THE UNWANTED SOLDIERS
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A National Film Board of Canada Production Jari Osbourne director Karen King producer |
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UNWANTED SOLDIERS......... is an important & uniquely Canadian film - a story of humble beginnings & a truly remarkable end. From the back alleys of Vancouver's Chinatown to the treacherous jungles of Japanese-occupied Malaya, Osborne charts a historical journey that leads to heroic victory for Canada's Chinese community. Most of all, it stands as a testament to a daughter's new-found understanding & appreciation of her father &, ultimately, herself. |
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Alex Louie, Daniel Lee, John Ko Bong, Howe Lee, Bing Wong, Douglas Jung, Roy Mah, and about 20 other veterans are now in their 70s and beyond. They were born in Canada, but Canada didn't want them.* |
Alex Louie, Jari Osborne's father, despite being born and raised in canada, like the other veterans profiled in Unwanted Soldiers, was denied the right to vote and confined to life in Chinatown's ghetto. Born in Calgary on June 21, 1925, Alex Louie served as a private in the Canadian military and volunteered for Special Operations Executive [SOE], Force 136, which operated behind Japanese lines in SE Asia. |
 Alex Louie's 45 year old daughter, Jari Osborne, has made this deeply affecting documentary..... .....When Canada went to war and the Chinese tried to enlist, Ottawa rejected them.* |
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*source-Jan Wong's Last Word Globe & Mail Nov 6, 1999 Her Last Word, the full text |
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