ccmtcanada Posted September 25, 2011 Report Posted September 25, 2011 I replied in skipper's thread and was invited to tell my own story. I didn't want to hijack that thread, so I thought I'd write my own story here...it may be a bit long, but here it goes... My grandfather moved his family to the Vancouver area in the 1930's. He was born in California...my great grandparents immigrated there from Japan. My dad was born in 1939. My grandfather was quite successful on the west coast and owned his own fishing fleet. The stories I remember hearing as a kid were that he owned a fleet of 3 or 4 boats and he made his living off the ocean. By the early 40's he was quite successful (especially for Japanese immigrant family), and he owned his house and something rare back then...an automobile! Fast forward to 1942...the second world war was in full swing and after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, an order was made that all people of Japanese decent were to be interned in camps in the interior of BC. The government seized all his boats, his house, his car and they were told to leave their home. My grandfather was told all would be there when the war was over and received his "claim" tickets to the assets taken for "safe keeping". The war ended and the government had sold everything...and my dad's family had nothing. They were ordered either back to Japan (my dad never knew Japanese as he was born in Canada), or move east. They moved to Montreal, and my grandfather had to start over again, but he still had the time to teach my dad and his brothers all he knew about fishing. By the time my dad was in his teens, he loved recreational fishing. By then they had moved to Toronto. Here's a few pictures of my dad and his fishing buddies up on Lake Simcoe. He got out of fishing for a while when he married my mom and had us kids. It wasn't until he worked for a man named "Mr Cooper" at a vending company in Toronto that his love for the sport came back. Mr Cooper had a cottage on the Trent system near Belleville, and we went to his cottage a LOT as kids. Mr Cooper... Mr Cooper's cottage is where my dad shared his love of fishing with me and my two brothers. We'd spend hours on the dock...my dad tirelessly baiting hooks and taking the thousands of sunfish and perch off our lines. I'd watch that little red and white bobber intently, wanting to impress my dad. Here's a few pics from that era at that cottage. Mr Cooper sold his cottage one year and as I hit my teen years, I "forgot" all about fishing. It wasn't until years later, when my dad was diagnosed with cancer that I fished again. He just finished his chemo treatments and I asked what he'd like to do. He said he wanted to eat a huge steak and to catch lake trout on Lake Ontario, so we arranged a charter fishing trip. This is the last picture I have of him with a fish...he passed away 6 months later at the too young age of 54. Fast forward about 10 years and I found my way back to fishing. Watching my kids fishing off a local pier for panfish brought it ALL back. All those days on Mr Cooper's dock flooded into my mind and that very same day went and bought a cheap combo and fishing license from Canadian Tire. The rest is history The next generation is hooked on fishing...hopefully with memories she will tell her kids one day... Thanks for reading....
Skipper D Posted September 25, 2011 Report Posted September 25, 2011 awesome post! Thats awsome CCMT awsome , you know from the first time i saw your picture i wondered to myself , did his , your family originate out of BC . From way back in the sixtys in school when i first heard about the plyite of the people like your grandfather i wanted to meet with them and thank them for making Canada there home and making the contributions they did to this country and apoligize for our govorments treatment they were unjustly handed . Iam honoured to know you and also your family thru your story .
solopaddler Posted September 25, 2011 Report Posted September 25, 2011 What a great heartfelt story. Thanks buddy.
mercman Posted September 25, 2011 Report Posted September 25, 2011 Thanks for sharing that Cliff. As the Skipper mentioned, the fishing gene is strong within use Paul
ccmtcanada Posted September 26, 2011 Author Report Posted September 26, 2011 like your grandfather i wanted to meet with them and thank them for making Canada there home and making the contributions they did to this country and apoligize for our govorments treatment they were unjustly handed . Iam honoured to know you and also your family thru your story . Thanks for the kind words! The govt of Canada officially apologized in the early 80s. A large official document and a lump sum cheque for every person still alive who was interned. Problem is the people it affected the most were gone already. As awful as it was for them, I look on the positive side of things...I grew up in a middle class family...in Ontario. All I have ever needed I had provided to me. The struggles my grandfather went through ultimately benefitted me. I am lucky to be here
fishnsled Posted September 26, 2011 Report Posted September 26, 2011 Great story Cliff, thanks for sharing.
asdve23rveavwa Posted September 26, 2011 Report Posted September 26, 2011 Great story Cliff!! Sad what the government did to your grandfather, I've heard and read similiar stories.
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