HEY, ITs CAN~t>A DA_y/ WE c~tt GE"t ?>~cK. IN1"o

.SOCIETy lobAY f

CRUNCH

JULY 1, 2010

News Frotn the LibrarY Canada Day for me always means a chance to appre­

ciate Vancouver, the only bit of Canada I've ever lived in, and a city that I got pleasantly stuck in some 14 years ago. So here arc some great books about Vancouver's history. They're mostly not new books, but they are new to Carnegie. Enjoy! Vancouver: Tile Pioneer Years 1774-1886, by Derek Pethick (971.13) is a thorough look at Vancouver's history through white selller eyes, in the years before it '~as a city. It 's an interesting look at the lives of these early Vancouverites, but completely misses our region's rich Aboriginal history. Opening Doors: Vancouver's East End (971.13) looks at the Downtown Eastside through the eyes of its many people. Daphne Marlatt and Carole Iller re­corded conversations with nearly 60 residents in the late 1970s. The highlights tell the stories of Benny's Market and Hogan' s Alley, of Japantown and China­town. of being accepted and of being ostracized. Read Nora llendrix bemoaning the disappearance of chitlins Shirley Chan telling how her grandmother hid in the back of the store during the Chinatown riot of 1907, Nobue Shiga Minato describing her father's bathhouse on Powell Street. and David deCamiiJis telling about the hungry thirties. Remember the No. 20 line? The streetcar route ran from Victory Square along Cordova, through Japan­to~n and Hastings Townsite to Exhibition Park. In Along til e No. 20 Line: Reminisces of Vancouver's

Waterfront (971.13), Rolf Knight uses the line as a jumping off point for a look at the people, the industry and the urban environment of the neighbourhoods that the streetcar passed through. It 's a fascinat ing look at some under-reported history, from one of Vancouver's longstanding independent publishers.

llappv Canada Dal' everl'one!

13eth, your librarian

History Happens: c Carroll

Walter Mulligan Was appointed police chief in 1947 after twenty years on the force, starting in 1927 with a DTES beat. Just before making Chief of VPD he was head of the Criminal Investigation Bureau. Three weeks after being elected the Mayor of Vancouver, GerTy MeGeer. (elected on an anti crime platform). appointed Mulligan Chief. Then he started cleaning up Vancouver, at that time filled with after hour gam­bling, bookies collecting bets in beer parlors, private clubs and hotels and bootleggers making a killing.

To his credit Mayor McGeer c leaned up a lot in his first week in office; he lived seven months as Mayor. then suddenly died. Walter Mulligan remained Chief of VPD for ten more years. Reporters for the Vancouver Sun and Province papen

had been in the know for years about the Police Chief rece iving pay envelopes from illegal activities and sharing the payoffs with key officers -such as Detec­tive Sergeant Leonard Ctl1bert other key officers be­low him. llowever the Sun and Province papers re­fused to run the story.

In 1955 a reporter for the Province, Ray Munro qu it the paper and became the West Coast Ed itor of the Flash Weekly, ~Toronto newspaper. Flash hit the street June 15, 1955 with this headline: RAPE OF VANCOUVER! MUNRO TEARS MASK FROM CROOKED LAW IN GANGLAND EDEN.

At 8:15AM June 16'h, 1955 Detective Sergeant Len Cuthbert, sining at his desk in the police station, pressed his gun against the left side of his chest aim­ing for his heart, and fired. lie was rushed to hospiu where emergency surgery kept him al ive. So he was later able to testi fy against Mulligan.

Another cop, not so lucky, took his life in the polic locker room. Eventually it was revealed that Cuthber1 fished with

reporter for the Province and had casually told him o the payoffs. When the reporter's paper refused ton

the story, the reporter had given the infonnation to Ray Munro. who \~as able to verify the story.

After this the Sun, Province and News-Herald finally decided to print detai ls of some of the stories they had been sitting on for years. llowevcr they still would not tell all.

A commission of inquiry was held but told to only ferret out infonnation, not to establish guilt or blame. Besides Cuthbert's testimony, the commission had that of Detective Sergeant Bob Leatherdale, who re­fused to go along with the payoff scheme. l ie had reported it to the prosecutor, a judge and McGeer's successor as mayor. Charles Thompson- all or whom, according to Ray Munro, sat on the report did nothing and looked the other way.

Jack Webster anendcd the hearings and made a name for himself in radio, reporting all the infonnation the local papers sti ll refused to report.

In October 1955, the Chief of the Vancouver Police Department, Walter Mulligan asked if he could leave his posi tion. He was allowed to do so and quietly departed to the states.

The commission found Cuthbert and Mulligan were proven guilty. The Attorney General's office ruled it did not have enough evidence to support the Commis­s ion's findings of corruption and could not take the case to court. Mulligan was never to be charged and was free to return to his line o f work in Victoria BC. Nobody ever went to jail. They looked after their O\\n. - As Kipling said; "Men and things come round again , eternal as the seasons." Sec, T!te Mulligan Affair , by Jan MacDonald, Heritage I louse.

Dear Readers,

I have decided to inform you of this other news. Constable #238 not only shattered my an11 but also Ill) left shoulder. There is a plate there, plus a long scar down my back. It took 18 staples to close the wound.

I wi ll keep you info rmed when I go to the Supreme Court of Canada.

Marlene Wuttunee

'2 Excerpt: "The Act is designed, first and foremost, to.../ expand private power development throughout the province by forc ing BC Hydro to buy power it does not need for its own purposes, and to buy power for export regardless of the adequacy of the return."

Clean Energy Act will cost billions by Marvin Shaffer, BC office of

Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives June 22,2010

While the li ST has captured all the attention. the province's passage of the Clean Energy Act in there­cent legislative session is a far more serious matter. The Act will impose b illions of dollars of unnecessary costs on British Columbians. lt is, simply put. bad legislation. The Clean Energy Act imposes a legal requirement

for energy "self-sufficiency" for BC Hydro. Self­sufficiency sounds positive. But in fact "self-suffici­ency." as defined by the BC government, will simply force BC l lydro to buy a large amount of high cost power from private producers that is not needed to ensure a reliable supply of electricity.

In a hydroelectric system like BC Hydro's, the main reliability question is how to guard against the impact of drought, when low water conditions limit electricity production. With "self-suffic iency," BC llydro will have to man­

age this low water risk by entering into long term con­tracts with private power producers for new supply­supply that in most years will be surplus to BC l ly­dro's requirements.

The Act does not put any limits on the price BC Hy­d ro has to pay for electricity . Nor is there any room to consider the alternatives that BC l lydro could have pursued to ensure a reliable supply. The legislation dictates that BC l lydro must ignore the back-up capa­bil ity of the Burrard Thermal plant, even in drought years. It must assume that the province will not let BC l lydro use any o f the Columbia River treaty power it receives each year. It must pretend there is no "spot market" (one-off sales or purchases) for power, even though such markets exist in the US and Alberta, and BC Hydro in fact regularly buys and sells electricity in those markets for trading purposes.

BC l lydro itself has estimated that "sel f-suffic icncy" will add in excess o f a billion dollars to 1ts costs. En­vironmentalists are concerned that the generation

and transmission line development it will cause will have significant adverse environmental effects. De­spite all these concerns, the government has yet to release any analysis in support of this measure. There is no evidence that it is in the broader public interest.

In addition to "self-sufficiency," the Clean Energy Act accelerates a requirement for "insurance." increas­ing the amount of surplus BC llydro is being forced to buy. It is not at all clear what contingency this insur­ance is intended to address or what benefit it will of­fer. All that is clear is that it will add hundreds of millions of dollars more in costs that ratepayers will ultimately have to pay. BC llydro's own forecasts suggest that all of this surplus will be sold at a loss.

Then there are the export provisions. In addition to buying privately-produced power for dubious self­sufficiency and insurance reasons. BC Hydro will have to buy even more privately produced power, in this case explicitly for export. The Act requires BC Hydro to pursue export opportunities that private power producers will not pursue on their own. There is nothing inherently wrong with the export of power- after all, we export preuywell everything else. The issue here is forcing BC llydro to be the export agent for private developers. BC Hydro will be responsible for providing all of the

transmission, backup and other services needed to create a reliable, marketable product. However, it is not at all clear that BC Hydro will be able to earn an appropriate return on the services it provides and risks it assumes. Under the Act, Cabinet can order BC lly­dro to buy power for export even if its management and Board do not consider the market prices sufficient to justify the costs it must incur. There is the obvious potential for political interference and abuse, particu­larly with the legislation's elimination of any inde­pendent oversight and transparency of the implica­tions of these export (and other BC Hydro) activities.

The Clean Energy Act is not really about clean en­ergy. Requiring an unnecessary amount of generation and transmission development, with all of the envi­ronmental impacts that causes, is not particularly clean or green. Nor is it about developing BC's hydro

The power development the Act is designed to en­courage is hugely expensive in economic and envi­ronmental terms. The Act does not in any way recog­nize these costs. and the government has not provided any analysis or made any effort to demonstrate that the benefits justify the costs. Worst in many ways, the Act does not provide for any judgment by the BC lly­dro management and Board of the trade-offs these

electric resources in the general public interest. The I . . . , Act is designed, first and foremost, to expand private me~sures enta.l. nor ~s. t~ere to be .an~ mdependent 0\·

power development throughout the province by ers1ght by the BC Uhht;es Com~1ss1?n or ~nyone els( forcing BC llydro to buy power it does not need for The Clean En erg~ ~ct s bad. leg~slatJOn. 1t ~ :ar wors( its own purposes, and to buy power for export regard- than the liST. Th1s IS the.leg1slallon that Bnhsh Co-less of the adequacy of the return. lumbians should be fightmg to repeal.

The Learning Centre End of Year Picnic

This year v.e decided to do something different for our end of year party. Instead of holding it in the Learn­ing Centre, which tends to get overcrowded with all our students and tutors, we thought - Why not go to Stanley Park and have a picnic?

On June 16th we all met at the Carnegie and got on an overpacked No. 19 bus and headed over to the pic­nic area near Lumberman's Arch. It was a cloudy day but thankfully not raining so we knew that old sun would come out eventually and it did.

After enjoying a wonderful lunch prepared by the Carnegie kitchen of baked chicken, potato salad and watermelon, we were treated to a song recital by Swallow's choir. Their vers ion of"O Canada'' and "You arc my Sunshine" attracted other park visitors and was thoroughly rousing and enjoyable. I look forward to hearing more songs from them in the com­ing years as they combine learning English with the art of s inging.

Les & Phoenix performed The Feel Good Song. They are both members of the Harmony of Nations Drum Band. Dell and Adrienne had organized a "Scavenger Hunt"

for the next activity. Everybody formed into teams of 3 to 4 and went off in search of items that were listed on the sheet.

We had to try to see 5 kinds of animals but one of them- a raccoon- had already come to the picnic so we got to check that one off right away. Only a pi­geon and a coyote were hard to find. On the list of things to collect, white pebbles seemed a lillie hard to locate as well. A lithe scavenger hunt participants got some prizes that Dell had generously provided. Another song by the choir rounded out our picnic and

everybody wandered away home, thoroughly satisfied refreshed and ready for a relaxing summer before the Learning Centre gets under way again in September.

The Learning Centre will be open during the sum­mer, being staffed by all our dedicated volunteer tu­tors and receptionists. Please feel free to drop in and pursue your educational goals- whether they be to learn more about computers or brush up on your Eng­lish and Math.

Submitted by: Adrienne, computer tutor and long-time learning cen­

ter volunteer

-~ "-...: _!~ - _ ...

-·•:-- --

And So We Wake Apres L'eglise

And SQ in the City that seldom wakes We wake In sleep country- muffins and coffee Glazed Donuts

Instantly charged with sugar and adrenal in Sirens and lights Red , blue. amber et green I black too

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Rip Van Wink undt all the little Winkin' bairns

Nudg ing me, poking me, brushing, rushing -Over the cliff

Lemming style Laka rem taka delta - soma coma dose -as good as a wink to dat ole gray mare. -sure nuff

sure nuff she a' int what she used to be - Out here - out 'n a boot Wadin' in da watah

Other side Jordan!

Waitin' on da Man Waitin' on da comfort Wait in' on redemption Waitin' on reservations Waitin' on Release

No more to do Turn up the stereo Turn up da Band Drinks on da house Free lunch Free Circuses

Trouble lost in da woods Quit ma searchin' Swing low sweet chariot Com in' for ta carry me home

Wilhelmina Miles

The Thursdays Writers Collective invites you to the launch of Tile StoryBox, their fourth chapbook. Come and enjoy the readings at the Brickhouse, 730 Main (and Prior) on Ju ly 15th from 8 PM to 10 PM.

Admission is free or by dona/ion a/the door. I lear the DTES voices of Stephen Ly1ton, LeefEvans, John Alan Douglas, Diane Wood, Henry Do)le, Anne Hopkinson, Joan Morelli, John Chen, Brenda Prince, Patrick Foley, Elee Kraljii Gardiner, Colin Bieir, Anne Young, James Me Lean. Muriel Marjorie, and Beth Buchanan. What are you doing on a Thursday night anyway? See you there.

www.thursdayspoetryandprose.ca

Lonely Day

Like houses built on cards they hit ground very hard I watch as a friend falls lays prone on the Keltic floor; as usual an ambulance or 5 arrive hey remember it' s the one day of the month she & everyone else count down the seconds for, that floor's just been washed as it is e'er) month but at what cost? don·t ask me I'm a member and still have the abilit) to get lost. It's day #one people trying not to be undone are already broke at least I have my ver) own floor, payday goes on as fast as it begun time for debts to be paid or play the Invisible Man for 30 days more, probly one big reason shooting your gun off is always in season cops move in just seething them&Mr Death will get their prey as they do everyda) IIOOORA Y Is saying USA sucks an act of treason? Some get screwed around while others pound booze & drugs down so many near death experiences v. ill create waves of wakes what a mess this will make for the next I lcll fare season. I can remember waking up in hospital LET ME OUT my other hit is quite a pocketful still another hit to do ·1 won't drop' I promise to every angel who's thinking this should be his last stop- drug stabbing time has no'' arrived now this vein used to be my mate that leathery skin crawls without any help but hate- re­member: start every binge with that line I ''ill survive oh it's too late

Five week Four week Five week FOLD ... the hand I keep getting dealt is so old; an arm rises from the earth shouting Sold! Give me time to screw on my fire-poker face yes it's a disgrace but in just 30 days it 's off to the "Track'' once again I'm in the lonely

Bum the Bunkers

Been burned so often just wanna burn all the bunkers. the lowest of the lo\\ always taking your last I 0 bucks when you're sicker 'n a dog the jackals strike Jca, ing not high and not dry wishing to God that these scum die \ve all know why

O\V I ain't a violent man .. try to be as gentle as I can but after being ripped off so many times I see no crime when someone ends their time

You hear tales bunkers being killed for a sawbuck the pastey-faced thief ran out of luck if it woulda been me I'd use a truck run 'em down like a freakin' duck everybody got a limit even you're great once you·re in it I'm just so pissed off at all the motherfuckin' rip-offs

-Eric Rydman

place, delicate yet far-fetched ideas about food & she ter arc allllclte,r Skelter there's drugs to consume so consume remembering autopsies are in bloom 'tombs all in tunc same bat channel same battlefield doesn' t matter\\ hat you call it it always falls on you whether you call it Welfare, Warfare, llcllfair so unfair. Steal poor people's chcqucday Satan God Ice Cream Famil will make you pay & pay & you know the way to the lonely place where funeral music plays & my good dead friends drop by to talk (well, I do the talking) listen to JoyDivision & debate the life/death delay ... nov. one last thing I do not have a phone so stop dial­ing me up I'm here at home with my bestest friend thl end let me tell ya something: The end will ne,·er ever be alone. End OfTransmission ... fading ... to ... Biack.

By ROBERT McG ILLI VRAY

FoliO\\ ing is the letter I sent earlier today, at the e­mailed instigation of Murray Dobbin. to each member of the NDP federal caucus.

For those who haven't seen the story, Vancouver MP Libby Davies was videoed June 5 saying the Is­raeli occupation of Palestine started in 1948 and that she personally supports the international Boycott. Di­vestment and S anctions campaign.

For this she has been pilloried by members of her own caucus and for which Jack Layton has apologized to the Israel i ambassador to Canada (as well as forcing Libby to ~rite a retraction).

Dear former champions of truth, Leave Libby alone and go read 1984. Are all of

you Ministry of Truth wannabes? Docs history simply disappear after 62 years because some politicos and businessmen say that it has? Can you solve simple logic problems that arc not in drug­store puzzle books? Try this one:

a .. May 13, 1948 -- Palestinians live in Palestine, as they have for mi llennia;

b .. May 14, 1948 -- The UN, which did not buy or otherwise secure the voluntary surrender of the terri­tor) from the Palestinians, grants pa11 of it to form the new state of Israel. This is largely to appease the guilt of many UN member-nations which had stood by and watched the barbaric mass murder, torture and oppres­sion of Jews by the Nazis.

c .. May 15, 1948 -- 750,000 Palestinians are dis­placed/expelled from their dwellings and land. which are NEVER returned to them. They also become de­spised, second-class citizens in a country, whose gov­ernment and constitution grant full rights only to Jews --from anywhere in the world.

d .. We should refer to this as I. A pity 2. An occupation 3. An unmentionble 4. Whatever the Zionists say

a.. In order to remedy this situation we should I. Do nothing 2. Support a series of nice-sounding

plans for an Israeli-Palestinian settlement which will leave Palestinians destitute and powerless and si lent in Israel i-controlled bantustans

3. Build an international campaign of boycott, divestment, and sanctions to pressure Israel to

cease oppressing Palestinians and to reach a just set­tlement with them

4. Hope for the best 1 .. 5. Do whatever the U.S. says

Hoping you can get the right answers on the sec­ond try (hint: ask Libby).

Gene McGuckin

BEER MAKES ME SMARTER-

Usually after libations of one sort or another, some of us fool ishly fall into being garrulous and, fooled by the demon rum, we choose fisticuffs to vent our pent up rage.

I've found that murder is best carried out with a murder weapon. Just saying. "I'm gonna kill ya!'' by itsel f doesn't usually slay your foe.

In fact your opponent might avail him or herself of some kind of countcr-weaapon and proceed to cause you grievous harm.

Best maybe to keep your mouth shut in the first place. Maybe go home and figure out where the anger came from in the first place ... Smoke a joint.. smoke 2

Friend of mine said lately, '"Ain' t no Devil - that's just God when lie's drunk & pissed off." If there really was a devi l he'd choose the slivers of time when people are drunk to come out full force and reek havoc with all our lives.

When I think of all the shit ever happened to me in my screwed-up existence, must admit alcohol has been a factor in 97.5% of all the bullshit. The other 2.5% ofbullshit were acts of God. This is the socially acceptable drug consumed by

millions every day all over the world. Factor in guns,

greed, a culture where murder is entertainment from I Oam to I Opm on at least 60 channels on TV ... I just don't know anymore .. do you?

AI

During the 2010 Poverty Olympics Torch Relay, Torch­bearers across the province emphasized the devastating reality of poverty and homelessness in local communities.

' BC wins Gold for having the worst poverty rate in the country, the lowest minimum wage, and the highest child poverty rate for the sixth year in a row," said organizer Trish Gamer. "It is inexcusable that the government refus­es to take action.'

Preceding the 'official" Olympic torch relay by a few days,

the Poverty Olympics T arch Relay countered the corporate event with the message that people throughout the province are struggling with poverty.

643,000 British Columbians were living in poverty during the economic boom in 2007. Now there are undoubtedly many more people suffering due to the recession and the government's response, which has been to cut education, social services, health care, legal aid, arts funding, and more, while continuing to bleed funds for Olympic-related projects long Iter the close of the Games.

Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) Newsletter

Read more at: www .camegie-ccap.com July 1, 2010

CCAP takes petition to Library Board for social housing

By Wendy Pedersen As you may know, the city will build

a new library on Hastings just east of Heatley. CCAP volunteers Scott Gentes, Rene Belanger and Kaleb Zentner collected about 1500 signatures on a petition to build new social housing on top of the new library. Rene and I of CCAP and Tami Starlight of the DTES Neighbourhood Council (DNC) went downtown to present the petition to the Library Board on May 26th.

At the meeting, a library board member said the city is considering mixed housing on top of the new library. I told the board that building market housing is a mistake because projects like Woodward's (condos and social housing) cause bad ripple effects such as more land speculation, rent increases in hotels and displacement of low-income DTES residents. I passed around our poster called The ripple effects of Woodward's for emphasis. Rene talked about his experience in the Central Shelter and how important it

was for the library to have 100% social housing on top. On behalf of the DNC, Tami strongly encouraged the board to build deeply subsidized housing at the new library and she said that "Woodward's is not the way to go because condos, even if mixed with a few social housing units, still bring displacement and neighbourhood changes that do not include low-income DTES residents."

We learned that the library project will likely go to the development permit board in the fall. So watch out for notice of this meeting. We need to go there in force to speak out for 1 00% social housing.

Market at Pigeon Park part of "DTES Community Vision for Change"

"I got 4 board games and a globe for my kids." "I think

(because of this market) we'll see less crime in this neighbourhood, and people might look at us a little differently.''

"Low-income people need to be able to make some money."

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"I've made almost $20 so far. On a good day anywhere else, I'm lucky to earn $5."

" It's a lot easier to sell here. And it's legit."

These are some of the things said on opening day of the DTES Neighbourhood Council's (DNC's) new street market at Pigeon Park. This

market is open every Sunday from noon to 5 pm. Anyone can bring their household, found and made things to sell. The DNC is also helping DTES vendors to challenge tickets that vendors may have got for vending on the street in the past. When people are (Cont. on page 3)

(Cont. from page 2) in such desperate survival mode. their entrepreneurial efforts should not be criminalized.

Implementing a vision for the DTES that benefits and includes low-income residents means taking action to "develop an economy that serves and employs local residents." This action is one of 12 actions in CCAP's vision for change in the DTES that was crafted with input from 1200 residents over 2 years. Specifically residents called for "a legal flea market for residents to sell second hand goods and crafts.'· The market builds on some of our community's good things: our sense of community, acceptance and non-

3

judgmentalness, the high level of volunteerism to make things happen, it makes even more cheap necessities available nearby and of course, builds on our long tradition of working for social justice.

Thanks to the DNC Street Market Committee members for making the market happen: Tarni Starlight, Ping Chan. Rene Belanger, Scott Gentes, Lenore Herb, Sandra Pronteau, Richard Cunningham, Earl Crow, Pat Haram, Vanessa, Linda, Terri Williams and others. To help us develop the street market, visit the DNC table any Sunday in Pigeon Park! Thanks to Tami Starlight for the great photos. - wp

Groups converged at Conservative MP office for federal housing bill

Last month, CCAP organized a press conference at Conservative MP Andrew Saxton's office to pressure all Conservative MP's to vote for Bill C-304. This is the bill calling for a National Housing Strategy. Parliament in Ottawa may consider it in the fall. Our Member of Parliament, Libby Davies, has put it forward.

At Saxton's office, we set up red tents and beard great speeches by the

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DTES Power of Women, DTES Neighbourhood Council (DNC), BC Acorn, Citywide Housing Coalition, Coalition of Senior Citizens Organization of BC, Community Advocates for Little Mountain. Jewish Family Service Agency, North Shore Community Housing Action Committee, Saint James Social Justice Committee and Streams of Justice.

We need National Housing Bill C304

Recently, CCAP volunteer Dave Murray rode the train to Ottawa with Vancouver housing activists to set up red tents on the lawn of parliament in support ofMP Libby Davies' Private Members Bill for a national housing strategy. MP's will vote on this in Sept.

Canada is not spending enough money to build social housing and cut its home building program in 1993. According to Dignity for All, an Ottawa based campaign to eliminate poverty in Canada, this housing strategy would "guarantee the right to safe, secure, adequate, affordable and accessible housing for all Canadians. It would serve as landmark legislation by providing explicit recognition of the human right to housing, as encoded in international human rights law and ensure a pan-Canadian housing strategy rooted in this human rights framework."

According to Jean Swanson ofCCAP, at the current rate of funding for

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housing for homeless people, it would take the feds 126 years to end homelessness in Canada. This assumes that the 5 year Homelessness Partnering Initiative, begun in 2008, continues past its 5 year expiry date until all200,000 (a low estimate) homeless people in Canada have homes. But there is no guarantee that this funding will continue. Here is how Jean calculated this:

•!• Amount of money feds spend on homelessness: $1.9 billion over 5 years starting in 2008 (Source Diane Finlay speech to CMHC in Feb 2009: http: I /news. gc.ca/web1...!!1. clc· eng.do?nid- 434059)

•!• Source for number of homeless people in Canada (Wellesley Institute-150,000 to 300,000)

•!• Source for cost of building one unit of housing in Vancouver on city owned land: about $240,000: http:/ /www2.news.gov. bc.calnews _relea ses 2009-20 13/2009HSD0055-000467.htm

•:• $1.9 Billion divided by 5 years = $380 M per year.

•:• $380 M per year divided by $240,000 cost of building one unit= 1583 units per year could be built with federal money available. •:• 200,000 homeless people in Canada divided by 1583 units per year= it would take 126 years for the federal government to end homelessness in Canada at the current rate.

Thanks to AHA Media for photo of Dave.

Push for housing part of long history of DTES struggle

Last month, union groups held a rally at CRAB Park to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the fight against forced labour camps in the 1930's. Then striking labour camp workers rode the rails "On to Ottawa". At the rally, Am Johal made a great speech connecting the history of DTES union and community struggles to our current push for a national housing strategy. Here is part of his speech:

"We stand on the shoulders of social movements that came before us. If you look back at the history of Vancouver before it was even incorporated right at the shores of what is now CRAB Park was an Aboriginal village and that fight for land claims and redress goes on. ln 1907 people marched down Pender Street, broke the windows in Chinatown

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and for years they fought to get rid of the head tax and all the discriminatory legislation against the Chinese community. In 1935 about the same time as the On to Ottawa trek a few blocks east from here there was a 3 hour battle between long shore men and the police at the Ballentine Pier and that fight for justice and wages continues. During the 2"d world war, just a few blocks from liere, the Japanese community was interned, and that fight for justice and redress occurred for many, many decades. When government tried to push a freeway through the heart of the community, the community rose up and said no. In the 90's people were overdosing and pushing for harm reduction. The front pages of the newspapers used to say

junkies want a shooting gallery and this community rose up and said this is a health and human rights issue. So we say clearly today that if we can spend a billion dollars for Olympic security, if they can spend a billion for security for the G8 and the G20, we can spend a

billion dollars on social housing in Canada."

Thank you to April at AHA Media for filming Am's speech: http://aharnedia.ca/

Strathcona BIA opposes housing for women and children The Strathcona Business Improvement Association says it doesn't want a new building with 146 units of housing for

low-income women and children at the site of the Drake Hotel on Powell St. At a public hearing on June 22 Acting BIA Executive Director Joji Kumatai said

the BIA wanted •

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social housing but.. . . "146 units in a ten story building is not conducive to a healthy and sustainable community." Kumatai suggested that the city plan, instead, for a "creative mix of business and market housing like on Railway St."

Fortunately, City Council ignored the BIA's plea and agreed to the rezoning. Other speakers were more supportive of the low-income community. Genessa Wheaton of the Union Gospel Mission, and a Strathcona resident, said she moved to the community because "It cares for the who live in it.

Sarah Slack, another Strathcona resident, said, "all neighbourhoods need safe, stable housing." Jean Swanson of CCAP and Laura Stannard of the Citywide Housing Coalition also supported the rezoning.

I - JS

Come to the launch of

Assets to Action: Community Vision for

Change in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside

Tuesday, June 20th 10:00 a.m.

Carnegie Centre

Thanks to the 1200 DTES residents who participated in the Visioning.

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Van city Support for this project does not

necessarily imply Vancity's endorsement of the findings or contents of this report."

The Poverty Olympics is an annual event held in Vancouv· er's Downtown Eastside. It involves skits loosely based on Olymp1c events and features its own Poverty Anthem and official mascots· Itchy the Bedbug, Chewy the Rat and Creepy the Cockroach. The purpose is to advocate for poverty reduction in BC, an aim captured in the slogan "End Poverty. It's Not a Game.'

Poverty and homelessness are not inevitable. Many other Jurisdictions have been successful m reducing poverty. People across the province continue to call on our govern· ments to put the same energy and public spending into ending poverty and homelessness as they did into holding the Olympics.

An honest look at econom1c reality for the ever-growing numbers of BC residents experiencing poverty has been kept in the shadow. The spin of mass media and the purposely-narrow range of responses or (heaven forbid) d1rect answers by politicians keep things like building a roof for BC Place making more sense than paying for education and properly funding schools. Ask almost any­one what's more important and the answers will be remar­kably similar. beller health care, beller education, better social programs, better wages and higher minimum wage, better housing, etc. But somehow this gets laughed at while a convention centre, stadium roof, privatization of hydro, rail, telecommunications, rivers, forests, land and communities come out on top.

The cartoon is right on target: politicians in the guise (however slight) of clowns are doing a non-stop thing of ' Blame the Olympics for the lack of money for years to come!' and 'Trust us to douse this decades-long flame of poverty (sic) by putting everything up for sale.'

Amalgamation by PauiR Taylor

I UBC LAW STUDENTS l ... ~~ LEGAL ADVICE CLINIS

St ertl n g M ondey, M ey 2 4 Ends Thu..-sday. Aug u st 19

Drop - In Mondeys & Thursdays 9 - S p m

T u esd eys 1 - 9 pm

3rd Floor- Art Gallery

Documentaries for July Carnegie Theatre 6:PM

Please note documcmaries are not usually shown on the first Saturday of the Month, as this is Poetry Night as a rule. llowever this July is the exception. Poetry night will be on Sat. July lOth.

Ju ly 3 Global Warming- a hard look at this subject turns up a lot of questions with surprising answers. A a ron Russo's A me rica freedom to fascism . Viewers have heard him speak. now you can see his documen­tar). Core of Corruption watch this and you will rec­ognize it when it comes again.

July 10 NO DOCUMENTARY NI GHT TillS IS POETRY NI GHT TillS MONTH ONLY

July 17 Fall of the Republic one of A lex Jones latest documentaries. Nanothermite Produced onl) b) the US milital'). this stuff brought down the twin towers on 9/1 1/200 I. Come find out why this stuff is so spe­cial and how it works.

July 24 Invisible Empire I lave any idea who runs our go\'ernment? Come find out who is. Mailers little v.ho you vote for; once in the) follow other orders .. Re-Thiuk Afghan Are we there for the good of the Afghan people or to ensure the CIA keeps its opium coming out of the country and onto our streets? Enjoy a reality check. attend the documentaries.

International State of Emergency

April20, 20 I 0- offshore oil well disaster: ... something gone wrong Now a five-foot-wide hole ... at the bottom of the ocean One-hundred-forty-four gallons leaking ... per second Let the truth be told! .. more than 400 species of animals at risk; .. the worst ecological attack by the wasichus• in the history of the earth! But the Big media will only play this one do"n­.. as it has for decades downplaying for all ... the gradual destruction of our planet.

K'May L

Real bravery is deal ing with your disability day in and day out be it a wheelchair or a syringe that keeps you chained to the floor that keeps you behind locked doors always getting just enough but always craving more

I'm not a brave man; my scars will heal and maybe d isappear not like those behind bars with their bucketloads of tears

Some things happen you can' t undo

some mistakes not possible to erase 11!~ some mistakes wi ll forever haunt you Jj stare you right in the face

llere's my prayer for my daughters, fo r my sons: May all your mistakes be the kind that can be undone

Jesse Lowkey

r '

(?.) Address to City Council re: Family Housing Rezoning

In my wildest dreams I never imagined winding up here on disability. I don't imagine anyone does plan on getting s ick, but trying to get oneself well whilst living "'ell below the poverty line is a nightmare.

Perhaps some of you politi cians would like to trade shoes & just try living on $1200 per month or. better yet, under $900 a month that most on disability do. And what's the welfare rate- $600?! It is appalling. That a rich country like Canada doesn't look after its citizens ... that a swanky city like Vancouver lets its people live in 3'd World conditions, sleeping in door­ways ... Monkeys might be able to live on peanuts but we can't.

People on disability often have several illnesses go­ing on. Many of us have allergies, particularly food al lergies. As a result we need al lergen free foods; sub­stitutes for sugar,"' heat, dairy. gluten etc. We need whole, nutritional (organic) non-irradiated foods. And it seems the cost is double. So now we have a two-tiered food system: healthy

foods for the haves & junk for the have-nots (pesticide & toxins). And those of us who are sick tend to have a toxic overload.

I could easily use $3000 to $4000 in pharmaceuticals & doctor visits per month, but I choose to seek my treatment elsewhere (naturopaths, acupuncturists, herbalists, massage therapists, reiki treatments) but guess what- they won't cover it. Well let's give me the 3-4 thousand instead of the Drug Lords (that'd be Big Pharma) & the doctors. And let me get treatment that actually helps, because some drugs make sick people sicker.

People on disability need a livable income. We need affordable & respectable housing. Perhaps people who are sick need more income than those who are not, so they don't consume toxins. I am sure that no one can heal without decem housing, decent incomes. decem food and good, holistic care. The stress of poverty is not conducive to healing.

Four times in the last s ix months, while buying a pal-

try $20 bag of groceries, I've been totally embarrassed when my debit card was denied. Once a neighbour was in the store & loaned me $20. Once or twice I used a credit card & one time I had to leave my gro­ceries behind. Nothing like filling up a basket & leav­ing it at the counter. This is spec ial. Did you know we get a $30 Christ­

mas bonus? The dilemma is just what to do with the surplus: should I buy ten $3 gifts; does that include postage & handling; should I buy a turkey or cards; oh, yeah, I need socks and shoes.

In my 20's I lived in Europe and in my 30's in Los Angeles .. During my visits home I kept seeing such destruction, the skyline being obliterated. I watched as the city was basically raped & bulldozed by develop­ers & City leaders, destroying all the beautiful heri­tage buildings and creating a forest of condos. lt sad­dened me back then & it saddens me now. 1t saddens me that perhaps 75% of the condos in Yaletown & Coalllarbour si t vacant, owned by non-residents ... other people are living in tents. 1 don't know where I'd be if not for the Co-op I live in.

Incidentally, this year my rent went up while my income went down, thanks to Rich Coleman' s cut­backs to the poor.

Yes, I absolutely support the Resolution fo r a Pov­erty Reduction Plan.

[By) Nadine Anderson

~ Som, tldug 10 TMuk Abou' -~.,. So if you died suddenly tomorrow Would you have lived life in much sorrow? For others might you have tried to show That we could really help each other grow And likewise then alleviate some of the pain Perhaps make the world a litt le more sane. Ev ' ry g iven chance did you use your brain so that you'd not have lost most of what you gain? I low can you ever even know your last hour: Do you think often of those of higher power? And with all you hurt was there remorse I amend 'Cause it seems true you've really never seen the end?

K May L

Promises in the Promised Land

Diggin· up father's grave to build a sewer Diggin' it up regard less of the cost We don no what they're sayin' Just a Game they're playin· But just the same we watch in' on the sideline

At the church, McDonald's and llorton·s. Vital Stats City Hall- small - get worm farm Decompose -egg shells - tea leaves -cocoa bean shell s - human hair Take a numero, Uno

Chattin, tete a tete Dans Ia cafe Dans Ia rue, dans le let Tous les places

llollerin' - Keep Up, heads down, Morphine finest kine Take no prisoners Pull up the Poppies, holy flames agai nst the dust Water blessed in the dipper Drops spark ling in the sunlight Damp where the moss grows under the trees where fish stare minnows flit

Good morning VictKanata Turn up dat Rock 'n Roll Dance on Pilgrim

Wilhelmina

Carnegie Community Centre Association Board and Committee Meetings

Volunteer Committee Wednesday, July 7'n 1 p.m., Classroom

Oppenheimer Park Committee

Board of Directors:

Education/Library Committee

Seniors Committee

Thursday, July 8'" 3:30p.m., 2 11 Dunlevy St.

Thursday, July 8, 5:30pm Theatre

Wednesday, July 14'" 3 p.m., Seminar Room

Thursday, July 1511

2 p.m., Theatre

Up Through Carnegie's Door

As 1 was walking down I Iastings I notice a lot of people at the com er of I Iastings and Main. I stood on the sidewalk near the bank, looking at these people standing outside this big building. I got scared.

As I was standing there I saw them getting in and out of this big building. I cross the street.. went through the b ig open door.

Since then I am the happiest person in the world.

Ruth Matemotja

your drug problem

your drug problem destroy others' lives

after a decade of paralyzing depression of psychiatrists and botched suicides ofZoloft and Paxil

Prozac and meditation of working out

and prayer and fasting in the woods l finally find relief cocaine but you have a problem with that

your drug problem pushes me underground makes me dirty makes all my money go to

greedy gangsters and warmongers

instead of into health care it goes to the vile corrupt and

sleazy you prohibit therapeutic use leave me fumbling in abuse

Utopia

entwined in a counterspinning culture of

robbery overdose beatings prostitutes rip-offs

illness desperation decrepitude while the drugs call out to children 'cause you've made them such a big fucking deal

cops 'nd guns 'nd rebellious renegades

your prison industrial complex your couns and lawyers and detox beds your drug problem destroys others' lives

my doctor sympathizes but there's nothing he can do he's under the thumb of you you and your drug problem

JIANG CHANG

As Sir Thomas More said in his book, Utopia, printed in the year I 519, "If you don't want thieves and beggars, stop making laws that create thieves and beg­gars."

(1/5/oo)

Agoraphobia I (Stup id Man) Gar!)' Gust

But he's a stupid man. refusing to use his brain. He keeps repeating the same mistakes over and over again. What will they do with him. the) just don't know. I lc only listens to the voice that tells him it's time to go.

Once he was a child. Once his mind was free. Then he was immunized- poisoned chemically. Where did that boy go, who now is a man With no identity that he can comprehend.

Fogged in by depression, and anxiety. He doesn't want to go out. there's too many strangers. So many dangers, too many things can go wrong.

("And if I go. I'll only sit and argue with my superego:")

"But he's a stupid man. refusing to use his brain. I le keeps repeating the same mistakes over and over again. What will they do with him, they just don't know. l ie only listens to the voice that tells him it's time to go."

Agoraphobia ll (Outside My Window) Garry Gust

Out side my window there's people everywhere; Fam' lies out walking, chi ldren without a care.

What makes them laugh and smile, And seem in harmony; Is there another world I can only see?

Like the end of a rainbow. it beckons me, But I never go. No, I never go.

Outside my window is where I want to be, Where all the strangers would keep me company. If I walked among the now like a ghost undreamed, Could I break these endless chains, Could I be redeemed?

But, like the end of a rainbow life calls to me. But I never go. No, I never go.

O utside my window: an ever changi ng photograph. The clowns of midnight rush around and make me laugh.

And if I fa ll asleep with the TV on, What strange dreams I'll see Till the clown are gone,

Like the end of a rainbow that disappears When the rain is gone. It' s just another dawn Of another day outside my window.

THIS NEWSLETIER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION

Articles represent the views of individual contributors and not of the Association.

WANTED Artwork for the Carnegie newsletter

Small iHustrations to accompany artides and poetry. Cover art- Max size: 17cm(6 Y.")wide x 15cm(6')high. Subfed matter pertaining to issues relevant to the Downtown Eastside. but all work considered. Black & White printing only. Size restrictions apply (i.e. if your piece is too large, it will be reduced and/or cropped to fil). All artists will receive credit lor their work. Originals will be returned to the artist after being copied for publication. Remuneration: Carnegie Volunteer TICkets

Please make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor.

GET CLEAN! Shower up at the LDrd's Rain

327 Carra II Street Uust off Pigeon Park) HOT SHOWERS

(towels, soap, shampoo, the works! & coffee) Monday llam-3pm; Tuesday 7-8:3Dam;

Tuesday l-4pm and LADIES Only! Friday llam-3pm; Saturday 7-lOam

lei on parle Francais Hablamos Espanol

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citi zens can change the world. lndeed it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret MeadE

102.1 FM Co-on Radio Next issue is Thursday, July 15th

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

MONDAY, JULY 12TH

We acknowledge that Carnegie Community Centre, and thi~ Newsletter, are occurring on Coas! ~alish Territory.

Editor: PaulR Taylor; Cover art by Jimmy Dewar Collation & distribution crew: Bill, Liu Lin, Harold, Ada. Videha, Mary Ann, Miriam, Kelly, Lisa, Robyn. Nick.

2010 DONATIONS: Libby D.-$50, Rolf A.-$50, Margaret 0 .-$4. Jenny K.-$25, Sue K.-$30, Michael C.-$50. Jay a B.-$1 00, Christopher R.-$180. Barbara & Mel L -$50, Leslie S.-$50, Sheila B.-$25, Wilhelmina M.-$10, CEEDS -$60, Laurie R.-$6C Vancouver Moving Theatre -$100, Sarah E.-$46 The Edge -$200

Carnegie Services for Members include: Basketball; Tai Chi; Yoga; Shiatsu; Dance; Run Club; Soccer; Nature Hikes; Floor Hockey and more. See Monthly Program Guides

Membership is $1. Open to alii!

camnews@shaw.ca www.camnews.org http://harvesters.sfu.ca!chodarr [Index]

Jenny Wai Ching Kwan MLA. Working for You

1070- 1641 Commercial Dr, VSL 3Y3 Phone: 604-773-0790 ·

.ru"

• · j have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, dignity, equality and justice for their spirits. I believe that what self-centred men have tom down, other-centred men can build up.'

Solder & Sons Used books - C.ofic.:-4 Tea

Curioas audio =rdinp & cquiponc

· 147 Main Stnxt - ) IS-7J'lR Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Congratulations Headlines Theatre and DTES's own Sandra Pronteau

Congratulations to Headlines Theatre and the Company of after homelessness ... on receiving the 20 I 0 Jessie Richardson Awards for "Outstanding Production" (smal l theatre) and "Significant Artistic Achievement (small theatre) Outstanding Innovation in Theatre as a Contribution to Community" for their play after homelessness ... ! Proudly holding the Contribution to Community award over her head is the Downtown Eastside's own Sandra Pronteau, DTES resident, activist, Carnegie Board member and cast member of Headline's Jessie A ward winning production . Congratu lations Sandra! We are so proud of you and the whole team!!!

Terry Hunter, Vancouver Moving Theatre Photo: Stuart Davis, PNG

DNC Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Council

JULY GENERAL MEETING Saturday, July 3nl, 2 -4pm

Carnegie Community Centre, 401 Main Street