[BartSimpson]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komagata_Maru

I came across this quite by accident. Interesting bit of Canadian history.

Quote:

The Komagata Maru was a Japanese steam liner that sailed from Hong Kong to Shanghai, China, Yokohama, Japan, and then to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, in 1914, carrying 376 passengers from Punjab, India. The passengers were not allowed to land in Canada and the ship was forced to return to India. The passengers consisted of 340 Sikhs, 24 Muslims, and 12 Hindus, and all were British subjects. This was one of the most notorious "incidents" in the history of early 20th century exclusion laws in Canada and the United States designed to keep out immigrants of Asian origin.

The whole article is quite interesting and fascinating.

[ridenrain]

Up the road from me in Surrey, there is a big mural in commemoration on one of the buildings.

Quote:

Surrey artist Jarnail Singh says he doesn't understand why some find controversial his mural commemorating the Komagata Maru incident. The mural adorns the side of a Newton seniors complex.
Photo/Ted Colley

I was going to look that up but you beat me too it.