When War started with Japan in 1941, Vancouver politicians led the campaign to demonize every civilian of “the Japanese Race” and clear them from B.C. coastal communities. Even after war ended in 1945, they attempted to deport every Japanese Canadian penniless, having taken every dollar possible from them. 

 Hastings Park in 1942, officially was called the “Clearing Station”, the first concentration camp in their hateful solution. In the Livestock barns, Japanese Canadians died, seniors, expectant mothers and newborn babies were “housed” – no bathrooms, limited showers, row upon row of animal stalls or bunk beds only 3’ apart, no dignity. They were sprayed or sprinkled with DDT, a new pesticide of unknown toxicity, like animals in a laboratory. 

As part of the Powell St. Festival, an open house to view the future Japanese Canadian Hastings Park Detainee Memorial and Interpretive Centre will be on Auguar 3rd, 1-4 pm, N.E. corner of the Livestock Building.