciliation
(Memorial at Stanley Park Vancouver. Pic Jagbir Singh Sandhu) During the early 20th century, Canada had restrictive immigration policies that favoured immigrants from Western Europe while discouraging the arrival of people of colour. This discriminatory stance is exemplified by the Kamagata Maru incident of 1914. The Kamagata Maru, a Japanese steamship, arrived in Vancouver carrying 376 passengers, primarily Sikh and Punjabi immigrants from India. They sought to enter Canada, but they were met with resistance. Canadian immigration authorities, citing the continuous journey regulation, denied entry to most passengers, and the ship was forced to return to India. This incident highlighted the stark racial discrimination faced by non-white immigrants attempting to settle in Canada during this era. Upon its arrival in Canadian waters, specifically at Coal Harbour in Burrard Inlet, approximately 200 meters (220 yards) from CPR Pier A, the Komagata Maru faced the distressing reali...