moved for leave to introduce Bill C-463, an act to provide for compensation to those Canadian veterans who were taken prisoner by the Japanese in 1941 in Hong Kong and forced to work in labour camps.
Mr. Speaker, Christmas Day 1941 started a despicable period of time when 2,000 Canadian soldiers who defended Hong Kong were interned by the Japanese and put into forced labour in Japanese industries.
Since that period of incarceration, Japan made a settlement of $1 a day in the early 1950s which was not a settlement in kind. The Canadian government went on in 1955 to conspire against further compensation to these same war veterans.
This bill is to set right a gross wrong that occurred many years ago. It is long overdue. It is fair, right and has all-party support. I must be done.
(Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)