Arthur Kazumi Miki

Brave, compassionate and loyal. These are characteristics of a leader. These are characteristics of Arthur Kazumi Miki.

Arthur was born in B.C amongst the 22,000 Japanese Canadians who were forced out of their homes, jobs and left all their belongings, not knowing what will happen to them.

Arthur and his family had to move to a one-room house in Ste. Agathe, Manitoba with other families. Despite the fact he did not speak French he went to a French school for his beginning education and he was subjected to many racist remarks from his fellow students. Then he went to the University of Manitoba and was given Bachelor of Education degree in 1969, and a Master of Education degree in 1975.

Later on he became a teacher for 29 years. Also he was a principal in the Transcona neighbourhood of Winnipeg for high schools and elementary schools.

Arthur started the National Association of Japanese Canadians in 1984 and demanded that they would get a formal apology from the Canadian Government and money for all the Japanese Canadians that were still alive.

"Finally a breakthrough was made after all the negotiations and the Government agreed to $21,000 for each of the surviving Japanese Canadian and a $12 million for a community fund and Mulroney gave an apology for the wartime internment policy to the Canadian House of Commons. Art said that the settlement was making ‘A great day for justice and humans rights’ and ‘A historic day for Canadians of Japanese ancestry who have been struggling so long to resolve the injustices of the 1940s’" -Wiki