While both the government of BC (2012) and of Canada (1989) has given the Japanese an apology, the city of Vancouver had never apologized or returned any of the property stolen in 1941 until this year. Indeed, the apology back in September sounded hollow, as did the BC apology last year.
Federally, $21,000 merely bought votes for the Progressive Conservative Party. Most survivors of Japanese internment camps thought it was a tax rebate.
Though there is news that Japantown will be rebuilt. However, any Japanese-Canadian thinking they'd get it for free is sorely mistaken, even though the city of Vancouver owes us Canadian-born Japanese big time.
I'd only live in Japantown IF it was subsidized housing and the city of Vancouver subsidized a rehab centre for the drug addicts who want to recover, regardless of who you are.
When that new Downtown Eastside housing development gets final hearing, I hope that the new tenants actually care for the people living in the area, apart from their fellow condo owners and shop keepers.
Maybe one of the new tenants of the development might even volunteer for the Lookout Society who manage the homeless shelters near Oppenheimer Park. Hopefully, none of this NIMBY nonsense will go on at this development, but I'll wait and see.
For the homeless and drug addicts of the Downtown Eastside are truly representative of the 99 percent, too.
References:
Japantown, Vancouver: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japantown,_Vancouver
Plans for New Downtown Eastside Housing Debated: http://www.vancourier.com/news/plans-for-new-downtown-eastside-housing-debated-1.710755#
Vancouver apologizes for Japanese internment: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Vancouver+council+apologizes+Japanese+Canadians+1942+support+internment/8958222/story.html
BC government apologizes to Japanese Canadians: http://www.straight.com/news/bc-government-apologizes-internment-japanese-canadians
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