[nfitz]

First modern concentration camp in 1914? What baloney ... the British operated concentration camps in the Boer War, and they were hardly new at that time!

 

[junctionist]

First off, it is debatable whether the term "modern concentration camp" should even be used, considering it usually carries with it the perception of extermination or work-to-death.

What happened in Canada was certainly internment, but this on its own was not 'wrong' and was actually covered by the Hague Convention at the time. Looking through some of the history and photos at infoukes.com (the main source of info, it seems) - there is no evidence that these camps were places of abuse. Workers were housed and fed, and while in today's enlightened view these work camps would be unacceptable - internment still goes on and likely always will.

Internment alone is worthy of remembrance. Worthy of a memorial - but are Torontonians so desperate to get UNESCO attention that we're willing to exaggerate history and go grovelling for someone else's approval? Put up a memorial, even make reparations if it gets to that point - but I fail to see how self abasement at the feet of UNESCO is necessary or even worthwhile.

If people associate "concentration camp" with extermination, then perhaps they should learn some history instead or even practice basic logic because the term's meaning is right there in the word itself ('a place to concentrate or intern a group of specific people').

 

[wwwebster]

I suspect that the basis for the claim "First modern..." is, as mentioned by Interchange42 in another thread, the fact that it was apparently the first such camp fenced with electrified wire.

 

[Tewder]

These things are silly. People have been 'concentrated' for one reason or another since the beginning of time. I'm sure even the good old Ukranians did some concentrating themselves at some point in their long history.

 

[GenerationW]

People have been 'concentrated' for one reason or another since the beginning of time.

Not the Mongols in their heyday. They just massacred entire cities and towns if they didn't surrender right away.

 

[Tewder]

... same with many warring native tribes, as far as I understand. Very brutal indeed. Perhaps 'concentrators' of the non-extermination persuasion are actually more humaine?