"In 1988, Mitch Miyagawa's Japanese-Canadian family received an apology from then Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, who apologized for the internment of 22,000 Japanese Canadians during WWII. In addition to the apology for his father's forced relocation and internment, Mitch's stepmother Etheline was a young victim of residential schools for Aboriginal children and his stepfather, Harvey, is the grandson of Chinese immigrants who were burdened with a hefty head tax. Both families were forced to live apart from their loved ones. Both families have received official apologies from the Canadian government. In 'A Sorry State,' Mitch witnesses how his parents, stepparents and others have dealt with their painful pasts, as some choose to ignore, some to forgive and some to remain bitter. In addition, he discovers a worldwide wave of official government apologies, and delves into Canada's latest attempts at reconciliation."