The British Columbia Security Commission, headquartered in Vancouver, was created to relocate all Japanese persons from a strategic "protected zone" within 100 miles (160 km) of the west coast of British Columbia. The BCSC was established by Order-In-Council PC 1665, March 4, 1942, and operated under the authority of the federal Department of Labour. When the relocation was completed, on October 31, 1942, the BCSC was dissolved by Order-In-Council PC 946 and its responsibilities reverted to the Federal Minister of Labour. The Department of Labour, Japanese Division and the Commissioner of Japanese Placement, in Ottawa, had a field office in Vancouver and one in Ontario as internees moved eastwards.
BCSC was established by Order-In-Council PC 1665, March 4, 1942, with Mr Austin Taylor as chair. It operated under the authority of the Federal Minister of Labour, Hon Humphrey Mitchell. With completion of the evacuation on October 31, 1942, and dissolution of BCSC by Order-In-Council PC 946 February 5, 1943, BCSC’s responsibilities reverted to the Minister of Labour and Mr George Collins was designated chief executive officer with the title Commissioner of Japanese Placement, headquartered in Vancouver.
from Report on Administration of Japanese Affairs in Canada 1942-1944 August 1944 p8
In March 1942, the Dominion Government established the BC Security Commission, with headquarters in Vancouver, to administer and maintain the Tashme internment camp, as well as the well being of all of the Japanese Canadians in British Columbia during the war years. In the camp was a Supervisor who reported to the Commissioner at headquarters in Vancouver, responsible to carry out the policies of the Commission. A Placement officer, along with the Welfare agent, was responsible for maintenance cases (relief) and social welfare problems. He managed the permits for those moving east and managed the arrangements for those being repatriated to Japan in May and August 1946. Other men of the Commission were in charge of community affairs such as the general store, warehouse, woods, farm, and of parts of the office work.
from Tashme: A Japanese Relocation Centre, 1942-1946 W.J. Awmack
The duties of the BCSC were:
1. To plan, supervise and direct the evacuation from the British Columbia "protected zone" of all persons of the Japanese race, and to place those persons in six internment camps in the interior of British Columbia, or to self-supporting communities also in British Columbia, or to fill employment opportunities where essential industries had urgent labour shortages including farms east of the Rockies, mainly in Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario.
2. To provide for the housing, feeding, care and protection of such persons insofar as might be necessary including providing adequate maintenance for the unemployables, aged, and infirm, and ensuring an elementary level Canadian education for the children.
3. To control all movement of the Japanese and to make orders respecting their conduct, activities, and discipline, as required.
Tashme, like the other internment camps, was administered by a supervisor and assistant supervisor responsible to the BCSC head office in Vancouver. Tashme also had operating managers at the local level who cooperated with the camp supervisor but were directly responsible to their department chiefs in Vancouver.
The camp supervisor acted as a mayor and business manager for the camp, responsible for construction, maintenance, and overall administration. The supervisor was also responsible for establishing and maintaining an administrative and operational relationship with the local Japanese Canadian committee. See Shinwa-kai. [Link to section 3.1.3.]
The assistant supervisor oversaw the outside work, which included the logging operations, the sawmill and the physical maintenance of the camp. A chief clerk was in charge of the office, which included an accountant, a welfare or maintenance officer, and an office clerk. Other non-Japanese staff supervised the general store, warehouse, butcher shop/meat market and post office.
Tashme, because of its location, was unique among the camps in that it was completely self-sufficient. Its administration and operations were totally organized and managed by the BCSC. This meant that there were many job opportunities for Japanese Canadians and that only the most important positions were filled by Caucasians employed by the BCSC.
Additional detail regarding the establishment, organization and operations of the internment camps prepared by the Government of Canada are shown in the following: Privy Order-in-council, Organization and Operation of Temporary Housing Centres, BCSC Annual Report 1943-44 and BCSC Annual Report 1944-45