Canada’s leading writers’ groups ask Ottawa for grant to save historic house
The Canadian Press
Published: Monday, February 27, 2006
VANCOUVER (CP) – Canada’s leading writers’ groups are appealing to the federal government for an emergency grant of $350,000 to save the childhood home of novelist and poet Joy Kogawa.
Kogawa was six in 1942 when she and her family were forcibly removed from their Vancouver home by the Canadian government during the Second World War. The government used the War Measures Act to send 22,000 Japanese-Canadians to one of two internment camps in British Columbia because they were considered enemies of Canada.
The Kogawa home was auctioned off without the family’s consent and has been bought and sold several times since then.
The current owner wants to demolish the house and build a bigger one.
Vancouver city council has delayed issuing a demolition permit until March 31 so the Land Conservancy of B.C. can raise $1.25 million to buy the house and restore it for writers in residence.
The conservancy is supported by over a dozen organizations, including the Writers’ Union of Canada, the Writers’ Trust of Canada and the League of Canadian Poets.
So far, the groups have raised $170,000, but Bill Turner, executive director of the Land Conservancy, said money continues to trickle in.
Supporters of the Save the Joy Kogawa House Committee say the simple wood-frame house that was featured in Kogawa’s award-winning book Obasan needs to be saved as a symbol of Canadian history.
The committee is calling on all four major political parties for support.
Turner said he’s trying to set up a meeting with Heritage Minister Beverley Oda.
“We’re moving through the process but we don’t have a lot of time and of course, the government is just getting itself established so it’s an unfortunate time to have this,” Turner said.
“We have tremendous support but a lot of these (writers) are not very wealthy so that’s one of the challenges.”
Several fundraising events, including one in Toronto on March 9, are helping to get the word out about the campaign, Turner said.
© The Canadian Press 2006