December 1, 2009, carnegie newsletter

DECEMBER 1, 2009 NEW EMAIL ADDRESS

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camnews@shaw.ca www.camnews.org -400 hits per day! http://harvesters.sfu.ca/chodarr (INDEX)

路路i have the audacity to believe that people everywhere can have three meals a day for their bodies, education and culture for their minds, dignity, equality and justice for their spirits. I believe that what self-centred men have torn down, other-centred men can build up.路 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Now, on the 5 Anniversary, the President of the United States is "colored."

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On December 1, 1955, in Montgomery, Alabama, a black woman named Rosa Parks resisted the system as it was, bucked the status quo, and just refused to get out o f the seat she was sitting in on a public bus and give it to a white man. She was "colored" : expected to accept being 2"dclass, to defer to the 1Slclass whites no matter what, when, where, who or why. . The black people were sent to the back of the bus, to ld to come no closer than the last I 0 rows, had to get on at the front, pay their fare, then get off and walk towards the rear doors outside the bus and get on at the back. The wh ite bus drivers would often drive away while a black person was outside walking back after having already paid their fare. And they had had it ground into them for decades that there was nothing they could do about it!

All black people began to boycott the bus system and an organisation formed. On December 5, thousands met in a large church and elected Dr. Martin Luther King, the pastor, as t heir leader. " In a spellbinding speech, King explained why the boycott must continue. "There comes a time," he said, "that people get tired . We are here this evening to say to those who have mistreated us for so long, that we are tired, tired of being segregated and humiliated , tired of being kicked about by the brutal feet of oppression." But above all , King asked that the protesters fight without violence. The crowd rose to their feet with thunderous applause. Leaving the church that night, the people were determined as ever to keep the boycott going. They had three simple demands: 1. Change the law that says African-American passengers must give up their seats to white passengers.

2. Bus drivers must be courteous to all riders.

3. Hire African-American bus drivers.

Though the demands are modest, city commissioners and the bus company still refuse to budge. Instead of weakening the boycotters' determination, the city's refusal only pushes the protesters to demand an end to bus segregation altogether. " This incident, which by the way led to Rosa Parks being arrested and fined $14, became the test case for changing the ing rained discriminatory practices and was taken all the way to the US Supreme .C ourt. The Ruling: it is unconstitutional to force segregation. The incident is generally credited as the spark that started the American Civ.il Rights Movement.

What one person does can change history. Here in the Downtown Eastside the list of individuals working for positive change is long but by no means ful l. This example - of one woman refusing to blindly accept what those oppressing her took fo r g ranted, had millions of people behind her - but they didn' t know her name or even what she' d done for several months or years. A w hole lot of people just knew the present system that blatantly discriminated against and vilified black people (and, by extension, anyone not wh ite) was just wrong on every level.

The same feeling exactly is present in the hearts and minds of most people who are economically poor; who are beaten down by the system of elite capitalism that makes a speck of people have more wealth than they w ill ever need and hundreds of millions of others have next to nothing, with hunger, the elements, disease and despair constant companions.

Knowing it's wrong and knowing w hat to do seem to be far apart, but do something, anything, and keep at it We have simple demands too: build decent, safe, affordable housing; equalise money and efforts in each of the 4 Pillars; treat partiers and miscreants from outside the ' hood the same as residents; stop rape and violence against women; put a limit on the personal accumulation of wealth and tax the rich to restore and improve funding to all manner of social services, healthcare and ed ucational opportunities.

Just as Rosa Parks was marg inalized, the residents of the Downtown Eastside are marginalized because of our economic status. 70% low income in the DTES. It is easy to just give up and say that there is nothing 1 can do to change things, so why should I bother? Indeed, many people living in the DTES have al ready done this. By g iving up without a fight, we are giving permission to the developers and policy makers to do whatever they want to our ne ighbourhood. However, just like Rosa Parks, each of us can make a difference by taki ng a non-violent stand fo r justice.

Get involved. Go to one of the meetings on Dec. 5, 7 or 12 that have been organized by CCAP. Write a letter to the editor or an elected representative. Vote, and encourage others you know to vote as well. Tell those in power that homelessness anywhere in Canada is just not acceptable. Be inspi red by Rosa Parks.

Take courage from her refusal to be bullied and stand up fo r your rights as a citizen of the DTES.

By Pau l Taylor and Lisa David

MYCAT

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MY CAT HE DOES NO TRICKS MY CAT GIVES HUGS AND LICKS MY CAT HE GETS HIS KICKS MY CAT GETS STONED ON CATNIP MY CAT HAS CLAWS THAT RIP MY CAT HAS PAWS THAT GRIP MY CAT TAKES NO LIP MY CAT AIN'T NO DIP MY CAT HE AIN'T RICH MY CAT IS NO ONE'S BITCH MY CAT IS A FLIPPED OUT FLIP MY CAT THINKS HE'S IT MY CAT DON'T GIVE A SHIT MY CAT AIN'T GOT NO FLEAS Cc..,../ MY CAT'S NAME IS "SOCRATES" 1J tr<-D

STUDIO XMAS SALE 229 Main (opposite the courthouse) Sue Griese (Functional Pottery)

Welcome back to Prime Time Chicken, 416 Main Street, across the road rrom Carnegie Centre. They host chicken legs rrom 85c & up. Tommy a lso has MrMcBinner Chinese Food. Come on down !

Searching Maybe I should have looked in another time

will be joining

Don Pottie (Printed T-shirts) at !tis studio FOR A SALE

Wed Dec 9 & Fri Dec 11 12- 5pm Saturday Dec 12 11 - 2pm Sue will be around randomly, throwing pots in the window at other times up until Xmas.

Enjoy Don painting his shirts COM£ ON IN TO S££. YIHAT YOU CAN FINDt

While arguing about the coldest place in the universe the talk veered to the couple set on fire in their sleep, out on the sidewalk, years back ... how barbaric the streets have become. Our intrinsic goodness has been warped. We remark on it when someone does the right thing. Seems it's out of the norm to be decent these days. I o nly know that anger is a poison we allow to run rampant till w~ act ~ut in such cruel ways it bogg les o ur collective mmd. Deal with your anger before it destroys you, a long w ith all you love.

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or searched in another face for any favour or sign of grace that may have he lped me rethink or retrace this long lost a nd scattered chase towards th at still unknown place

K.S.Hawley

Launch and Reading -Thursday Decembe1 3 Thursdays: 3.0: These Words The Thursdays Writing Collective is at tt agam: J0111 us fo r the launch of the virtual chapbook, "Thursdays: 3.0: These Words," on Thursday, December 3, 2009 at the Brickhouse, 730 Main Street, 8-1 Opm. We're reading rrom our third anthology, soon to be on its website, www.thursdayspoemsandprose.ca.

Run out of the Carnegie Centre by Elee Kraljii Gardiner with the support of SFU's Writer's Studio, the Thursdays Writing Co llective has been call ed, "the biggest, boldest, and by far the most vital consp iracy ofwriters operating in Vancouver at present."

Com e support art for tile people, by tile people.

All are welcome.

Arts4AII The Arts4AIIInstitute was a six-day workshop about all aspects of community art, or, as some call it: community engaged art. The purpose was to mentor and teach artists the essentials in creating and producing a piece. If by chance you saw the Downtown Eastside community play In the Heart of a City, you have an idea what community art is about. It is a collaborative work between artists and a community that expresses or explores some aspect of that community.

The purpose might be to raise awareness of drug use, conflict between different racial g roups, differences between youth and elders, historical events, or it might be simply to provide an opportunity for folks to get to know their neighbors.

The form a community play might take is limited only by the imagination. It might use music, drama, opera, mime, shadow puppetry, parades, drumming, writing, signage, the visual arts, and all manner of objects, machines, and costumes. It reminds one of using mother's old clothes as well as everything in the attic and the basement to make a play.

Ruth Howard, artistic director and co-founder of Jumblies Theatre from Toronto led about twenty participants in the workshops. Indeed, Ruth and her assistants developed the course because she realized that there was a need to teach this art form. The Downtown Eastside Arts4AII Institute was produced by Vancouver Moving Theatre, Terry I Iunter, producer and Savannah Walling, artistic director. Sharon Kravitz and Susan Gordon saw to it that this motley crew of artists ate heartily and well. The Institute was also supported by the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation, and the Community Arts Counci l of Vancouver.

And what did we learn? First, we got to know each other by singing: I come from a place I'm going to a place I am, and l am.

We stood in a circle and sang this softly while each one of us said our name and a little about the reason why we路re here, our work. and how we're feeling.

We learned about making grant proposals, budgeting. and building partnerships. We addressed things like codes of conduct and publicity. We also talked about the terminology used in describing this art form; how it may get in the way and limit the work. 'Community

Photo by Mary Kwan. art' is a recent art practice and therefore definitions ar important; there may be people who don't know mucl about it, especially funders and other potential supporters.

We each learned how to make a labyrinth from Varrick Grimes, one of the guest workshop leaders from Toronto. We made one about ourselves and our creative projects and one about our heroes. Next we wrot< a poem. or prose piece, or made a drawing about our partner's hero. We used these to construct several group plays which we also presented.

T his was the highlight of the six-day workshop. for now we put to use some of the things we learned. One play was about Elvis Presley and his reluctance to come out of the toilet. even though we chanted: "Elvis! Elvis! Elvis! Another addressed Residential Schools. There was one about Charlie Chaplin that had women playing a bunch of Charlies. One was about two combative neighbors making peace with one another. One moment that was particularly moving was seeing this little paper puppet being pulled across the floor by a string. It seemed so vulnerable and fragile; it he ld everyone's attention and showed that you don't need a lot of fancy stuff to say something meaningful.

By PATRICK FOLEY

.â&#x20AC;˘ Arts 4 All Institute Experience What the hell am I doing here m y body screamed out as Varrick Grimes instructed the circle of participants to make funny faces\\ hile saying our name. This afier Ruth _H ~ward had us make hand puppets. Now my poor JOints screamed in pa in with all the hokey pokey monkey sec monkey do business.

I had signed up for Vancouver's Moving Theatre and Jumbles Theatre Ans4AI II nstitute. Yes, me, without an ounce of theat re talent in my being. Curiosity had go lien the best of me. I had wanted to discover the big secret how Vancouver Moving Theatre got together a community and produced plays entirely with a wealth of talent wi thi n that community. Now I felt like 1 was in kindergarten, well almost, damn gout!

Now I was questioning my san ity. Instead of s itting at lectures we were DOING things, like making funny sounds faces and gestures and s inging silly songs.

A nd the pain fr01~ the effort on m) joints was killing me. But I stuck It out and I was happy 1did.

They !irst bonded the g roup. Next we shared experiences over the week, and everyone was so nice to us even though a couple of us were unable to do some of the wiggling around. We all learned how to ask ques-

tions and bring up topics that can be used for material in the plays we were to develop. We got experience in building dialogue, lyrics and choreography. Eventually the group divided into many small performance groups. The hi-light was when we all used the material we had created over the week and put on these mini s hows. 1 ext we learned how to weave these individual performances into a show.

In other words we learned by having to partake in activities such as having Cathy Stubington teach us to sing silly songs about water in rounds, or make puppets come al ive. Exercises taught we can create songs or a character from just one word or puppet. Savannah Walling brought her energy. talents and kindness to the workshops as too did Keith McNair and Will Weigler. Everyone was kind and helpful and understanding. All attending were made to feel welcome and allowed to contribute to the best of their abilities.

Did I learn how they create a community play, accomplish what at !irst glance seems a daunting task?

You bet I did! In spades. I also learned it takes a lot of work and energy to produce a community play and although I do not have the energy or talents I learned to appreciate all the work going into a production and \viii never enjoy one again without a new appreciation.

Will Weigler also brought a copy of his book Strategies for Play Building, this book has been g iven a Distinguished Book Award by the American Alliance for Theatre and Education. Carnegie Community Library now has a copy of this book for anyone to read.

It helps groups translate Issues into Theatre. Most helpful read, to besure. However, nothing can beat attending an Arts4AII Institute. I hope you will try do so when it comes to our commun ity again. I urge ~nyonc, even though you don ' t have a Thespian bone m your body, to attend. All you need is a desire to learn about community building through theatre and to aue_nd all t l~e classes. It is truly a g reat learning expenence. I m grate ful for Ruth. Varrick and Keith for coming all the way from Ontario to share their expertise as well as Cathy who came from Enderbv to sh_are her talents with us and Wil l for coming fr~m V1ctona. Mo~t of all I wish to thank Terry Hunter and Savannah for organizing this and all the others who made this past week remarkable.

By Colleen Carroll

Lest We Forget Remembrance Day should be a ritual for peace, not a corporate/m ilitary exercise. T his poem suggests some answers to the question, "What have we forgotten?"

On November I I'h, a large crowd gathered at the cenotaph at Victory Sq uare in Vancouver to remember Canadians who had died in war.

T he mood of the people was somber, respectful, and anxious.

So many have died, and war is everywhere.

The ceremony was digni fied, and sensitive to the grief of veterans who had lost comrades in war, of veterans wounded by war, and of civilians . . who had lost fam ily or fnends.

Prayers called for peace, . but there IS no peace, and the people mourned at t1le cenotap1l.

. C ana d"1ans \ .1110n 0 ne m1 . .c . were 1n u11110rm 111 1945 d h . d ' an t e1r reams c b ld .or a etter wor d. were expresse 111 the United Nations'

Mackenzie K ing, leader of the federal government in 1945. was acutely aware that when citizens fought for the ir country they expected to be treated with more respect than as market commodities.

He established programs fo r veterans, p lanned for high and steady e m ploymen ~ and created the Ministry o f Nat ional Health and Welfare to co-ordinate social programs.

We were proud of o urselves in those days.

We had seen what Canada could do in a national emergency.

We had a soc ial democracy for which men and women had died, and we believed that industrial growth ought to be regulated by ethical prio rities.

In these abysmal days offood banks, part-time work, wages below the poverty line, and homelessness, Lest we forget Universal Declaratio n of Human Rig hts we need to re member "War has opened the eyes but we have forgotten that veterans fought for a decent life of working people,"' a veteran sa id. that World War One for all our citizens, was 路'the war "Never again will we have the poverty, unemployment. to end all wars," and not just for and we have fo rgotten also and ho melessness of the 1930's." the corporate elite. the hopes of returning veterans Yet today we see poverty, At the memori al service after World War Two. hunger and homelessness on November II'\ The First Canadian Division everywhere. an anguished cry for peace was made up of men silently rose into the overcast sky, In 1944, the hope fo r justice a cry o f the living who had lived through by ordinary Canadians and a cry, also , of all the bitterness and violence fi ghting for their country of the Great Depression.M those who have died in war. helped Tommy Douglas and the Gathered at the cenotaph As John McCrae said Co-Operative Com monwealth Fed in Victory Square, in 1935, in his poem Flanders Field s, get elected in Saskatchewan, " lfye break faith with us who die unemployed, hungry men and in that same year We shall not s leep, though poppies gro1 asked fo r food and shelter. the Conservative Party Mayor McGcer replied In Flanders fie lds." changed its name by reading them the Riot Act. to Progressive Conservative.

Sandy Cameron

Mixed hous ing vs. sepa rated housing -an opinion

By Rolf Auer You hear people talking about whether social housing should be mixed (that is, made up of different types of peoples, like single persons, persons with addictions, persons with mental illnesses, persons with both. and couples without or with children, seniors), or just these people by themselves in separate buildings (with appropriate support mechanisms in place where needed).

I' m of the opinion that a bu ilding needs to be one â&#x20AC;˘ type of housing. I'll speak from my own experience about this.

I have bi-polar disorder. I last took ill and was ... hospitalized late in 1994. (Before hospitalization, 1 was homeless.) During my hospitalization, I went on a day trip to the offices of Coast Foundation Society (now Coast Mental Hea lth Foundation) to sign up for various types of social housing available, including Coast's (which was still handling its ho using at that point in time).

When I was discharged, I was found a 10' x 10' Single Room Occupancy hotel room at the Flint Residence (between McLean and Woodland on Powell Street). It had a TV, a hotplate, a bed, a chest of drawers, a nd a sma ll frid ge. o shortage of bugs, e ither. That was in 1995.

About three years later. I got a call from Coast.

Could I come for an interview? As I was practically going crazy from the small confines of my tiny living space by that time, I leapt at the chance.

Two mental health workers talked to me for about half an hour to make sure that I was a suitable candidate for Coast's supportive housing. I was accepted.

I was asked where I wanted to live, and I sa id alo ng Commercial Drive between Broadway and Hastings streets. There were two places available: one at 3rd and Commercia l and one at Frances and Commercial. I chose the one at Frances and Com-

mercia) because it seemed to be nearer to the type of businesses I liked (read: Bohemian).

T he building that I live in is dedicated solely to / people with mental illnesses. I like that because / there is a kind of specia l camaraderie among the group of us. To me, it is the feel ing of my neighbours being non-judgmental and accepting. I think it has something to do with the inescapable fact that there is a stigma anached to having a mental illness, and people with mental illnesses seem to generally get along well with each other, maybe bener than with so-ca lled "normal" people. ( I imagine something like this must occur with people with add ictions, hence the formation of groups like the Vancouver A rea Network o f Drug Users (V ANDU), an extreme ly successful lobbying group for the rights of people with addictions.) There are different types of soc ial activities in the bu ilding people can participate in (but are not forced to), and often, some get together on their own for things like chatting in the courtyard, and playing c hess or cribbage.

But to further explore the reasons for my op inion, I' II try to put myself in the place of other people who would be mixed among the residents. I believe the uppermost concern wou ld be safety. I'm thinking of families with children- how safe would they feel among people with mental illnesses or people with addictions or both?

T hen there is the issue of how the people with the illnesses and/or add ictio ns would feel mixed in with "normal" people. Likely, the people in the first category would probably be poor, while the s ingle persons and families wou ld probably be middle c lass.

There wou ld probably be a class divide as well.

Then there is the issue of age divide. I tend to think that seniors would be more comfortable in a bui lding so le ly dedicated to seniors' usc rather than for mixed use. That sort of comes back to th e issue of safety again, but with the issue of age factored in. A lso, the support mechanisms for seniors would be somewhat different than they would be for other types of people, like families, for example, who might require daycare facilities within their buildings.

Getting back to my example, moving out of an SRO hotel room and into single-use dedicated social housing made all the difference in the world to me.

Before. when I was living in the S RO room, I started to volunteer with End Legislated Poverty, writing articles for their monthly newsletter, The Long Haul.

After living a number of years in an apartment, I began to consider trying to look for work again . I could do this because living in better housing and

doing volunteer work had restored a sense of confidence in my abilities and me. To this end, I applied to THEO (Training for Health and Employment Opportunities, only open to people with disab ilities), and took an office preparedness course. I did my volunteer practicum w ith a company, and was shortly thereafter hired on a casual basis. for one or two days per week. This worked out just fine, because it allowed me to keep my disability pension, while at the same time not caus ing me undue stress.

Eventually, my work for The Long Haul came to an end, and I started wr iting fo r The Carnegie Newsfeller. After some years of th is, I signed on board as a volunteer with the Carnegie Community Action Project, and the Raise The Rates organ ization.

Then, I became a member of the board of directors at Carnegie, another volunteer position. I' m only mentioning all of th is to fi ll in how my volunteer work branched out as well as my employment, a ll as a result of my getting decent housing, but more importantly, housing suited to my needs and me.

Now I am making plans to return to school to study writing. First, part-time for four or five years at Douglas College, I think, and then for a Bachelor of Arts degree at Simon Fraser University with a ''I// double major in English Literature and Pol itical Science (applying the Doug las Co llege credits towards the SFU degree).

In conclusion, I' d like to say that I owe most, if not all, of my recovery and my subsequent activities to the special type of housing made possible by various levels of government and the Coast Mental l lealth Foundation. To them all, a profound thank \ you ' '

-f1t11

Venom

6"~~c-cS-"

Angry words poison arrows rip apart a person's heart you hurt them deep w ith angry words your words have the power to cut and maybe you're lucky you regret what you said you were outta your head spitting out empty words if I could only take back but you can't and you prove to the world what an asshole you are you can't undo the damage of things that were overheard you were ranting and raving more angry words R Loewen

prostitution.

People constantly c lang and crash up the tire escap1 outside my window at a ll hours, but I never hear Cat Woman until she taps at my window. I can't resist open ing the fi re door for her just to hear her chirrup& "Thank you." Such a polite sort o f cat. Of course I never let her into my room; like most cats she stea ls .. whatever surrogates she can find for love.

Like many young addicts she exchanges sex for a relatively safe place to s leep. She is very adept at circumventing landlords and superintendents, but o ften gets into trouble for tying up hotel bathrooms fo r hours at a time doing these amazing make overs so good, I sometimes have to look tw ice to recogniz1 her. I think she wants to be someone else.

One night she got into a tight with one of her boy fr iends who chased her down the hall. She pulled a knife and hysterically screamed and cried like a terrified child. A shocked Romeo let her escape. He wasn't a bad sort. apart from being young and confused about what part of his anatomy his brains were in but her shrieks still haunt me, cut me to the heart.

N~ one is solely to blame; we're all to blame. You need to have reached a certain level o f knowledge and awareness to understand this and not enough peop le have. so the m isery just grows.

If on ly she had a room of her own. a refuge from the Johns, the street, the drugs; a place where she cou ld play with her costumes and make up in peace. It wouldn't make her whole again, but maybe with time she could vo lunteer to do makeup in amateur theater or film, or take a course in fashion design. Who knows? She's really a clever litt le cat when sober.

By Donald Macdonald

The Past of Life How many trees lose their lives for Advertisements & the like, cardboard boxes inside smaller then

smaller boxes squared they make that size of bike (which the kid won' t even like) like giving that child that won 't stop bawling some traffic to play in with rush hour calling the cowards & the brave; I'm sorry but there' s not much of anything or one to defend or save, we shall keep repeating the past now someone somewhere said someth ing about this being a blast (LIES) we've obliterated many futures with so many wars I'm just waiting for the first sho\1 fo r Atrocity Awards coming to an end or 2"J season on TV. Show the least unrest in peace, make enemies into friends, we' ve weaved the start into the end, now why does it take tragedies to make people who consider 2 minutes of s ilence cruel unplug those goddamned wires from your head this could be a new Gameshow: Speechless! (it would work (no it won 't)(IIied))) time for fireworks as fists & faces collide Have you or are you on a grief card from those golden arches they're going mighty quick one moment later an expelled 2"d-grader grabs a woman's purse.. consumed with justice other patrons & I at least one thinks it was just us, said employee has â&#x20AC;˘ called for a hearse, this is pure fi ction though it happens every day; if rei igion isn't a scam then why the wall-to-wall atrocities - no wonder so many bow out in messy or merry ways, the past we forget while those 4 & over work to make the rent the rich make bets on who can work the longest before what must be a heavenly death like the poster post-war generation already mapping their kids' wars who needs college let alone knowledge future enlightenment like following in dad 's footste ps get with it not covered in it just another statistic in fl ames on that dark road, you've countries to decide, planets to hide, ch ildren to deride /by/by/bye bye oh my!

Did you notice that bitter almond taste in your mouth? If you knew Agatha Christie like I do you'd be alive everyone else goobye have you heard of cyanide as head + heart gang up on breathing patterns which will soon subside... so many answers not enough questions there's just one thing the past would like to mention what the sun don't peel away the outpouring oceans & blinding winds take, it's all yours anyway I wash my hands of this pitiful display wh ile I can still choose to walk away & say the least is all! will say.

Disintegratively yours, mother earth.

By RO BERT McG!LLIVRA Y

I AIN'T GOT NO HOME

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No real place to res t my lonely head, as far as eyes can see. Shackled here, then there, and then in a rut, boxed in, kicked out, no place without a doubt. Me, homeless, little known, yet visible notoriety, to die (maybe) in classless infamy. Pounding ra in, harsh elements disturb my sleeps, while becoming waterlogged, soaked, abso lutely wringing wet. Got no cash my pockets hanging ins ide out but I keep my chin up always, can' t get too down; don 't cry, don ' t pout so ' what's my beef'?' passersby may ask in an abject, cruel, disparaging s ort of way. I shake it off- thei r mea ningless, dated, pro-ated, not-so-sage advice ...

Broke and busted, burnt out, bamboozled, I've seen and heard of this c ra p before. Some folks just plain don 't get it about the do's and don' t 's, about there not being a dista nt place called maybe it's near.. but so what, it's still way way out of reach not within my grasp; can't call, can't phone. _ Scatter coins at me, thanks for nothing- wasn ' t beggin you see. I was once regarded as a person, uh huh, it' s a fact, had a mom 'n a dad, yeh really. j ust like you you who cast stones while on your soapbox of judgement, absolute, don't bother no more, don't waste my valuable time. J can live without your sanctimonious, mean-spirited remarks; otherwise, I know, I' ll be just fin e. Better days ahead whether hot or cold, although I a m currently on the poverty ladder's bottom rung, hanging on with all my might to the tattered fraying threads that have halted my fal l. Looking up always, directly at our Earth's sun, never looking down perish the thoughts the blackened doomridden view just won't get the job done. Got options! I do!! Oh yeah, though few , I obviously realize some drink, some smoke, .... same here with you. Got hope so I cope with many mild yet necessary struggles; all sorts of medications concocted somehow, somewhere, beyond my realm o f comprehens ion . Gotta trust in people, with hidde n agendas, go figu re, make sense? No, not to me - you ?

I'm never clean entirely; s imply got no house no home just hour to hour day to day. A !so I got no job so guess, yeh, it a lso means I got no bloody pay. So I carry on in no particular direction compasswise to lind a place to flop, to rest, sooner or later gonna connect with a kind of permanence, a calming placid place to lay down roots, w ithout a care, no worries. a place to rest my weary bones, to kick off my boots, to get a little peace.

By ROBYN LIVINGSTONE

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COLLEEN'S CORNER Volunteers of the Month- November Jenny Podlccki, Learning Centre David Parks, Computer Lab Volunteer Co mmitt ee Meeting: Wednesday, December 2 at I :00 PM in C lassroom II Vol unteer Dinner Wednesday, Dec 9 Theatre@ 4:30pm SHARP! Your contribution and hard work is appreciated by the many people who benefit by your services. Let us serve you! Please p ick up your Volunteer Appreciation Dinner Ticket from the Program Office.

DID YOU KNOW this about Santa and his Reindeer?

53,000 tons traveling at 650 miles per second creates enormous air resistance - this will heat the reindeer up in the same fashion as spacecraft re-entering the earth's atmosphere. The lead pair of reindeer will absorb 14.3 QU INTILLION joules of energy, per second,. each. In short, they will burst into flame almost instantaneously, exposing the reindeer behind them. and create deafening sonic booms in their wake. The entire reindeer team wi ll be vaporized within 4.26 thousandths of a second. Santa, meanwhile, wi ll be subjected to centrifugal forces 17,500.06 times greater than gravity. A 250-pound Santa (which seems ludicrously sl im) would be pinned to the back of his sleigh by 4,315,015 pounds of force. (Tell that to your kids!)

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SEASONS TWEATINGS TO OUR BUSY BEE VOLUNTEERS, a hard working group of

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people who I am proud to work alongside. You are a caring, committed bunch who make my job fee l like work worth doing. I thank you for this gift.

My desire for you is to enter this new year with a g iving and forgiving heart- your heart can't break if you keep it soft-!

COMPUTER LAB I CHRISTMAS EVE

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PACIFIC BLUEGRASS & HERITAGE MUSIC SOCIETY

VOLU TEER C HRISTMAS PARTY 4:00 - 6pm FRIDAY, DECEMBER I I, Theatre The real Santa is coming to the party just to see you _ HO HO HO _ (I told him you had all been good this year ... • shhhhh •.... I didn't tell •... ) There wi ll be dinner, enough sweets to put a gleam in your dentist's eye, a gift for everyone along with oodles of door prizes. The Entertainment includes the very popular _ (it's a surprise). There will be a mystery guest that I promise will have you howling in your seats plus dinner and gills.

Please write this date on your calendar- we don't want you to be left out! Please pick up your Christmas Party Ticket from the Volunteer Program Office 7:00 - /Opm CIIRISTMAS DANCE ., ... brought back by popular demand, our one and only 'Santa Pants and the Elfetts' ... • come and have a holly jolly time and jingle the night away. EVERYONE WELCOME!

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Carnegie is open all night Christmas Eve. Are any of the night owl Computer Lab Monitors interested in keep the room open? A number of people have asked me if the room will be open.

If you might enjoy an all-nighter in the Lab, please see Colleen, Volunteer Pro ram •... •.. thank you.

Maybe It's a New Day!

Wednesday, December 2, 2009 7- 9 pm, Carnegie Theatre

Apparitions

Today's a good day to slaughter your sacred cows! those tired old beasts who've shackled you to their archaic, worn out vows

People of the shadows silhouette a nowhere scene passing through long days of night like ghosts who've never been

Today's a good day to break that suffocating mold of the past and its imprison ing obligations which kept you so rigidly cast

People becoming shadows fading into the gloom hiding behind some dark belief that shields them like a tomb

Maybe today's a good day to start thinking on your own instead of like some obso lete system's preprogrammed clone!

They're not people, just shadows passing faintly down a gloomy hall silent, indistinct ligures who disappear as night hegins to fall

K.S.Hawley

K.S.Hawley

Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP)

Newsletter Fi nd us in the Carnegie Association office (604-839-0379)

Dec I, 2009

Why won't governments reduce poverty when they know it kills people?

Full article published Nov 23, 2009 by Jean Swanson. Vancouver Sun hlog.

Edited by WP.for this newsleller.

Poverty is responsible for more lost years of healthy living in Canada than cancer. about twice as many more. according to a recent Statistics Canada study. This translates into over II fewer years of healthy living for men in the poorest income group and almost I 0 fewer years for women. At the Carnegie Centre in the Downtown Eastside where l volunteer, these stats are in )OUr face every morning when you come in the building. There's a little tripod with notices about what's happen ing that day at the Centre. and usually there's an announcement that yet another community member has died and when the memorial is. In the Do\mtown Eastside about 70% of t he residents liYe in poverty. some with no income, some with a welfare income that prO\ ides a palt:r) $61 0 a month. not

enough to cat nutritiously and pay rent.

Sometimes, in that low income neighbourhood, there are two or three or four memorial notices on the Carnegie tripod at the same time.

Two days after I read about poverty reducing life expectancy, I read that the Thomson family. which controls a number of Canadian med ia giants. has amassed about $22 bi llion in wealth.

While the rest of us are losing our jobs and taking pay cuts, while services that IO\\ income p:.:ople need arc being v. ipcd out because of the recession. the I homson family's wealth grew by 19%.

Why do our governments create laws and policies that al lov. this to happen v.hen people arc suffering and dying because of it? rhe numbers are so huge.

My calculator doesn't have enough space for the 7eros in them. So I did the math by hand. What if our tax laws al lowed the Thomson fami ly to keep $2 billion of their wealth (enough to

provide $40 million each to 50 family members), but took the remaining $20 billion to build 100,000 housing units on city owned land across the country?

We could end homclcssness in Canada, and the Thompsons would still have enough left so they wouldn't have to work for the rest of their lives.

Just a few days before this, there was an article in the Vancouver Sun about an unnamed person who is building a $31.5 million home in Pt. Grey. This would be enough money to build 150 homes for homeless people on cityowned land and still leave a nice $1.5 million for a single family home in Vancouver. How fair is it that one family gets a $31.5 million home while thousands in BC are homeless and 路die sooner because of it? Is it fair that the average pay of the top 100 Canadian CEO's was 259 times higher than the average wage of a full-time worker? Do we really want a society where government policies allow this gap to more than double, as it has, in less than 10 years? If this trend continues, how great will the gap be in 10 more years?

How much younger will the poor die then?

I'm not asking for charity here.

Human beings shouldn't have to rely on charity to meet their basic needs. I'm just trying to show what the numbers mean in concrete terms. This economic system that we live in is so unjust.

Statistics Canada, a fairly reputable

$3.1 mil home at 4707 Belmont Ave (UBC) Fund. People are suffering and dying because of poverty and the government refuses increase welfare to a livable level. Governments say they have no money but they have taxing power.

Why is it so important to keep taxes low for the very rich when it means that the poor die sooner?

Cancer is awful. It's good to try to figure out how to end it. But now we know the impact of poverty is even worse. We know how to end poverty.

We have the means to end poverty. We should be demanding poverty reduction strategies from our provincial and federal governments. ~JS 2

Olympic Kidnapping Act denounced by DTES residents For Immediate Release: November 24 2009, Vancouver

According to Stella August. member of Dov\ ntoown l:astside Women Centre Power to Women group. "This Kidnapping Act creates a state of fear in

A coalition of DTES communit} groups and supporters hosted a press conference to launch a campaign against what they are calling the "Olympic Kidnapping Act". They are calling the Act. which allows police to detain and usc force on homeless people to compel them into shelters, fundamentally undemocratic. unjust, and unconstitutional.

In response to the government's claim that this Act helps the homeless. many homeless people refuse to be forccfull} apprehended "I can look after myself: I've been doing it for years." states one such homeless man. '"'ho is afraid to be identified.

the D rES. We arc angered at the hypocrisy of a government that closes down emergenc} shelters. while allowing police to forcefully displace homeless people against their will. We have already witnessed waves of police crackdowns oYer the past year: we are not foolish enough to believe that this is another coincidence leading up to the

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Games." During the 1996 Olympics, approximately 9000 homeless people in Atlanta were arrested in the months leading up to the Games and shunted up to 300 kilometres out of the city.

"We want Mayor Gregor Robertson, as Chair of the Police Board, to tell the police not to enforce this unconstitutional act. Is this part of the plan to cover up poverty before the Olympics?" asked Wendy Pedersen of Carnegie Community Action Project. Shelter providers such as Atira Women's Resource Society, First United Church, Lookout Emergency Aid Society, PHS Community Service Society, as well as the Canadian Mental Health Association have all also publically expressed their significant and grave concerns with the Act. According to Laura Track. housing campaign lawyer with the Pivot Legal Society who is planning a legal challenge against this Act, "The Minister knows this is an unconstitutional law; this is a cynical strategy by the Liberal government to force poor people off the streets for the Olympics before courts strike the legislation down, which will unfortunately take months if not years."

Carnegie Community Action Project member, Alvin Clayton, protesting the Province of British Columbia's imminent passing of Bill 18, the Assistance to Shelter Act. It will give powers to the police to use whatever force is considered necessary to transport a homeless person to a shelter in weather conditions determined to be extreme.

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Attention DTES residents!

Mark Your Calendars Third Annual Povcrt} Olympics - February 7. 20 10 Come out for free famil y fun with a conscience on February 7, 20 I 0 at the Japanese Language School (487 Alexander St.. Vancouver) from I - 3 p.m.

'E ND POVEk 1 Y

Watch the Games (Welfare Hurdles, Skating around Poverty, and more), cheer the Mascots (Itchy the Bedbug, Creepy the Cockroach and Chewy the Rat), boo the Bad Guys (Mr. Bid and Mr. Con Dough). si ng along with the Poverty Anthem. eat cake and be merry! Hope to sec you all there! photo by: The Blackbird ~

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The DTES is changing.

Be strong. Be heard. Joi n this council.

ACCESS, Carnegie Association and VANDU Invite DTES residents to form

A Neighbourhood Council Saturday Dec 5th and 12th 2-4 pm Carnegie Theatre 40 I Ma in

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TOWN HALL MEETING:

Do YOU LIKE IT? HATE IT? COME GIVE US YOUR FEEDBACK. Town Hall Meeting Mon, Dec 7, 2009 2:00pm Carnegie Theatre 401 Main Street Info: 604-839-0379 Pick up advance copies at Carnegie 6

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Where do we go from here? started ourselves, parks that have become spiritually important. We work for social justice. put in trillions of hours into volunteering to improve our community. work 111 social enterprises and we have tons of community spirit.

In fact, if it wasn't for the fact that we're such a strong community and for all the organizing we do, we'd have been wiped out decades ago by development.

Low-income DTES res idents make up 70% of the population in the area. Our vision is based on the principle that the low-income community in the DTES has the right to exist and to seck improvements for itself.

But the DTES is being erased.

Woodwards was 路'so successful'' that it forced up the price of land nearby.

Rents have gone up in the hotels.

Property owners arc protesting new social housing. Concord Pacific, one of the biggest real estate companies in Canada. has moved in. The city is subsidizing chain stores to move into the area. The little guys arc getting pushed out. not only the drug users off the street but the small businesses.

Based the Right to the City Fomm .<,peeclr by CCAP's Wendy Pedersen Nov 23,2009 Western Investor. a real estate magazine. featured a story about the former chairman of VANOC. Jack Poole. The story was about a meeting that Poole had \\'ith real estate developers. The editor Frank O'Brien said in the story: "the real purpose of the 20 I 0 Olympic bid is to seduce the pro\'incial and federal governments and long-suffering taxpayers into footing a billion-dollar bill to pave the path for future real estate sales." O'Brien quoted Poole saying: "If the Olympic bid wasn't happening, we would have to invent something."

Keep that in mind as you read this about the DTES. CCAP is \\Corking on a vision for the lYlES. We're uniting workers. lowincome people, our historical communities. the Aboriginal and Chinese. drug users and supporters who own property in the area. Despite the slanderous epithets in the media about the DTES. we arc a real neighbourhood.

We ha\'e amuing assets. We ha\'e a rich culture, necessities that arc close by. community services. some that we

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artists, the families and seniors of all ethnicities. Our community is at risk of disappearing.

The city is using tools that are erasing the DTES. The city uses "crazy accounting" to show that we're on track for social housing in the DTES, such as counting the 3 bedroom units renting for about $1600 at Woodwards as social housing. They also count BC Housing's newly purchased hotels as "new" social housing. CCAP found a vision for the DTES written by a city planner that says that the DTES needs richer people to move in so that the behaviour of poor people will improve. Instead of studying the social and economic impact of new condos on a low-income area, the city asked the public last spring, how we would feel about the "look" of taller buildings. Council may pass a motion in January to add more height on buildings that will likely be used for condos.

The city has used the Olympics to get resources to speed up gentrification and make the DTES more acceptable to potential condo owners and gentrification. For example, there has been more support for government for arts stuff. The new "greenway" will create a "safe" route for tourists between Gastown and Chinatown. The sidewalks got redone. Hastings was repaved. Storefronts got spruced up .

The mayor, as Chair of the Police Board, could enforce the ultimate cosmetic act, the Assistance to Shelter

Act, could move the homeless off the street.

How can we stop this? Well, that's hard but not impossible. And it won't happen overnight as a lot of damage has been done. We need to organize more.

In 2010, CCAP will organize DTES residents to get to city council on Jan 19th to stop more condos in the DTES until we have a plan to preserve our assets and secure the tenure of the existing community. CCAP is working to unite the whole community around a vision and to implement it. So far, what we have done is massive in scope, reaching out to 1200 DTES residents for the visioning so far. We're starting an elected resident's council in the DTES that hopefully will do this visioning work and give us a structure that is robust and efficient. The draft vision is proactive, challenging but do-able if we get citywide support. So roll up your sleeves DTES residents. We'll be asking more of you to tell us ifwe're on the right track and to join in to make it happen. Everything good we have in the DTES has happened because we know how to do this and we do it well.

See you in the New Year.

Vancity Support for this project does not necessarily imply Vancity' s endorsement of the findings or contents of this report."

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Dear Mayor Robinson: I have been a resident at the above address for the past seven years. I am writing you in regards to the intended closing of the homeless shelter at 5 1 West Cordova Street.

It saddens me to write letters of this nature. It feels as if we are not sharing the same city. We have a place here where homeless individuals are able to get a night's sleep and perhaps a shower. What could be more basic?! What could be crueler than to deny that?! Is it too much luxury?! Can o ur fine city not afford this?!

1'he O lymp ics are corning - is there a concern that these people do not present we ll and are leaving the shelter lo"oking unattractive to the guests of these games? Are we cleaning up this trendy Gastown area ... at any cost?!

To c lose this faci lity. even to plan such a thing, is a form of violence of which the people using the she lter have enough experience already.

This charming old area of Vancouver, with the bodies of the homeless on the sidewalks, needs more shelters and affordable housing; not more closures, cruelty and abuse.

Please consider these neighbors of ours and allow them a night's sleep and some dignity so that we can all look and feel good ... long after the games are over and everyone has gone horne.

Therese Lulf 65 West Cordova Street

I arn a concerned citizen, a community advocate and a neighborhood activist. This particular correspondence is with specific regards to the plight of the homeless in Canada. Undeniably, the subject is not unfamiliar as it is frequently a popular staple of many campaign platforms, pledges and promises that the

electors are routinely inundated with by all levels of government. One cannot help but be aware that the situation is, at best, unimproved and at worst, seems to have all but disappeared from the list of your administration's prior ities. Recognizing this as an issue, which regretlably continues to prevail without an acceptable official explanation, it is becoming widely and more frequently viewed as evidence of gross mismanagement andfor blatant apathy. Considering the stark visibility of this particular social challenge and the generally complacent response during your tenure, you can hardly fa ult your constituency for speculating on the status of conduct w ith regards to other issues, which are perhaps less prone to scrutiny because, simply by virtue of their very nature, are less diffic ult to conceal in the shadows of day-to-day business or curre nt hot topics.

Clearly the subject ofhomelessness in one of the world's most affluent countr ies is a task which needs to be addres~ed, tackled and finally e radicated. T he issue demands that every elected official. in order to fu lfill their obligations as a servant o f the public, (each member of the public) execute responsible and accountable decisions. In order to combat what is with ever increasing regularity being viewed as empty political rhetoric, campaign and otherwise, the leaders throughout o ur Territories and Provinces need to address the matter in such a way as to enable the cities and distr icts to tackle the problem, which can only then empower each community towards eradication; neighborhood by neighborhood!

Particularly in light of the glaringly obvious, relentlessly frantic and unapologetically transparent efforts to present well for the upcoming 20 I 0 sporting event, I strongly urge you to pay heed to those to whom you have made prior commitments as well as to whom you will undoubtedly also be appealing to in your future bid for re-election, long after the games are over and everyone has gone home.

I believe that at this point, having made my intent with the purpose of this letter perfectly c lear, there can be no doubt that lack of any serious initiative to combat homelessness strategically or practically by em ploying an effectively assigned task force assembly would be, among other things, a Oagrant misrepresentation of your intentions while running for and carrying out the duties of Mayor.

Your period in office is not without commendable accomplishments and achievements. I implore you to allow the continued use of the shelte r for the homeless at 51 West Cordova Street thus enabling this act to count among them.

S usa n Lulf

HUM 101 Documentaries for December 09 Saturdays at 6:00 PM Carnegie Theatre

Deccm ber I 9

Just Take Your Damned Shot!J' As research contin ues on the Swine Flu Shots come see the latest information concerning this scam to make big ?hanna rich and at what cost to your health.

December 12

Global Warming or Global Govemance

Anthrax-War

Learn what the latest scandal to hit the world is all about. If you know nothing about it you have not been on the internet, read the NY Times or seen any TV outside this country. Our Media says nothing about this scandal that broke the 20th Nov. however over 6 mi llio n web s ites are ta lking about CLIMATE GATE. Get to know the facts behind the world's biggest scientific scam, how it was almost pulled off and why. If you don't know about CLIMATE GATE count yourself among those still believing a big man w ith a red sui t delivers presents to every good kid around the world, and it's not part of a plot to sell stuff.

The untold story of the 200 I Anthrax Attacks and the dark secrets of the hidden world of modem day germ warfare research, December 26

The Scars of Mercury The People of Grassy Narrows live daily on the edge because of a private companies license to pollute.

Their story is one everyone should know.

The Final Warning

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Pers pectives Today I passed a magnificent day at the Ferndale Correctional Institution, interacting with lifers of all ages. Those who know they cannot escape their actions and yet know they are different now, and are loveab le. We had lunch, and talk and cra fts and theatre. We a ll heard each other in a safe space.

A perfect end to a perfect day: Walking on Commercial tonight after my inspiring day, I pass a man sitting in a store alcove. He's playing guitar. Lovely! He's late 40s, of South American o r Spanish descent ?

I le says something to me. I pause. Back up.

I say, 'sorry I didn't hear you.'

He says, 'How was your day?!'

'Brilliant, I just spent the day in prison!' 'l have been in and out of prison my whole life!' lie puts his guitar down, stands up.

I say 'Eye opening, it's all about the heart' He reaches out and embraces me with the most genuine hug. lie pauses, and then hugs me again.

Pausing, he looks into my eyes, "Yes that is all we need - heart'.

He hugs me again, and this time, I hug him back with full conviction, able to accept his heart.

'We need heart.' he says. 'Yes', I say. Merci' He picks up my hand and kisses it and says' Merci'.

I say' A Ia prochaine'. From him with warmth, candour, and heart, 'A Ia prochaine'.

Tasch a

Economic Collapse and the Coming World Government. A fascin ati ng journey through the modern technologies and government activities paving the way towards the New World Order and a One World Government run by a few bankers.

Boy Genius

Boy Boring

What good is being so smart it only serves to a) ienate so desperately to impress the world's smartest man holding court in the pharmacy discussing the Theory of Relativity impressing no-onc but himse lf corning off as just another whitebread blowhard college boy the pompous ass needs morons around to fee l smart, how smart? can you be ending up he re?! with all us regular losers?!

Don' t know whether to resent him

Pab lo Cocobar

''Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful comm itted citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Meade

604-665-2289 THIS NEWSLETIER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION

CFRD

102.-7F11 m-0P UOm

Next Issue is Tuesday, December 15th SIJBMISSION DEADLINE

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

Friday, December 11 WANTED Artwork for the Carnegie Newsletter

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Small illustrations to accompany articles and poetry Cover art -Maximum size: 17cm(6 :Y.') wide x 15cm (6") high Subject matter relevant to issues pertaining to the Downtown Eastside, but all wor!( considered Black & White printing only Size restrictions will apply (i.e. if your piece is too large, it will be reduced and/or cropped to fit; All artists will receive credit for their work; Originals will be returned to the artist after being cop1oo Tor puOtlcanon; Remuneration: Carnegie Volunteer tickets.

Please make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor.

We acknowledge that Carnegie Community Centre, and this Newsletter, are occurring on Coast Salish Territory Editor: PaulR Tay lor; co ver art by c;;li;iion & distribution crew: Bill, Liu Lin, Harold, Mary Ann, Miriam, K elly, Vidcha, Rolf, J ackie, Ida, Li s:~ , Robyn, Nick.

2009 DONATIONS: Barry M.-$150, Libby D.-570, Rolf A.-$50, Margaret D.-540, Jenny K.-525, Sue K.-$30, Michael C.-$50, Jaya B.-$100, Christopher R.-$180, Mel L.-$25, Greta P.-$25, Leslie S.-525, Harvey B.-$25, Sheila B.-$1 00, The Edge -$200, Wilhelmina M.-$50, Glenn B.-$100, CEEDS -$60, Bob S.-$100.

Vancouver Moving Theatre -5100 Anonymous $1510 23/11/9

To wh om this ma y concern :

TIM STEVENSON CITY COUNCILLOR SERVING THE COMMUNITY WITH PRIDE

C ity Hall, 453 W Ii" Ave, V5Y 1V4 Phone: 604-873-7247

1 am issuing this cheque to you as requeste_ d by Sheila

Baxter. Fraser Heights Secondary [Surrey]ts pertorm1ng her play Death in a Dumpster. in lieu of royalty payment she has requested that we send a $100 donation to the Carnegie Newsletter. I hope this helps.

k c.

Angele Sachiko Thibault French I Japanese I Theatre Theatre

\h.o..l\ / I

S~c-·, k.

Jenny Wai Ching Kwan MLA

GET CLEAN! Shower up at th e Lord's Rain There is a shower facility at Gospel Mission, 327 Carra II Street Oust off Pigeon Park). There are towels, soap, shampoo - the works! &Coffee Monday 10am-3pm; Tuesday Ladies only 1-4pm Everyone 7 - 8:30am Friday 1Oam - 3pm; Saturday 7 - lOam lei on parle Francais; Hablamos Espanol

Working for You 1070-1641 Commercial Dr, VSL 3Y3 Phone: 604-773-0790

Solde r & S on s Used books - Coffee & Tea C uroous audoo reco rdings & cqu opnocnl 247 Main Slr~cl - 3 15-7198

To T he Editor : (of the Globe& Mail) Re: Ed Broadbent's November 24 op-ed article, How To End Ch ild Povcrtv: Tax T he Rich:

r can hardly wait for the chorus o f outrage from the likes of Maureen Bader of the Canadian Taxpayer's Federation ("What? Raise taxes? Imposs ible!") to the Fraser Institute ("We've been campaigning for lower taxes for decades! And now this? Especially from an ex-Leader of the NDP? (We all know they don't know how to manage money. We do.)").

Remember Campaign 2000? It was the all-party, provincial-majo rity resolution in 1989 to end chilld poverty by the year 2000. Today is the 20th anniversary of that resolution. So what's it going to be? Do nothing and let ch ild poverty continue? O r do what's right, as Mr. Broadbent suggests?

Yours sincerely, Rolf Auer [The Globe & Mail took out the references to its traditional propaganda sources CTF and the Fraser tank. Ed. I "Th e j o b of the n ews pa per is to comfort the a fni cted a nd a ffli c t th e comfo rta ble."

The famous quote is about a hundred years old and can be traced to the work of Finley Peter Dunne, one of the great journa lists of the day T he 31'ticle tha t the letters re fer to follows.

Why have others nearly wiped out child poverty, but Canada has not?

All nations have myths about themselves. Canadians are not exempt. Looking to the south, we regularly proclai m our mora l superio rity: While Americans are out for themse lves, we share and care.

Well, once upon a time, we did but no longer.

More rapid ly than a lmost every other country among the wealthiest members of the Organi7..ation for Economic Co-operation and Development, we are becoming deeply unequal. Who knows? We may even catch up to the United States.

Nothing better illustrates this reality than the twodecade trend in chi ld poverty. Twenty years ago today, all parties in the House of Commons voted for a motion to abolish child poverty by the year 2000. Reform was in the air. Just a few days earlier, with Canada p laying a leading ro le, the United Nations had adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

We thoug ht an 11 -year agenda to virtually overcome

child poverty was quite plausible, and the 1990s did turn out to be one of the very best decades in economic growth. According to the trickle-down soothsayers in politics, the media and the academic world, we all should have benefited. Instead, 20 years after the motion was passed, Canada's level of poverty is virtually unchanged.

Almost all income growth has gone to the top 10 per cent, and their share of the national income has substantially increased. In contrast, after two decades, the chi ld-poverty rate has dropped a mere two percen tage points, to 9.5 per cent.

Why is it that Finland, Sweden and Denmark have almost wiped out child poverty, and we have not?

Why do more than 600,000 Canadian kids wake up hungry and go to schoo l trying to read, write and think on an empty stomach?

First, we should have no illusions about where our poor chi ldren are to be found. Most are in families with two adults. Most poor adults work. Most of them have incomes so low that they can't afford housing and can't adequately feed or clothe their kids. If kids are members of aboriginal or immigrant Canadian families, the odds are even much greater that they will be poor.

Second, this poverty was not inevitable. Mostly it is the product of governments that have neither shared nor cared. As a Unicef report last Friday pointed out, Canadian politicians have failed our children. During the 1990s, the federal government abandoned a

leadership role for Canada's poor. It unilaterally cancelled the Canada Assistance Plan with the provinces, eliminated all low-cost housing programs, ceased to set the pattern for minimum wages and failed to bring in a national child-care program. Perhaps most serious and unbelievable of all, it exacerbated the inequality that was emerging in the marketplace by changing the income-tax system to the advantage o f the ric hest Canadians.

On the 20th anniversary of a noble parliamentary resolutio n, let's acknowledge our failure. And then reverse course. Instead of an income-tax policy favouring the rich, let's do the opposite. For a start, let's get our poor, hard-working fami lies what they need immediately: more mo ney.

For more than a decade, it is upper-income Canadians - not the poor or middle c lass- who have disproportionately benefited from globalization and deregulation. Therefore, I say that increasing their share of income taxes would be based on neither greed nor c lass envy. It should be called just ice.

In the next budget, let's impose a six-point increase in income tax o n those earning more than $250,000 a year (whose average taxable income is $600,000).

While leaving them with very high incomes, this would provide $3.7-billion in additional revenue. All of this should be used to increase the National Chi ld Benefit Supp lement and thus help our poorest children. With this s ing le act, we would sign ificantly make up for two decades of neglect and make a major dent in child poverty.

At a time o f growing inequality in their own countries, U.S. President Barack Obama and British PM Gordon Brown are now imposing similar taxes on their richest c itizens. Surely we Canadians, liv ing in a country that is setting the OECD record in growing inequality, can do the same. It's time we restored sharing and caring to the national agenda. It's time to act for our children.

Ed Broadbent moved the 1989 motion on child poverty in his last speech as leader of the federal New Demccratic Party.

New Books Thanks to everyone who came out to the Writers' Jamboree on November 19 and 20. The Roundtables were lively and inspiring, the evening readings were fabulous, and I know that lots of you appreciated the one-on-one sessions with establ ished writers and editors. If you have any ideas on how to make future events better, please let me know !

And for all of you who want to explore your writing in more depth, why not try:

Beyond the Words: The Three Untapped Sources of Creative Fulfillment for Writers , by Bonni Goldberg Writing Begins witl1 the Breath: Embody ing Your Authentic Voice, by Laraine ! !erring (808.02) Formatting & Submitting Your Manuscript What do The Italian J ob, Blade Runner, and The Deer Hunter have in common? All were produced JY Michael Deeley, who has worked with some of he world's toughest film-makers and lived to tell the tale. In Blade Runners, Deer llunters & Blow-

ing the Bloody Doors Off: My Life in Cult Mo vies (921 DEE), Deeley tells how he defended the legendary sex scene in Don 't Look Now from a d isapproving Warren Beatty and seized control of Convoy from a cocaine-addicted Sam Peckinpah.

Part field guide to economics, part expose of the economic principles lurking behind daily evenls, The Undercover Economist by Tim llarford (330.9) reports on how supermarkets, air lines and coffee chai ns - to name just a few - vacuum money from our wallets.

M. J. Ryan says that she can teach you to be happy and enjoy every day. In The Happin ess Makeover:

How to Teach Yourself to be 1/appy and Enjoy Every Day (158), Ryan draws on research and her o wn coaching practice to give you a plan to clear away "happiness hindrances", discover "happiness boosters" and " literally rewire your bra in." /Iockey: A People's History (796.96) is the definitive story of the game from the early n ineteenth century to now, following Cyclone Taylor, Rocket Richard, Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby as they charge down the ice and slip the puck into the net.

For more than 17 years, Ian McAllister has explored BC's Great Bear Rain fo rest. In The Last Wild

Wolves: Ghosts of the Great Bear Rainforest (599.77) he describes his experiences following two wolf packs, drawing on sc ientific research and the deep knowledge of the local First Nations people.

It 's beautifully illustrated w ith stunning photographs, too.

Beth, your librarian

The Beginning Of A Tradition Paul has struggled\\ ith serious clinical depre>sion " for most of his lift!. He also has a neurological disor der that creates many physical challenges for him.

These medical conditions do not stop Paul from contributing to the communit) b) doing vo lunteer \.\Ork. One November, Paul's depression worsened to the point \\here he needed to be hospitalized. l i e was in the hospital for six weeks. I contacted the people that he vol unteered with and told them that Paul ~ould not be well enough to return to his duties until January. It ~~ill come as no surprise for those readers who know Paul to learn that he was not a ver) good patient. lie \\as miserable in hospital. I o pass the time\.\ hen he was not in a therapy session, he did a major revision of the llelp In The Downtown Eastside booklet. lie also organi7ed a pool tournament on his ward. ( l ie won.)

Finally, in mid-December, the psychiatrist said that Paul was ready to be discharged. Paul and I talked about how he still needed to rest, in order to heal more, before returning to hi s volunteer \\Ork. lie agreed. Of course, on his first day at home, Paul became restless and decided to go out. lie went to the DERA office, \.\here he was a YOiunteer on their lloard or Directors.

"What are you doing here?" said the secretary. ··Your girlfriend said that you're sick."' ··1 came to sign the cheques," said Paul. lie was the Treasurer. '"\Veil, okay, but then you have to leave...

This surprised Paul. Girl fri end? lie had a ~;ir/friend?

(We had been dating for about a year and a half b) then.) And they are listening to her? Feeling somewhat bewildered, he went home The next day, Paul went to the Carnegie Community Centre. I received a phone call at work. '·Paul's here in the A ssociation Office. What do you want us to do with him?"' said the male voice on the phone. ·'Jie can Sta) for a little \\hile, but if he's still there in three hours, please send him home," I replied. Paul 's friends at Carnegie made sure that he went home well before his time limit. Paul was no doubt muttering about conspirac)" the \\hole way back to his bachelor suite.

I low could he occupy himself until January? When Paul came to my place for dinner, I made a suggestion.

More Cops and Guns Dan Keeton - Marco Procaccini

South of two borders down Mexico way The combatants are dropping like flies · The cocaine wars rage and bribe-takers are paid While journalists nee for their lives Here in the north we stand tall, proud and free And on guard against each bogus refugee While the drugs slip on by and the profits pile high And street deaths go on endlessly But our rules against drugs are quite stringent To the south we will send a contingent Of more cops and guns, more cops and guns The solution proposed is quite clear Why stop the game when we're having such fun Let's keep prohibition with more cops and guns Ten thousand K to sun-baked Kandahar Around which the Taliban roam The convoys go out but it's tumtng to rout As the coffins keep comtng home We're not really sure why we're there, you see To fight against terror or for liberty Or maybe a pipeline to establish a lifeline To feed our economy We're just there for a year or more anyway But once the job's done we think we'll stay lie could bake cookies for Christmas while I \\as at work. I gave Paul my mother"s shortbread recipe and a key to my apartment. For the rest of the week. I came home each evening to the fragrance of freshbaked shortbread. It did not take long before m) kitchen table and countertops \\ ere CO\ ered with shortbread cookies. Pau l and I decided to share the shortbread v. ith our neighbours. I bought some small bags and we filled them up. Then \\e made a list of recipients and distributed the shortbread to people we kne~\ in our housing co-operative and at Camegic.

Everyone seemed pleased with the gi ft.

Paul survived his convalescence and returned to his volunteer work. We have been married for eleven years, and sharing Paul 's shortbread has become a Christmas tradition for us. It is our way of acknowledging the people we care about and those who take care of us. We arc grateful for each one of you. Thank you for being a part of our lives.

Lisa David

With more cops and guns, more cops and guns We'll train them in things we hold dear With women kept down and the poppy trade run By warlords with armies and more cops & guns The countdown begins to that time in the spring When Olympic flags flap in the breeze With banners unfurled we will welcome the world Except for those women on skis Some spoilsports complain that it doesn't make sense II keeps costing more -- we say hang the expense Demonstrate if you must but we'll counterthrust With our billion-dollar security So what if the budget's skyrocketed?

We've got the protests neatly pocketed With more cops and guns, more cops and guns There:s really nothing to fear We'll keep on with the games and keep on having fun Cross-checked and monitored by cops bearing guns More cops and guns, more cops and guns The solution proposed is quite clear Why stop the game when we're having such fun Let's keep prohibition Press on with our mission And never stop dishin' Out more cops and guns And never stop dishin' Out more cops and guns

To listen to this song, Dan offers MP3s.

Guitar chords too!

world renowned mus ician and theatre director Victor Jara Munoz, my cousin, wil l be he ld in Santi ago. For your information. early this year Victor's remains were unearthed for the purpose o f establis hing the cause of death, in the investigation of this crime. The news this week referring to the official legal medical report read: The report states that the cause o f death were multiple bullet wounds in his skull, abdomen, legs and arms. In addition, it was verified that the composer-singer suffered beatings that produced various fractures to his skull and body.

A wake with his remains present will be held in the "Victor Jara Galp6n" a cultural centre in downtown Santiago in addition to the celebration. The invitation below is being distributed by a grass roots organization known as Universidad Tecnica (UTE)Universidad de Santiago (USACI1), as the UTE after being privatized by the dictatorship is now known. It was at the UTE where Victor taught and was detained by soldiers and brought to the Chile Stadium, a boxing stad ium located a few blocks away, and that now bears his name. on September II , 1973, w here he was executed after suffering severe torture. [This was the day when President Salvador Allende was murdered and over 3,000 Chilean citizens were disappeared.]The case was reopened when a soldier that participated in his execution came forward. lie was charged. However, the code of silence of the rest of the armed forces is protecting the o fficer who ordered his to rture and execution, and that of hundreds of others held at that stadium. (The USACH and Victor Jara stad ium are in the Estacion Central neighbourhood where I grew up.)

Allow me to s hare some of the words from a song of Victor's, and that those of us in exile sang at events when the darkest time of my country's history to ld us that one o f us in Chile had died or d isappeared. It was written by Miguel Hernandez, an extraordinary Spanish poet executed by Franco in Spain immed iately after the end of the civil war.

/

[The following message was sent to Mary Ann Cantil/on, former Head Librarian here. It's from her friend Lorena, who escaped to Canada and is now involved at Simon Fraser University.

September 11 has more history and renown than just memorialising the universal distress phone number- 911] December 3. 4 and 5 a Celebration for the Life of the

"There underneath the earth, you're not sleeping, brother, compaiiero// Your heart will listen to the Spring sprout [ ... J your death many lives will bring// that to where you were going will march! singing// [ ... ]The one that burned your wings in your flying/ will not burn the d reams of the poor// l lere, brother, here, our soul fills with flags/ that are going forward against fear/and are going forward/ We shall overcome. we shall overcome."

Savannah Walling, Terry Hunter, Rosemary Georgeon, Stephen Lytton, Rika Uto (kneeling 1-r )Elwin Xie, Mary Hunter and Montana Hunter Recently Savannah and I were honoured to receive the 2009 Mayor's Award (Community Art) at a presentation ceremony at the Museum of Vancouver with Mayor Gregor Robertson and hosted by broadcaster and author Bill Richardson.

As recipients of the award we were able to designate an emerging artist to share the award with. Savannah and I were delighted to choose Rosemary Georgeson, the Aboriginal Community Director for Vancouver-based urban ink productions. Rosemary worked as a Community Outreach Worker on In the Heart of a City: The Downtown Eastside Community Play (Vancouver Moving Theatre/Carnegie Community Centre, 2003) and was co-writer of We're All In This Together: The Shadows Project- Addiction and Recovery (Vancouver Moving Theatre with urban ink and the Carnegie and Roundhouse Community Centres 2007).

This award has been made possible because of the support and contributions of a huge network of family, colleagues, organizations and Downtown Eastside-involved community members.

This award is for the hundreds of artists we've had the pleasure to collaborate with over the years, including artists who've contributed so much to our community engaged activity: James Fagan Tait, Kim Collier, Gina Bastone, Jay Hambu rger and Teresa Va ndertuin.

This award is for the 40 and more Downtown Eastside comm un ity partners who have shared our vision of grass roots led renewal through the arts, particularly th e Carnegie Community Centre and its wonderful staff including Ethel Whitty and Rika Uto. This award is for M ichael Clague- former director of the Carnegie Community Centre- who's insight into the role that arts could play in giving voice to a stressed inner city community has had a huge impact on our work and the Downtown Eastside's arts community.

And finally, this award is for the hundreds of DTES involved residents with whom Savannah and I have had the honour to work with over the last decade to create some astonishing community engaged productions and festivals. This award is a testament to yo ur creativity and courage to give voice to our community and its hopes and dreams for the future.

Thank you!

Sincerely,

Terry Hunter Executive Director, Vancouver Moving Theatre Artistic Producer, Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival PS- Ironically, this award comes at a time of major draconian cutbacks in provincial arts and community funding, an impact which will severely impact the work of Vancouver Moving Theatre/Downtown Eastside Heart ofthe City Festival, and other arts and non arts based community socia l profit organizations across British Columbia. To find out more about these cutbacks and what you can to lobby for the reinstatement of provincial fundi ng to social profit organizations please visit www.stopbcartscuts.ca and write to your provincial MLA.

1

Next issues of Newsletter: December 15, January 15. There is no January ls edition.

REMINDER: Get a new Carnegie Membership Card. Still only $1 a year!

Vancouver Public Library PROPOSED 2010 OPERATING BUDGET There is an anticipated $1.574 million Shortfall. The YPL has submitted its 20 I 0 Operating Budget to City Council for inclusion in the overall 20 I 0 City Budget. Council will discuss the interim budget on Tuesday, December I and the final Budget wi ll be adopted on December 18. [It is illegal for a mu11icipal govemme11t to have a deficit budget.]

A public meeting to discuss the 20 I0 Budget with Council will be held December 3 from 7:30-9:00pm in Council Chambers at City Hall, 453 W 12'h Avenue. If you want to speak, mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca or call 311 .

[Letter to Bruce Campbell, ED of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives in Ottawa, answering his fundraising letter.]

If th1s gets to you after the envelope is found empty, maybe that's a good sign. I know that soliciting funds is part and parcel of most good work; having no extra money is likely found in a lot of 'sorry' responses.

Hopefully the majority of your donor base is the intelligentsia with a decent Y. to Y, their number matched by wage-earners.

The Carnegie Newsletter is a twice-monthly, 16-28 page paper containing articles, poetry, coverage of local events (demonstrations, protests, drug & alcohol issues [4 pillars of prevention, treatment, harm reduction and ENFORCEMENT (funding reflected in font-size)], the sex trade, 'free" trade, gentrification, genocide [drowned in tidal waves of unknown committees 路Fuck 'em around until their livers burst!!"], racism, police misconduct (.. brutality) and all manner of neighbourhood organisations' activities on behalf of and for the people of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Everything except the actual printing writing, poetry, local graphic art, input. editing, layout, cutting with scissors and pasting with glue, collation, stapling, folding and delivery- is done by volunteers. We get 2 'coffee' tickets an hour, trade value 40c, for use at Carnegie's concession (where all food is cooked, baked, prepared in the kitchen here): 1 for coffee, tea, juice, milk, piece of fruit, cookie, muffin, bowt of porridge; 2 for a date square, granola bar, soup, sandwich, soda, side salad, fruit salad; 4 for lunch (meat or vegetarian 路entree" with vegetable and salad -cash cost $1 .75; 7for dinner (meat or veg entre with vegetables, rice or potato, dessert) -cash cost $3.00.

Carnegie has almost 600 volunteers with 150 here several days a week for either 'shifts' at various jobs or doing stuff like tutoring, running classes, monitoring weight or pool rooms or the free phone or selling coffee in the seniors lounge. (They bring in over $30K a year!)

I've been the volunteer editor of the Carnegie Newsletter for 23 years and counting. It's been extant since August 15, 1986 and is online, finally, for the past 5 years or so. I got a grant just before the NDP got media-ed to death and put together the book enclosed. [The Heart of the Community: The Best of the Carnegie Newsletter) Maybe you'll find time to read it. It offers a different look at stuff but the selections are far outweighed by the contents of each paper over the years.

If I'm wasting your time then waste some more and read what follows! People would come in regularly and ask for a copy of something they'd written or submitted: 'What issue?" 'I dunno.

Sometime last year I think. (Sometime in the last 3,4,5 years...).

There was no index and I'm no longer going through volumes of old issues to find one thing. Anyway, got a phonecall from a woman who owns a business called The History Group. She said she was looking for some way for her company to do volunteer work in the Downtown Eastside, that they did document research and developed chronological histories, paper trails

and so on for various clients. I said the only thing 1 could think of was having an index of the Newsletter made -authors by name, issu~s by keywords, even a store ot all the artwork by different art1sts; a database with all the bells and whistles.

AMAzinglY. she said 'Yeah, we can do that." She came lo Carnegie Centre with her 5 staff, each having a degree in some , discipline like Political Science, History, Computer something, I Urban Geography, Library Science, Economics (I didn't ask what kind) and 5 students from USC, each of whom was a senior or .graduate student in. va~ious fields hoping路 for a job or just expenence, and shNaom1 la1d out that they were creating a database identical to those used by universities all over creation and each of them would take a year or two of archived issues and do the data entry. She was also confident she could get some business or school to do the scanning of every page for every year, with all the covers (which are great) for free. The librarian here had been trying with no success to get a grant to hire someone to do lhe index but it would have been a oneyear contract for at least 35-40K and these guys did it for free!

Ok. That's a long-winded way of saying that the Newsletter operates on the lint off a shoestring of a budget, with next to no ads or paying 'customers" 'cause each copy is free. I also make a free resource guide called Help in the Downtown Eastside.

It's in English, French and Spanish. After #4 came out someone dropped in and asked permission to translate it into Spanish 路yeah, sure!' About a week later they dropped a complete Spanish version off, said 'thanks' and left. Shortly after that a woman came in and said it had to be in French. 1agreed. A week later she brought in a complete translation into Francais The different languages have been updated and revised over the years for free by some resident and the latest edition is #41 but it's not back from the printer. I've been fundraising every year since 1991 and it's always come out because it's for the people who need it, not as just one more pamphlet on some stand. Anyway, 2008 was the first year when no one would spring for the now $7000+ cost of doing it twice a year. Then Simon Fraser University Vancouver- the ED of Administration -responded in late 2008 and offered to make an in-kind donation of all the printing, which is about $4600 a year. Legal Services Society threw in $1200 because of the "Legal content" a page and a half of contacts for Law Students, Legal Aid, various legal services with lawyers who'd represent marginalised or unspeakable people (addicts, mental health consumers economically poor, etc). The budget got reduced to have th~ nonprofit parent of the Newsletter, the Carnegie Community Centre Association, picking up any other costs like mailing. The small honourarium pour moi is gone.

So there ya go. The website is www.carnnews.org; email is carnnews@shaw.ca; index is http://harvesters.sfu.ca/chodarr Hope is greater than fear and certainly trumps despair.

Respectfully submitted, PauiR Taylor, Volunteer ed1tor.