BC Liberal MLA Michael Lee (Vancouver-Langara) on Monday delivered a statement in the Legislature on the Komagata Maru, reflecting on the racist attitudes and laws that led to the incident and the lessons it has for us today.

When the 376 passengers on the Komagata Maru arrived in Vancouver in 1914, they were met with skepticism and racism. While attitudes have changed in the last 107 years, there is still much more work that needs to be done to make B.C. a more inclusive community, he said.

Lee noted that incidents like the Komagata Maru, while all too common in our province and country’s history, hold a mirror up to our current society. They force us to reflect, to evaluate, and hopefully, encourage us to work together for a better, fairer, future for all British Columbians.