Hon. Bev Oda
Minister of Canadian Heritage
House of Commons
Ottawa, ON K1A 0A6

Dear Minister Oda,

I write to urge the Department of Canadian Heritage to take action to save the historic Joy Kogawa House in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Joy Kogawa is a celebrated Japanese Canadian author and member of the Order of Canada. Ms. Kogawa and her family were removed from her Marpole, Vancouver home in 1942 and interned under the War Measures Act. The house was never returned to the Kogawa family and the current owner has plans to sell the property for development.

Ms. Kogawa, with the support of the British Columbia Land Conservancy and the Save Kogawa House Committee, are proposing an innovative plan to convert the house into a writer-in-residence centre.

The Committee is seeking $350,000 in federal government assistance, while raising the other $350,000 privately through foundations, corporations and individual donors. The Kogawa house is a monument to Japanese Canadian history, as well as a celebration of Joy Kogawa’s life and writing.

I therefore encourage the Department of Canadian Heritage to take the necessary steps to save the Joy Kogawa house.

Sincerely,
Libby Davies
Libby Davies, MP
Vancouver East

cc. Save Kogawa House Committee