December 15, 2007, carnegie newsletter

FREE

DECEMBER 15, :?.007

carnnews@vcn. be.ca www.carnnews.org 604-665-2289

'401 Main Sltf!el, Vancouver V6A 2T7

NEWSLETTER

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It's freezing and four in the morning It feels like it's 20 below I'm lying here waiting here for dawning Because I have no place to go I'd a man and a son and a daughter A car and a house with nice views He left us though he didn't oughter The kids cried and I took to booze.

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CHORUS Please sir, please sir, I just need a bed for the night, Tonight.

Please sir, p~ease sir, I just need a bed for the night.• I soon lost my j ob and my housing So we stayed in a shelter all day We constantly needed delousing Then they took my poor babies away.

My stay at the shelter was over I'd nothing but anguish and woe o I upped and came out to Vancouver ; didn't know where else to go.

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I found me a you ng handsome lover With two rooms and cash to his name It didn't take long to discover He wanted me out on the game So I went to a place on Cordova With a black eye, all tearful and meek.

They said, 'We're full up, supper's over.

Go elsewhere, and come back next week.

HORUS You shouldn't sleep out in Toronto It's too cold to sleep out in Moose Jaw it's unwise to sleep out in Prince Albert Tuktoyuktuk or Chibougamau.

So Vancouver's the place we all comes to At least you can sleep in the day f olks think we're all druggies and bums, too Out most of us just lost our way

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CHORUS : rented a room in a hell-hole ~400 a month and quite small ;v1y neighbours were noisy and violent And the bathroom was way down the hall As housing, it just wasn't funny With crack-heads and bedbugs all day Out what else can you get fo r the money '!'hat welfare allows you to pay?

The shelters are fu ll, or they're useless And if you get a foot in the door Some watery soup and a sandwich And a mattress from midnight to four.

You might think this song is depressing You might think it's all rather strange But instead of just sitting there stressing Let's al: work together for change 1

Gian Ward

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'ot telephone: 604-251-4844

Carnegie Community Action Project

City hotel policies could increase homelessness by 1000s The City of Vancouver's Single Room Accommodation (SRA) bylaw is not protecting residential hotel rooms for low income people. It also appears to be getting ready to gut or end the bylaw entirely, thus forcing single people on welfare to find nonexistent housing in other parts of the city for $375 a month.

"We complained about the Columbia llotel on September, 5th," said Wendy Pedersen of the Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP). It was refusing to rent to new renters by the month and charging $200 a week instead." Under the SRA bylaw, which was designed to maintain housing for the city's low income people, the hotel is only allowed to rent 10 per cent of its rooms by the day and week. CCAP complained to the city and later sent the city photos of the Columbia's sign which only mentions renting by the day or week, and a link to the Columbia's website which offers accommodation for backpackers. "Now it's December and the Hotel's website (http://www.columbiahotel.ca/) is still seeking backpackers," said Pedersen. "Meanwhile, low income residents of the area can't afford $800 per month to stay in the Columbia and its 73 rooms are lost to the low income community."

CCAP is also appalled that the city is actually considering ending the SRA bylaw. Page II of thereport to city council on City/Province Social and Supportive Housing Partnership (http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/2007 I 212/docu ments/sc !.pdf), suggests that the SRA bylaw could become history as soon as 2008.

"City officials told us that the SRA bylaw would protect low rent rooms," said Pedersen. "But it isn't protecting the rooms and now the city is using the possibility of getting 1200 more units from the province as an excuse to allow hotel owners to demolish

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or convert." " We still have over 2000 homeless people in this city," said Pedersen. "We know of 56 I units that have closed this year and only 30 have been opened.

For next year and 2009 together, we might get 373 new units. After that, we expect more, but not enough to even house everyone who is homeless now, let alone house people the city allows to be evicted from hotels."

"We need a moratorium on SRO closures," said Pedersen "and to prevent evictions, the Province should change tenancy laws by controlling rent increases on the unit not on the person."

Contact: Wendy Pedersen: 604 839-0379 Jean Swanson: 605 729-2380 CCAP challenges Mayor Sullivan and City staff on their accounting of new housing to be built by 2010. For CCAP's list of the Real Number of new housing units for low income people, email Jean at jcan.swanson@gmail.com

On Dec.5 the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre sponsored The Power of Women March to recognise the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. The following speech was made by Ayisha on behalf of the Carnegie Community Action Project: "The policy makers of the world all over have put women at the mercy of organised classes. The old school and their philosophical ideo logies haven't changed much since the turn of the century. We see miscarriage of justice, deception and hypocrisy in the name of gender equality come out in the domineering, insensitive culture; driven by greed, materialistic selfishness, sex and crime, economic and gender warfare, encouraging abuse.

The spirit of many women has been lost due to conflicting layers of regulations, which is as cruel as the grave.

Hear this, patriarchal civilisation: Are you proud to see women begging on the street, sleeping on the street, running from your wars and famines?!? We urge you to break this vicious cycle.

If you love your Mama, have love and respect for every woman. You came out of a woman."

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Political Will

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Dedicated to Jean Swanson Political will sends our best and bravest to die in Afghanistan Keeping the drug lords in power Against the "Telly Bann" That bad old "Telly Ban" Thanks to them on 9-11 No poppy crop put Wall Street In Fear Trading had no drug money Things were about to collapse within the Year.

No drug money to drive the Yankee Machine.

The future for America was looking mighty mean .

Political will to the rescue First the Yanks invade to put the drug lords in power, Planting poppies then experiences its finest hour.

Canadians then come in, Yanks say thanks with a grin Now while you keep the poppies growing Canooks We'll go to Iraq to swell American contractor's pocket books.

To make the Oil Companies nice and rich, Canadians need believe Afghani's are a son of a bitch.

Cuz they killed the poppy crops year after year.

But that is not what the public is made to hear.

The story they tell with righteous deplore, It's women's rights we are in Afghanistan for.

Yet on the home front things are not what they seem. . With Rights of the likes of Alison Bodean.

For the likes of her freedom is but a myth.

Because she protested the war Our Government is all in a tiff.

The only political willed Is for the likes of her To have her voice killed.

While at the trough Corporate Pigs do swell Political will is there to see they eat well.

For the rich and powerful political will is always employed.

Yet for the masses it has seldom been enjoyed. ' Only when we come to our bitter end.

Do those in power hear the message we send.

Then the political will appears.

Only when the powerful have fears.

We'll know democracy in our day.

When those we elect have political will and attention they pay.

Looking after the masses.

Not just the upper classes.

Ah Political Will

Earth's bounty will then serve all well.

When the Political Will is there To tell the greedy to go to hell!

A Downtown Eastside poet ....

Sees Tens of Thousands across our nation Li ving in the streets In a homeless situation.

Budget surp luses over-flow government coffers.

So to the rich a tax break they offer.

No political will to provide affordable housing across this nation.

However support for convention centre overruns, now that's a different situation.

Double and then some budgets of the rich.

There is always political will to dig them out of their ditch.

Political Will has cutbacks for medical care. infrastructure and education.

We are asked to pay more taxes and tighten our belts all across this nation.

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Hum 101 Documentaries December 15th Energy from the Vacuum Tom Bearden's plans for producing free energy, along with a brief history of free power inventions hidden from the public so we are forced to pay for energy.

2 hours 9 minutes Graham Hancock's Quest for the Lost Civilization Heaven's Mirror 50 minutes December 22 Energy from tire Vacuum Part 2. 2 hours 13 mins- A history of Christmas 50 minutes.

December 29 Tom Bearden talks Testa 2 hours.

Down Town East Side Opera Refreshments will be provided by HUM I 0 I and Door Prizes given out each evening. Come join us and learn something new. Colleen Carroll

BOOK REVIEW

By Robert R Rich

"Christmas is coming and the goose is getting fat.

Please put a penny in the old man's hat. fjYou haven't got a penny, then a hae' penny will do.

Ifyou haven't got a hae' penny, then God bless you!

Sometimes, when I'm sitting around, I' start to get feeling sorry for myself, and when that happens, I have to think of someone worse off than myself.

I have to do it quite often, should be about once a day, at least. But sometimes I forget my own rule, although sometimes I remember.

Not long ago, I started to think about Helen Keller, a person who was blind, and unable to hear, and if she could lead the life she lead, with those

tremendous disabilities, what right did I have to feel sorry for myself?

I went over and got a book entitled: Helen Keller: A Life, by Dorothy Hermann.

I was surprised to find out that Helen Keller was not always blind, and unable to hear. She developed scarlet fever at about 18 months of age, and lost her sig ht and hearing. At the age of about seven, she teamed up with Annie Sullivan, who was to stay with her for Annie's life.

Annie apparently.knew the tap-tap language, which is tapping a kind of code into o ne's hand.

Ind eed, people so metimes said Annie Sullivan and Helen Keller together made up one person! • Helen, however, was able to speak. Actually, she could read people's lips, by placing her fingers over their lips and making out the words.

This seems to be a bit odd. Somehow, she had been able to learn the English language.

M ore incredible, Helen received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Radcliff Uni versity in 1904.

Helen went on to become a celebrity, but she ':as not without her detractors. For part of her l1fe, she became a social activist, taking part in many demonstrations for social justice.

This does not go over too big in America, as t~e Americans "in charge'' do not Iike egalitanan and progressive people.

At o ne time George Bernard Shaw, as he was being introduced to Helen Keller, remarked: "All Americans are blind, deaf and dumb (Remember, she can't hear what he's sayi ng.)

So much for George Bernard Shaw.

Nonetheless, Helen Keller lived a remarkable life, faced with overwhelming handicaps. She became a celebrity in her own right, had honorary degrees bestowed upon her, and a bona fide degree.

And I co uldn't get even one bona fide degree.

Well, maybe r s hould have worked hard er. .When l start fee ling sorry for myself, I s hould Sit down and think about what Helen Keller had done, in spite of those handicaps.

But read the book. You'll ti nd out she has stumbl~d onto some almost mystical or magical thmgs. here. But we don't have time to delve into that at present.

"God bless you, God bless you. Ifyou haven't got a hae' penny, then God bless you."

"Screaming Moronns"

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Live at Whitecaps Stadium

Whitecaps $tadiu m Proposal

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soccer!!

Placing a 15.000+ seat Whitecap Stadium on the last piece of precious Central Waterfront of Vancouver, is not smart. These are public lands which are supposed to be under the care of the federal crown corporation, the Vancouver Port Authority.

Until fairly recently, the mantra of the VPA was to protect "working port" lands. ln 1994, the VPA came up a mixed use vision for the central \.vaterfront lands. Now suddenly the lands have become "surplus lands".

Greg Kerfoot, Whitecaps billionaire owner, has already bought the air and land rights at the railway shunting yard, from Main street to Granville street. Likely he plans to build high-rise towers over the railyards despite the ongoing presence of unpublicized hazardous cargo An accident could be catastrophic, with only I0 -45 minutes to evacuate a circular area up to a mile in radius, depending on the specific rail car chemical which threatens public health and safety .

It would be impossible already to evacuate the people in that radius. So why place 15,000+ more potential victims there by putting a non port-related megaproject, in the immediate vicinity?! The Whitecaps motto is "We love our fans" but do they love them to death? Significantly, neither the Whitecaps nor the city of Vancouver are willing to accept any legal responsibility in case of accident.

The city of Vancouver placed five crucial "conditions of approval" on this development. They also include traffic systems.

The Stadium will bring congestion to the waterfront and surrounding residential streets. Only 16-23% of the public will apparently use the available public transportation. Noise pollution is another concern with predicted noise levels reaching a loud 92 decibels. With no roof, or even a retractable roof on the Stadium, the noise impacts on the tiny birdmarsh at Crab Park (Portside) and for many blocks around will be significant. Social problems can be foreseen. Excessive alcoho l consumption and brawls are commonplace for soccer stadiums worldwide. Verbal assaults or vindictive attacks on DE residents by hundreds (if not a few thousand) fans or other event revelers will occur with increasing indifference as the current feeling that "anything goes on Skid Road" gets worse. Dow ntown Eastside women's groups have already expressed such concern.

Although much is made of Mr. Kerfoot's footing the bill for the proposed Whitecap Stadium, who will pay for the extra policing? And who will pay for the $35 million dollar new vehicle ramp from the Whitecap Stadium, to the west?

Mr. Kerfoot, according to Bruce Constineau, Sun business reporter, had an interest and involvement in the Plaza of Nations Edgewater casino. It also became known that he had an original interest in moving that casino to the Trill ium lands at Main and Terminal, where the Whitecaps Stadium was first going to be built. In three years time when this casino's lease runs out, it is fairly easy to foresee the casino moving down near the Central Waterfront Whitecap Stadium site. Perhaps the casino will have a "world class" iconic design, for instance, in the shape of a vacuum cleaner. Will members of our community be welcome anywhere on the downtown streets of Las Vegas North??!

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I've had to put up with the Chea pminded ness all th ese 20 yea rs, keeping th e lid on sacred poetry Now however th ere's plenty of money to go around fix things, build th ings ta ke the lid off th e box; for th e genie who's just itching to come out and drift among th e wealthy gettting prese nts for us all new Crash Cymbals on stands new projectors new basketballs let's dan ce with th e Drea mers of Avalon bringing back th e Honey givi ng back th e free cookies massage th erapy . for all th e front door people and poiso n for all th e cockroaches Bumping up the dollar an hou r wage This is coming from a Sage Rudolf Penner

Atira Women 's Resource Society Stopping the Violence Counseling: services to women who have experienced violence in relatio nships, including women who have been sexually assaul ted and /or are ad ult survivors of childhood abuse. Legal Advocate For Women Only: provides adv ice, advocacy. support and referral services regard ing minor legal matters (sum mary criminal offe nces. to family law matters, tenant landlord issues, fi ling of police complaints) Clients can receive assistance to appeal decisions made by Welfare.WBC. EI or CPP. Attendance at family or criminal court. • Referral to the right representative for legal services outside the advocate's jurisdiction. Gender friendly 10 I East Cordova Tel: 604 53 1 9 143 Fax: 604 53 1 9 145 http://atira. bc.ca

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Blunt Force Spectrum

Do yo u have to thi nk tw ice as hard to co mmence your current display of stupidity, time to get shoved back and adm ire your gang's ingenu ity? Every Red light has global implkations, yo u can call it positioning/progress, both are transferable and transparent but us lowly humans just see co mplications, here's a page of spilt ink what do you want me to see, if you've got my number my fate is fadin g out accordi ngly.

There is no such thing as stray bullets that' s wh y I hide in well lit areas, the mourning co mmute must execute even the most minute down to the last minu te and second of Aquarius.

Wading through mankind 's Babylon these pigs with th eir badges&guns wavi ng hello to no one just making sure this turf is their kingdom (EVEN ASTRAY BULLET CAN DESTROY SOMEON E'S XMAS), people disappear answers aren't clear th is may be next year by the way what's your full name and S. l.N. we may want to strike terror at a later date a few kicks and batons to the head uh oh heck eh ' s stopped breathing wipe down our lumber quick, have you figured out why Crime Rises To The Top the answer is simple because they are the scariest gang of the lot they call themselves C.O.P.S. C is for corrupt, 0 is fo r oblivious, P is for power and S - why th at's for their buddy Satan th eir one and only friend, plus their amigos who must share in these proceeds of crime that depends, once the ' bad guy' has several warning shots fired into the back of the head, using obso lete co mmon sense li ke lining yo ur sweatsuit with rolls of 20 dollar bills be very quiet or very dead.

More hands to feed I j ust can't believe law and justice could get so out of hand - Even a Straight Cop can destroy your holiday now as we pray aga in C is for corrupt 0 is for oblivious P is for Power and that pesky S? Well, Shite happens. Amen

By ROBERT McG ILLIVRA Y " What is this world ofours? A complex entity subject to sudden changes which all indicate a tendency to destruction." -Denis Diderot

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MP LIBBY DAVIES RECOGNIZED I

FOR ACHIEVEMENT IN DRUG POLICY AT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE

New Orleans- NDP MP Libby Davies (Vancouver East) was in New Orleans last weekend, where she received the Justice Gerald Le Dain Award for Achievement in the Field of Law. Davies was recognized for her "outstanding drug policy reform work" at the 2007 International Drug Policy Reform Conference, hosted by the U.S. based Drug Policy Alliance and the Criminal Justice Policy Foundation.

The award is named after retired Supreme Court Justice Gerald Le Dain, Chair of the 1970 Canadian Commission on the Non-Medical Use of Drugs. The Commission recommended that the government's drug strategy focus on frank education, not suppression, and argued that marijuana possession should be decriminalized.

Libby Davies, the NDP Spokesperson for Drug Policy, sat on the 2002 Special Parliamentary SubCommittee on the Non-Medical Use of Drugs and has been a long time advocate of harm reduction, regulating drug use, and addressing drug use as a public health issue.

Davies is leading a Campaign for Common Sense Drug Policy, and continues to fight along-side activists across Canada to protect Vancouver's safe injection site, lnSite.

The Knights of Malta & The Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement- St. Paul's Church

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Every year ab?ut this time - end ofNov beginning of Dec- the Kn1ghts of Malta come to visit people in the DE needing eyeglasses (when Human Resources refuses to pay). The Ministry has a 2-3 year waiting period between paying for prescription lens - so if you lose or break yours before that time has passed, too bad, no exceptions. So we're fortunate that these people come to our quaint and vibrant neighbourhood every season with a lot of help on logistics and recruiting/signing up local residents for free eye exams (not to mention good snacks). A big Thank You also goes to neighbourhood stalwarts at the Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement and St.Paul' s Church for the long-time drop- in centre The Door is Open. There they arranged a day when everyone needing this service came for an eye exam and then had over a hundred styles of frames to choose from .

About 80 people went through in four hours, which was really amazing considering the weather that day was blowing snow. And, as if magically, after being told to return in 2 weeks to be fitted with their glasses, e~ery person actually did appear and left satisfied with their sparkling and shining and brandspanking-new eyewear!

A humongously huge thanks must go to St.Paul' s Church, The Door is Open, the Franciscan Sisters and especially to the Knights of Malta who donated so much of their time and resources towards making many residents' lives much more thrilling, illuminating and visually and insightfu lly clearer. Add to all this the wonderful feeling of renewed importance and knowing that there are people in the world who genuinely care and are concerned for usually anonymous people like us, in Canada's poorest postal code. They were interested in our personal lives, health and welfare.

The Knights of Malta really truly rock!

By ROBYN LIVfNGSTONE

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Human Rights Day- 10 December 2007 The universally recognized Human Rights Day marks the anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights on I0 December 1948 On thi s coming Hum an Rights Day, I0 December 07 the United Nati ons will launch a one-year intensive programme of activities leading up to the commemoration next year of the 60th anniversary of the Declarati on under the slogan: dignity and justice for all of us.

The adoption of the Universal Declaration was followed by the adoption of the Covenants of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and on Civil and Political Rights, and a vast array of human rights conventions and treaties promoting and protecting the rights of children, women, minorities, indigenous peoples, migrants disabled persons; eliminati ng racial and all

other discrimination to name but a few. They have been ratilicd by the majority of UN Member States and together form a remarkable body of international human rights law.

Implementation of these set standards remains a challenge. While the universal human rights standards and their oversight have been strengthened over the years, forces and trends (by states and private companies) that threaten and undermine th ese uni versal human rights continue unabated. Weapons pro11teers develop machines that threaten and violate the human right to life and prevent the realisation of other fundamental freedoms. Our planet and its finite resources are threatened by those who choose profit over the right of future generations to exist.

While billions of dollars are wasted extending the arms race to outer space and developing a new generation of nuclear weapons, 1.2 billion people have no access to clean water and are forced to drink filthy, disease-ridden water. Fatal shortages and mismanageme nt of water resources is already a source of conflict. It is predicted that two thirds of countries wi II experience severe water shortages by 2025, and if these predictions are accurate, resource wars wi ll increase globall y. Water is not a service to be commoditized, but a common good to be protected, and it is a human need, as well as a 11nite resource on our common globe.

Since its inception in 1915, the Women's International

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League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) has worked for all hum an rights to be respected. We have equally worked for the preventi on of war and the eradication of militarism, believing that these conditions negate human ri ghts. We are convinced that human rights cannot exist without peace and freedom.

As the Universal Declaration of Human Rights enters its 601h year, and as the new Human Ri ghts Council struggles to monitor and implement the uni versal standards for justice and hum an ri ghts developed through exhaustive debate by governments and civil society, women have the right, the responsibility, and the sense of solidarity to defend, reclaim and realise human rights for all, as they have done, and continue to do for themselves.

The sad reality is that too often under the false pretext to protect women, women are denied th e right to education, mobility, the right to their own body and the free choice to plan their own future. All over the world women have to struggle for basic human rights on many levels.

Exercising the right to have an eq ual voice in internati onal policy-making and the questi ons of war and peace, The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom calls for: *the right of peoples to exercise political and economic sovereignty over their land and its resources; *the right of peoples to live without fear of violence, occupation or military rule; *the right of people to sustain themselves from their environ ment, to practice self-sufficiency and to be independent from companies, governments, and states who may try to coerce them into exploitative policies; *the right of women to receive equal pay for equal work; *the right of all people to be free from sexual slavery, other forms of bonded labour and exploitative conditi ons of \.vork; *the right of all people to have an equal and informed say in their government's policy creation and implementation.

Susi Snyder Secretary General Women's Internati onal League for Peace and Freedom I, rue de Varembe Case Postale 28 1211 Geneva 20 Switzerland Telephone: +4 1 22 919 7080 Fax: +41 22919708 1 www.w ilpf.ch www. Peace Women.org www.ReachingCritical Wi ll.org

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Carnegie Community Centre Association

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BOARD MEETING

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By-Election tor 2 Director positions.

Thursday, January 10,2008 at 5:30pm DIRECTOR'S REPORT

PROGRAM COMMITTEE Tuesday, January 08, 2008 at 4:00pm (Association Office)

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About ten years ago, Sandy Cameron wrote a booklet called "Fighting For Community- Stories From Tlte Carnegie Centre And The Downtown Eastside."

This small book was inspired by the Downtown Eastside Poets, the Carnegie Newsletter, and authors such as Sheila Baxter who showed that it was possible for ordinary citizens to reclaim their language and their history.

A longer version of Fighting For Community is in the Carnegie Library. It was actually the first draft of the book, and it had about 30,000 words. The Carnegie Community Centre Association (CCCA) couldn't afford to publish anything that big, so Sandy cut it down to J0,000 words, and the CCCA printed about one thousand copies of the short booklet. Because there is only one copy of the long version of Fighting For Community, you can't take it out of the Carnegie Library. Beth, our librarian, keeps it in her office. Just ask Beth or one of the other library workers for it, and they will get it for you. Then you can read it in the library, and return it to Beth when you are finished looking at it. Bob Sarti used the long version of Fighting For Community as a resource when he wrote "The Tipping Point," his play about Bruce Eriksen.

The long version wou ld be useful to anyone who is interested in the early history of the Downtown Eastside, the early history of DERA, the seven year fight to turn the old Carnegie Library into the Carnegie Community Centre, and the early history of the Carnegie Community Centre. By the way, this is a people's history. It is not academic history.

Today, many people are fighting to save the Downtown Eastside from the profit-driven gentrification that has no respect for the residents or the history of the community. The manuscript, Fighting For Community, is part of our collective memory, and "memory is the mother of community", as the last line of Sandy's poem "One Hundred Years ofStruggle" says. After reading Fighting For Community in the Carnegie Library, you may find that you have a story to tell -a story that you could write for the Carnegie Newsletter.

Doubledrum Mike

(Theatre)

COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE Thursday, January 03, 2008 at 4:00pm (Association Office) OPPENHEIMER PARK COMMITTEE Thursday, [Date to be posted(TBP)]]at 3:30pm (Oppenheimer Park} SENIORS SUPPORT GROUP Thursday, (Date TBP] VOLUNTEER COMMITTEE Wednesday, [Date TBP] at 2:00pm (Classroom 2, 3rd floor) EDUCATION/LIBRARY COMMITTEE Wednesday, (Date TBP] at 3:00pm (Classroom 2, 3rd floor)

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FINANCE COMMITTEE Wednesday, January 09, 2008 at 4:00pm (Association Office)

BY-ELECTION The CCCA Board of Directors has 2 vacant positions and a By-Election to fill them will be held on Thursday, January 10, 2008 at 5:30pm (Theatre) To be elected, the successful candidate must have been a member t0r 60 days immediately prior to the date of ele~tion.

To be eligible to vote, you must have been a member for 14 days immediately prior to date of election All are cautioned that the 2007 membership card expires on December 31, 2007. To be eligible to vote or run for election you must have purchased a 2008 membership card prior to January 2, 2008.

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December 6, 2007 CCCA Correspondence Secr·etary Quits CCCA Board :

Regrettably, for personal reasons, I resign from the Carn egie Community Centre Association Board of Directors effective immediately.

As those who attended tonight's Board meeting will know, a carried motion removed Grant Chancey from the Board. The Constitution states that a byelection must occur at the next monthly meeting to fill a vacancy. Two board members may now be elected.

I wi ll support the new Election Officer by passing on what I have learned fro m Bob Sarti and from all the practice I've had. Please info rm me who that Board member will be.

I wish the CCCA Board well with its redevelopment process.

Yours truly,

Michael Read •

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"Dah dah dah-dah dit. Good day Mr. and Mrs. Carnegie and all the ships at sea ...

11 Flash!- Dateline Dec 6' - Mike Read has resigned from the Bored. What has turned this formerly diligent Corresponding Secretary into a quitter?" " I was unable to attend the Sund ay, November 25 1h Board Redevelopment Workshop. It was reschedul ed to conflict with my monthly TI03 meeting our Christmas Party. Reportedly, the felicitator's Action Plan was well received. l was therefore very surprised there was not a qu orum for the December 6111 Board meeting. To create a quorum, a motion removed Grant Chancey from the Board. This means a January 3 rd by-election

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must be held. As El~ction Officer, I would have to prepare, over an already hectic ho liday season, for the 4'11 election in the past I2 months.

"Flash ! - JeffSommers' suggestion that the January Board meeting be movedfonvard to the 9'h to accommodate those who may not be able to attend a meeting so close to New Year's Day was accepted at the December Board meeting. " This ad-hoc behaviour is catching. I announced my resignation, effective in a few weeks to help the transition to a new Corresponding Secretary. "No!· And so, regrettab ly, my resignation is immediate.

"Flash ! - Quorum not present for fiscal year-end money votes- Sommers leaves due to pressing engagement."

If it was known that Jeff must leave at a certain time, why wasn't the Financial Report put ahead of CCAP's and its long discussion about a Storyeum homeless shelter? Never mind.

The Board has a good redevelopment report. Two new members will be elected on January 10111 • I encourage concerned others to become Board members and join this redevelopment. ''Flash ! - Peter Fairchild feels William Simpson's refusal to attend Simpson's so-called 'illegitimate' Board meetings to mean Simpson's resignation."

Ooo - perhaps three Board vacancies exist? 1'II be at the Janu ary 9111 by-election to help - if I mayand to vote.

See you there.

Happy Holidaze and Nicey New Jeers - Mike "Flash ! - CCCA member 468 will remain a volunteer in the Carnegie Learning Centre, continue to attend monthly Board meetings, Education/Library, Volunteer and Oppenheimer Park Committee meetings and continue to be a resident member of the Oppenheimer Park Redevelopment Committee."

Dah dah dah-dah dit. Good day Mr. and Mrs. Carnegie and all the ships at sea."

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The very lands we all along enjoyed

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they ravished from the people they destroyed ...

All the long pretenses of descent Baby Victims of Genocide

are shams of right to prop up governm ent.

Did you ever hear babies cry and scream in fear Lightning strikes, fantasies disappear 'tis real, it was no dream Their shackled hearts were torn apart Blood curdling screams- so cruel! so cruel! so cruel!

50,000 plus murdered at Indian Residential Schools Thunder and lightning crash on land Restless spirits rise above clouds "rainbow, rainbow" they cry .

Take us to the other side! Take us to the other stde!

We're baby victims of genocide, genocide, genocide Our untimely deaths were claimed by genocide Tortured, maimed and butchered souls Whiplashed hearts tears falling like rain No apology you're so cruel! so cruel! so cruel!

You pedophiles, liars and abusers of the Indian Residential Schools Thousands of baby angel spirits linger behind old brick walls Pleading for proper burial; nobody hears.

We' II find their remains before those walls fall Then lost baby souls can wipe away angelic tears Bur why so many years or lost pride B' fore acknowledging baby victims of genocide Why argue: 'truths and lies collide' With baby victims of genocide Fallacies, fallacies, fallacies, truth abides With baby victims of genocide Their spirits wander and wander, need to be set fr~e On the other side, on the other side, on the other stde Preacher! Preacher! Where are the remains Of baby victims of genocide?!

All my relations, William Arnold Combes

'Tis all invasion, usurpation all;

Grace Tait, llomelessness Coordinator/Family Services Manager Aboriginal Mother Centre Society #208 - 20 19 Dundas Street Vancouver, BC V5L 1J5 Telephone: (604) 253- mama (6262) Fax: (604) 253 -marne (6263) email: grace@amcs.ca or ms tl966@yahoo.com

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'Tis all by fraud and force that we possess, and length of time can make no crime the less; Religion's always on the strongest side.

Daniel Defoe, Jure Divino (England, 1706)

No Remorse Unfriendly people, brutal, savage and cold of course Murderers of thousands of babies they show no remorse Product of the devil, blood curdling and very very cruel Assimilative imps, killers, and abusers of Indian Residential Schools Many tortured, maimed and butchered souls Thunder hit bleeding hearts prejudice will not console Pain within screams no more Beatings, lashings, children's blood pours Eagles nest empty. Parents are nowhere "Cry child," they're told. Mama and Papa are no more Haunted ghosts buried in unmarked graves Spirits wandering amongst surviving braves Reslless spirits, lost souls, heaven and earth collide Aswaken the silence of babies, deaths claimed by genocide Eagle's nest empty, parents are nowhere. Where are they?

Who are the liars? Why does the church show no remorse?

No remorse! Thunder and lightning crash perpetually Mine voice will be heard, truth speaks wisdom infinitely Pedophiles, killers and abusers of Indian Residential Schools Mass murderers, where are the remains of our baby brothers and sisters you diabolical, devil worshipping fools. â&#x20AC;˘

This battle's infinite, no apology, no remorse, go all the way Wounded Knee, Oka. Curse of your heart, come on baby, let's play Take responsibility, admit what is true!

But your heart's empty, it has no remorse Genocide of Indian Residential School babies, a century past No apology, no remorse.

Where's your dignity, your heart, your pride? It's buried of course 'cause you have no remorse,no remorse, no remorse.

All my relations, William Arnold Combes

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Residential Survivors Services Ma .

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1. Pigeon Park Savings, 92 East Hastings St 2. Vancity Branches located at: .

183 Tenninal Ave (Main St/Science World Skytrain Station) .. . . .... ........: ....

2510 East Hastings Street (Hastings & Kamloops) 1675 Commercial Dr (Commercial & 1st Ave) 3. Aboriginal Wellness Pro~am 255 East 12th Ave. - 2" Floor and 524 Powell St. 4. Native Courtworkers and Counselling Association of B.C., 50 Powell Street 5. All Nations Healing Centre, 49 West Cordova St 6. First United Church Mission, 320 East Hastings Street.

7. Pacific Association of First Nations Women, 678 East Hastings Street 8. Carol Martin, Victim Service Worker, 302 Columbia Street 9. Carnegie Library, 401 Main Street 10. WISH Drop In Centre, 320 E. Hastings (Gore St. entranceO 11. Aboriginal Health and Safety Project, 513-119 West Pender St ~ 12. Atira Women's Resource Society, 101 East Cordova .. ... ... .. .. .. ... ... .

13. Aboriginal Front Door Society, 384 Main St. .. .... . .. . .

14. Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Center, 1607 E. Hastings St.

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Service Located in the DTES I. Pigeon Park Savings, 92 East Hastings St 2. Vancity Branches located at: 183 Terminal Ave (Main SUScience World Skytrain 2510 East Hastings Street (Hastings &Kamloops) 1675 Commercial Dr (Commercial & 1St Ave) Services offered- cheque cashing, basic banking, high interest savings, investments.

3. Aboriginal Wellness Program Aboriginal Specific Services • Counselling focused on Depression, Anxiety, Grief, Trauma and/or Addictions • Counselling outreach support • Support for victims of violence • Research, education and training 255 East 12th Ave.- 2nd Floor, Vancouver, BC, VST 2HI: Phone: 604-875-6601 Fax: 604-875-6609 4. Native Courtworkers and Counselling Association of B.C. • Detox Support Workers • Counselling • FamilyNouth Advocate Worker • Native Courtworkers • UBC Legal Clinic/Lawyer Services .• • Elders Support Program •. ... .. ....

• Weekly Ceremonial Healing Circle ....

50 Powell Street, Vancouver BC V6A IE9 (604) 648-1446, Fax (604) 687-5119, Toll Free1-877-771-9444 5. All Nations Healing Centre Support, referral, counselling and talking circles.

49 West Cordova St. (604-215-2263) 6. First United Church Mission Advocates are available to help survivors fill out the common experience application. Our hours to sign up to see an advocate are Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri 9 -II am and Thurs 12:30 -2:30pm. If you are on the sign up list you will meet with an advocate that day.

320 East Hastings Street.

Tel: 6.04-681-8365 Fax: 604-681-8928 7. Pacific Association of First Nations Women Protecting our Grandmothers and Grandfathers 678 East Hastings Street. Vancouver, BC V6A IRI 604-688-1821 Fax 604-872-1845 Objective: To increase opportunities in the lower mainland for Aboriginal Elders (men and women) 55 yrs and older, by assisting with access to Health care, Information and referrals, Housing applications, OAP and CEP application Office hours are from 9:00am - 4:30 pm Monday to Thursday. For more info Call Ruth at the above number ~· Carol Martin, Victim Service Worker 302 Columbia Street Vancouver, B.C V6A 411 Tel: (604) 681 8480 ext 233 Fax: (604) 681 8470 Victimservices@dewc.ca •

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9. Carnegie Library Books and other information on wills, power of attorney, residential schools, healing .

40 I Main Street 604-665-3015 10. WISH Drop In Centre 604-681-9244 Information and referrals for women sex workers who are survivors. Open Sun to Fri 6 pm to 10 pm. Referrals to community supports. 320 E. Hastings (Gore St. entrance) 11. Aboriginal Health and Safety Project for women in the survival sex trade 513-119 West Pender St, Vancouver BC V6B ISS 604.669.9474 ah ipcoord@telus.net Services provided to survivors: Tues to Friday 9:am - 5: pm Individual support, referrals to resources, application forms 12. Atira Women's Resource Society Stopping the Violence Counseling: services to women who have experienced violence in relationships, including women who have been sexually assaulted and/or are adult survivors of childhood abuse. Legal Advocate For Women Only: provides advice, advocacy, support and referral services regarding minor legal matters (summary criminal offences, to family law matters, tenant/landlord issues, filing of police complaints) Clients can receive assistance to appeal decisions made by Welfare, WBC, El or CPP. Attendance at family or criminal court. Referral to the right representative for legal services outside the advocate's jurisdiction. Gender friendly 101 East Cordova Tel: 604 531 9143 Fax: 604 531 9145http://atira.bc.ca 13. Aboriginal Front Door Society, 384 Main St. 14.Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society V AFCS mandate is to meet the needs of Aboriginal People making a transition to the Urban Community. V AFCS facilities are available for Indian Residential School Survivors Society, Service Canada, and Canadian Executive Service Organization (CESO), as well as other organizations supporting the IRSSS Process: • Urban Aboriginal Representative • Aboriginal Fathers Support Program • Recreation Programs and Drop In activities for Youth • Elders Weekly Food bank, Luncheon • Circle of Elders FASD Peer Support Program • Healthy Aboriginal Relationship Traditions • Urb.an Native Youth Association Aries Project • Aboriginal Transformative Justice Services • Sundance Daycare and Special Needs Daycare • House of Culture Aboriginal Arts Program • Aboriginal Community Employment Services Society V AFCS is located at: 1607 East Hastings Street Vancouver, BC. V5L 1 S7 Telephone: 604-251-4844

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Canadians for the Separation of Church and State Pret1mble _O~Iy_l5% of Canadians are active, church-going

Chn sttans, according to a 200 I surv ey. And yet ~hristianity is still established as the "official" religton of Canada, and as such enjoys a protected status as an effective state religion; as a result, Canadians of a!l ~ther beliefs are forced to financially support Chnsttan churches to the tune of $15 billion each year, through the charitab le, tax free status of these bodi_es. This is a travesty of justice, and democracy.

Thts favoured, privileged status of Christian churches is further evident in how effective ly the churches are above the Jaw of the land, and are legally unaccountable fo r th eir actions, as has been demonstrated in recent years by the refusal of Canadian courts to prosecute the Catholic, Anglican and Un ited Church of Canada for their murder of more than 50,000 children in their "Indian Residential Schools". As the last remaining vestige of feudalism in our country, the Christi an churches have evaded any liability for the criminal acts of their officers and emp loyees, and as such constitute a real and ongoing danger to the people of our land.

The Christian churches are also actively defrauding the people and government of Canada, by violating the terms of their charitable tax-free status: the churches do not commit all of their revenue to charitab le purposes, as they are required to under the federal Income Tax Act, and actually provide fewer and fewe r services and charity to the needy each year.

A recent survey (2004) showed that less than 1% of Catho lic churches, and barely 5% of Protestant churches in Canada, operate regular charitable services to the poor, whereas these same ch urches spen? tens of millions of dollars annually on corporate mvestments, legal and public relations expenses, and other non-charitable activities. In short, th~ churches operate like any other corporatio n, yet wtth all the privileges of a pub lic charity: greed under the guise of religion. _The gove~n~ent of Canada is enabling this corruption ~n.d _cnmmal fraud by protecting and financially subs tdtzmg the churches, to the detriment of the rule of law and democracy, and all its citizens. This injustice must end.

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It is time historically for Canada to shed its colonial legacy and establish a truly secular and humane society, where no religion can enjoy special, protected status, and thereby hold undue power and influence, and evade responsibility for its acts. Religious belief should be an entirely personal matter, not legislated or protected by the law; and government must be above all parochial influ ences and not affiliated with any church or religion.

It is in this spirit and for the aim of a true and final separation of church and state in Canada that we offer the following seven point program to the peo pie of Canada and their government.

Program (adopted on May 1, 2007 in Vancouver) 1. Tax the Churches.{a) 2. Investigate the criminal complicity of Canadian churches in the genocide of aboriginal peoples.

3. End all state funding of separate schools and religious education.

4. Remove all reference to "god" in the Canadian Constitution.

5. End all religious presence in government functions and agencies.{b) 6. Revoke the Blasphemous Libel and Clergy Protection provisions in the Criminal Code of Canada {sees. 176 and 296).

7. End diplomatic recognition of the Vatican, in Canada and at the United Nations.(c) Explanatory Notes: (a) All church property, profits, inheritances, endowments and other income must be taxed at the same rate as other corporations, and all unpaid back taxes owed by churches since their establishment in Canada must be collected. (b) This includes abolishing all prayers and other invocations at the opening of legislatures and Parliament; and ending all chap laincy programs in the Canadian military and public agencies. (c) As the fiduciary head of a church responsible for crimes against humanity, the Pope must not be allowed to evade liability for these crimes by claiming diplomatic immunity, as he has done. The Roman Catholic Church is not a state but a religious body, and all symbols of state power held by that church must be annulled, such as foreign ambassadors like the Papal Nuncios, and the chu rch's diplomatic status at the United Nations.

For info on Canadians for the Separation of Church and State, write to us at this email address: nogodbuttl路uth@yahoo.ca

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WAR ON DRUGS Failed strategy connects Afghan fields, city streets In the corning months, under the leadership of the former U.S. ambassador to Co lombia, U.S. private contractors will likely attempt to fumigate poppies in Afghanistan. Around the same time, the Canadian government will decide whether to shut down Insite the supervised injection site in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. The two policies are inextricably linked and unambiguously bad.

In April, the United States appointed William Wood, nicknamed "Chemical Bill," its new ambassador to Afghanistan. In his previous post, Wood championed and oversaw the fumigation of large swaths of the Colombian countryside. The result?

For every 67 acres sprayed, only one acre of coca was eradicated. Moreover, production increased by 36 per cent. In addition, the spraying negatively impacted legitimate crops, contaminated water supplies and increased respiratory infections among th e exposed populations.

Wood is in Kabul for a single reason- to execute a similar plan in Afghanistan. Poppy production, once held in check by the Taliban government, is exploding - up 60 per cent in 2006. Poppies yield I 0 times the value of wheat, so it is unsurprising that about I 0 per cent of an otherw ise impoverished Afghan population partakes in the illicit poppy harvest. It earns them upwards of$3 billion (U.S.) a year, or roughly 65 per cent of Afghan GOP. The short-term economic costs and long-term development and health impacts of fumigation will be borne by those whose livelihoods are both directly and indirectly connected to poppy cultivation.

Spraying could easily cause public opinion to turn against the Karzai administration and NATO forces, further compromising the mission and increasing the danger to Canad ian soldiers.

Given the increased risks this policy poses to both our soldiers and the overall mission, the government's silence is unconscionable. Oth ers have not been so quiet. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown

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recently observed that there is little international support for fumigation. He announced an alternative policy to wean farmers off of opium, one that includes an ambitious plan to top up payments for legal crops, such as wheat.

Such policies, however, are only part of a long-term project. Success will req uire a holistic view, one that understands the connections between the consumption of illicit drugs in places like Vancouver and their cultivation in Afghanistan. Specifically, this means tackling the demand for op iates. Although 90 per cent of world heroin comes from Afghanistan, the vast majority is co nsumed in western countries.

Blaming Afghan farmers for the problem is as hypocritical as it is ineffective.

Reducing the cultivation of poppies in Afghanistan begins not on the streets of Kandahar, but on the streets of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Fortunately, such policies exist. lnsite, Vancouver's supervised injection site, offers a real first step toward reducing poppy cultivation. This small storefront provides drug users with a sanitary and safe place to inject in the presence of registered nurses. The result: 2I peer-reviewed studi es document how lnsite diminishes public drug use, reduces the spread of HIV and increases the number of users who enter detox programs.

But lnsite does more than get drug use off the street. It is a portal into the health-care system for add icts who are too often shut out. Drug users who visit Insite are an astounding 33 per cent more likely to enlist in a detoxification program. Indeed, lnsite has added a second facility, called Onsite, that capitalizes on this success by allowing drug users to immediately access detox and drug treatment services on demand.

Sadly, the Harper government remains ideologically opposed to lnsite. It is unclear if the federal government possesses the legal authority to close the site but there is significant concern it will attempt to do so within six months. .

The Conservatives should be looking to scale Jnsite nationally, not contemplating its closi ng. A national network of injection sites could dramatically reduce heroin use in Canada by channelling more drug users into drug treatment programs. Diminishing the demand for heroin would in turn deva lue the poppies from which it is derived. Chan ging this economiC路 eq uation is both safer and more effective than fumi~ation if the goal is shifting Afghan production from poppies to legal crops. Admittedly, Canada's share of the global co nsumpti on of heroin is rei a-

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tively small, but our success could provide a powerful and effective example to the international community.

To many Canadians, Afghanistan is a world away.

But the lives of drug users outside Vancouver's Carnegie Centre and those of our soldiers in Kandahar are bound together- linked by the international opium trade. What we do in Afghanistan shapes events in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, and vice versa. Canada's soldiers, drug users and ordinary citizens deserve a government that recognizes this reality.

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David Eaves is a frequent commentator on public policy. Taylor Owen is a doctoral student and Trudeau Scholar at the University of Oxford. . .

Friday Morning Song Circle You know, if you want to sing, or play guitar, learn some new songs, share your own, or just listen, the Friday morning song circle in the theatre is a great place to go. There are song books and guitars provided, we bring out the bass, and the two pianos are right there for you, as well as a small conga drum.

The way it works is we go around the circle, and each person gets a chance to pick the song we all do.

Even the listeners get to choose what comes next!

There's never any pressure to join in, or drop out, for any individual tune. If you are looking for a particular song, I can usually help you find a copy of it for the next session if I don't already have it. People of all abilities are very welcome, and there's generally a lot of laughter which is always a great way to start the day!

Please come and join us every Friday morning from 10:30 to 12:30 Rachel Rosetta

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New Publications on Women's Experiences of Social Programs for People with Low Incomes CRIA W (Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women) is proud to launch a new comprehensive research report and a new fact sheet. These publications are part ofCRJA W's publication series on re-thinking economic and social justice: women resisting poverty and exclusion.

1. Integrating the voices of low-income women into policy discussions on the Canada Social Transfer CST: First Nations women in Vancouver, immigrant and refugee women in Calgary and women with disabilities in Winnipeg.

Quantitative data about women and poverty already exist. This research provides meaning and texture to that experience of poverty, highlighting issues that quantitative research and policy analysis too often overlook. It also proposes recommendations that are in keeping with many other studies about poverty but that are rooted in the lived experience of some of the most marginalized people in Canada. This study gives an opportunity to women who have never been consulted about their own lives to provide policy input based on their experience of how federal and provincial policies interact for women at the bottom of the socioeconomic heap.

The objective of this study was to document the experiences and perspectives of marginalized women who are or have been on social assistance at some time since 1996 regarding the federal and provincial social program policies that affect them, focusing primarily on social assistance and its funding mechanisms, but also including Employment Insurance (EI), child care and tax benefits. These were placed in the context of the existing quantitative literature about women living in poverty, and the changes in social security in the mid-1990s resulting in the establishment of the Canada Health and Social Transfer (CHST) 2. Women's experience of social program for people with low incomes This fact sheet weaves together the voices of women with critical analysis and detailed evidence on how the devolution of social programs has impacted on diverse low-income women's lives. lt provides important evidence as to why and how listening to women's voices is critical to knowing the real issues in policy making and programming. It is b~.sed on a 2007 study entitled Integrating the voices of

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/ow-income women into policy discussions on the Canada Social Transfer CST: First Nations women in Vancouver, immigrant and refugee women in Calgary and women with disabilities in Winnipeg.

It combines existing quantitative research with new qualitative research based on the perspectives of policy makers, social service providers, low-income First Nations, immigrant, refugee women and women with disabilities from three Canadian cities.

Both documents are available on the CRIA W Website at www.criaw-icref.ca

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"We are here to walk each other

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The nite before •

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T'was da night before welfare and all through da land everybody was starving both woman and man da minister of welfare was in bed but awake he was getting some there so da checks they could wait

THE GOLDEN BIN I PRAY THIS YEAR THAT I WILL WIN THE CHANCE TO DIVE THAT GOLNEN BIN THE GOLDEN BIN IT HOLDS NO TIN liAS COFFEE BRASS AND MAYBE GIN IT JUST MIGHT HOLD A DREAM OR TWO A LOTIO TICKET TRIPS TO THE ZOO TVS RADIOS COMPUTERS OLD THERE'S NO TELLING WHAT IT MAY HOLD YOU'LL KNOW I'VE FOUND THE GOLDEN BIN FOR ON MY FACE WILL BE A GRIN A VCR MAYBE I'VE FOUND A BRICK OF GOLD MAYBE A CROWN ONE THING I KNOW I'LL FIND NO DOPE TilE GOLDEN BIN HAS LOVE AND HOPE IT MAYBE THICK IT MAYBE THJN BUT STILL WILL BE THE GOLDEN BIN THE GOLDEN BIN IS FULL OF GRACE IT'S FULL OF LOVE FOR EVERY RACE THE GOLDEN BIN IS NEVER LOCKED THE GOLDEN BIN IS FULLY STOCKED MAYBE I'LL FIND SOME BOOTS OR SOCKS THE GOLDEN BIN IT HOLDS NO ROCKS FROM THE EAST NORTH SOUTH OR WEST THAT GOLDEN BIN WILL BE THE BEST UNLIKE THE UNCARING CITY TART TilE GOLDEN BIN GIV ES FROM Tl IE HEART IN SUN SNOW SLEET OR RAIN IT GIVES AND GIVES WITH NO PAIN TilE GOOSE THAT LAID THAT GOLDEN EGG KNOWS THAT I WON'T NEED TO BEG NO NEEDLES IN THAT GOLDEN BIN THE GOLDEN BIN SOMEDAY I'LL WIN Mr. McBinner

Then all of a sudden there arose such a clatter "que pasa?" he yelled! "say what? Waz da matter?" he jumped outta bed and through da kitchen he ran tripped over da cat and knocked over da fan He looked down da hallway and what did appear?

A binner, a native and a few o' their peers a tired old woman her face full of woe gave out a yell"hey cough up da doe!"

The minister pouted "j'm sorry i'm wrong" but alas of course we've all heard that song he gave out the cheques and he passed out stale beer then he said with a sneer "see ya same time next year!"

Mr. McBinner

Concert to Celebrate the Season

Cliff Ridley, baritone, and Danielle Marcinek, piano have chosen some of their favourite musical theatre songs along with a few Christmas songs to brighten the day.

Friday, December 21, 3 PM Carnegie Centre Theatre

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THIS IS WHAT I SEE Cine-a-matic. su icide theme. gratuitous hollywood regime. with dcnteyne gleen. and spar"-lc .. i\ glorious star spangled . and long forgotten banner. regurgitated on the alter-ego or the faithful.

In fear my hcnrt races. from hntc people pcrpctunte. condon.c consent. knot even preventing ST/\TIC*!**@H!!!

Timing. steady. rythmic. Hngry. pcrcussivley pc rcisc. falls on cars that deem it destructive. dis ru pt ive. not knowirw.- their mvn heart bcal.

Su$tainablc conSumption.Should $ell well this fcSib le. fiSca l. feStive year.

Lidng in fenr. slowed do-.vn with selfconsciouss. sclfdepracating. and self loathing. \\hen the message and the medium equnl - reality\\ ith parts one. two and three Laugh tracks thnt lead. guided missiles. that \\'histle with mass destruction. through borders of' polluted air. only missing the primary target. ...

They call it human error Executed with rich, wh ite, right, government issued fi sts ...

Killing every terrorist A powerful, corrupted N.W.O. should not exist.

Only when I express rny dires<;. and stress. ca n I convey my l'c~lings of dismay Concerning you r display of • rgno rancc Theocrats condemn me. Bureaucrats o rrend me I hings "I" alone cannnot change displace me which aggrivatcs me.

Socioeconomic stigmal am erasing ........

Capitol ist pigs ... depend on m e to buy clll identity. It's beyond me! !~!~ 'I hat thease gross indecencies are not considered symptoms or an ill society. vl ith big bro ther. watching over nn in-operative democracy. rh is is what I sec.

Paul Nosotti

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CC PA CANADIAN C Nl RE tnr POLICY A!. II RNATIVFS

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False Promises for Recent Immigrants Study reveals low wage job cycle, workplace rights violations

(Vancouver) In spite of high education levels, many recent immigrants to BC find themselves stuck in low wage jobs, with few meaningful protections in the workplace. according to a new study released by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and the Philippine Women Centre.

Workplace Rights for Immigrants in BC: The Case of Filipino Workers reveals that despite a booming BC economy, recent immigrants to the province often find economic security elusive. They frequently work in unsafe conditions with little training or access to information about their rights.

The study also finds that enforcement of the Employment Standards Act (ESA) is effectively non-existent. None of the study's interviewees had made use of the English-only "selfhelp kit" (the only way to report violations to the Ministry of Labour and Citizens' Services), when having ESA violations.

"The provincial government's rollback of employment standards in 2002 means that many basic employment rights now exist only as 'paper-rights,' particularly for recent immigrants," says Habiba Zaman. SFU professor and co-author of the report.

"If no one has informed you of your rights and no one is actively enforcing them, how can you enjoy the protections that are supposed to exist for all workers in BC?" "Highly educated immigrants are arriving in Canada with the promise of good employment," says Cecilia Diocson , coauthor of the report and executive director of the National Alliance of Philippine Women in Canada. "Instead, they are experiencing a severe transition penalty in the form of lowpaying jobs. often with inadequate protections. This is a cycle that stretches into unsatisfactory employment for years and can eventually result in long-term economic hardship."

Based on the report's findings and consultation with immigrant-serving organizations, the study makes extensive policy recommendations, including:

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Eliminate the $6 first-job wage, and increase the minimum wage to $10 per hour.

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Institute proactive monitoring teams who would randomly investigate workplaces for employment standards and Work Safe violations. Increase penalties for vi-

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elations.

Eliminate the "self-help kit" and allow workers to bring complaints about workplace violations directly to the Employment Standards Branch. Also, fund a communitybased, non-profit system, which would provide assistance, including advocacy, to workers who believe their rights have been violated.

Substantially increase public education of the ESA th rough information sessions, translation into appropriate languages, and extensive distribution. Restore the requirement that rights be posted at workplaces.

Extend the minimum call-in period from two to four hours. Two hours of pay is inadequate, particularly when workers must commute long distances to get to the workplace.

Open more Employment Standards Branch offices, and set up a hotline for the Employment Standards Branch. Staff the hotline with people who can answer inquiries in more than one language.

Provide mandatory information sessions on the ESA for employees and employers. Since 2001, seven of the top 10 immigrant-originating countries (China, Pakistan, the Philippines and others) have been from Asia.

Employment standards are effectively nonexistent in most of these countries. These immigrants need to know about their labour rights.

What are Employment Standards?

Employment standards are part of the broader system of labour laws. They cover issues such as the minimum wage, minimum and maximum hours of work, overtime pay, parental leave and statutory holidays. They are supposed to offer a basic level of protection for all workers - proyiding assurance that they can earn a decent living under reasonable conditions, protect their personal safety, and balance work and family life. While employment standards matter to all workers, they are especially important for 'vulnerable' workersthose who are least able to negotiate fair and decent working conditions with their employer and those not represented by unions. Vulnerable workers are disproportionately women, recent immigrants, racial minorities and young people.

Between 2001 and 2004, the BC government weakened employment standards rules and reduced their enforcement.

Workplace Rights for Immigrants in BC: The Case of Filipino Workers, by Habiba Zaman, Cecilia Diocson and Rebecca Scott is available at www.policyaltematives.ca The study was produced as part of the Economic Security Project. a joint research initiative of the CCPA and Simon Fraser University, funded primarily by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC). This study also received a grant from the Vancouver Foundation, which significantly facilitated the research process.

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To Do

The causes of addiction

1 cracked dawn before the morning There was no rainbow across the skies When I made it to the crossroads A cloak and dagger was the dirty prize.

Fresh blood was dripping from the blade And the cloak couldn't hide my rage Because everything God gave us for free is locked up in a cage Can you feel the rage? Outside the cage CHORUS And I don't know why I live, try to die No, I don't know why It's all I try To do, to do, so much to do To see it through Fuck them to do.

Our tear drops cracked the window The pain shattered and 1 can't pretend This cold world don't even matter I've got this feeling and it's got to end The lights are dimmed in pride The key that we need is inside I was humbled by an image OK Me and I can't hide Uust lose this pride) No, 1 can't hide

Dr. Bruce Alexander, Professor Emeritus at Simon Fraser University, specializes in psychology, and in particular, the psychology of addiction. On Oct. 16, 2007, he won the Nora and Ted Sterling Prize in support of Controversy for his theories on addiction.

(A previous winner of the prize was Kim Rossmo, who developed a system for geographic profiling of serial killers, and who was among the first to alert Vancouver Police that there was a serial killer responsible for the missing women in the Downtown Eastside.)

I attended the presentation of the prize and the talk

by Alexander at the Wosk Centre. J took notes, and, along with three columns by Geoff Olsen of The Vancouver Courier about the event, am writing this article on Alexander's thoughts on addiction.

Olsen summed them up best in one of his columns: "The perceived danger involves the social context of drug abuse. In Alexander's view, all varieties of addiction-from the junkie tying off her arm in a Hastings Street alleyway to the middleclass father returning to an online gaming site-are amplified by social dislocation and isolation. Conversely, wherever you find strong bonds of community and a sense of individual purpose, you don't find a high degree of addictive behaviour."

In case you think Alexander is throwing these ideas off the top of his head, think again. He's studied addiction for almost four decades. ln late 1970, he took courses in family therapy at Stanford University in California, and then went to work as a therapist.

By 1973, he realized that he couldn't cure addicts of heroin addiction. From 1973 to 1977, he taught courses on addiction at SFU. From 1977 to 1982, he studied rats and the effects of addiction on them. He found that in the standard model of studying addicted rats, the rats were isolated and left in tortuous conditions, and of course if offered the choice of continuously medicating themselves by pressing a lever would take that option.

But when the rats were put into a community setting, and allowed relative freedom, they hardly ever chose addiction. This experiment came to an end, because, as Alexander put it, "rats are rodents and people are people."

From 1982 to 1997, he taught seminars on addiction, often adding to his knowledge from firsthand accounts by addicts.

CHORUS

I heard the tolling of the mission bell I wonder what I'm doing here There is a dark cloud all around us I'm just hoping that the skies will clear Yesterday was blood and vinegar Still tomorrow a rock star Burning peace pipes and selling charity Is just a pipe dream in the war Shooting stars, in bloody wars.

CHORUS

Freedome

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In 1997, he went on a binge of reading, not just about addiction, but also about the history of psychology, another interest of his.

From 2000 to 2005, he wrote a series of articles and a book on the globalization of addiction.

Olsen: "In 200 I, Alexander told the Senate that what the isolated, caged rats really prove is that 'severely distressed animals, like severely distressed people, will relieve their distress pharmacologically if they can."'

In a 200 I paper for the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, he wrote that"' Addiction in the modern world can best be understood as a compulsive lifestyle that people adopt as a desperate substitute when they are dislocated from the myriad intimate ties between people and groups- from the family to the spiritual community- that are essential for every person in every type of society."'

These thoughts run contrary to the still reigning idea of the "demon drug," that taking it once or a few times turns an otherwise normal person into a reprobate. This idea is paramount in the US "war on drugs" and also in the corresponding position of the Harper government's recent crackdown on drug crime.

In a November 1 Province letter, writer Matthew Elrod of Victoria makes the point that "The Vancouver Plan endorsed by the Federation of Canadian Municipa.lities calls for a balanced 'four pillars' approach wtth equal emphasis on prevention, treatment, harm reduction and law enforcement. The Auditor General reports that 95 per cent of the federal drug budget is allocated to law enforcement and interdiction. Instead of four pillars, we have a towering _column surrounded by three foundation stones."

Rtchard Mulcaster, executive director of the Inner Change Charitable Society, in an Oct 18 article in !'he West~nder: " ... as more police resources are put mto catchmg and incarcerating the dealers, the more difficult it is to get drugs on the street and the price goes up. Then it becomes more profitable, so even more people deal. Jn addition, when the drugs are more expensive, the addicts have to steal more路 it's having the inverse effect from what we want."'

On October 15, The Province ran an editorial titled "Whatever the facts are, not everyone will agree." It stated that "Simon Fraser University Prof. ...

Bruce Alexander is not the first scientist to catch flak because of controversial conclusions. Galileo, for example, caused a stir with his kooky notion that Earth orbited the Sun. But, where Galilee was put under house arrest, Alexander has merely had to suffer a fusillade of fulminating letters to the editor.

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This is progress."

According to Alexander, " We have big hous ing problems and that has everything to do with addiction ... We simply have to rise above the raw economic law of the jungle ... Tthink things will change and everybody has to be a little controversial."

Well, if controversy is what it takes to get the truth out, I say, "Bring it on!"

By Rolf Auer

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LENSCRAFTERS DayTrip Once a year, each and every year in December, Lenscrafters in Capilano Mall, North Vancouver invite a large number of people living in the Downtown Eastside, who are sight-impaired and often desperately need a pair of glasses, to come to their large store to be tested and fitted with a brand new pair of glasses absolutely free with no strings!

The entire staff was extremely wonderful and welcoming and could not have poss ibly been more so.

The trip was made possible by Sarah White, Marlene George, Carnegie Centre and the staff at Oppenheimer Park, and especially everyone connected with the Lenscrafters company.

It is so nice of them to be so considerate, and to be thoughtful enough to reach out to those of us who are less economically fortunate in this 20th century modern, civilized society of ours that we must live and exist in the best way we can manage on fixed incomes and limited resources .. but I digress.

The constantly happy John of Oppenheimer Park staff and the crack team of Carnegie's Security crew became the Bonny Bus driver for the day, driving everyone over to Lenscrafters. The staff there went out oftheir way to make everyone comfortable while each got tested, selected and were fitted with frames of our choice from a vast array- all colours, sizes and styles. Then to top it off, rather than having everyone come back the next day to get their glasses, they promised to deliver them to the Oppenheimer Fieldhouse the very next day! Now that is service3 with a wonderful smile!

In our books Lenscrafters rules!!!

By Robyn Livingstone

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TH-6 OLD "BURL6SQU6 TH-6A l R6 Now that there is talk of renovating the Pantages Theatre I can recall the time when I may have gone there as a child. During the late 30's early 40's my grandfather, as a treat, would bring my parents, my younger brother and myself downtown to the old theatre on Hastings Street. We would watch burlesque, 'Jive acts' on the stage.

While in the company of my parents and grandfather I particularly remember one of the burlesque shows. There was just one person on the stage, but the human was dressed as half man half woman.

The half that was the tall thin man wore a very formal black suit and tall black hat. The other half, the beautiful woman wore a long white formal gown, long white gloves and a blond wig. The man danced with the woman while he 'rubbed her backside' with a hand as 'they' moved across the stage. When the dancer turned around 'he' became the woman dancing with the man, 'she' slapping his hand away as 'they' recrossed the stage. It was a remarkable performance by one person. There were many other live acts, but I have forgotten them all except that one performance.

This was before shortly before film became the main stay at most theatres. At one of the old Burlesque the- atres on Hastings Street, they had a mixture of burlesque and movies. After a time that theatre, or perhaps it was one up closer to Carroll Street, dropped the live acts, which cost management money, and just showed films.

The films, in those days cost just 5c for children.

One movie show would last close to three hours and consist of two long movies, the news, 2 or 3 Bugs Bunny cartoons and/or Popeye cartoons, and a short which was part of a series, 'a continuous drama that went on over several weeks'. Pearl White was one series, and the man who never spoke a word although the talkies were in, Comedian Buster Keaton. And then there was Buster Crabb of course, the man who flew into outer space and dealt with people in other space ships and I think, on other planets. All very exciting; wonderful for young people to see.

It would be nice to have Burlesque back in the Pantages Theatre, I'm sure people will find them refreshing. A change from the new ways movies are made by using the tricks of the trade with these fake acts that go on in them now. What memories those acts would bring back for elderly who enjoyed the shows that went on in there during the early 1900's.

By Dora Sanders

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Bed Bugs Dear Mate I would like to make a few things straight.

About bed bugs before it gets too late.

They seem to have made a come back it is true.

And like to invade the likes of me and you and you.

Now stopping them is not a simple matter you see.

Because they like to stay with you and me.

They are not as bad as some I know.

A big entry or appearance they don't like to show.

Not like a fly that buzzes about.

Or a mosquito that likes to say I'm here with a shout.

They just quietly crawl your way.

And a little bite of blood is enough, they don't like to stay.

Of company in your home, you have no worry.

For guests who visit soon are sorry.

Of social obligations to visit and hob nob.

The Bed Bug turns all your friends into a snob.

Yet do not despair the loss of your social life.

Your time is spent now at home in constant strife.

Of killing bugs one becomes quite apt.

It takes some time, but you'll adapt.

The main man in life becomes your exterminator.

You look forward to his arrival more than the starved of a waiter.

On first name terms soon become because his job is never done.

A weekly visit he does pay, Where you are the only one he chases away.

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For a day you roam about the town.

Banished from your home while he does his round.

Only to return at the end of the day.

Chocking on the spray that hangs in the air.

Greeted by bed bugs of spray are not aware.

Greeted by bed bugs here to stay.

'I Hate Hidden Housemates'

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New Books: Death 's Door: Modern Dying and the Way We Grieve, by Sandra M Gilbert (I 55.93) is partmemoir, part-meditation. Gilbert looks at death across time and culture: Nazi concentration camps, 9/11, and the 21st-century "hospital spaceship," as well_as. throu gh photographs, paintings and poetry.

Add1ctwn-Free Naturally, by Brig itte Mars (6 16.86) claims to offer gentle but effective ways to ease cravings and nourish the body. Mars doesn't cover recreational drugs, but she does include chapters on tobacco, alcohol, and prescription drugs.

The Wolf Almanac: A Celebration of Wolves ami their World, by Robert H Busch (599.77) covers every aspect of the wolf kingdo, from the evolution of wolves to their relationship with humans. This is a wonderful book for artists, as there are hundreds of gorgeous photographs.

A few books on sexual abuse have also just come into the library: Alone & Forgotten: The Sexually Abused Man , by Rod Tobin (362.76), Breaking 路the Cycle: A Step-by-Step Guide to Healing from Cltildh~od Abuse, Neglect and Trauma, by Sandra p Rigg m (362.76), and Tile Sexual Healing Journey: A Guide to Survivors ofSexual Abuse, by Wendy Maltz (362.78).

All these and more can be seen in the library display case, and can be reserved at the front desk. We've just moved the case so that it's right in front of you as you come in to the library.

Beth, your librarian.

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It's almost 4a.m. and this is not the secret of being a writer. Nothing comes like a vision burnt across the clouds, unless seeing with heavy eyelids counts for anything. This is what happens when there are 23 pages done in a 24-page paper and time to sleep only gets gotten when the whole shebang is done. *Pssst! {that's prelude to a loud whisper) "There's a used bus shelter just recycled at Main & Cordova but don' t tell anyone who's self-important. lt might get back to Mayor Sam (s-i people are always on a first-name basis with whoever they try to impress with their inside information) and Sullivan would add one more to the number of Shelter Beds or lowincome housing units he (er, the City of Van) is so generously providing to meet everyone's idea路of looking out for the bad and dishonest people of the Downtown Eastside." Whew! *Psssssst!! (prelude to an even louder whisper) the whole exercise in pretending to be abiding by Olympic promises is seen by all 3 levels of public government as just Public Relations. The 4111 Estate/private government is the real power behind all the sleazy indifference. VANOC is a front for the juggernaut of making the gap widen between those who have little and those who have so much that they can do little else but take more. Yah yah yah. It sounds like a tired whine after awhile.

That's the secret to hanging in there. Letting the strugg.le for social justice become little more than rhetoric is when you get numb to hope and spirit.

We, you and I and all of us, have to be ever vigilant and keep resisting the dumbing down of our lives. *The last flash of news from the neighbourhood is more are finding the strangeness and wonder of getting dancing lessons from the Creator of the Universe humbling. Yeah!

PRT

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poWNT(>WN EASTSIDE

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"The job ofthe new.t;paper i~ to L'omfort the afthe " flicted and PaulR Taylor has been volunteer Editor of the Carnegie New.detter since Dec.l5, 1986 - 21 years.

NEWSLETTER TillS NFWSI.ETJ'EH IS A PlJnUCATfON ()F ·n IE CAHN E<iiE COMMUNITY CENTJU; ASSOCIATION

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We acknowlrd~c that Carnegie Community Crnlrt, and this 1 L N.!w!!tt!!r,.!r!_h•J!P~I~ o! t'!! ~u~i!,!' ~~~n'!tt!.ri~ry~ _I I

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

2007 DONATIONS: Libby D.-$1 00 Rolf A.-$50 Barry for Dave McC.·$1 75 Christopher R.-$50 Margaret D.-$40 Penny G.-$50 Janice P.-$35 Wes K.-$50 Gram -$400 John S.-$60 Mell.-$20 Leslie S.-$20 Michael C.-$80 Sheila 8.-$20 Wilhelmina M.-$45 CEEDS -$50 Saman -$20 Phylis L·$200 Paddy ·$125 The Edge -$200 Bob S.·$1 00 Barry M.-$125 Greta P.-$20, The Rockingguys ·$25 Jaya 8.·$100 Huddy $50

WANTED Artwork for the Carnegie Newsletter • • •

Submission deadline for next Issue: ..

Friday, January 11

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Jenny WaiChing Kwan MLA

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Please make submissions to: Paul Taylor, Editor -

Working for You

DEllA helps with: Phone & Safe Mailboxes Welfare Problems; Landlord disputes; llousing problem!l & unsafe living conditions.

1070- 1641 Commercial Dr VSL 3\'J Phone: 775-0790 Fax: 775-0881

At 11 East llastings St. or ca11604-682-09Jf

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Small illustrations to accompany articles and poetry Cover art - Maximum si1.e: 17cm (6-3/4" ) wide x 15 em (6.. ) high Subject matter relevant to issues pertaining to the Downtown Eastside is preferred. but all work will be considered.

Black and white printing only Size restrictions must be considered (i.e., if your piece is too large, it will be reduced and/or cropped to fit) A II artists will receive credit for their work Originals will be returned to the artist after hcing copied for publication.

Rcnumcration: Carnegie volunteer tickets

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