April 1, 1992, carnegie newsletter by Carnegie Newsletter

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401 Main S t . , Vancouver, B.

Tuned out and turned off? " P r o s t i t u t i o n i s wrong" " I f women choose t o p r o s t i t u t e t h e y cquso 4 deserye what they g e t v " P r o s t i t t f t i o n offends moral decencyff I f one of t h e above s a y s it a l l , you were r i g h t i n n o t coming t o t h e Town Hall Meeting h e l d i n Carnegie Mar. 22. You'd have been upset a t t h e acceptance o f t h e s o c i a l background of much of t h e s e x t r a d e ; yousd have been a p p a l l e d a t hearing t h e ways & means most p o l i t i c i a n s P r a c t i c e being s t u p i d , covering t h e i r a s s t o keep t h e i r job; you'd have been o u t raged a t h e a r i n g p r o s t i t u t e s l a b e l l e d "veople " J a n c i s Andrews, from t h e Longhouse Counc i l of Native M i n i s t r i e s spoke with Bharb Gudmundsen, chairperson of t h e Community R e l a t i o n s Committee, about having a p u b l i c meeting t o focus on v i o l e n c e a g a i n s t women working t h e s t r e e t s . Bharb brought i t t o t h e n e x t committee meeting & Barry Morris, a m i n i s t e r a t t h e Longhouse, helped with s e t t i n g up a panel of people f o r it. C o u n c i l l o r Libby Davies' was a n a t u r a l t o i n v i t e ; h e r committment & d r i v e on scores of s o c i a l i s s u e s have won p r a i s e E support f o r y e a r s . D r . John Lowman, a p r o f e s s o r of criminology a t SFU, h a s done e x t e n s i v e r e s e a r c h a l l over on t h e laws, what t h e y had done & not done, t h e kind of t h i n k i n g t h e y r e p r e s e n t & o t h e r s t u f f . He's kept t r a c k of media 4 s t a t i s t i c s i n t h e Lower Mainland f o r over a decade, g i v i n g f a c t s i n t h e f a c e of hype f o r

v o t e s o r money. Ina Roelants was asked come f o r h e r f r o n t - l i n e e x p e r t i s e - s h e ' s on t h e s t a f f a t WISH (Women's Information & S a f e House) & works d a i l y with hookers. Before t h e a c t u a l meeting t h e r e was a growing amount of p r o t e s t . One b a s i c problem was t h e i n c l u s i o n of a working woman on t h i s panel. Ina had o r i g i n a l l y asked a p r o s t i t u t e she knows t o come b u t t h i s person got i n t i m i d a t e d by t h r e a t s from a s e l f -appointed "Spokesperson" f o r a l l p r o s t i t u t e s everywhere who was r i g h t e o u s l y p i s s e d o f f t h a t no one had come and pleaded with h e r t o grace Carnegie with h e r r o y a l presence. Another person t h r e a t e n e d t o s i t a c r o s s t h e s t r e e t & p u t a hex on Carnegie i f t h e m ~ e irn g wenr ahead; -the :zpokeqperson : s a i d s h e ' d be o u t s i d e t o p i c k e t t h e meeting & s t o p anyone from a t t e n d i n g . Bharb G , c h a i r e d t h e meeting, i n t r o d u c i n g each person & l e t t i n g them t a l k f o r about 10 minutes b e f o r e opening it up f o r q u e s t i o n s & comments. Libby spoke of t h e f a i l u r e of t h e l a s t law, passed i n 1987, because o f l e g i s l a t o r s blindly ignoring t h e s o c i a l aspects of sex. Poverty, crime, drugs, l a c k of s e r v i c e s f o r b a t t e r e d women & s e x u a l l y abused c h i l d r e n , t h e continuous t r e a t m e n t of hookers a s c r i m i n a l s a r e consciously disconnected from t h e r e a l i t y i n t h e p a s t 4 o r 5 y e a r s of over 35 women murdered. John t i e d cyncism t o f a c t s a f t e r saying p r o s t i t u t i o n i s not a c r i m i n a l m a t t e r . Since t h e law a g a i n s t s o l i c i t i n g was passed, he s t a t e d t h a t over 2800 a r r e s t s had been made on i t s b a s i s . A t t h e same time a law p r o h i b i t i n g buying o r s e l l i n g sex with a youth (under 167) r e s u l t e d i n 4 a r r e s t s . In a l l major p a p e r s t h e f i r s t law was mentioned 137 times i n t h e l a s t 5 years; t h e second law about screwing k i d s was mentioned twice. Ina, a s a neighbour 6 f r i e n d t o working women, t o l d of how hard t h i s work i s , t h e danger involved; she spoke of t h e l i v e s of working women o u t s i d e t h e s e l f - r i g h t e o u s *Ireports9'we a l l g e t i n t h e news. She t o l d of what t h e s e women go through, of t h e " c i r c l e - j erks" who d r i v e around & around shouting o b s c e n i t i e s & throwing t h i n ~ s ' ' m a t ' s t h i s law t h a t ' s a joke?"

...

l e g a l , b u t l e g a l l y impossibLe t o p r a c t i c e A l l i t ' s done i s f o r c e more e l u s i v e behaviour from hookers & t h e i r pimps. A t t h e same time i t ts allowed a few people t o 1.1 Inake m i l l i o n s o f d o l l a r s running t e c h n i c in l l y l e g i t i m a t e "escort s e r v i c e s " . If a Moman d o e s n ' t work f o r one of t h e s e l e g a l pimps s h e ' s i n f a r g r e a d e r dangbr. Libby responded t o a c a l l f o r s a n c t i o n e ~ r o t h e l sa s l e g i t i m i z i n g t h e e x p l o i t a t i o n > f women; t h a t such a move would entrench domen a s goods t o be bought E s o l d . As a i p o l i t i c i a n h e r s e l f , Libby s a i d t h e p r e s s - ' I r e has t o come from t h i s .community f o r funding & a broader s o c i a l network - t h e extensive services f o r victims of the sex trade & t h e r e a l - l i f e d i f f i c u l t i e s experi-

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Ina spoke about t h e d i f f i c u l t i e s p r o s t i t u t e s have o r g a n i s i n g themselves a s a l o b by o r s o c i a l f o r c e t o g e t even t h e most d e s p e r a t e l y needed s e r v i c e s ; o f t h e f e a r of working women who g e t p u b l i c l y i d e n t i f i e d a s p r o s t i t u t e s - f o r themselves, t h e i r kids & t h e i r f u t u r e - due t o s o c i a l stigma Near t h e end of t h e meeting a young woman i d e n t i f i e d h e r s e l f a s a p r o s t i t u t e b u t went on t o condemn everyone f o r not know- I ing what it was l i k e . She'd somehow g o t t e n t h e i d e a t h a t people t h e r e were saying she E h e r f r i e n d s had no r i g h t t o do i t . Bharb spoke d i r e c t l y t o h e r , saying t h e whole i n t e n t o f t h e meeting & what people were saying was t h a t t h e treatment o f p r o s t i t u t e s a s c r i m i n a l s was w r o n g . . t r y i t o f i n d an a l t e r n a t i v e r a t h e r t h a n conde and l e a v e no a l t e r n a t i v e . True t o Carnegie, some blank s t a r t e d i with b i b l i c a l moralizing. I t r e a l l y h e l p a l l of u s s e e what t h e p r e s e n t laws a r e based on - t h e narrow-minded, s e l f - c e n t r p a t r i a r c h a l v i c i o u s n e s s t h a t condemns women. I t sounded l i k e he was saying a woman should marry any man who had t h e decency t o ask h e r . . w h i l e moaning about not being a b l e t o make it with any woman u n l e s s she was a ' p r o s t i t u t e . Diane MacKenzie brought it t o g e t h e r with thanks t o a l l . . &e s p e c i a l l y t o J a n c i s ~ n d rews f o r having t h e g u t s & determination t o g e t u s t o g e t h e r f o r t h e f u t u r e of women working i n t h e second o l d e s t p r o f e s s i o n . By PAULR

TAYLOR

DANIEL (In s p i r e d by Polly)

Open Letter

Once I ' m t h r o u g h w i t h you y o u w o n ' t know y o u r p r o b o s c i s I

from y o u r o r i f i c e

Dear M s . Gundundson: j

Thank you f o r y o u r l e t t e r of J a n u a r y 2 9 , 1992, on b e h a l f of t h e Carnegie Community C e n t r e A s s o c i a t i o n , r e g a r d i n g .the a c c e b i l i t y of c r i s i s g r a n t s . I v e r y much a p p r e c i a t e your concern abo u t t h e a v a i l a b i l i t y of food f o r p e o p l e on s o c i a l a s s i s t a n c e , t h e handicapped, e l d e r - l y and t h o s e w i t h unemployable s t a t u s due t o p h y s i c a l and m e n t a l d i s a b i l i t i e s , and .. your r e q u e s t t h a t o u r government make food vouchers more r e a d i l y a b a i l a b l e i n t i m e s of c r i s e s . F i r s t of a l l , l e t me s a y t h a n k I you f o r t h e i n v a l u a b l e s e r v i c e s your s r g - a n i z a t i o n p r o v i d e s t o t h e p e o p l e of my constituency. Your r e c o g n i t i o n and t h a n k s f o r o u r . e r n m e n t ' s i n s t i t u t i o n of a s c h o o l l u n c h f program f o r t h e s c h o o l c h i l d r e n of t h i s p r o v i n c e a r e much a p p r e c i a t e d . A s I h a v e s a i d on p a s t o c c a s i o n s , o u r government: ,I c a n ' t s o l v e a l l of o u r problems o v e r n i g h t , and we c a n ' t promise m i r a c l e s . But we r e a l i z e we can do b e t t e r i n B r i t i s h Columbia, and i n t h e months and y e a r s a h e a d , we w i l l . A s you know, we have some v e r y h a r d c h o i c e s t o make i n p r e p a r i n g t h e upcoming budget. The f i n a n c i a l s i t u a t i o n i s much worse t h a n we were i e d i o b e l i e v e . B u t let me a s s u r e you we w i l l n o t b a l a n c e t h e books on t h e backs of t h e p e o p l e who can l e a s t a f f o r d i t . We a r e making e v e r y e f f o r t t o m a i n t a i n and improve s e r v i c e s i n h e a l t h c a r e , s o c i a l s e r v i c e s & education. I have forwarded your correspondence t o t h e Honourable Joan Smallwood, M i n i s t e r of S o c i a l S e r v i c e s , and asked h e r t o respond d i r e c t l y t o your r e q u e s t . I am s u r e t h e m i n i s t e r w i l l b e i n t o u c h w i t h you i n t h e near future. Again, t h a n k you f o r w r i t i n g . Keep up t h e good work and keep t h e f a i t h . My b e s t wishes f o r b r i g h t e r days ahead.

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blow t h e m s e l v e s up."

Mike Harcourt Premier

A c c o r d i r ~ g io a r"rier16n f m i n e , some ohs c u r e s o c i a l p h i l o s o p h e r once s u g g e s t e d t h a t government s h o u l d own & r e n t o u t a l l t h e land within i x 3 borders - i n e f f e c t , becoming e v e r y o n e s s l a n d l o r d . The r e n t money c o l l e c t e d by t h e government would t h e n b e used a s t a x revenue was o r i g i n a l l y d e s i g n e d t o b e used - i e t o bene f i t a l l members o f t h e community i n which i t was c o l l e c t e d . Such a system would do away w i t h income t a x , s a l e s t a x G numerous o t h e r hidden c o s t s t h a t make l i f e s o e x p e n s i v e . It would a l s o wipe o u t r e a l i s t a t e s p e c u l a - I tion & a l l the negative e f f e c t s t h a t im- , p o s e s on u s , A b e n e v o l e n t government, u s i n g t h i s method, could fund a l l n e c e s s a r y s e r v i c e s -

& a t t h e same time c o n t r o l t h e use & development of land. An e l e c t e d , r e p r e s e n t a t i v e landlord-government could be h e l d ' r e s p o n s i b l e by rent-paying c i t i z e n s f o r t h e maintainence o f a s a f e , l i v a b l e environment, & t h e s i m p l i c i t y 6 d i r e c t r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of such a system would f r e e i t s c i t i z e n r y from t h e complicated, overcompetitive c r i m i n a l economics of rampant c a p i t a l i s m , which E i n s t e i n once r e f e r r e d t o a s "economic anarchy." I f government c o l l e c t e d r e n t s , it could a d j u s t t h o s e r e n t s t o v a r i o u s l e v e l s according t o t h e u s e f u l n e s s of t h e a c t i v i t y f o r which space was being r e n t e d . Thus, non-prof it community-useful p r o j e c t s could be accomodated r e n t f r e e . Rents charged f o r p e r s o n a l p r o f i t ven~ u r e scouid be h i g h e r t h a n t h o s e f o r s i m p l e l i v i n g space, e t c . Maybe " r e a l e s t a t e " h a s usurped t h e r o l e of government, & we should g e t back t o a simple landbase c o n t r o l philosophy t h a t would make gov% more d i r e c t & r e s p o n s i b l e . TORA

C h e r r y Blossom The c h e r r y blossom f l o a t i n g down C o v e r s my s h o u l d e r s i n e a r l y S p r i n g The w a r m s u n and c o o l wind p l a y s games w i t h my body a s h r i v e l l e d man s i t s n e a r t h e t r e e h a t i n f r o n t l o o k i n g f o r someone t o t h r o w some change. S k i n and e y e s a m u s t a r d y e l l o w C l u t c h i n g h i s arms a c r o s s h i s m i d d l e he i s obviously s i c k I s a y w i t h c o n c e r n do you know your e y e s a r e yellow? He c o u l d t e l l me t o p i s s o f f He r e p l i e s "I know. I want a d o c t o r Thanks f o r c a r i n g . Can you s p a r e some change?" S h e i l a Baxter

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I f you l i s t e n t o economists long enough you s e e t h a t we a l l q u a l i f y a s e x p e r t s on t h i s economy. The poor p a r t i c u l a r l y , because we have had hands-off. experience i n how t h i s system works. t i n g i n l e c t u r e h a l l s =ver i n ithc westend o r up i n Burnaby, studying supply-sides & down-turns. We have been studying t h e s c i e n c e of economics down h e r e where t h e economic engine r e a l l y t u r n s . . r i g h t i n c l o s e where t h e g e a r s g r i n d . We h a v e n ' t been v e r y involved i n i t , most of u s , b u t it makes f o r keener study when you a r e pushed t o one s i d e where you have nothing much e l s e t o do b u t observe. We've had b e t t e r p r o f e s s o r s too. Landl o r d s , bosses, w e l f a r e workers, judges, p o l i c e . These i n s t r u c t o r s d i d n ' t waste time on economic theory; t h e y were t h e v e r y g e a r s o f t h e t h i n g . You have t o be an a t t e n t i v e s t u d e n t when your t e a c h e r has t h e a u t h o r i t y t o t a k e away your food/shelter/freedom. And we spend a l o t more than t h e h a l f dozen o r s o y e a r s it t a k e s t h e e x p e r t s t o l e a r n t h e economics t r a d e . There a r e s i s t e r s 6 b r o t h e r s around h e r e who have s p e n t 50 o r 60 y e a r s i n t h i s i n s - , t i t u t ion o f h i g h e r l e a r n i n g . P e t e r Gzoski c r Barbara o r some o t h e r p a t r i o t i c CBC eva n g e l i s t was t a l k i n g w i t h a p a n e l of expe r t s about t h e l a t e s t economic slump a while ago. ( I l i k e it t h a t t h e s e d i i c u s s i o n s always s t a r t from t h e assumption t h a t t h e b a s i c s t r u c t u r e o f t h i s country i s sound G s a t i s f y i n g f o r a l l of u s , s o now what do we t h i n k about t h i s u n f o r t u n a t e , minor annoyance where some of t h o s e people c a n ' t f i n d a way t o be more competitive i n these leaner times.) One o f t h e e x p e r t s mentioned t h e good times, "back i n t h e mid- ' 7 0 ' s E i n t h e

l a t e t 8 0 t s . 1 tI'm not t h e quickest bear around but my 40 watt bulb blinked on a t that.'IWhaat? I was t h e r e both times 6 I dontD remember f l i p p i n g much r e a l e s t a t e . I d i d n ' t even n o t i c e any good times. I ' v e been worrying about t r y i n g t o make t h e r e n t every month f o r 20 years. Whaddya t a l k i n t good times? For who?t1 When t h e e x p e r t s a r e cornered about a wrong previous p r e d i c t i o n , they can say t h a t t h e i r p r e d i c t i o n was c o r r e c t but who could have f o r e t o l d what Saddam Hussein , would do t o i n t e r e s t r a t e s . The experts down here have a p e r f e c t r e cord p r e d i c t i n g t h e economy. I t goes l i k e t h i s : "When t h i s t h i r t y bucks runs o u t , t h e r e i s going t o be a fucking down-turn." The word f o r a l l of t h i s i s marginalizat i o n . No matter what happens i n t h i s capit a l i s t , poker-game economy, one t h i r d o r more of t h e people - u s u a l l y women, c h i l d ren & o t h e r s viewed a s handicapped m i t i e s - w i l l have t o be pushed t o t h e i n s t o allow t h e wealthy t h e l e v e l s o p r o f i t t o which they a r e accustomed. The economy r o l l s west on Hastings shiny Hondas every morning a t e i g h t . We stand on t h e sidewalk margins a s i f w pect it w i l l t o s s jobs E good advice out t h e window a s it goes p a s t . It won't happen. We c a n ' t wait f o r t h e i r economy t o look out f o r our i n t e r e s t s . I t has a bad record t h a t way. Butch Burwash

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They a r e t h e p e o p l e who p i c k b u t t s , The s t r e e t s a r e c l e a n from t h e b u t t p i c k e r s , The t a b a c c o s e r v e s as g o l d f o r them, The h a l f moon shown, t a k i n g e x e r c i s e & b u t t s , The p a s s e r s b y s n i c k e r , making snyde remarks, But t h e b u t t p i c k e r s a r e l a u g h i n g t o o , W e have g o l d i n o u r pouch and t h e s t r e e t supplies our habit. But w h i l e t h e w e l l - t o - d o a r e doing t h e i r t h i n g SO a r e we. Morning r o l l s i n & t h e b u t t p i c k e r s a r e satisfied, The s t r e e t s a r e c l e a n ; g o l d t h e y smoke i s gone.

Black Red Yellow and White S i s t e r s and B r o t h e r s s t a r t d o i n g what ' s r i g h t Give r e s p e c t t o Our Mother because s h e g i v e s u s l i f e Black Red Yellow and White each one o f s e l f worth must s t a n d and u n i t e Help s a v e o u r P l a n e t E a r t h Before Dawn becomes n i g h t

Barry Saunders

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f o r a l l Downtown E a s t s i d e W r i t e r s Sharpen y o u r p e n c i l s and g e t o u t y o u r yellowed m a n u s c r i p t s . . C a r n e g i e Reading Room E Carnegie Learning Cent r e a r e j a i n t l y spcnsoring a Spring s e r i e s f o r all writers E poets. A s p a r t of Vancouver P u b l i c L i b r a r y 'City Poets1 s e r i e s , Carnegie w i l l host Carolan, t r a n s l a t o r , p o e t and s p e c i a l i s t i n Asian P a c i f i c a f f a i r s . This w i l l take place i n t h e Learning C e n t r e : Wed.Apr. 1 5 t h 7-8pm. Lee Maracle, well-known BC ~ a t i v e w r i t e r , w i l l r e a d from E d i s c u s s h e r work i n t h e Learning C e n t r e on Wed., Apr. 2 9 t h 7-8pm. On Wed., May 2 0 t h , C a r n e g i e w i l l have i t s v e r y own W r i t e r - i n - R e s i d e n c e J . E . S o r r e l 1 , who i s a l r e a d y f a m i l i a r t o many o f you from t h e L i t e r a c y Celeb r a t i o n l a s t September. He w i l l - b e a v a i l a b l e t o d i s c u s s manuscripts, e i t h e r p o e t r y o r p r o s e , on a p r e - a r r a n g ed, appointment b a s i s . J. E. h a s publ i s h e d s e v e r a l books o f p o e t r y G t h e most r e c e n t r e c e i v e d r a v e r e v i e w s .

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Trevor Carolan (Poet) Apr.15 (Wed) 7-8pm ( 3 r d f . ) Lee Maracle ( F i c t i o n , B i o g r a p h i e s ) Apr.29 7-8pm J . E . Sorrel1 W r i t e r - i n - R e s i d e n c e May 20 12-9pm. For f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n r e g a r d i n g t h i s schedule E f o r appointments with J.E.Sorrel1, p l e a s e c a l l Eleanor i n t h e Carnegie Reading Room a t 665-3015.

The only way t o combat corporate p i r a t 1ike.Ji.m P a t t i s o n i s t o h u r t them i n t h e w a l l e t . For s t a r t e r s one should boycott Save-on-Foods E Overwaitea, two of P a t t i on1s many companies. I would l i k e t o know where t h e f a t u n i executives were when J i m P a t t i s o n s t a t e d he was going t o move some of h i s companie t o t h e USA. Once a union man g e t s f i v e chins he g e t s promoted t o an executive p o s i t i o n . Once a year t h e y heave t h e i r f a bodies out of t h e i r c h a i r E go through t h motions f o r a new c o n t r a c t . These people have tunnel v i s i o n f o r they only promote t h e i r own unions; t h e y should be o u t a l l year long speaking up f o r t h e unemployed and a11 wnrkers whether t h e y a r e members o r n o t , f o r what t h e P a t t i s o n s of t h e corporate world do a f f e c t s everybody. Union people, workers, t h e unemployed & people on welfare should be u n i t e d a g a i n s t t h e corporate p i r a t e s l i k e P a t t i s o n . The corporate welfare bums g e t s u b s i d i e s and government g r a n t s ; once t h e y have t o pay t h e i r own way they use t h e f e a r t a c t i t h a t t h e y w i l l move t h e i r jobs t o f o r e i g n countries. Mexico i s known t o use t o r t u r e & exploi c h i l d labour. .of course P a t t i s o n and h i s type of corporate welfare bum w i l l move anywhere they can h i r e cheap help. They have no morals, no compassion f o r t h e l e s s f o r t u n a t e . . t h e t h i c k n e s s of t h d i r w a l l e t s i s a l l t h a t counts. People l i k e P a t t i s o n can go t o church on Sunday, and on Monday morning he can move one of h i s l o c a l compa n i e s south & l a y o f f l o y a l employees here i n Canada.. Corporate Pigs Are moving t h e i r d i g s Mexico o r U.S.A. Where t h e r e i s ~ l e s st o pay.

The eventual goal: Canada w i l l be a Third World country with a cheap labour pool of unemployed competiting f o r minimum wages! Crime r a t e s w i l l go up & up a s more people become desperate. y BRIAN WAGGET

I Was A Teenace Hotel Manacer I was born i n Hong Kong. My p a r e n t s & I immigrated t o Canada about 25 y e a r s ago. The f i r s t house we owned was o n l y 3 b l o c k s away from Carnegie. My g r e a t - g r a n d f a t h e r bought it i n t h e e a r l y 1 9 0 0 ' s . I t wqs b u i l t y e a r s b e f o r e f o r s h o w g i r l s who were working i n t h e Savoy. My childhood i n Canada, e s p e c i a l l y l i v - l i n g i n t h e a r e a around t h e house, was a t e r r i f y i n g e x p e r i e n c e f o r me. I was i n an a r e a t h a t had t h e l o w e s t income r a t e i n t h e c o u n t r y . The a r e a was f u l l o f p e o p l e who e i t h e r had something b e f o r e o r n e v e r d i d . Some would f i g h t o r k i l l f o r a meagre few d o l l a r s . I r e c a l l a p e r s o n who was s t a b b e d t o d e a t h by h i s c o u s i n f o r a pound of b e e f . F o r t u n a t e l y I was a b l e t o a d j u s t t o l i v i n g i n an environment l i k e t h i s w i t h o u t g e t t i n g myself much i n v o l v e d , o r s o I believed. U n f o r t u n a t e l y t h i s was n o t t o be; I g o t myself w i t h o u t knowing t h e consequences. My f a m i l y owned a c o u p l e o f cheap housekeeping h o s t e l s . I was s i x t e e n when I was asked by my u n c l e t o manage t h e llMount Eve r e s t " , I t d i d n o t t a k e long b e f o r e I was involved i n a murder - 2 days. A s t r e e t person was b e a t e n t o d e a t h by h e r pimp. P o l i c e were l o o k i n g f o r him & d i d n ' t know t h a t he was h i d i n g i n a n o t h e r t e n a n t ' s room. So I was p r e t t y s u r p r i s e d t o s e e him walking around i n t h e h a l l w a y s when I was making my i n s p e c t i o n a t midnight. I went

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came i n d r o v e s , had t h e p l a c e surrounded & t o l d t h e guy t o come o u t . The guy b a r r i caded h i m s e l f i n t h e room & t o l d p o l i c e he'd k i l l himself i f they t r i e d t o grab him. There was a long s t a n d o f f b e f o r e he was f l n a l i y persuaded by h i s p a r i s h p r i e s t t o s u r r e n d e r . I h e a r d he was s e n t e n c e d t o a v e r y long p r i s o n term. There were more i n c i d e n t s l i k e t h i s , b u t perhaps n o t a s bad. I r e c a l l l o t s o f young i n d i v i d u a l s , somewhere between 1 3 F 17 who r a n away from home f o r some r e a s o n , who were p r e y f o r u n s c r u p u l o u s p e o p l e . A l l wert hooked t o some d r u g F had t o s e l l d r u g s o r t h e i r b o d i e s o r b o t h t o s u p p o r t t h e i r habil There was t h i s 1 3 y e a r - o l d g i r l , whose f a c e looked much younger. One n i g h t , s h e

knocked a t my o f f i c e door & wanted somet h i n g . There was a v e r y loud l i g h t n i n g s t o r m going on t h a t n i g h t . She wanted t h e o l d d o l l t h a t was l e f t behind by one o f t h e e x - t e n a n t s . I guessed t h a t t h e l i g h t n i n g had r e k i n d l e d something bad from h e r c h i l d hood. She g r a s p e d t h e o l d d o l l p r e t t y h a r d 6 d i d n ' t want t o l e a v e . She s l e p t on t h e s o f a & went back t o work on t h e s t r e e t s t h e n e x t day. A few days l a t e r , s h e had a drug overdose & was t a k e n t o t h e h o s p i t a l - t h e d o c t o r s d i s c o v e r e d i t was t o o l a t e f o r h e r . The h o t e l a l s o housed some e c c e n t r i c peop l e . There was t h i s q u i e t o l d man named I v o r who sang hymns o n l y i n h i s room. He sang hymns i n h i s room a l l t h e time b u t nowhere e l s e . The h o s t e l was serenaded by h i s s i n g i n g e v e r y n i g h t . Another e c c e n t r i c p e r son was Mrs. Watts. She was a r e t i r e d s c h o o l t e a c h e r . She p r a c t i c e d h e r g o s p e l b e l i e f s on t h e s t a i r s e v e r y time she had a chance. She even t r i e d t o p r e a c h t o t h e s e 2 drunks who were r e g u l a r s on "Mardi Grasu even though t h e y were n o t c o n s c i o u s . I t o l d Mrs. Watts b u t s h e wouldn't l i s t e n . She s i a d t h e y were l i s t e n i n g because God wanted them t o . Ted was a n o t h e r s t r a n g e one. He'd g r e e t you w i t h a b a r k . He would n o t t a l k t o anyone & i f he d i d h e ' d respond w i t h a bark only. There were some t e n d e r moments i n "Mount Everest". There was t h i s o l d man who had

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h e r e g a i n e d h i s memory. He'd walked away from h i s f a m i l y i n C a l g a r y & assumed anothe r name s i n c e t h e n . I t was a v e r y t o u c h i n g moment f o r him & even f o r me t o s e e him r e u n i t e d w i t h h i s f a m i l y . We a l l c r i e d . He sends me a Christmas c a r d e v e r y y e a r . Working i n t h e "Mount Everest" was a v e r y memorable time i n my l i f e . There were l o t s o f t i m e s t h a t I r e s e n t e d myself o r o t h e r p e o p l e f o r t a k i n g advantage of o t h e r s ; b u t t h e r e were a l s o t i m e s t h a t I was g l a d t h a t I d i d . I t was a p l a c e f o r me t o l e a r n how t o i n t e r a c t w i t h p e o p l e & a l s o t o g i v e me a new p e r s p e c t i v e on t h i s a r e a ' s p e o p l e . I , made f r i e n d ? & enemies working t h e r e . Thank god I'm n o t working t h e r e anymore!

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Disabled P e o p l e s t Access CRAB Park '

Recent i n f o r m a t i o n i n t h e Sun & C o u r i e r newspapers & i n t h e "Port 2010 Plan" makes i t c l e a r what t h e P o r t o f Vancouver C o r p o r a t i o n ' s hidden agenda i s . The P o r t , i n s t e a d o f b u i l d i n g a Columbi a S t . o v e r p a s s t o Crab Park, i s f u l l y i n t e n d i n g t o t u r n t h i s 7 - a c r e s of r a r e greenspace i n t o a t o u r i s t - p a r k . They have s t a t e d t h a t t h e y i n t e n d t o p l a c e two c r u i s e s h i p t e r m i n a l s b e s i d e i t . Also t h e y p l a n on c a r g o l o a d i n g / u n l o a d i n g f a c i l i t i e s , urban commercial b u i l d ; i n g s , services p a r k i n g l o t s & r e t a i n i n g the existing heliport. T h i s immense development would have enormous impacts on t h e whole p a r k , e s p e c i a l l y on t h e birdmarsh & c h i l d r c n s l prog-

ram a r e a s . Low income p e o p l e , p e o p l e w i t h d i s a b i l i t i e s , e l d e r l y persons, Native people & n e a r b y c h i l d r e n w i l l n o t be a b l e t o u s e t h i s p a r k s i g n i f i c a n t l y o r f e e l welcome. I t i s c l e a r t h a t a l o n g ramp a t t a c h e d t o t h e e a s t s i d e o f t h e e x i s t i n g f!~Qai s . steep.:MainzSt~\ o v e r p a s s i s no s o l a t i o n . In f a c t t h i s ramp t h a t would b e a t t a c h e d would be a h a z a r d . Due t o t h e l o c a t i o n & a switch-back o r zig-zag p a t t e r n proposed t h i s ramp would be a mugging a r e a and a l i k e l y "shooting g a l l e r y " f o r needle-drug u s e r s . ' The Columbia S t . o v e r p a s s i s t h e o n l y s o l u t i o n and t h a t i s what n e e d s t o be p r e s e n t e d by t h e BC C o a l i t i o n o f People with D i s a b i l i t i e s t o t h e Independence ' 92 Conference i n Vancouver i n A p r i l .

Don Larson

Almost everybody remembers Rick Hansenthe "Man i n Motion" world t o u r - wheeling a c h a i r t o empower people with d i s a b i l i t i e s . . r a i s i n g awareness & promoting change. When he came along Hastings on t h e l a s t s t r e t c h of h i s tour; a c l a s J i c example of t h e problem was r i g h t a c r o s s t h e s t r e e t a banner, bimt l e t t e r s e a s i l y r e a d i b l e by t h e thousands of people l i n i n g t h e way, a d v e r t i s e d "The Royal Bank Welcomes Rick Hansen" - bnlia b u i l d i n g t h a t ' s ( s t i l l ) not wheelchair a c c e s s i b l e . In some major c i t y an e n t i r e h i g h r i s e o f f i c e tower was b u i l t t o house a l l n a t ional o r g a n i s a t i o n s r e l a t i n g t o d i s a b i l i t y - & you couldn't g e t i n u n l e s s you could walk up t h e concrete s t e p s t o a l l , t h e doors from t h e s t r e e t ! INDEPENDENCE '92 i s an i n t e r n a t i o n a l symposium, chaired by Rick Hansen, t h a t bringing people t b g e t h e r from a l l asp1 e c t s of human s o c i e t y . Plans include d i s cussion, meetings, a c t i o n s , c u l t u r a l d i s plays, a r t , s p o r t s , e t c . - a l l on t h e i s s u e s faced by persons with d i s a b i l i t i e s . With a c o s t of up t o $320 i f you have a (recognised) d i s a b i l i t y & up t o $500 i f you don1t , f i n a n c i a l a s s i s t a n c e was possi b l e i f you applied f o r i t before Dec.91. Jean Swanson, with End Legislated Pove r t y , was asked t o be a speaker on povert y 6 d i s a b i l i t y . .Ftdas supposed t o pay only $160 f o r t h e p r i v i l e g e . Poverty is t h e biggest d i s a b i l i t y f o r t h e most peop:i, -St, Zis USU&, i5 d m i ) ~ i t ; g i i i ) ~ i d . The l e t t e r on t h e l a s t page g i v e s a h i n t a s t o why. How many people reading t h i s count themselves among t h e economica l l y disabled? How much access do you & I enjoy, i f we have a physical o r mental d i s a b i l i t y AND an economic d i s a b i l i t y ? Five years ago t h i s summer, CRAB Park was "opened" with no d i s a b l e d access. The Port Corporation & CP Rail colluded t o b u i l d t h e Main S t . overpass, making i t almost impossible f o r 4 o r 5 thousand of us, l i v i n g within 4 o r 5 blocks of t h i s 7-acre green space, t o use & enjoy our park. Instead o f accepting r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t h e Port & CP & t h e C i t y of Vancouver have used every b u r e a u c r a t i c t r i c k t o drag c o r r e c t i n g t h e access problem.

I 1

With INDEPENDENCE '92 & access g e t t i n g major media, t h i s i s s u e i s being r a i s e d t o a fury. True t o form, when t h e Chair o f t h e Port Corp. was c a l l e d , he asked t h a t nothing l i k e t h i s be done. "Negotiat i o n s between t h e Port E t h e City a r e a t an extremely d e l i c a t e s t a g e . " Implied i s t h a t any p u b l i c outrage with t h e media watching would s e r i o u s l y screw u s ! Gordon Price i s chairperson o f t h e comm i t t e e - i n e f f e c t u a l i s too mild t o descr i b e almost 5 years of nothing. Campbell - t h e o t h e r 'Gordon' a c t i n g a s mayor keeps making empty promises & , l i k e Owen (another NPA on Council), i t s proven t o be so much hot a i r . A t t h i s p o i n t summer i s a fewJmonths away & n ~ t h i n gi s even planned. Columbia was approved by t h e committee a s t h e s i t e f o r a t l e a s t a p e d e s t r i a n overpass over a year ago but has been sconewaiied s i n c e . the Public p r o t e s t s , demos, l e a f l e t s world w i l l be watching Vancouver, April 22-25 - i t ' s showtime. By PAULR TAYLOR

...

Love Thy Neighbour o r B r o t h e r What i s l o v e ? For m y s e l f , l o v e means c a r i n g , s h a r i n g , u n d e r s t a n d i n g , p a t i e n c e & havinn an oDen mind. I t means b e i n g a b l e t o down w i t someone t h a t p e o p l e c l a s s i f i e d a s a moron and l i s t e n t o t h a t p e r s o n , being w i l l i n g t o understand & c a r e f o r t h a t person a s a brother or s i s t e r . I t a l s o means being a b l e t o r e s p e c t t h a 1;~r;G;l'5 ~Giiit ~f v ~ G v t, i v t i l l i i i~ iui. a l l y opposed t o mine on any s u b j e c t . I t means t o g i v e my l a s t c i g a r e t t e , l a s penny t o t h a t person. I t a l s o means t h a t have t o go o u t of my way t o g i v e e x t r a t o t h a t person. I t means I cannot judge t h a t p e r s o n , o r push my b e l i e f on them. I can show them what I do, b u t cannot f o r c e them t o do i t I t means t h a t I have t o t a k e r e j e c t i o n o r putdowns without h o l d i n g a grudge. I t i s h a r d a t f i r s t because o u r emotion a r e v e r y t e n d e r . What helped me w i t h i t i t h a t i n my l i f e a r e a few p e o p l e who a r e v e r y s p e c i a l t o me & because I can t a k e a l l t h a t from them it h e l p s me t o do it f o r others. Tf I d o n ' t do a l l t h a t I ' v e mentioned I am j u s t a s bad a s whom I choose t o condem - i t i s e a s i e r t o love. One o t h e r way i s t o l e t e v e r y t h i n g i n one e a r & o u t t h e o t h e r , keeping what nou r i s h e s h a p p i n e s s E f o r g e t t h e r e s t . Over 90% o f what I h e a r d a i l y I f o r c i b l y forge1 s o I can keep my s m i l e . I do s o because what p e o p l e t h i n k o f me i s t o t a l l y i r r e l e . v a n t t o who I am. I s p e n t 31 y e a r s o f my l i f e proving t o p e o p l e t h a t I was okay. I knew i t & r e f u s e t o ' p r o v e ' i t anymore. (. t h i n k i t ' s t h e same f o r everyone.) Nobody h a s t o l i v e up t o my e x p e c t a t i o n ! and I d o n ' t have t o f o l l o w anyone e l s e ' s p a t h . Everyone i s born f r e e t o do a s t h e y p l e a s e a s long a s harming none.

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By CLAUDE MAURICE

Stolenwelfare cheaues result in h u d charges A belfare case worker and an

alleged accomplice have been chafged in Vancouver with fraud and'theft involving $60,000. Search warrant documentssay the case worker had stolen 69 welfare cheques worth $41,000 &om his own clients. An additional $20,000 in cash was also stolen. Roberto Luis Varona is charged with theft: fraud and breach of trust w h i i e Zfren Zrnani Gerion is charged with theft libd fkaud.

Lines from t h e Learning Centre RICK DEBNEY Come t o t h e Learning Centre ( t o p f l o o r o f Carnegie) G meet Rick Debney, one of t h e t e a c h e r s who w i l l help, you choose how t h e Centre can h e l p you. Then he w i l l a r r a n g e f o r you t o meet your t u t o r , work o u t times t o g e t t o g e t h e r , what t o study, e t c . Rick came t o t h e Centre following a v a r i e d G i n t e r e s t i n g c a r e e r . He s p e n t s e v e r a l y e a r s i n t h e army, t h e l a s t 3 as a member o f a Search & Rescue Team based on Prince Edward I s l a n d . Some of h i s work included parachuting i n t o bush country on r e s c u e missions G being lowered by h e l i c o p t e r onto s h i p s i n distress. A f t e r l e a v i n g t h e army he worked i n v a r i o u s b u s i n e s s e s which included a National Leasing company, planning t h e i n s t a l l a t i o n of Insta-Bank f o r t h e bank of Montreal and r e s e a r c h work r e garding computers & communication. Later on he t r a v e l l e d a l l over Canad a f o r a year G a h a l f b e f o r e coming t o Vancouver a b s o l u t e l y broke. He decided Vancouver was home G s e t t l e d i n t h e Downtown E a s t s i d e . Now he i s a t e a c h e r a t o u r Learning Centre where he has worked i n t e h Com+ n . . I---? _ c r u ~ r rnuuru, ~ cL r ~ e~ ~ 1 g 1 12 331 ~ B Seiuiid Language c l a s s G t h e mathematics dept. H i s p r e s e n t job i s t o i n t e r v i e w new s t u d e n t s G match them up with t u t o r s . Rick says "1 wouldn't do anything e l s e - t h i s work a t Carnegie Learning Centre i s t h e best!" He p l a n s on s t a y ing a long, long time. Come t o t h e Learning Centre 6 work with o t h e r s t u d e n t s G t u t o r s . The Centre i s open Monday t o Friday 9am t o 8pm t o h e l p people upgrade reading, w r i t i n g 6 a r i t h m e t i c - a l l t h e way up t o High School completion. I t ' s f r e e and i t ' s f o r you. 2 -3-

Joan Bosee, Vo7imtee-r Tutor.

The Vancouver School Board has f o u r Adult Learning Centres G i n c l u d e s t h e information about each i n a pamphlet. The 5dea i s t o have you g e t your grade 12 o r i t s e q u i v a l e n t , b u t a s i d e from t h a t t h e l e a r n i n g c e n t r e s o f f e r a wide range of o p p o r t u n i t i e s . These p l a c e s a r e kind of a network with an " o f f i c i a l t t f u n c t i o n of g i v i n g academic advice. I f you a r e over 19, a Canadian c i t i z e n o r landed immigrant 6 have been out o f school f o r a y e a r i t ' s f r e e , but t h e r e a r e q u e s t i o n s t o be answered t o make s u r e a l l r u l e s about f r e e t u i t i o n a r e followed. In Carnegie's Learning Centre t h e r e a r e two people who can h e l p Answer t h e s e q u e s t i o n s G more. I f you want ihformation on t h e following: - c o q i e ~ i n ggrade 12 - course c r e d i t s f o r grades 11 and 1 2 -developing an e d u c a t i o n a l p l a n - e v a l u a t i n g yourieducation r e c o r d s - i f you g e t f r e e t u i t i o n I f you're interested i n learning of what i s a v a i l a b l e , o r j u s t want t o ask some q u e s t i o n s , s e e e i t h e r Noreen o r Lorraine a t t h e Learning Centre on Tuesday and Thursday from 1-4 pm. You can c a l l f o r more i n f o t o o : 665-3013.

THE WAKE OF THE THERON

by JAMES

ROADKNIGHT

In t h e s p r i n g o f 1953 1 was on t h e beach i n H a l i f a x , o u t o f a job, looking f o r a s h i p . I ' d heard C a r l Carlson Company was looking f o r s e a l e r s . My buddy G I asked t h e f i r s t o f f i c e r f o r a job. He signed us on t h e motor v e s s e l Throen, t h e l a t e s t i n i c e b r e a k e r s . She was a n i c e l i t t l e s h i p , I 150 f e e t long w i t h a 30 f o o t beam. The b r i d g e , engine room, c a b i n s were a f t . I p r e f e r r e d working on s m a l l e r s h i p s anyway. I was just ilfi31. t o n g u e - f i g h t i n g with t h e wife E would've been glad t o t a k e any I s h i p . A f t e r p u t t i n g f u e l , water 4 grub aboard, we s a i l e d March 2nd f o r t h e i c e . A s we were l e a v i n g t h e harbour I had f e e l i n g s of misgiving b u t i t was t o o l a t e . The weather was good a l l t h e way n o r t h ; cold b u t n i c e . There was q u i t e a mixture of crew; Newfies, Cape Bretoners, Norwegi a n s E Nova S c o t i a n s . Except f o r t h e o f f i c e r s , we were a l l broke. The f i r s t n i e h t o u t we were i s s u e d with c l o t h i n g , knives, a s t o n e f o r sharpening & a b u t c h e r s t e e l , p l u s a r a t i o n o f c i g a r e t t e s . Smoky Joe s a i d with a c i g a r e t t e i n hand, flWe'll s t o p beefing now f o r a few days." Three meals a day along w i t h t h e f a g s does wond e r s f o r about 10 days. I was one o f t h e f i r s t on board; i f you a r e l a s t you g e t t h e worst bunk - p i p e s running through t h e deckhead r i g h t over your head. I threw my bag on a t o p bunk a s my new shipmate took t h e bottom one. I t was t h e only two-man c a b i n forward.& t h e r e s t of t h e crew had t o s e t t l e f o r 10 & 12-man c a b i n s . S t i l l , t h a t ' s b e t t e r than t h e Newfoundland s e a l e r s who s l e e p 2 i n a bunk with a c a s t i r o n s t o v e i n t h e

I '

t h e s t a r t , b u t I could g e t along with an 2 ape i n t h e jungle a s long a s he was h e l f - . civilized. Smiley kept me e n t e r t a i n e d with outrageous l i e s . Seamen a r e g r e a t s t o r y teller-. The b i g g e r t h e l i e , t h e b e t t e r t h e t a l e . The seamen, o i l e r s & t h e s t e w a r d ' s d e p t . g o t t h e b e s t rooms down a f t c l o s e t o t h e g a l l e y & mess rooms. A s we were forward, a mess boy brought o u r meals i n d i x i e cans t o a small g a l l e y . . S m i l e y & I a t e i n o u r room. The meals were t e r r i b l e . Of a l l t h e cooks i n t h e Maritimes, we were unlucky enough t o g e t a guy who was a cook i n name only. L a t e r , we p u t t h e small g a l l e y t o good use. We a r r i v e d on t h e i c e f i e l d one dark evening a s t h e Norwegian c a p t a i n climbed down from t h e lookout b a r r e l , high on t h e foremast. He s t e e r e d & c o n t r o l l e d t h e eng i n e s from t h e r e . He s a i d , "Get a good n i g h t ' s s l e e p , boys. Tomorrow you s k i n s e a l ." Well, he was wrong. We were awakened e a r l y t h e f o l l o w i n g morning by a blowing snow g a l e . You c o u l d n ' t s e e f i v e f e e t i n f r o n t s f you. She blew a l l day & f a r i n t o t h e n i g h t , b u t by morning s h e ' d s l a c k e d o f f some. The c a p t a i n s a i d (which I can s t i l l h e a r t o t h i s day) "Ya, y a , on t h e i c e , s k i n t h e seal!" Hardy fooUs were s t e p p i n g slowly o n t o t h e i c e . I l e f t t h e v e s s e l but n o t t o o f a r . L a t e r I wished I was someplace e l s e . The pups crced j u s t l i k e b a b i e s & some would crawl t o you a s i f you were t h e i r mother o r f a t h e r . I !.A%!= C I T ~ ~ Z?, ~tC Z ;CC tkieii! c ~ L I L ; &~ S~' K ~ I I ned b e f o r e my eyes sickened me. For t h e n e x t 2 months I could n o t g e t away. There were some days when I thought I ' d walk a shore, b u t being t h e coward I am, I d i d n o t want t o r i s k g e t t i n g l o s t . Out t h e r e , everything i s t h e same, a l l white & g r e y s k i e s . I f i t wasn't f o r s u n g l a s s e s we'd've been snow b l i n d . The f01lowi.n~morning t h e watchman c a l l e d u s t o b r e a k f a s t a t 5:30. Armed with a g a f f , k n i f e & a s t e e l , we climbed over t h e bulwarks & down a makes h i f t l a d d e r o f s o r t s . The crew of s e a l k i l l e r s s e t o f f a c r o s s t h e i c e clubbing 6 I skinning t h e pups. I t was not p l e a s a n t . We wore c o t t o n gloves. As you p e e l t h e s k i n of p e l t o f f t h e s t i l l hot bloody c a r c a s s , your gloves g e t soakin' wet. A s you tow it t o a p i l e , you p l a c e a s t i c k i n t h e i c e '

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w i t h t h e s h i p ' s c o l o u r s s o t h e c a p t a i n up i n t h e b a r r e l can s p o t t h e mound & come a long s i d e . The o i l e r s & mess boys winch , t h e l o t aboard. Hard work f o r anyone n o t ysed t o t o i l i n g . Now t o g e t back t o your s o a k i n ' wet g l o v e - t h e s e s t a r t t o f r e e z e up s t e p s away from your l a s t k i l l . I f you d o n ' t f i n d a n o t h e r s e a l soon, you r i s k f r o s t b i t e , a s 1 poor chap four,? o u t . He had h i d behind a s m a l l i c e b e r g & s u f f e r e d u n t i l we a r r i v e d back i n p o r t . He l o s t 3 f i n g e r s from each hand. I n e v e r met him a g a i n a s he w a s n ' t a f i s h erman n o r a seaman (we t h o u g h t h e was l a z y : The f i r s t 7 days we k i l l e d 10,000 p u p s . I t took u s 7 more weeks t o f i n d 450 more, so we had l o t s o f time t o g e t to.know one ano t h e r . Some o f u s brought r e a d i n g m a t e r i a l - 2 *L- - A . L + L ..rrrcll uJ. r u b U L crlr;: ~ i 1 u t 3W ~ Ji d k e l l Up by 1 - A

e a t i n g , s l e e p i n g 6 s e e i n g who c u o l d t e l l t h e b i g g e s t l i e s . My shipmate, Smiley, was t w i c e my age s o I was a b l e t o g e t v a l u a b l e i n f o r m a t i o n from him, l i k e making homemade brew. A f t e r a l l , t h e o f f i c e r s had t h e i r rum o f which t h e y w o u l d n ' t g i v e u s a d r o p . Our f r i e n d l y mess b6y g o t y e a s t , r a i s i n s & some g a l l o n j u i c e j u g s . Smiley showed me how t o g e t i t going & we soon had 8 on t h e go. My p a r t n e r s a i d n o t t o t e l l anyone G I d i d n ' t , b u t h e ' d open t h e c a b i n d o o r t o anyone p a s s i n g by & i n v i t e them i n - s o much f o r s e c r e c y . I c a l l e d o u r c a b i n Smile y ' s Tavern o r Do Drop Inn. I m u s t ' v e been t h i r s t y o r something, s a y i n g "I wonder i f t h i s i s f i n i s h e d working y e t . " I c r a c k e d t h e cork 6 r a i s i n s f l e w o f f l i k e buckshot o v e r t h e deck bulkhead & a l l o v e r Smiley. I s t o p p e d t h e flow by jamming t h e neck i n my mouth ( a f t e r a l l , somethingllhad tlo be done). We s u r e had a sweet s m e l l i n g room f o r t h e r e s t of t h e t r i p . On t h e i c e i t was dangerous t o t r a v e l al o n e because you might d r o p t h r o u g h t h e s o f t i c e . A f t e r a f r e s h s n o w f a l l you poke ahead w i t h a g a f f e , Even s o , Smiley was reckless & i n a hurry t o skin s e a l s . I t ' s a way o f l i f e f o r Newfoundlanders & he f e l l i n a h o l e t h e f i r s t day. He was weari n g a p a i r of knee-high s e a b o o t s & t h e y s t a r t e d t o f i l l w i t h s e a w a t e r . He p u l l e d them o f f & I gave him some s p a r e socks. ,Ire started f o r the ship f a r i n the distance. The s h i p i s t h e o n l y mark t o s e e t h e r e . One day I was busy k i l l i n g & s k i n n i n g . I

looked around E t h e r e were o n l y 2 o f us. I s a i d t o Gordon, "I t h i n k we b e c t e r make o u r way back b e f o r e we l o s e s i g h t o f t h e Theron." She was a l r e a d y on t h e h o r i z o n l i n e . I t was my f a u l t f o r n o t keeping an eye o u t . I t took u s 4 h o u r s t o g e t aboard. We were s e r v e d a h o t meal, t o o k a s h o r t r e s t & were back on t h e i c e . A s I s a i d , we were up a t 5:30 e v e r y morni n g , had b r e a k f a s t & were on t h e i c e by 6. We worked u n t i l 5 o r 6 at n i g h t . You'd e a t s u p p e r , crawl i n t o y o u r bunk & j u s t d i e . A hard, c r u e l l i f e f o r northern people but on t h e o t h e r hand we d i d n ' t know a n y t h i n g e l s e i n t h e goodf0;fd-days. In f a c t , I can h o n e s t l y s a y t h e r e were no good o l d days j u s t a l o t of b u l l labour. Near t h e end 35 A p r i l , a f t e r 2 month; on t h e i c e , s p r i n g was i n t h e a i r . I c e was g e t t i n g s o f t e r 6 we were a l l f a l l i n g i n . The c a p t a i n d e c i d e d we'd s a i l f o r home. He gave u s a l l 3 f i n g e r s o f demon rum. You' n e v e r saw a h a p p i e r bunch o f men. On t h e way home we were t a l k i n g about t h e pay-off 6 how wesd spend i t . I d i d n ' t have t o t h i n k a b o u t it a t a l l . The money was t o " pay b i l l s . My w i f e was e x p e c t i n g a baby. On a l l s h i p s , seaman homeward bound t h i n k of t h e i r pay-off w h i l e d o i n g a t r i c k a t t h e wheel o r s t a n d i n g l o o k - o u t . C l o s e r t o home..the more e x c i t e m e n t you f e e l . We c a l l it ' c h a n n e l f e v e r 1 . A f t e r 60 days at s e a 6 on t h e i c e , t h e P o r t o f H a l i f a x was g r e e n & b e a u t i f u l . I t was t h e 2nd o f May. We t i e d up a t t h e I r v i n g O i l dock t o t a k e on f u e l , w a t e r & o l d wooden b a r r e l s . 10 o r 12 seamen were w a i t i n g f o r u s t o r e c e i v e a p i e c e - o f f (money, i n o t h e r word) Someone came down from t h e o f f i c e & gave u s $10 - n o t much f o r a home-coming. They a l s o knew i f t h e y gave u s more t h e r e ' d be t r o u b l e . A few might n o t make i t f o r t h e s a i l i n g t o C h e s t e r , Nova S c o t i a , where t h e company had a f a c t o r y t o s e p a r a t e t h e f u r from t h e b l u b b e r . A f t e r b e i n g a s h o r e f o r 2 days, c a r o u s i n g , I slowJy made my way back t o t h e Theron. You could s m e l l t h e s t i n k o f s e a l 2 b l o c k s away. You d o n ' t n o t i c e it w h i l e you a r e on board; you work i n i t , s l e e p & e a t w i t h it. Speaking o f e a t i n g , t h e y f i r e d t h e cook 6 t h e Norski c h i e f s t e w a r d took o v e r f o r t h e n e x t 2 weeks. The one t h i n g I n e v e r g o t used t o e a t i n g w h i l e working .on Norwegian

s h i p s was hot f r u i t soup. I t makes a dandy Landscape i n brew, though. ~ u r r e xFear We l e f t Halifax one more time, bound f o r rl Chester, about 3 hours steaming up t h e A Backward Poem i n I V stanzasc o a s t of Nova S c o t i a . A t Chester t h e capBy August Cole t a i n & mate broke us up i n gangs. Some worked i n t h e cargo hold, s l i n g i n g p e l t s , I Cautian is t h i s : Some worked i n t h e l o f t where t h e y were The Glory n o t t h e landed. The p e l t s were put i n a c u t t e r t o 3 t r i u m p h , f o r you may n o t s e p a r a t e t h e f a t from t h e s k i n . The blubb4 triumph e r was c u t i n chunks, dropped i n a b o i l e r , 5 what then' i s 4 rendered down t o l i q u i d . I t was made i n 6 left YOU t o margarine, perfume & o t h e r products. 7 i s Glory The hides a r e made i n t o c o a t s E muckluks. 8 as you a r e b e i n g The p e l t s from o l d e r s e a l s a r e made i n t o 9 k i l l e d f o r e v e r . SLAM SLAM c a r s e a t s o r what have you. The s k i n s were 10 SLAM! ! ! put i n a c u t t e r placed i n revolving drums along with sawdust f o r a few hours, then I1 The S t r u g g l e i s a C a u t i a n , pulled out E put i n a p i l e , f u r - s i d e down, and s a l t e d . I never found out bhe next 2 f r o r e hand as t h e dun p e r c e p t i o n process, f o r a s soon a s t h e l a s t p e l t was 3 of l i m b e r e v i l l i k e s u n l i g h t s a l t e d , we headed back t o ~ a l i f a x : 4 washes around y o u r f e e t We brought t h e s h i p around t o Halifax & 5 and were happy again. I t was over. They c a l l e d 6 t h e c l o u d den of t h e u s i n one man a t a time, f o r a very good 7 skyne emniates c l o s e reason, I was stunned a t t h e pay-off s l i p . 8 b e t r a y i n g y o u r s e n s e s - of f e a r After deducting $50 f o r c l o t h i n g , s o much f o r c i g a r e t t e s , food, our weapons, I was I11 Triumph a s L a t e n t : given $75..even t h e run was charged t o our 2 t h e w i l l t o succeed, b i l l . They had a l s o s e n t my wife a $100 3 A s a diagrammatic b a t t l e allotment 2 weeks p a s t . We, t h e crew, were 4 schematic a l l stunned a t s o low a s h a r e , Outside of 5 o r my Hynde's p r e s t a t a t i n g grumbling, we a l l went o u r s e p a r a t e ways, 6 nose. vowing never t o go s e a l i n g again. I was i r Halifax t h e following s p r i n g & was asked 4.. g~ ixit oil the ice again, but i ' m a man of my word. I r e p l i e d . "No way!" 3 a r r a y e d , nimbered a g a i n s t yourn owned t e r r o r . L~

Forgiving In an a r t i c l e I waote a month ago I s t a t e d t h a t I s a i l e d t o make a l i v i n g 4 I had t o pay d e a r l y f o r it. The reason was because I was never home when family needed me. This type of l i f e plays h e l l with marriage but i t ' s t h e c h i l d r e n who r e a l l y s u f f e r t h e most. My wife f i n a l l y I divorced me. My f o u r c h i l d r e n have for-. , given me 4 today we Rave a b e t t e r loving r e l a t i o n s h i p than we ever had before. James Roadknight

O l d Man/Old M a p l e f o r Richard S t . Bqrbe Baker, !)man o f t h e t r e e s . " Me came t o u s , t h e o l d man. He t a l k e d of t h e d e a t h of t r e e s , h i s v o i c e i n sorrow breaking. "Every p a r t o f t h i s e a r t h i s s a c r e d t o us," we s a i d . T h e l i f e of a t r e e i s o u r l i f e ; t h e memory of a t r e e is o u r memory." The o l d man knew t h i s , he who had fought t o save t h e Redwoods i n California. "There i s an a n c i e n t Maple n o t f a r from h e r e , " we s a i d . "Perhaps you'd l i k e t o . , f Y e ~ , ' tsh e nlc! m m ~ ~ i d , " I ' d l i k e t o meet t h a t t r e e , f o r such t r e e s c a r r y wisdom with t h e i r y e a r s . We formed a c i r c l e We brought some candles a s it was n i g h t , and shy, t o o , awed a t t h e l o v e and dark t h e s t a r l i t p a t h . we gave and we r e c e i v e d . With P h i l i p helping t h e o l d man Flames from o u r c a n d l e s danced we went i n s i n g l e f i l e on t h e g n a r l e d bark. a l i n e of f i r e f l y l i g h t s We s t o o d i n a cave of l i g h t , s p a r k s from t h e f i r e and t h e g r e a t t r e e h e l d t h e n i g h t g l i d i n g i n t o t h e dark n i g h t i n h e r arms silently. g e n t l y , a s a mother. We walked a s shadows, S t a r s s e t t l e d among h e r branches l i k e b i r d s . and t h e shadows o f t r e e s moved "See where t h e t r e e has been s c a r r e d by l i g h t n i n g , " t o o u r moving. t h e o l d man s a i d . The n i g h t was a l i v e w i t h l i s t e n i n g "It has overcome, though, We came t o honour and i s more b e a u t i f u l t h a n e v e r . an a n c i e n t t r e e So i t i s with u s . I 1 an o l d man "I can climb t h i s t r e e and s i t i n i t s branches," a l l our r e l a t i o n s . s a i d Kevin who was q u i t e small. I t was a long way b u t n o t f a r , "Yes, r e p l i e d t h e o l d man, dark b u t t h e d i r e c t i o n was c l e a r . "you and many o t h e r f o r e s t f r i e n d s . " The o l d man loved t h e e a r t h And he reached o u t and touched t h e t r e e , we would t a k e him t o t h i s t r e e smiling. which stood, massive i n t h e d a r k , Then P h i l i p spoke. a mountain, a church s t e e p l e , "There is a s e c r e t t h a t t h i s t r e e w i l l s h a r e a l a d d e r between Heaven and Earth. w i t h t h o s e , who i n t h e s i l e n c e of There a r e t h o s e can l i s t e n c a r e f u l l y . ' ' who've never seen a t r e e .

We l i s t e n e d , knowing h i s words. The branches of t h e Maple reached over o u r heads. Some of t h e c a n d l e s had gone o u t ,

and were r e - l i t from o t h e r candles. "This t r e e i s my f r i e n d , " t h e o l d man s a i d . "We a r e both made of s t a r d u s t ; we s h a r e t h e same C r e a t o r ; now t h e t r e e s , which have given u s so much need o u r p r o t e c t i o n . We must c a r e enough c a r e enough. " and he touched h i s forehead t o t h e t r e e .

subjected t o t h e massive multi-agency road 3locks, p e r i o d i c a l l y conducted around t h e :lock f o r 3 o r 4 days a t a time i n t h e Roger's Pass ( 4 employing well over 100 ? e r s o n n e l ) , compare t h e experience t o e n t e r i n g an Iron C u r t a i n country. This a t t a c k on d r i v e r s o f o l d e r c a r s is mwarranted, unnecessary & u n e t h i c a l . S t a "We c a r e , " we s a i d s i l e n t l y . t i s t i c a l evidence proves t h a t o l d e r vehicl e s a r e involved i n l e s s a c c i d e n t s proporThen we r e t u r n e d t o t h e house, t i o n a t e l y than newer v e h i c l e s ! Moreover, slowly, BC Motor Vehicle Branch s t a t i s t i c s c l e a r l y a l i n e of f i r e f l y l i g h t s indicate that defects i n private vehicles sparks from t h e f i r e a r e f a c t o r s i n about 1%of a c c i d e n t s . o f t h e darkness; The r e a l causes of carnage on o u r highthe old t r e e standing ways & s p i r a l l i n g insurance r a t e s go unl i k e a mountain, a church s t e e p l e , addressed a s t h e p o l i c e waste hours & t a x a l a d d e r between Heaven and Earth. S t a r s s e t t l e d among h e r branches l i k e bird: d o l l a r s checking v e h i c l e s f o r d e f e c t s und e r t h e P r i v a t e Vehicle Inspection Program. Cars d o n ' t cause a c c i d e n t s , people do. Sandy Cameron Poor d r i v e r s & r e c k l e s s d r i v e r s cause acci d e n t s . An e f f e c t i v e program t o make o u r roads s a f e r would involve g r e a t l y i n c r e a s ed d r i v e r education E yanking t h e l i c e n s e s of proven r e c k l e s s d r i v e r s , not h a r a s s i n g o r d i n a r y c i t i z e n s t h a t c a n ' t a f f o r d new cars. I t i s a grave mistake t o underestimate t h e e x t e n t t o which t h i s program v i o l a t e s t h e - r i g h t s of people E o u r t r a d i t i o n a l democratic freedoms involving b a s i c & long ~ ~ L L P ~ YILCi ~i J~ ~ i ~ Li ee gbd J~i l l g sear& ;ulJ s e i z u r e , d e t e n t i o n , probable grounds, e t c . I t erodes t h e v e r y f a b r i c E b a s i s of o u r s o c i a l & j u s t i c e systems. I t i s a massive power p l a y t a r g e t e d a t t h e poorer s e c t i o n s of our society & defines ordinary c i t i z e n s a s probable c r i m i n a l s f o r d r i v i n g o l d e r Association f o r Vehicle Movement S a f e t y c a r s . Vehicle movement s a f e t y d e s e r v e s P o l i c e roadblocks t o examine c a r s f o r b e t t e r t h a n t o be used i n t h i s c y n i c a l d e f e c t s a r e p r o l i f e r a t i n g throughout t h e manner. This Program i s a t r a v e s t y of j u s t i c e E province. In f a c t t h e p o l i c e have been g i ven unprecedented power t o a r r e s t , i n v e s t must be rescinded without d e l a y o r we a r e i g a t e & detain ordinary c i t i z e n s f o r the on o u r way t o a t o t a l i t a r i a n s t a t e where crime o f owning an o l d e r c a r . ( P r e d i c t a b l ; t h o s e who a r e seen a s powerless & expendt h e y a r e expanding t h e concept t o , on occ a b l e a r e s u b j e c t t o harsh, p u n i t i v e & una s i o n , i n c l u d e any gov't d e p t . t h a t has a reasonable laws. Peter Chatterton enforcement concern t h a t can be a p p l i e d t~ p u b l i c . ) People who have beel

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FRONT LINE ADVOCACY WORKERS meet w i t h Smallwood I I I 1 m impressed, " s a i d Joan Smallwood, M i n i s t e r o f S o c i a l S e r v i c e s , about t h e small FLAW d e l e g a t i o n t h a t met i n t h e Cabi n e t O f f i c e t o d i s c u s s changes FLAWs want t o s e e i n GAIN r u l e s F r e g u l a t i o n s . Pam Fleming (ELP/FLAW f a c i l i t a t o r ) - t h e Big P i c t u r e : None o f t h e GAIN changes we a r e asking f o r have much meaning u n l e s s welfare r a t e s a r e increased t o t h e poverty l i n e & minimum wage t o $8.26/hr. We a l s o want t h e g o v ' t t o lobby t h e f e d e r a l g o v ' t t o uncap CAP funding & r e s c i n d B i l l C-69 s o adequate s o c i a l s e r v i c e s can be d e l i v e r e d . We want a poor people3 ', conference on thc c u ~ l ~ i i i u i i oi ro ~eciucate each o c h e r G t h e g o v ' t about blocking t o r y p r o p o s a l s . I f p r o p e r t y r i g h t s & economic union c l a u s e s go througk; t h e p r o v i n c i a l g o v ' t w i l l have no r e a l power t o do anything about p o v e r t y Karen Spears (Downtown E a s t s i d e Women's Centre) : I g e t d a i l y c a l l s from women who a r e being t h r e a t e n e d w i t h being c u t o f f , o r have been c u t o f f GAIN because t h e i r r e n t i s t o o high. The assumption i s t h a t t h e y cannot be paying r e n t E s t i l l s u r v i v ing on what i s l e f t . Women a r e being punished f o r choosing t o spend t h e i r extremel y l i m i t e d income on s a f e , d e c e n t housing. We want t h e d i s t i n c t i o n between s h e l t e r & support abolished. Colleen Smith (UBC Law S t u d e n t s Legal Advice Program): FLAWs want t h e d i s t i n c t ion between employable & unemployable abol i s h e d Many people a r e s t i g m a t i z e d by t h e d i s t i n c t i o n o f "unemployable." Many people who a r e a c t u a l l y n o t employable a r e c a l l e d employable & f o r c e d t o look f o r work. We have t o look a t t h e u n d e r l y i n g philosophy of these p o l i c i e s . I r e n e Schmidt (Carnegie Centre) :One man who i s i l l i t e r a t e was f o r c e d t o look f o r work G was c u t o f f w e l f a r e . FLAWS want an end t o f o r c e d employment of a l l people on wlefare. Looking f o r employment training should n o t be a c o n d i t i o n o f g e t t i n g GAIN. Tracey Moore (BC C o a l i t i o n o f People with D i s a b i l i t i e s ) : Women on w e l f a r e a r e n o t g e t t i n g a p p r o p r i a t e c o u n s e l l i n g . Women s h o u l d n ' t have t o appeal t o g e t p r o p e r counselling.

Stephanie Chaytor ( F i r s t United Church): The Family Maintenance Enforcement Program should n o t be mandatory. The M i n i s t r y i s making d e c i s i o n s f o r women about what i s best f o r t h e i r families, forcing relations h i p s w i t h a b u s i v e ex-spouses, e t c . Men o f t e n u s e FMEP a s a r e a s o n t o i n i t i a t e custody. Colleen Smith: FLAWS want a s t o p t o lump sum d e d u c t i o n s o f maintenance payments & c r i m i n a l i n j u r i e s ' payments. Criminal i n j u r i e s s e t t l e m e n t s a r e supposed t o be f o r p a i n 6 s u f f e r i n g . People on w e l f a r e g e t such awards deducted. People on w e l f a r e do n o t have l e s s p a i n o r s u f f e r i n g than any one e l s e s . Rain Daniels ( C r a b t r e e Corner YWCA): Bus t i c k e t s GYC ~ c z d e <Z j ; peuplc; "11 waizare. Every day we have t o t u r n down bus t i c k e t s f o r women i n t h e Downtown E a s t s i d e . T h i s means women c a n ' t g e t t o appointments l i k e d o c t o r s , c o u n s e l l i n g , AA, i n t e r v i e w s , e t c . We cannot provide bus t i c k e t s f o r everyone who needs them. David Mossop (Community Legal Assistance S o c i e t y ) : FLAWS want a s t o p t o j u d i c i a l reviews. J u d i c i a l reviews g i v e t h e Attorney G e n e r a l ' s o f f i c e t h e r i g h t t o s u e peopl e on w e l f a r e . Jonene B i c k e t t (Independent Advocate) : FLAWs want a l i s t o f advocates i n every o f f i c e . People on w e l f a r e need t o know where t o go t o g e t information i f t h e y a r e

Some of t h e i s s u e s FLAWs addressed h e r e a r e a l r e a d y "in t h e hopper!'" There a r e 3 ways t h a t changes w i l l happen. One i s i n t h e budget. These changes do c o s t t h e government money. We're working a l o t through t h e Trkasury Board. The second way i s through l e g i s l a t i o n , e i t h e r by Cabinet o r o r d e r s - i n - c o u n c i l . The t h i r d way i s through p o l i c y change. Things l i k e p o s t i n g l i s t s of advocates i n MSS o f f i c e s a r e p o l i c y changes. I ' l l t a k e t h a t suggestion t o add t o recommendations.

Looking through t h e FLAW w i s h l i s t , some i s s u e s a r e going t o t a k e l o n g e r than o t h e r s . This list i s p a r t of a longer l i s t t h a t many advocates were invloved i n during t h e e l e c t i o n u s i n g q u e s t i o n a i r e s . The q u e s t i o n a i r e s have been given t o M i n i s t r y s t a f f 8 t h e r e s p o n s e s a r e coming baqk costed. I need s u p p o r t f o r recommendations my In t h e next 20 t o 30 y e a r s , h a l f t%e M i n i s t r y makes from my c o l l e a g u e s i n Cabip o p u l a t i o n o f G r e a t e r Vancouver w i l l be n e t . No m i n i s t r y o p e r a t e s i n i s o l a t i o n . We over t h e age of 50. T h i s i s going t o mean a r e p u t t i n g through a way o f ensuring t h a t b i g changes i n t h e way we organize o u r people who have experienced t h e p o l i c i e s l i v e s (or have them organized by t h e poware a t the table. e r s t h a t b e ) . Some changes w i l l involve: C o n s t i t u t i o n : We need t o g i v e v o i c e t o * How & where people l i v e & i n what people i s s u e s i n t h i s province. We're look- * How people g e t money & how much t h e y g e t i n g a t ways o f more d i r e c t l y s u p p o r t i n g * Kind o f food people * e a t & g e t t i n g it t h a t v o i c e . We need s t r o n g & a r i z k u a l t e - * How many people can work & what t h e y do v o i c e s t o mould p o l i c i e s . & t h e p u b l i c view. * T r a n s p o r t a t i o n i n t h e c i t y & communities S h e l t e r 4 Suppbrt: ~ r a d i t i o n a i l ~6 , w i t h * Kinds o f r e c r e a t i o n & s o c i a l i z i n g o u r agreements w i t h CAP, t h e r e have been 2 These t h i n g s w i l l a f f e c t n o t o n l y o l d e r c a t e g o r i e s - s h e l t e r E support. You~@Spears) people, b u t a l s o t h e young & even k i d s , r a i s e a new dimension t h a t h a s n ' t been on s i n c e we're a l l going t o have t o cope with t h e t a b l e b e f o r e . T h i s is important. I ' l l t h e k i n d s o f changes t h a t a r e coming. make a committment t o f o l l o w through and Meanwhile, i n t h e Downtown E a s t s i d e , % deal with t h e s e policy issues. of u s a r e a l r e a d y over 40 & 1/5 o v e r 65. Employable & ~ h e m ~ l b ~ a b People le: being We're t h e o l d e s t neighbourhood i n t h e C i t y c u t o f f w e l f a r e f o r being f u n c t i o n a l l y il& maybe i n Canada. And o u r s t r e e t s a r e n ' t l i t e r a t e does n o t r e f l e c t t h i s g o v t f s p r i g e t t i n g any s a f e r . Our a f f o r d a b l e housing o r i t i e s . I w i l l address those issues. i s disappearing f a s t e r & f a s t e r & l i t t l e Next on t h e M i n i s t r y ' s agenda i s G A I N i s being done t o r e p l a c e i t . Gov't keeps r e g s . , employment & t r a i n i n g i s s u e s . You making p l a n s t o b r i n g more c a r s through : a r e t a l k i n g about b r i d g i n g programs, ideno u r neighbourhood. People on low & f i x e d , t i f y i n g what people need i f t h a t ' s g o a l . incomes a r e g e t t i n g l e s s E l e s s a s p r i c e s Abuse: I need more information on t h e is- & r e n t s shoot up. sile ~f t h e q p t z l I ) ~ C C ~ 5~ Sha; it ~ -"--'ILCLI-a lhoro i t h ~GC!: t ~ ~e 2 ) r~2~ ~ 9 1 ) i ~y g s e x u a l abuse c o u n s e l l i n g . X need you t o changes. We can have t h e d e c i s i o n s made p r o v i d e it. f o r u s ( t h e way most t h i n g s a r e done now) Family Maintenance Enforcement Program: & l i v e w i t h t h e consequences, which w i l l There i s a package coming t o t h e House adl i k e l y be t h a t t h e r e i s l e s s & l e s s f o r dressing t h i s . most o f u s & more & more f o r t h e people Bus p a s s e s : MSS buys bus p a s s e s from BC who make t h e d e c i s i o n s . O r , we can s t a r t r r a n s i t . We a r e looking a t o p t i o n s t o d e a l making d e c i s i o n s now about how t o cope r i t h t h e b r o a d e r t r a n s i t p o l i c y We'll look with an aging p o p u l a t i o n . !t t h e c o s t s o f t r a n s i t p a s s e s i f we a r e JThe C i t y wants t o h e a r from you about how t o make o u r neighbourhood & o u r c i t y a gh o t a b l e t o d e a l w i t h br6ader t r a n s i t - i s s . Smallwood t o FLAWS: b e t t e r p l a c e t o l i v e f o r o l d e r people. These meetings a r e p r o d u c t i v e E I ' d l i k e There w i l l be a p u b l i c meeting t o d i s c u s s 3 f o r m a l i z e them. Think about your r o l e 6 t h e s e i s s u e s on: xke s u r e your v o i c e s a r e p a r t o f t h e proSaturday, A p r i l 1 1 t h , ?SS. W e need your h e l p t o w r e s t l e w i t h 1 1 : O O am - 2:00 pm ' i o r i t i e s ; we wonf t f i x i t a l l tomorrow. Carnegie Theatre Everyone Welcome 1s.

- -A QT

THE WALL Up t h e s t a i r s t o t h e h a l l , from one room t o another, People s h u f f l i n g , one door t o another, The h o t e l h a l l can be n o i s y - people y e l l i n g and banging on doors throughout t h e day & n i g h t , No c o n s i d e r a t i o n from one patron t o a n o t h e r ; Night people do t h e i r t h i n g and o t h e r s t r y t o slumber, clanging of b o t t l e s and smoke from t h e weed, t r a f f i c i n t h e h a l l i s t h i c k a s t h e weed E alcohol f i n d t h e i r way, doors a r e kicked open and screams of abuse a r e heard, The cock has crowed f o r t h e l a s t time, Damage has been done and t h e d u s t s e t t l e s , Slumber f i n a l l y comes,the h a l l b e a r s marks of t h e evening b e f o r e , e a r l y s u n r i s e p e n e t r a t e s t h e g l a s s s t a i n e d windows m e - --,, . - - I 1 L I L G lldll W C I ~ Lt?, ~i h r s z&? ~ a i z a t p i c t a r e 2% g132m. The h a l l s u r v i v e s and so do some of t h e p a t r o n s . The h a l l s l e e p s now, u n t i l t h e next go-round. 1

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Barry Saunders OU THINK YOU ARE?

S c i e n c e by d a y The a r t s b y n i g h t

SIRAH!

I w i l l n o t g e t down on my knees! Nor w i l l I pay homage t o you! And I s u r e a s h e l l won't d r i n k your cup of s h i t ! You p u t on a phony face, one t o d i s g u i s e t r u e f e e l i n g s . You smile - but a smake s m i l e s t o o You're on t o p of your e g o - t r i p . You a l s o d i n e with Royalty E t h e e l i t e . I ' d sooner e a t & mingle with t h e poor, Than e a t E h e a r b u l l s h i t with your chosen! w i l l n o t bow t o you, nd my knee t o you! i g n my welfare cheque.

f o r i f knowledge i s v i r t u e and t r u t h i s wonder Then w h e r e i s i t t o b e f o u n d By d a y o r n i g h t , o r r i g h t o r w r o n g O r in the circle that rolls a l l t h e way a r o u n d Say n o t " t h i s i s t h e t r u t h " b u t So i t s e e m s t o me, t o b e , a s n o I see the thing I think I see.

f i a t should t h e NDP government do? Well, f i r s t o f a l l t h e y should g e t t h e i d e a o u t of t h e i r heads t h a t i n t e r n a t i o n a l i n v e s t ment i s a b e n e f i t t o B r i t i s h Columbia. Mu1 t i n a t i o n a l c o r p o r a t i o n s j u s t come i n & t a k e what t h e y need. Residents a r e t u r n ed i n t o a "labour f o r c e 1 ' t o move l o c a l r e sources i n t o t h e pockets of f o r e i g n i n t e r e s t s who l e g a l i z e t h e i r o p e r a t i o n s by tacking t h e name Ta.nadatt onto t h e i r corpo r a t e i d e n t i t y . When t h e p r i c e of metal, wood, water o r f i s h f a l l s below a p r o f i t a b l e l e v e l t h e y p u l l o u t , l e a v i n g ghosttowns f u l l o f t r a n s i e n t s whose income rapi d l y d e c l i n e s . Communitys t h a t grew up around i n t e r n a t i o n a l investment f a l l a p a r t & t h e economic c o n t i n u i t y of BC i s n o n - e x i s t e n t , r e p l a c e d by alcoholism, v i o lence, s u i c i d e & a plundered landscape poisoned by t o x i c waste. I f you t h i n k I ' m exaggerating, check o u t t h e h i s t o r y o f BC towns developed & abandoned by i n t e r n a t i o n a l investment - compare t h i s t o t h e smiles, handshakes & promises made on government b u s i n e s s t r i p s t o f o r e i g n countrys t h a t have a l r e a d y used up t h e i r own f o r ests, lakes & rivers. An e c o l o g i c a l l y c l e a n , r e g e n e r a t i v e economy can o n l y be b u i l t by l o c a l i n i t i a t i v e p r o t e c t e d from t h e manipulations o f i n t e r n a t i o n a l investment. Local a r t s , s k i l l s & a b i l i t i e s a r e dying out. A l l t h e t r a d e s t h a t once i n t e g r a t e d people with - -r.~L ~ ~--.. r ~e v- -. ; -~u ~ r hi u c g~ e~~t l u i r ~ e~ ir~a a i i v e ; s u s t a i n a b l e ways, have been l o s t & s i d e t r a c k e d i n t h e rush t o t a k e advantage o f c o r p o r a t e promises t h a t d i s a p p e a r i n t h e smoke 6 m i r r o r s o f p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s scams. Free t r a d e i s obviously t u r n i n g o u t t o be what i t s d e t r a c t o r s s a i d i t would b e a t r a d e war w i t h a l l t h e b i g guns on t h e s i d e of t h e United S t a t e s & i t s f r i e n d s , the multinationals. What should an NDP government do? They should r e f u s e t o co-operate with i n t e r n a t i o n a l investment, b u i l d a t r a d e wall around t h e province, 6 start t o v a l u e E r e s u r r e c t l o c a l a r t s & craftsmanship i n q u a l i t y , f i n i s h e d - p r o d u c t , resource-based a c t i v i t y s t h a t a r e low keyed t o p r o t e c t t h e environment & s u s t a i n l i f e . They

should s t i m u l a t e community p r i d e by honouring t h e s k i l l s of i n d i v i d u a l c r a f t s people. I n s t e a d of s e l l i n g whole l o g s t o Sap& a s e l e c t i v e , down-scaled f o r e s t r y should provide l o g s f o r c a r p e n t r y & c r a f t smanship t h a t could produce p r a c t i c a l , b e a u t i f u l l y designed BC wood products a v a i l a b l e nowhere e l s e i n t h e world. Imagi n e f u r n i t u r e designed, b u i l t E carved a s only west c o a s t people could do it. What about a l l t h o s e Native c a r v e r s ? What about a l l t h o s e c a r p e n t e r s & c a b i n e t makers who l e a r n e d t h e i r t r a d e a s a p p r e n t i c e s i n an old-fashioned system t h a t a c t u a l l y worked. An NDP government should provide jobs t h a t a r e s a t i s f y i n g , c r e a t i v e 4 s u s t a i n a b l e . An NDP government should go t o t h e e l d e r s of Native communities & ask them how t o manage r e s o u r c e s . They should f i n d o u t t h e o l d ways t h a t worked f o r g e n e r a t i o n s E w i l l s t i l l work today i f t h e m u l t i n a t i o n a l s a r e muzzled 6 r e s t r a i n e d from t h e i r big-money manipulations. The NDP should outlaw t h e wearing of s u i t s & t i e s i n government p o s i t i o n s . They should become r a d i c a l advocates of s a f e ,

s k i l l f u l l o c a l employment, E t h e y should honour & r e s p e c t t h e freedom of t h o s e who have t h e i r own i d e a s , whether t h o s e i d e a s f i t i n t o economic p a t t e r n s o r n o t . Our o n l y r e a l r e s o u r c e i s human consciousness, c r e a t i v i t y & p r i d e . Give it a break & i t might j u s t f i n d i t s own way home. TORA

The cycle of poverty argument: does it help poor people? 4) Jean Swanson

We've all seen the headlines: "Stopping the treadmill of need; Program aids parents who seek to break a cycle of rejection; ~ r & n g the cycle". What do headlines like these have to do with These stories ask the question: how can we break poverty? the cycle of poverty? They propose programs to benevolently help single parents get training for I think they are part of a mindset which makes it low wage jobs, supplements so they can difficult for people to work to end poverty. continue workingoratwage slave wages, or various ways Sometimes the mindset is unconscious--we've all of making them "better" _Door people. They don't har:! the phr~ses&GIJ: the cyzks of p - e r t y over deai witin tine srructurai forces ~ a are c creating and over and repeat them without thinking. poverty. They don't deal with the question: if we Sometimes its conscious. The Globe and Mail, for help one person get off welfare, how are we going example, continually covers social issues from this perspectivelbf "cycles of poverty," and refuses to to help the person who goes on because there aren't enough jobs? deal with structures of poverty. A lot of us do need training and childcare. The cycles of poverty stories usually concern a University education should be free so the poor single parent who is struggling to make ends meet. aren't excluded. Childcare should be universal. The article details how she attempts make herself We usually need counse!ing at some points of our "a better poor person" (as ELP's Pat Chauncey lives and that should be free. would say). She takes budgeting lessons or parenting lessons. She gets counselled. Or she But the cycles of poverty stories are dangerous. gets trained to be a child careworker or a hair They create the impression that people are poor dresser so she can get a low wage job. because of individual problems. Meanwhile our government has made policy after policy that The cycles of poverty stories create the impression creates poverty: high interest rates, a high dollar, that teenage parents or single parents are the only slashed social programs, trashed UI, free trade, poor p p l e . They ignore the 400,000 people privatization. whose jobs have been sucked to Alabama or Mexico by free trade. They ignore the people who The big danger of "cycles of poverty" articles is are poor because UI cuts have put them on welfare that they lead to solutions that don't work. before another job comes up. They ignore the fact Counseling can help all of us at times and that there are officially over 1.5 million sometimes single parents need it. But it won't end unemployed in Canada, and probably another or even reduce poverty. Budgeting is something million if you count discouraged job seekers and that people on welfare become experts at--but it people who work part time when they need full doesn't mean we have enough money to live on time jobs. They ignore the fact that wage: are so decently. Training, especially for the jobs that low that even competent hard working people can welfare provides training for, won't get many stay in poverty working full time--especially if single parents out of poverty--even if they can get they have children. They ignore the seniors who a job afterward, which is always hard. are poor because of lousy pensions, and people with disabilities who are poor because of equally To help end poverty, we need to examine the lousy pensions and poor work opportunities. structures of poverty. Only when these are exposed, can we work for changes that will end poverty for all.

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STD C L I N I C - Monday t h r o u g h F r i d a y , 9nl11- 5pm. FREE MEDICAL C L I N I C Mon, Wed, Frlclay, 1: 3 0 - 7 : 3 0 p n NEEDLE EXCHANGE 2 2 1 M a i n ; e v e r y day 9am 5m. N e e d l e Exchange van & t h e s t r e e t Man-Sat r v s n l s g s . N.A. meets e v e r y Monday n i g h t a t 2 2 3 MnIn S t r e e t .

ACTIVITIES SOCIETY

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DERA HAS BEEN SERVING THE DOFJNTOWN EASTSEDE FOR 19 YEARS.

So, we have a v i r t u a l l y s t e r i l e concept: tlbusynessrfp e r s e ; surrounded by an enormously exaggerated, t o t a l l y u n r e a l i s t i c image - a f a n t a s y , i l l u s i o n , o r l i e . Then c o n s i d e r t h e supposed purpose o f b u s i n e s s . Government s a y s we have busine s s t o c r e a t e j o b s & j o b s t o c r e a t e paycheques t o t h a t wages can b e t a x e d . . where does t h i s t a x money go? A l o t o f it, a s we've r e c e n t l y d i s c o v e r e d h e r e i n BC, goes i n t o b u s i n e s s l o a n s - E w e ' r e t o l d t h e s e l o a n s a r e supposed t o e s t a b l i s h more b u s i n e s s e s p r o v i d i n g more jobs & more wages which can b e poughed-back i n t o more b u s i n e s s E s o on. ad i n f i n i t u m . One t h i n g i s c i e a r . Lending t a x revenue t o businessmen i s not r e d i s t r i b u t i o n of . ---- 2 - - 1 _CIUI)LJJG WCdlL11. IYd311 L L I I ~U I ; ~ I I L ~ ~ ~f t a x a t i o n t o r e d i s t r i b u t e wealth-more evenly throughout s o c i e t y ? Well, i t ' s not working - & probably n e v e r w i l l , s i n c e we a r e t o l d by t h e people we v o t e f o r t h a t o u r money w i l l c o n t i n u e t o be given t o businessmen E women. 70% o f whom w i l l dec l a r e bankruptcy E n e v e r be r e q u i r e d t o pay i t back. Are t h e s e t h e same r e s p o n s i b l e y c l e a n , i n t e l l i g e n t , s u c c e s s f u l businesspeople we s e e dancing on t h e w i n g t i p s o f A i r Canada j e t s , f a x i n g t h e i r b u s i n e s s fame & f o r t u n e t o a l l p a r t s o f t h e u n i v e r s e , r e l a x i n g i n f i r s t c l a s s accomodations, knocking back f r e e d r i n k s 6 d e s i g n i n g o u r c h i l d r e n ' s f u t u r e on worldclass::co;mpu~ers? Yes, t h e s e a r e t h e ones whose b u s i n e s s s t y l e . & image depends on t h e money o u r e l e c t e d governments t a k e from o u r wages & t h e p r i c e of e v e r y i t e m purchased t o maint a i n o u r e x i s t e n c e . Taxes f e e d b u s i n e s s & b u s i n e s s j u s t i f y s government. T h i s i s n o t a s o c i e t y , i t ' s n o t even a n a t i o n - i t ' s bloodsucking e x p l o i t a t i o n E s a l v e r y , nothi n g more. Government a g e n t s i n b u s i n e s s s u i t s say s o r r y , t h e money disappeared i n u n c o l l e c t sble business loans - t h e r e ' s nothing l e f t f o r o r d i n a r y people t o do b u t s t r u g g l e on WE'RE CLOSIo ~ m RANT IN CAUW*.U(D HOVlPV.

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How good i s b u s i n e s s ? The word i t s e l f d e r i v e s from busy-ness, i e being busy. I'Busynesst' does n o t have t o be e t h i c a l , u s e f u l , o r worthwhile i n any way, s i n c e t h e word j u s t means being busy, w i t h no o t h e r values o r q u a l i f i c a t i o n s attatched t o it. "Businessmanf1 o r businesswoment' s i m i l a r l y means someone who i s busy doing anyt h i n g a t a l l - t h e y could be s e l l i n g bombs, hamburgers, chemicals, machines, o r simply m a k i n g - p o h e c a l l s , f i l l i n g i n forms & counting money it makes no d i f f e r e n c e what t h e y ' r e doing - businessmen a r e j u s t busy & t h a t ' s it - bottom l i n e d e f i n i t i o n . Notice t h e vacuousness of t h i s concept t h e n c o n s i d e r t h e image derivedil.from i t . Every day we s e e businessmen & women d i s played everywhere a s important, mature, f a s h i o n a b l e , glamourous, c l e a n , happy, s u c c e s s f u l , r i c h & famous - b u s i n e s s i s packaged & promoted a s p r e f e r r a b l e t o a l l o t h e r forms o f human behaviour. Nothing can t o p t h e s e l f - r i g h t e o u s image of b u s i ness. I t ' s s o l d t o u s a s t h e o n l y r e a l l y a c c e p t a b l e way of l i f e by o u r government. The businessman appears t o be s u c c e s s f u l F v i r t u o u s t o o u r b h i l d r e n , who a c c e p t t h i s image unquestioningly. They have no a l t e r n a t i v e - a l l o t h e r ways a r e p a i n t e d a s deviations. I f you're a s c i e n t i s t , you're an egghead. If y o u ' r e an a r t i s t , y o u ' r e crazy. I f you're a l a b o u r e r , y o u ' r e a working s t i f f . But i f y o u ' r e a businessman w e l l , hey - l i f e makes s e n s e , E t h e whole world i s a t your f e e t .

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from day t o day - nothing l e f t f o r h o s p i t als, f i r e departments, schools, l i b r a r y s nothing f o r t h e poor - E e s p e c i a l l y not h i n g f o r t h o s e l a z y b a s t a r d s who r e f u s e t o wear s u i t s E s m i l e f o r t h e camera. Mikey s a y s 'We weren't a f r a i d t o make t h e tough d e c i s i o n s t f - b u t who were :he d e c i s i o n s r e a l l y tough on? Honest human b e i n g s w i l l always be f a i l ures. They w i l l r e c e i v e nothing. Those who p l a y a t s u c c e s s b i l l be given a l l t h e c r e d i t . T h e i r overblown image w i l l c o n t i n ue t o e a t up everyone e l s e ' s n e c e s s i t y s u n t i l t h e r e ' s nothing l e f t .

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t o l e n d money t o businessmen. If someone wants t o s t a r t a b u s i n e s s t h e r e a r e banks lending i n s t i t u t i o n s o f a l l k i n d s f o r them t o go t o . . . b u t , you know - nothing i s going t o change. The government wears b u s i n e s s s u i t s , t a l k s b u s i n e s s language, thinks business thoughts t h e y even r e f e l t o themselves a s "The Nation's Business" So, one way o r a n o t h e r , t h e y ' l l p a s s on much o f your money a s p o s s i b l e t o t h e i r business buddys. Government is business - a worldclass i i e : G b u s i ~ t a ~lull3 s t h e g"i;G. Thc-y'te got u s c r u c i f i e d . Our communitys a r e n a i l . ed t o r e a l e s t a t e t r a n s a c t i o n s , o u r l i f e s t y l e s ake n a i l e d t o r e n t r e c e i p t s , c o l l e c t i o n agencys & hydro b i l l s . God knows what new economic weapons a r e aimed a t ou heads E a l l we've g o t i s a Walkman. We're trapped. Is it any wonder t h a t drugs, crime & p r o s t i t u t i o n a r e o u r r e f u g e ? TORI ...NOW,WT'S

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t h i n k i n g such a s t h a t expressed by Tora might be more widespread. "Judges a r e i d i o t s , " such men might t e l l themselves. " I f I g e t caught no doubt t h e judges w i l l b e l i e v e me when I t e l l them a l l t h e b a r e boobs provoked me. But t h e c o u r t s , i n cluding t h e judges, a r e becoming l e s s w i l l i n g t o blame t h e v i c t i m i n rape. Mike Tyson l e a r n e d t h a t , d i d n ' t he?

While I sometimes a g r e e with opinions expressed by " t ~ r a , ' I~ d o n ' t go along with t h o s e r e f e r r i n g t o (1) t h e f e d e r a l judge charged with committing an indecent a c t a f t e r being seen wearing a b l a c k b r a s s i e r e , p a n t i e s & nylons and ( 2 ) a campaign by a I female c o l l e g e s t u d e n t t o have t h e law changed t o permit women t o go about p u b l i c l y s t r i p p e d t o t h e waist a s men sometime do. The f e d e r a l judge should never have been charged i n t h e first p l a c e s i n c e i t i s not unlawful f o r males t o wear female garb, o r v i c e v e r s a . Apparently he was more well covered than your t y p i c a l jock a t t h e beach & he was h u r t i n g no one. He was drunk & leaning a g a i n s t a wall i n a h o t e l c o r r i d o r when ---..A-

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I t ' s t r u e he sounds l i k e a damn' f o o l b u t t h e r e ' s no law a g a i n s t t h a t , i s t h e r e ? I f t h e r e weret which of u s would be f o r e v e r s a f e from p r i s o n ? About t h e women... Tora i m p l i e s t h a t s e x crimes, presumably he means t h o s e a g a i n s t women, would r i s e i f women bared t h e i r bosoms. He t h u s shows himself ready t o blame t h e v i c t i m s f o r t h e crimes he a n t i c i p a t e s . In any c a s e , when t o p l e s s w a i t e r s & nude dancers were popular a few y e a r s ago, we d i d n ' t hear of male d i n e r s & b e e r d r i n k e r s going mad with l u s t , d i d we? Maybe when Tora p r e d i c t s an i n c r e a s e i n t h e number of sex crimes i f women go topl e s s on t h e s t r e e t s , he means an i n c r e a s e i n t h e number of r a p e s & attempted rapes. (What e l s e could he mean?) But Tora, t h o s e who have e x h a u s t i v e l y s t u d i e d such t h i n g s t e l l u s t h a t t h e g r e a t e s t number of r a p e s by f a r a r e n o t t h e r e s u l t of males being overcome by sexual d e s i r e . Most a r e s i c k , v i o l e n t a s s a u l t s agains.t Woman. In f a c t many intended rapes t u r n i n t o attempted r a p e s because t h e male c a n ' t g e t it up. And o p p o r t u n i t y , r a t h e r than r e v c z l e d beauty i s u s u a l l y t h e f a c t o r t h a t causes t h e would-be r a p i s t t o choose one woman i n s t e a d of o t h e r s a s h i s victim. O f course t h e r e i s t h e danger t h a t i f t h e s t r e e t s suddenly f i l l e d with Lare-breasted women, some males who had u n t i l then been a f r a i d t o indulge t h e i r yen t o commit r a p e might be made bold. What might g i v e them courage i s t h e b e l i e f t h a t wrong-headed

"Well, if that's not our song it's goddam close!"

Born Wild and Free

I go t o S t a n l e y Park & observe t h e anima l s . I f e e l v e r y c l o s e t o them because I'n a l s o born f r e e & my s p i r i t i s untamed. The C i t y , t o me, f e e l s l i k e a humongous j a i l o r zoo. I j u s t d o n ' t f i t . A s o f t e n a: I can I go on t h e highway, t r a v e l l i n g fron c i t y t o c i t y , o r I go i n t h e f o r e s t . I enjoy s l e e p i n g i n a t e n t i n t h e middle of nowhere, mind f o l l o w i n g t h e b i r d s i n t h e i r f l i g h t through t h e sky. I l o v e looking a t animals running f r e e , l i k e b h i l d r e r running 4 p l a y i n g . I t is impossible f o r me t o conform t o r u l e s & r e g u l a t i o n s . I t i s p a i n f u l t o do t h e same t h i n g o v e r & o v e r again, e s p e c i a l l y working on a job f o r which I have no h e a r t . I love t o be a l l o v e r t h e p l a c e on a sunny day - c a r e f r e e . I l o v e daydreaming when l a y i n g b e s i d e a t r e e . I want t o do a s I p l e a s e when I p l e a s e . , I want t o go wherever I want t o go By CLAUDE MAURICE

A f t e r having what I thought was a good meeting on Friday, Feb. 7, I was s u r p r i s e d t o r e c e i v e your l e t t e r o f Mar.3, accusing council of i r r e s p o n s i b i l i t y with regard to Downtown South. Frankly, I ' m d i s a p p o i n t e d t h a t having a meeting t o d i s c u s s t h e i s s u e s followed by a 4-page l e t t e r s p e l l i n g o u t t h e d e t a i l s made a b s o l u t e l y no d i f f e r e n c e t o your und e r s t a n d i n g o f what i s r e a l l y going on i n Downtown South. L e t ' s g e t a few t h i n g s s t r a i g h t . C i t y Council i s n o t s t a c k e d up a g a i n s t DEW. Council unanimously pays J i m Green's s a l ary, pays DERA's S e n i o r ' s Counsellor E g i v e s DERA a c o n t r a c t t o r e l o c a t e people i n t o a p p r o p r i a t e housing. DERA has a cont r a c t with t h e City t o a s s i s t City s t a f f with emergency housing r e l o c a t i o n i n t h e Downtown E a s t s i d e . And DERA does a good job. So l e t ' s n o t p r e t e n d t h a t t h e NPA has a v e n d e t t a a g a i n s t J i m Green o r DERA 6 t h a t we a r e s h u t t i n g down h i s o p e r a t i o n . We simply b e l i e v e d t h e r e was a b e t t e r way t o do t h e community development f o r t h e Downtown South; a way t h a t i s more compr e h e n s i v e because it b r i n g s t o g e t h e r many s o c i a l s e r v i c e a g e n c i e s i n c l u d i n g DEW. Believe it o r n o t , t h e r e a r e many, many o t h e r agencies which c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e wellbeing o f Vancouverites E t o t h e r e s i d e n t s o f Downtown South. A s p a r t o f DERA!s r e c e n t propaganda campaign, I ' v e been h e a r i n g t h a t t h e C i t y

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t i o n s a r e not based on t h e same manage-, ment t e c h n i q u e s which t h e h i r i n g p r a c t i c e s i n t h e Downtown South r e f l e c t . A s you know, t h e primary t h r u s t of t h e C i t y ' s p o l i c y i n Downtown South i s t o ens u r e t h a t housing f o r t h e people now l i v ing i n h o t e l s i s n o t o n l y secured b u t a l s o improved. Let me remind you t h a t t h i s Council i s t h e f i r s t t o e s t a b l i s h t h e t o o l s t o p r o v i d e f o r t h e replacement hous i n g f o r t h o s e who l i v e i n t h e Downtown South. And t h e s e a r e n o t j u s t words. A l ready we a r e n e a r i n g completion of t h e new C o n t i n e n t a l - 110 new homes f o r e x i s t i n g Downtown South r e s i d e n t s . We've a l ready a c q u i r e d t h e Gresham Hotel t o prov i d e 42 u n i t s E t h e C i t y is reviewing opt i o n s f o r p r o v i d i n g 108 a d d i t i o n a l emergency housing u n i t s i n t h e o l d C o n t i n e n t a l Hotel. These a c t i o n s r e f l e c t a r e a l commi t t m e n t t o t h e s t a b i l i t y of t h e Downtown South community. I look forward t o c o n s t r u c t i v e work with a l l t h o s e who a r e involved i n t h e Downtown South. This does n o t mean every r e q u e s t w i l l be g r a n t e d . I t does mean we a r e working i n good f a i t h t o c r e a t e a s t a b l e community f o r a d d i t i o n a l a f f o r d a b l e housing o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r t h o s e who work i n t h e downtown a r e a . I hope t h a t your p r o v i n c i a l p o s i t i o n w i l l be one t h a t i s c o n s t r u c t i v e E based on f a c t &-research, because t h a t ' s how we w i l l a s s u r e t h e succ e s s o f t h e redevelopment 6 r e v i t a l i z a t i o n of t h i s remarkable urban cornmimi t y .

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from 7 t o 10 workers. The t r u t h i s t h a t a Federal c o n t r a c t f o r 6 o r 7 people has come t o an end E t h e s e people - a r e no long e r employed. M r . Green i m p l i e s t h a t t h i s is t h e r e s u l t o f a C i t y a c t i o n . Not so. L e t ' s be c l e a r , Emery. You E I both know t h a t e v e r y s o c i a l s e r v i c e agency has a d d i t i o n a l demands. Many r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s a r e "down-loaded" t o t h e C i t y because t h e Province does n o t p r o v i d e a whole h o s t o f them w i t h t h e funding t h e y r e q u i r e . However, I b e l i e v e it i s i r r e s p o n s i b l e t o h i r e people when funds a r e n o t a v a i l a b l e . We a r e a l l c o n s t r a i n e d by t i g h t budgets, even DERA. I have always b e l i e v e d t h ~ it f you h a v e n ' t g o t enough money t o pay somebody, you s h o u l d n ' t h i r e him o r h e r . I % ..

This l e t t e r from Campbell i s n ' t t h a t r e markable. I t ' s i n answer t o Emery Barnes1 o u t r a g e E condemnation of t h e NPA m a j o r i t y on C i t y Council. They s p e c i f i c a l l y denied funding DERA t o do community work i n t h e Downtown South i n t h e f a c e of both t h e C i t y Manager E t h e D i r e c t o r of S o c i a l Planning c a l l i n g DERA "the b e s t a v a i l a b l e f o r t h e job " What i s remarkable i s how Campbell l a u d s what ' s happening. The v a s t m a j o r i t y o f c u r r e n t r e s i d e n t s of t h e Downtown South who d e s p e r a t e l y need t h e s e r v i c e s DERA

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provides e x i s t on low, fixed incomes. A conservative estimate of t h e number i s 1500 people. Campbell t a l k s about redeveloping - consciously ignoring t h e f a c t t h a t the new housing r e f e r r e d t o w i l l not be f o r these people. They l i v e now i n l d hot e l s & rooming houses, paying a t l e a s t $325 a month f o r a room. The new places w i l l s t a r t a t $470 - 150 of them? You don't b u i l d old h o t e l s . The new ones a r e j u s t t h a t - "newft - & w i l l be p r i c e d accordingly. Campbell's not exceptionally s t u p i d , but t o keep g l o s s i n g over t h i s b a s i c f a c t & expecting people a f f e c t e d t o buy it i s p r a c t i c e d s t u p i d i t y . Passing t h e buck t o t h e Province i s andard m n ~ p2: gnc-c t..'-'----, hi2t nt m p n t jnn t h e r embarrassing f a c t - t h e d i s r e p u t e o r non-existence of most s o c i a l s e r v i c e s i s t h e r e s u l f of 15 years o f t h e slime & s l e a z e of h i s buddies, t h e socreds. (Campb e l l was Vanderzalm's campaign manager when t h a t joke ran f o r mayor! ) Neither does he s t a t e anything about t h e NPA refusing t h e DERA a p p l i c a t i o n f o r J i m Green & Anna Wongls s a l a r i e s , f o r c i n g ext r a work i n appeals & only a f t e r DERA does 2 o r 3 times t h e work needed j u s t t o g e t approval f o r i t s y e a r l y funding does t h e NPA agree - t'unanimously't. The most g l a r i n g omission i s comment on t h e quotes Barnes used from Gordon Price voicing h i s p u e r i l e paranoia about Green running f o r mayor. Regardless of Campbell ' s narrowness i n being tlsurprised" t h a t people s e e t h e poli t i c a l n a t u r e of t h i s r e f u s a l , t h e r e ' s nothing new here. When DEEDS came t o Counc i l f o r money, t h e City Manager, t h e D i r e c t o r of Social Planning & even t h e Chair o f t h e C i t y ' s Finance Committee a l l s a i d NO. (This chairperson s a i d , "I w o u l d n ' t give these peopie a plug n i c k e l .I1) The NPA had t h e necessary 8 votes & gave DEEDS t h e key t o over 112 m i l l i o n d o l l a r s o f p u b l i c money. I t was purely p o l i t i c a l i n t h e f a c e of hard evidence of s e r i o u s f i n a n c i a l i m p r o p r i e t i e s . Now, on t h e f l i p s i d e , City s t a f f want DERA 6 t h e NPA r e f u s e s . I bel i e v e Campbell thinks t h e people of t h i s c i t y a r e extremely s t u p i d . By PAULR

TAYLOR

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o f t h e s t o r y was d u l l s o t h e y s p i c e it up a b i t , With e a c h new c a l l They have a b a l l making s u r e t h i s o n e ' s a h i t . My f r i e n d s w i l l f i n d t h e t r u t h i n time s o s i t t i n g back i s b e s t , With t h o u g h t s o f k i n d 6 keep i n mind they're giving others a rest.

Down t h e Road The r o a d winds l i k e a snake t h r o u g h mountains and h i l l s , Down t h e r o a d r o c k s h a v e f a l l e n and d e b r i s i s s c a t t e r e d h e r e E t h e r e , B l o o d s t a i n s i n t h e c r a c k s mark a f a t a l i t y - a passerby. The r o a d i s s l e a k and smooth b u t can b e cumbersome E dangerous t o o , v e h i c l e s go t o o f a s t and p e o p l e a r e responsible..most times, But t h e r o a d s u r v i v e s and s e e s a warning t o o t h e r s . , t h e marks

Barry Saunders

REFLECTIONS I remember s o d i s t i n c t l y , One raw November day; The sky was hanging very low, And snow was on i t s way.

Of t h o s e y e a r s she l i v e d , I wondeced, When s u n - l i g h t s t r o k e d h e r h a i r ; Of a l o v e r o r a husband, A f a t h e r who would c a r e .

The wind came with a b i t t e r c h i l l , And blowing with a v i c i o u s n e s s , That I could almost t a s t e .

Back when she was a l i t t l e g i r l , With innocent,young eyes; Her f a t h e r might have held h e r hand, Beneath blue, summer s k i e s .

t h e f r i g i d winds of winter, Streamed down from i c y s k i e s ; On t h e c o r n e r stood a woman, With o l d and t i r e d eyes,

Then perhaps when she was o l d e r , When h u r t i n g words would s t a r t ; Would she leave h e r house i n anger, And break h e r f a t h e r ' s h e a r t ?

A long and ragged c o a t she wore, Hung almost t o h e r f e e t ; Her belongings i n a buggy, She pushed upon t h e s t r e e t .

Could t h e r e once have been a l o v e r ? There i n h e r d i s t a n t p a s t ; Who had turned h e r blood t o f i r e , A l o v e that' d i d n ' t l a s t .

A cold t h a t c u t t h e f a c e ;

O r a man she c a l l e d h e r husband, And children,and a home; Did t h e y know about a mother? Who on t h e s t r e e t must roam.

Did she know a mother's heartbreak, With many t e a r s t o keep? Who worried through t h e many n i g h t s , Who c r i e d h e r s e l f t o s l e e p . But Time has gone and s l i p p e d away, Now never t o r e t u r n ; And l e f t h e r nothing b u t remorse, With memories t h a t burn.

A woman l e f t t o d r i f t through Time,

With hard y e a r s she had f a c e d ; Her b e a u t i f u l youth was l o s t and gone, And would n o t be r e p l a c e d . Her f e a t u r e s crowded f i f t y y e a r s , Time's a s h e s s t a i n e d h e r h a i r ; Her f a c e so f i l l e d with hopelessness, And l i n g e r i n g d e s p a i r . And a s she came towards me, My thoughts flowed t h i c k and f a s t ; I r e f l e c t e d on h e r f u t u r e , To s p e c u l a t e h e r p a s t .

Now what i s i e f t a r e empty y e a r s , Of broken g l a s s and stone; A l i f e o f alley-ways and garbage, A l i f e so a l l alone.

A l o n e l y l i f e she has t o l i v e , A lonely death s h e ' l l die; No one w i l l know ba even c a r e , No one w i l l wonder why. A s she slowly passed on by me, Her f a c e s o v e r y o l d ; The wind blew hard upon h e r back, So v e r y , v e r y cold.

Michael James McLellan

l i n e s have t o be drawn somewhere. Someone has t o s a y enough i s enough! & mean it - E l i v e i t . Living t h e r e a l i t y o f enough i s enough i n t h i s s o c i e t y o f t e n makes an indi v i d u a l appear t o b e some kind of mad monk ( o r nun, a s t h e c a s e may b e ) . I n a c o r r u p t s o c i e t y , much v i r t u e r e s i d e s i n a n t i s o c i a l RUNNING a c t i v i t y , c o n t r a r y t o t h e conventional, s e x l e s s , p i o u s image of "churchedit people. ON "Endgame" people o f t e n appear c r a z y t o o t h e r s because t h e y a t t e m p t t o r e - o r i e n t EMPTY : t h e i r l i v e s t o t h i n g s s o c i e t y i s n o t proThe l e s s o n s o f poverty a r e n e c e s s a r y t o moting - ways s o c i e t y is n e g l e c t i n g , a world i n which w i l l f u l p r o f i t e e r i n g has t h i n g s i t i s r e p r e s s i n g & forbidding,knowgained c o n t r o l . I f p o v e r t y c o u l d , e x p r e s s ledge & e x p e r i e n c e it i s c o n s t a n t l y overi t s experience & a r t i c u l a t e i t s s o u l , t h e looking. Men & women who have reached endp e r s o n a l r e s o u r c e s o f an over-looked & pame have no more p a t i e n c e with t h e s t l i p j " ser-t-~n ~f s ~ c i e + yw ~ n l dcQme -ctigmr~tlz~a -d i t y o f t h e system, o r w i t h t h o s e around t o light. them who a u t o m a t i c a l l y s u p p o r t t h e s o c i e t y S o c i e t y needs t o l e a r n h u m i l i t y - t o t h e y f i n d themselves i n . Endgame people downsize i t s e l f - t o do more w i t h l e s s , f a l l i n t o E e x p e r i e n c e f o r themselves b u t t h e y s a y t h a t "poorIt people need t o b e those things society f e a r s , hates, forbids. educated i n t o s o c i a l a c c e p t a b i l i t y ; educa- Poverty i s one of t h o s e t h i n g s . To people t e d t o systems of t h i n k i n g t h a t proceed who have decided, a s a r e s u l t o f t h e i r own from t h e d i n o s a u r s o f o u r time - t h e corp- s e a r c h f o r t r u t h , t o chuck s o c e i t y ' s v a l o r a t e resource-based empires who g e n e r a l l y u e s & s t a r t anew - t h e t r a d i t i o n s & p h i l o s e t t h e image of "employable person" i n s o p h y ~o f p o v e r t y can b e a r e f u g e i n a o u r heads. hurricane. Sometimes i d e a s such a s "Fuck o f f - g e t Paid e d u c a t o r s w i l l , when pushed t o t h e o f f my c a s e you bloodsucking l e e c h t f can b e l i m i t s o f evasiveness, o f t e n admit t h a t the b e t t e r communicated a s " r e s p e c t my i n d i v i - purpose o f education i s t o develop o r ev= d u a l i t y - my r i g h t t o s e l f - d e t e r m i n i s m 6 o l v e o n e ' s own s t a t e of being. Deep down freedom from economic e x p l o i t a t i o n t t e t c . i n s i d e t h e y know t h a t j u s t g e t t i n g s m a r t e r By u s i n g language a v a i l a b l e , a r t i c u l a t e won't do i t , adding more s k i l l s won't do poverty can t e a c h s o c i e t y t h e l e s s o n s i t i t , making more money won't do it, o r g a n i needs t o l e a r n - an understanding o f b a s i c zing l i f e more e f f i c i e n t l y won't do it p r i n c i p l e s such as: Freedom of t h e i n d i v i even . . becoming a s u c c e s s f u l somebody won't dual t o develop h i s o r h e r own p e r s o n a l i t y 6 l i f e s t y l e a s - a m a t t e r o f choice; s i m p l i c i t y 6 d i r e c t n e s s i n d e a l i n g with o t h e r s ; v a l u e s t h a t a p p r e c i a t e t h e overlooked, o r d i n a r y e v e n t s of day-to-day e x i s t e n c e , while a t t h e same time honouring t h e unusu a l , e c c e n t r i c & unique; o u t o f poverty a way o f l i f e develops with t r i b a l , s t r e e t gnag, o r extended family p a t t e r n s - f r i e n d s E like-minded i n d i v i d u a l s , s e t t i n g images a s i d e , can l i v e t h e t r u t h o f tough l o v e , when honest d i s c o r d i s a s v a l u a b l e a s genu i n e agreement. I t ' s not s o c i e t y t h a t t e a c h e s i n d i v i d u a l s how t o behave, b u t i n d i v i d u a l s who t e a c h s o c i e t y what i t needs t o know. The

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do i t . But what w i l l do i t , o r a t l e a s t holds t h e p o t e n t i a l f o r i t , i s h e a r t b r e a k , endgame, - d i v i n g f o r t h e bottom l i n e & g e t t i n g down t o b a s i c a l t e r n a t i v e s . Didn't Someone once s a y "The l e a s t among you s h a l be f i r s t " ? - I ' v e even heard it s a i d t h a t t o b e t h e b e s t t e a c h e r you must b e t h e best student. O f c o u r s e , i t ' s a paradox, a cozy c o n t r a d i c t i o n t o b e l i e v e t h e l a s t w i l l bk f i r s t t o t h i n k t h a t t h e bottom l i n e could s i m p l y b e t h e t o p o f a new page? S o c i e t y seems t o v a l u e independence & self-determination, but i n a c t u a l p r a c t i c e t h o s e who r e a l l y go t h e i r own way a r e devalued, misunderstood, m i s t r e a t e d E r e j e c ted. What s o c i e t y means i s t h a t it v a l u e s independence & s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n p r a c t i c ed i n p u r s u i t of g o a l s it approves of but t h i s i s an i m p o s s i b i l i t y - s o c i e t y i s i n c r e d i b l y devious t o c l a i m independence 6 s e l f - d e t e r m i n a t i o n a r i s e under such condit i o n s . I t ' s j u s t a n o t h e r deception among many such d e c e p t i o n s . A l l s o c i e t y r e a l l y wants i s team p l a y e r s devoid of e t h i c a l prioritys The 'Ipoor" c o n t r i b u t e l e s s time, energy, & money t o e c o l o g i c a l d i s a s t e r & m i l i t a r y o v e r k i l l t h a n any o t h e r group. They a r e : b e t t e r a t d e a l i n g w i t h economic l o s s , more familiar with p r a c t i c a l survival s t r a t e g y s & o b v i o u s l y more r e a l i s t i c about t r a n s i e n t urban e x i s t e n c e t h a n t h e economically s e I c u r e c a r e e r heads s o c i e t y approves o f . I The l i n e s a r e drawn. The "wrong s i d e of

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l i v e 6 l e a r n what s o c i e t y d e n i e s & avoids. Free from scheduled time r e s t r i c t i o n s & mortgaged f u t u r e s , s e n s i t i v e , i n t e l l i g e n t b u t tough i n d i v i d u a l s can e x p l o r e hidden a r e a s o f human n a t u r e f i r s t h a n d & d i s c o v e r themselves more thoroughly than o t h e r s may have thought p o s s i b l e . Poverty i s n o t j u s t a l a c k of money - it i s t h e l i f e s t y l e s & philosophys we've developed t o d e a l w i t h a l a c k o f money. With l e s s money you c a n ' t j u s t go o u t Fr buy ent e r t a i n m e n t t o c u t t h e boredom - you have t o make your own e n t e r t a i n m e n t , o r you have t o l e a r n t o t o l e r a t e boredom either way you g a i n something, i n s t e a d o f j u s t becoming a n o t h e r e n t e r t a i n m e n t consumer. Even i f you j u s t d r i n k , gamble & boogy

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away your welfare ,cheque every month, you s t i l l have a t l e a s t 3 weeks l e f t t o p r a c t i c e t h e l i f e s t y l e s & philosophys o f povert y . If you had a l o t o f money you'd probab l y j u s t k i l l y o u r s e l f by overindulgence i n bad h a b i t s anyway. Everyone has t h e r i g h t t o do t h a t i f t h e y want t o - you even have t h e r i g h t t o blame i t on o t h e r s , 6 t h e y have t h e r i g h t t o blame i t on you. To some people, freedom means t h e r i g h t t o screw up any way t h e y want t o , & whate v e r s o c i e t y h a t e s most i s what w h e y l l l wind up doing (which i s a s o r t o f r e v e r s e brainwash). That' s okay, i f i t ' s what you want o u t o f l i f e - it might even be what you need. You can l e a r n a l o t from watching y o u r s e l f & o t h e r s run u p h i l l , o v e r t h e t d p , down t h e o t h e r s i d e & i n t o t h e garbage dump once a month. But you know, i t ' s when you wake up & r e a l i z e you've got t h e n e x t 3 o r 4 weeks t o g e t t o know t h a t g a r bage i n t i m a t e l y t h a t t h e l i f e s t y l e s G phil o s o p h y ~o f p o v e r t y begin t o w k e sense. I t even g e t s t o t h e p o i n t where garbage can b e your b e s t f r i e n d - i n a s e n s e , God i s i n t h e garbage. You become f a m i l i a r riith t h e d r e g s o f humanity., t h e d r e g s of a s h t r a y s & dumpsters. You g e t c u r i o u s abo u t t h e c o n t e n t s o f alleyways G c o n s t r u c t ion s i t e s ; knowledgable about t h e t h i n g s people l e a v e l y i n g around. Sometimes you even bottow them permanently, & t h e n , t e c h n i c a l l y , you have become a c r i m i n a l . Now you r e a l l y have e n r o l l e d y o u r s e l f i n t h e u n i v e r s a l school o f t h e s t r e e t s .

Skid Road Blues

No Fab F i f t i e s L Blue Moon c r o o n , on1 v e i n s howling w h i l e my n e i g h b o u r , t h e ex-con hacks o u t t u b e r c u l a r t u n e s between u r i n o u s s h e e t s . Back a l l e y b l u e s g o t me, c r a z y , b e a t o f t r u c k s and d r u n k s g o t my mind pinned and pegged o u t i n t h e j i n g l e j a n g l e j u n g l e , cockroaches dancing till they drop i n my s i n k , my s h o e s . No food. R a t s g o t t h e b e s t dumpster t r e a t s , l e a v i n g sweet damn a l l f o r me. No money l e f t . No money, r i g h t ! Should I a p e my s i s t e r , t a l k monkey t a l k t o pimps g r i n n i n g l i k e hyenas a t Main and N a s t i n g s ? P i n h o l e s i n S i s t e r ' s arms scream b l u e murder, scream cop-car, i t s red eye winking a t o u r d a r k . Another s t a b b i n g , a n o t h e r r a p e . Cops g o t t h e h e a t on, p u s h e r s g o t t h e h e a t on, J o h n s g o t t h e h e a t on, pimps g o t t h e h e a t on, r a g e g o t t h e h e a t on, h a t e Your b l u e moon g o t t h e h e a t on n e v e r t u r n e d t o g o l d , Me1 Torme, it fused blood-red! In t h e Nuke-Nineties, t o r c h songs mean something e l s e

T h e r e ' s something 2 b 4 a poem when it t a k e s a lifetime t o write & 6 seconds 2 b read

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of t h i s Downtown E a s t s i d e c o r e . Maureen McGregor

THE WINDOW

They s e e a l l i n t h e room and on t h e s t r e e t , The wall and t h e window s e e t h e going o n ' s of'everybody, The s e c r e t s t h e y could t e l l i f o n l y t h e y could speak, With mouth t i g h t and eyes open t h e wall E window s e e a l l , The wall s p a t t e r e d with human consumption, The window a s eyes p i e r c e d through, The e v e n t s of t h e n i g h t a r e damaging t o both window & w a l l , The window i s r e p a i r e d but t h e s c a r s s t i l l l i n g e r throughout; But s i l e n c e i s golden, and peace and harmony p r e v a i l ---Barry Saunders