Japanese sawmill workers, Englewood, British Columbia, 1926.
Japanese fishermen often entered the lumber camps near their coastal villages to earn cash in the fishing off-season. They enjoyed such a measure of success in penetrating the industry that white fishermen and loggers demanded restrictions. As a result, the federal government cut back the number of fishing licences given to Japanese while the provincial government prohibited the use of Asian labour on crown timber leases. To reduce Japanese competition, a minimum wage act was passed in 1925 undercutting the employment of low-wage labour.
