13 & 21 May 2006  A fundraiser film show “King of Masks” was organized in support of the 2006 Peace & Reconciliation Study Tour to China for Canadian Teachers to be held from July 27 – August 9, 2006 www.alpha-canada.org/StudyTour.

23 – 28 June 2006      As one of the sponsoring organizations of the World Peace Forum (www.worldpeaceforum.ca), volunteers of BC ALPHA helped out in the forum especially in organizing the Asian Regional Conference (http://www.vcn.bc.ca/alpha/arc/).  The Asia Regional Conference aimed to examine key issues in the Asia region (including northeast, southeast and South Asia as well as the Pacific Islands). Among the topics to be explored were regional security issues including US bases, Korean reunification, a nuclear-free Asia, the "war on terror", ballistic missile defence, redress and reconciliation issues, revision of Article 9 (peace clause in Japan's constitution), and others.  It also aimed to attract anti-war activists from Asia and the Pacific Islands as well as local activists with an interest in the topics addressed.

27 July – 9August 2006  The 3rd Peace & Reconciliation Study Tour to China for Canadian Teachers was jointed by 15 teachers from BC and 2 teachers from New Jersey recommended by NJ ALPHA and the NJ Holocaust & Genocide Education Centre.  Participants met with survivors of war crimes committed by Japanese Imperial Army, visited historical sites and attended seminars with scholars and lawyers supporting the redress movement.  The cities visited including Shanghai, Nanjing and Zhengzhou, Xiangcheng, Shijiachuang and Beijing.  The participants explored the issues on “comfort women”, germ warfare, Nanking Massacre, forced labour and the contribution of Dr. Norman Bethune, a Canadian humanitarian who support China in the war of resistance to Japanese invasion.  A video documentary on this Study Tour was produced by CCTV. http://www.alpha-canada.org/StudyTour/report.htm  Other 2 video documentary are also under production by 2 teacher participants.  They will be used as supporting resource for the teaching of the Ministry developed resource, “Human Rights in the Asia-Pacific: Social Responsibility and Global Citizenship”.

20 – 21 October 2006    Information table was set up at the BC Social Studies Teachers’ Association Provincial Conference to introduce the learning resource, “Human Rights in the Asia-Pacific (1931- 1945): Social Responsibility and Global Citizenship” and the 2007 Peace & Reconciliation Study Tour to China for Canadian Teachers.

27 – 29 October 2006 BC ALPHA was a co-sponsor of the 2006 GA retreat held in Washington DC.  BC ALPHA was responsible for the program design and implementation.

February 2007  Promotion of the making of Iris Chang, the movie with media including CBC Radio, Fairchild TV, Channel M,  Ming Pao Daily, Sing Tao Daily and World Journal.

February 2007  A donation of RMB20,000 was raised to be remitted to the Legal Foundation in Support of Chinese Victims’ Lawsuits Against Japanese Government and Corporations in the name of Elder Geng Zhun. Elder Geng was the leader of the Hanaoko forced labourers’ uprising against the brutal treatment by the Japanese captors in 1945.

19 February 2007 Invited by Vancouver School Board to organizer a workshop to introduce the learning resource, “Human Rights in the Asia-Pacific (1931- 1945): Social Responsibility and Global Citizenship” and the 2007 Peace & Reconciliation Study Tour to China for Canadian Teachers.

March 2007  A donation of RMB3,000 was raised for the subsidy of some survivors of Japan’s wartime sexual slavery.  The subsidy was distributed through Attorney Kang Jian in Beijing.

March 2007 Organized letter writing campaign for forced labour case to be sent to the Supreme Court of Japan in support of the Chinese victims rights to claim for compensation from the Japanese government and corporations.  Eventually, 5 Canadian MPs, 3 MLAs, 1 city councilor, and many representatives from labour, human rights and peace organizations sent their letters to Japan’s Supreme Court.

9 March 2007    A Press conference was held to speak on the following 2 issues:-

1. the denial of “comfort women” by the  Prime Minister Abe of Japan 

2. the court hearing by the Supreme Court of Japan on the defense argument submitted by Japanese corporations and Japanese government that the right to claim of Chinese forced labor victims had been forfeited in treaties, including bilateral treaties between Japan and China.

Represented by politicians of 3 levels of government, peace and human rights organizations and labor organizations were invited to speak at this press conference

12 – 20 March 2007   BC ALPHA sent representative to join the international delegation to observe and to attend the court hearings on a number of Chinese victims’ lawsuits against the Japanese government and corporations, including the one heard at the Supreme Court of Japan on 16 March 2007.

April 2007 – Present  Organized the Petition Campaign for Motion 291 which reads as follows: “That, in the opinion of the House, the government should urge the Prime Minister and the Parliament of Japan to: (a) pass a resolution in the Diet to formally apologize to the women who were coerced into military sexual slavery during the Second World War and were euphemized as ‘comfort women’ by the Japanese Imperial Army; and (b) provide just and honorable compensation to these victims.”

13 April 2007  Meeting with Hon. Jason Kenny, Secretary of State – Multiculturalism & Canadian Identity together with representatives from the Korean, Filipino and Japanese community and 2 Asian Holocaust survivors.  The objective of the meeting was to brief Hon. Kenny about the issue of “comfort women” and to get his support to Motion 291.

17 April 2007   BC ALPHA was invited to make presentation about the “comfort women” issue for the Anit-racism Committee of the BC Social Workers’ Association.

26 May 2007   BC ALPHA was invited to make presentation about the “comfort women” issue for board members of the Women’s International League of Peace & Freedom – Canada Branch (WILPF).  The board of WILPF passed a resolution to support Motion 291 and would bring the issue to their international annual meeting to urge women from other countries to bring this issue to their respective governments for supporting redress for the “comfort women”.

26 & 27 May, 2, 3, 9, 10, 16 & 17 June 2007  Volunteers of BC ALPHA collected signatures to petition MPs to support M 291 at shopping malls including the Chinatown Plaza & Parker Place in Richmond.  So far a total of 5000 signatures were collected from BC.    

Prepared by:

Thekla Lit

President of BC APHA