The story begins with my grandparents’ immigration to Canada from Japan, their subsequent 42 years in British Columbia and their forced relocation in WW11 to a harsh life working in the beet fields from dawn until dusk. I was born at the end of the war in 1945 in Alberta. My mom's family were torn apart and Mom, Dad, my sister and I eventually moved to Toronto, Ontario, for a better life. The second part of the story is about my early life in Toronto
To protect us, my generation, the Sansei, third generation Canadians, our parents never shared the horrific story with us. As a result, the Sansei distanced themselves from their culture, their language and all things Japanese until the apology and redress by the Canadian government to Japanese Canadians in 1988, 43 years after the WW11 was over.