Request for apology to Hong Kong veterans sent to EPC

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This article was published 05/10/2015 (4017 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A pair of Winnipeg councillors looking for city hall’s support on behalf of Hong Kong veterans will have to wait for another day.

Couns. Brian Mayes and Scott Gillingham brought their motion demanding Mitsubishi extend an apology to Canadian POWs who were forced to work in the company’s coal mines during the Second World War – to the downtown development, heritage and riverbank management committee Monday morning.

But the motion was referred directly to the executive policy committee.

Coun. Jenny Gerbasi said the issue will likely involve the Japanese government and councillors will need more advice and direction on inter-governmental relations.

Mitsubishi Material Corp issued an apology in July to veterans from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Netherlands but Canadian POWs were not included in the apology because Mitsubishi said it did not have any evidence Canadian POWs worked there.

The councillors’ efforts had been praised by George Peterson, a local veteran who was forced by the Japanese to work in a Mitsubishi coal mine during the Second World War.

Peterson spent 16 months working in a Mitsubishi coal mine after he was taken prisoner following the fall of Hong Kong.

Mayes and Gillingham want Mitsubishi to accept the word of Peterson and other POWs that they were used as forced labour at its coal mine and issue the apology to all Canadian POWs.

Mayes and Gillingham said they were pleased the motion will be considered by council’s senior committee.

 

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca