December 2 1996, carnegie newsletter

) FREE - donations acceoted.

NEWSLETTER' 401 Main Street, Vancouver V6A 217, ; (604) 665-2220

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December 2,1996

Welcome to the People's Republic of the Downtown Eastside

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10 per cent of the adult population of the D.E. While the NPA tide was sweeping over most of found their way to a polling booth - leaving it to Vancouver, the barricades were going up in the the vote-happy burghers of Kerrisdale to rule the Downtown Eastside. roost.

Only figuratively, of course. But the streets For the rest of the Greater Downtown Eastside around Main and Hastings were one of the few safe places to be on election day if you wanted to Co-Prosperity Sphere, the results were not as tear up your membership card in the Philip Owen solid, but still had less NPA influence than most fan club. other parts of the city.

The heart of the Downtown Eastside beats in The poll west of Carnbie, which takes in most of Poll 9 on the city's voting map. And Poll 9, as the the yuppies of Gastown and Yaletown, was split stats on the centre page show, was solid COPE more or less 50-50 between NPA and COPE. mayor, council, school board and park board.

(Downtown Eastsiders who live in that poll had to As well, the ward system was strongly supported. travel all the way in the rain to the downtown The only downer in the numbers (other than that library to vote - which undoubtedly cut the COPE anybody would even consider voting NPA in this vote.) neighborhood) is the low voter turnout. Less than The Strathconapolls had a strong COPE showing

too, but the NPA candidates with Asian surnames topped the list.

The only other comparable area to the D.E. out of 150 polls citywide was in the Red Belt along Commercial Drive in Grandview-Woodlands.

In fact, if we had a ward system, the D.E. would be in a ward with Strathcona and GrandviewWoodlands. Judging by the results of the election, our representative would NOT be from NPA. (Speaking of wards and Gastown yuppies, Mike McCoy and Lynn Bryson were part of an NPA front group that campaigned against wards. They like things the way they are. That way, their $200,000-plus condos on Powell will keep increasing in value every year.)

It's no surprise that the D.E. would support COPE. Just think of fighters like Bruce Eriksen, Libby Davies, Jean Swanson, Jim Green and Sue Harris.

COPE is far from perfect. It's not doing enough to attract idealistic youth with environmental concerns into the political system; it was weak on the vegas-stfie casino that would have destroyed our neighbourhood; it sometimes looks rigid and old-time lefty.

But face it; COPE is the party that has done the most to counter the old Skid Road image and build our neighborhood as a residential community.

That's why these rule-or-ruin splinter parties are so destructive. You can see how many votes they drained off COPE, even in the Downtown Eastside. In some other polls, they really split the left vote and let NPA walk in.

The union-bashing Green Party got 14,000 votes for their candidates, and the weird left-right Rankin Revenge Party (a.k.a. VOICE) pulled in thousands more.

Get a grip people if we stay split, the right-wing will keep their hold on City Hall.

Murray Petralia

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We'll

Get Screwed Anyway

Voting, in the civic elections on November 16th: was a lonely, die-hard waste of time. I figured I better vote so that I wouldn't feel bad when I complained afterwards. I feel bad anyway. The reason people around her don't vote is not so much apathy, as disillusion.

It was about three o'clock that Saturday afternoon when we made our way to the Carnegie Community Centre. My little boy, Demitri, was curious to knowwhatwting was about. I was hoping there wouldn't be a long line-up. The building, in general, was quite empty, but the theatre was even emptier. It reminded me of a hall where the show has been canceled. There were more workers waiting to register people that there were voters. I had my election card and ID ready but they just asked me my name, ticked it off and gave me huge card with long lists of names and questions on the back. It was like an exam. My son, who's in grade one, said he was sixteen...they laughed and said, "Sorry, you're still too young."

Of course, there wasn't anything for kids to do while waiting so Demitri came with me to the partially-partitioned polling cubicle. I remembered when they used to hand white sheets. I looked over the paper, then went down the first list. Demitri wanted to vote for Champ the Chimp or Lulu or someone like that but I coloured in the circle beside Carmella,4Ilevato7sname. I understood that she was the main opposition for mayor and I like her name. Otherwise, I knew nothing about her.

Then we went down the other columns and picked the names of people we knew. Demitri wanted to

try colouring in the little long circles. He was so good at it that I let him continue. Then we chose the Green Party candidates. We kept counting "Okay five more here.. .only three more here."

Then we chose COPE or independent females with interesting names. It took a long time. The theatre was cold. The questions on the back weren't too. bad but I wasn't expecting as many options. We couldn't help chuckling about it all.

Jenny Kwan had accompanied in some seniors.

She was hovering around the polling booths. I was thinking that she must be appalled at our laughing lack of respect for the electoral system. Then I turned around and saw that most of the unoccupied registerers were looking at us. I said, "Oh, no, you're not going to say my vote is invalid because I let a minor mark it?" They laughed and one young fellow said "It won't matter anyway." I thought well that's biased or unbiased depending on how you look at it.

So we put the card into a machine that looked like a high-tech garbage can. Then we took a walk around the building. I asked people I knew, along the way, if they had voted. Time and time again I got answers like "What's the point? we'llcget screwed anyway."

The only person who was enthusiastic about the election was Irene Schmidt. She was looking forward to the Green Party party that night. At first, I was happy to hear that she was running for the Greens in another election, but then I thought "Oh, no, 1'11 have to vote again."

Tony came out of the kitchen and asked "Did you vote for me?" I said, "yeah, twice." Demitri really wanted to go back and tell them we made a mistake because he knew we hadn't seen Tony's name.

I was shocked and dismayed at the election results. Not one of the competent people that I had voted for won. The young registerer was right. My vote made no difference.

Who, in their right mind, would want to go through that?

There must be another way.

Leith Harris

One of the least known principles of Machiavelli's philosophy is that he recommended that any evolved, democratic government that is worth its salt, is a government that provides generous funding to the arts. Machiavelli himself lived in Florence under the governance of the Medicis. And the Medicis (the House of Medici) is a name synonymous with artistic patronage.

Some social mechanists have figured that welfare is a bribe fiom the rich to keep the less wealthy masses fiom starting and organizing a revolution.

(As well as being a bribe to keep them fiom fonning secret societies and the like, against the government.) But artistic funding is even more broadly encompassing: it pays for projects fiom artists not on welfare as well.

1wish we had another Catherine the Great. She was an Empress of Russia who spared no expense in sending her envoys of art-shopping emissaries all over Europe to scoop up as many paintings (money was no object) as they could to fill up the walls of her famous great art gallery - the Hermitage. Us artists would love another great Matron of the Arts!!! Like Catherine!

Dean KO PS On the heals of all this. H.G.Wells predicted in his book the Time Machine (written in 1895) that the Victorian Industrial Revolution would result in an even more profound distinction of the kJppe2and'kowe;'class by the time the 2 1st century rolled around. The rich, as a result of overpampering, lost their survivalist skills and became a docile creature known as the Eloi and the poor oppressed working classes, forced to tail all those hours, days and years in the mines and whatnot, evolved into fearsome creatures know as the Moorlocks who fed on the Eloi. This isn't so far from the truth today!

Artistic funding would not only prevent may Elois frorn becoming Moorlocks but would also keep many hiloorlocks at Bay!

I NEVER WENT TO SEA

Carry Gus 1996

When I was a boy and f u l l of s p i t , I dreamed of going t o s e a .

I wandered t h e F r a s e r River docks I t c h i n g t o be f r e e .

But The And The

adolescence came t o s t r i k e courage from my v e i n s , I became land locked ' n e a t h winsome BC r a i n s .

A young a d u l t , I made my way To p l a c e s f a r and wide: A l b e r t a , Alaska, Whitehorse, The Pas Toronto, t h e Downtown E a s t s i d e .

Much o l d e r now, I r e a p t h e wealth Of t r a v e l ' s experience.

I ' v e spent a l i f e t i m e s t r i v i n g f o r A s h a r e of common s e n s e .

But maybe I ' v e outfoxxed myself For s t i l l i t s t i r s i n me; That empty l i n g ' r i n g void t h a t I never went t o s e a .

I f you a r e young and see t h e s e words Beware of squand'ring your prime; Sign on a f r e i g h t e r and go t o s e a , I f only j u s t one time.

Bruce Eriksen Place On November 14 at 11:00 a.m., a Ceremony took place immediately north of Four Comers Community Savings at Main and Hastings, to begin the construction of Bruce Eriksen Place.

Bruce Eriksen Place is a social housing project of the Main & Hastings Community Development Society. There will be 35 bachelor suites, including three wheelchair -accessible suites, which are for single people and couples. The suites will range fiom 424 square feet to 545 square feet. Estimated move-in date is spring or summer, 1998.

After the sod-turning ceremony, a reception was held at Four Corners Community Savings. Don MacPherson, as one his last official acts as Director of the Carnegie Centre, presented the Main & Hastings Community Development Society with a painting Bruce Eriksen had done for the fence surrounding Carnegie during the renovations of the 1970's. Bruce said he would touch up the painting, which will hang in the lobby of the new building, with the help of Richard Tetrault.

Along with other residents of the Downtown Eastside, Eriksen formed the Downtown Eastside Residents' Association (DERA), and he was president of that organization from 1973 to 1980.

During the 1WO's, DERA won many victories, including a bylaw requiring hotels and rooming houses to have sprinkler systems. It also fought for the enforcement of Liquor Control Board Regulations, street safety, more social housing, protection for tenants, higher welfare rates, decent jobs, and the Carnegie Community Centre. In 1983, a civic award from the City of Vancouver declared that DERA had helped change the

perception of part of Vancouver, formerly known as skid road, to the Downtown Eastside. "The people who live\here,they call it the Downtown Eastside," Bruce Eriksen said.

In 1980, Bruce was elected to City Council as a member of COPE, and was reelected for five more consecutive terms, retiring in 1993.

Eriksen is an artist, woodworker, and gardener as well as fighter for justice. He is a caring man who knows fiom the depths of his being what a person, who wasn't born with a silver spoon, is up against in this world. It is fitting that a social housing residence in the Downtown Eastside be named Bruce Eriksen Place.

Sandy Cameron

Remarks on the dedication of the Carnegie mural for the new Main and Hastings housing project Hello friends; I am very pleased and honored to be able to donate this mural on behalf of Carnegie Centre.

You know, we've kept this mural ever since Carnegie opened in 1980, hoping for a way to be able to display it so that the community could enjoy it and learn fiom it.

Bruce Eriksen painted it as part of the fight the

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whole community did to get Carnegie. The city wanted to turn the building into a parking lot or a gym for the police.

Bruce Eriksen was so important in that fight. In fact, I don't see how we could have done it without him - or Jean Swanson or Libby Davies or so many others.

Bruce represents that fighting spirit. We need this kind of'housing so badly. I can't think of a better way to bling the community together than to dedicate this new housing project in Bruce's name.

Thank you and good luck.

And now I'm going to add something personal. I declare the Vancouver election closed. And I declare Bruce Eriksen the mayor of Vancouver.

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Mmgaret Prevost *

Justice, Not Charity Here are the words of low income people on having to accept charity in order to survive.

"To a lot of people who give to charity...it is a good thing. It's sharing...but when you don't have anything to eat for yourself, let alone donate, then you see things differently...it's humiliating and degrading."

"It (charity) is better than going hungry."

"Society causes charity. A healthy society has less need for it; a sick society more need for it."

"Charity is nice, but power is better." , "I thought that giving was supposed to be a

pleasure. Why does it get turned around? Why are we made to feel humiliated because we're receiving? We're supposed to feel grateful. We're not supposed to be ai~ogant,but why does the giver get to be arrogant?"

"That's where the need for charity comes from: greed."

"People that have the wealth are throwing the crumbs...They don't want to look greedy, so they donate to charity."

"We need billboards like the racism billboards.

(They would say) 'Don't put down people who are poor."'

"We should raise the welfare rates."

"The government isn't distributing the money properly. Banks and corporations get huge tax breaks, and the people are begging for a bag of food."

"More jobs, less charity."

"Justice, not charity." (ELP button) Quotations from The Waste of A Nation - Poor people speak out about charity. A report produced by the End Legislated Poverty Coalition (ELP).

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Life in a lighthouse When my parents moved form Victoria BC to the east end of Vancouver. There the family moved in to a tall white lighthouse. There was my brother Morgan and four sisters. My dad made four bedroolns on the top floor for the girls. He also made two bedrooms on the main floor for my brother and my parents' roorn. Dad also made a cooking arca and a living room too.,, He also put

together a railing that went up and down the stairway. My mother and father could not afford to buy a house, and were happy to get a lighthouse. Some of my fiends could not understand my parents because we weren't living in an ordinary house like them. There were benefits, like at night you could see the whole of Vancouver, it was like living in space. Some day I hope to return to live in one.

Pauline

VANCOUVER POLICE DEPARTMENT GASTOWN NEIGHBOURIIOOD POLICE OFFICE

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COMMUNITY FORUM December 3 1996 6:OOp.m.- 8:OOp.m.

Purple Onion Cabaret 15 Water Street

The Vancouver Police Department invites you to attend a Community Forum at the Purple Onion on December

3 1996. ?'he purpose of this meeting is to facilitate a \.

discussion of ~ublicconcerns and ideas between the

IN THE SPIRIT OF THE ZAPATISTAS

~i,ize:ls and the Policc. Please join us to address crime, disordcr and public safcly in your com~nunity.

AN OPEN DISCUSSION ABOUT THE IMPACT OF GLOBAL ECONOMIC RESTRUCTURING ON OUR COMMUNITIES, AND ALTERNATIVE POSSIBILITIES WHAT KIND OF DEMOCRACY DO WE WANT? WHAT KIND OF ALTERNATIVES ARE PEOPLE CREATING? PRESENTATIONS, WORKSHOPS, SOCIAL EVENING.

SATURDAY DECEMBER 7 Britannia

hmmuniv Centre Cost: Priceless.

@l#C#EW*HIC$+~#W##Ip&M#**Q~+#@3p@Ilb.p~$~

Registration @ 9:00 am.

For More Inlormation Contact Eyes on Mexico: 253-0304 For Free Chlldcare please call 255-8230 by Dec. 4th

KIDS CHRISTMAS PARTY

HEY X92L&L We at Oppenheimer Park are asking again for blankets and coais.

NO boots, pants, shirts, sweaters, underwear, socks, garters, belts, hats, shoes, shorts, ETC.

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Sunday, Dec. 15 11:OO - 1 ~ 3 0 Carne@e Theatre

JUST COATS AND BLANKETS. Anything you have can be given to Steve or ~ a r l o sor , Steve can pick them up wherever.

Thank you for your generosity. 665-2210

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Tickets available after Dec. 5 at info desk.

Carncgic membership requjrcd.

Correctness, Idealism and Community

Congratul~onsto Rankin and the VOICE team, to all the hocusy pocusy alternative parties, to COPE itself, to so-called intellectual, idealistic action and debate, really just vituperative namecalling and accusatory invective, failed ideas about the ownership of truth, as if it were a fucking CD or something, without which a complete NPA sweep of municipal government in Vancouver would not have been possible. (The NPA at least doesn't confuse their ideals with some muffin in the sky truth, they are quite openly ?e%[, and victorious.) These important ideals, held ast in supreme, uncompromising grip, which is the only kind of grip to have, according to those who hold such ideals as supreme, since compromise with like individuals, whose ideas might be an iota different, would certainly spell disaster for those who have the true knowledge and the true ideal in mind, have made this election a great, a limitless disaster.

The spirit of community, which means not having every little thing one desires at all times, which means learning, learning that one doesn't know everythtng, that one doesn't know the best thing to do, doesn't know what is to be done in all situations, learning what it means to be fallibly, passionately human, has again been strewn aside, and all the steadfastly, if somewhat naively idealistic (idealistic in the sense mentioned above) people, people idealistic about themselves, rather than realistic about themselves and their limitations, are now bewailing the fate of Vancouver, as if it were someone else's fault that bridges and alliances couldn't be built, because no one sees anyone else's just, true, infallible point of view, which is, of course, impossible, since no

point of view is just, true, infallible, in and of itself. The very existence of such concepts, and the staunchness with which they are held, precludes discussion, and thus alliance, by maintaining this childish, ridiculous belief that ideals exist, have importance, can ever be useful in and of themselves. The obnoxious cries of "I will not compromise!" and the like, when referring to a whole scheme of existence, are futile, destructive, irrational. They become a form of cerebral deadness, an arrogance that places the world, the rest of the world, at a discount, and artificially inflates their own ineffable value. Arrogance, arrogance raised to the highest degree, so that it

looks to themselves like heroism, the arrogance of those who will never learn another thing as long as they live.

Of course, there's almost nothing we can do about anything. Certainly nothing we intend actually happens, and other things we might have done but did not do might have accomplished more, we'll never know, and we'll never know if what we intended was really the best thing we could have striven for.

The struggle is made up of little struggles, and the outcome of those struggles has nothing to do with superior analysis, that GOD of the indoctrinated, self-certain liberals, or with the purity of intentions, purity defined as freedom from the influence of anyone else or their ideas, a purity of solitary all-knowing. And compromises, or alliances (which word you use depends on how willing you are in a given situation to understand I

anything as opposed to occupying some idealistically god-like misunderstanding) are essential, not secondary effects necessary (temporarily) to achieve ground. They are essential, especially while the crazed and tenifjingly murderous rich feast on the spoils of communities and civilizations everywhere on this planet, for the strength of any community, unless your defmition of community is "all those who

December 8 Burnaby Gospel Mission 140 Esmond Starting at 1.00

look, think and feel so much like me that I don't 9. ever have to listen to them, I know what they think and feel and I will be with them as naturally and easily as nature made me capable of being," when, in fact, community is the opposite, community occurs everywhere around us and we must always listen to it and it is never easy.

Dan Feeney

December 23 Downtown Eastside Women's Centre - 44 East Cordova StTcet Women or Children (up to 12) Lifeline Bus Lot between the Voguc and the Rcgal Hotelr8:30 - 9:OO

December 14 Union Gospel Mission - 616 East Cordova Street - 253-3323 December 24 11:OO am to 6:00 pm Dusk to Dawn Youth Resource 1056 Cornox Street (back entrance off Thurlow & Cornox) December 15 (for youth under 25 years of age) Franciscan Sisters - 385 East Co~dova- 685-9987 Starting at 9:00 pm Starting at 12:OO noon December 24 - 27 December 16 The Dugout 59 Powell Street - 685-5239 St. hdrew's Westly Church - Quest - Burrard and Nelson ownD., 24: 8:30 am to D ~26:~ 4~00 . am 3:OO (open 72 hours dramin

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December 17 St. James Church - Quest - 303 East Cordova December 22 Rccl Appetites Oppenheimer Park (Cordova & Dunlevy) Starting at 1:00 pm

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Street

Maddeningly going insane again I

here I am maddeningly going insane again there you are driving me to the brink, again here I am wondering all about life again

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repenting the past hating the present

In The Dumpster Dear fellow binners and binnerettes: I must first apologize for my error in spelling my user name in the last issue. It should be hintrar@vcn.be.ca Congrats to our editor Paul Taylor for winning the prestigious Deryck Thomson Award for comlnunity social planning. Well done Paul. Get better soon.

Did you know some clown wants to allow students to be able to sleep in Stanley Park to learn about the outdoors? There are people with no place to live and aren't allowed to sleep in the parks and the parks boardewants to do this. Maybe they can sleep under the AIDS memorial. Sounds like a Hans Christian Anderson plot to me.

Speaking of Stanley Park, Mike MacKintosh is the apple to speak about starving the birds out of the park.

Why don't sharks eat lawyers? Professional courtesy. Hear about the new country-rap music?

It's called T R A P for short. Speaking of music, I just signed a new 2 year contract with RCA Recording Company. I get to buy 10 tapes or CDs within 2 years.

United We Can has nothing new to report yet.

Although, when I was in there it was very busy.

Lots of people with their cans and bottles. Mr. McRinner has been slacking off. Too cold for this binner.

I was going to go into a song and dance about the

dreading the future thinking of pills, pills, pills again to resolve a past to unravel a present to rekindle an interest in the future to reassemble an assembly line of pieces picked apart by frivolous hands dropped, banged, bumped, bitten, chewed and spat back onto the beIt of bitterness, again Anita Stephens

election. All I can say is I was so depressed I took a sleeping pill so I could "COPE" with it. I'm so fed up I'm taking my name off the voters' list.

Take care in this cold weather. Best to all. May the bins be with you.

Mr. McBinner ps I had to stop riding my bike for a while. The tires were complaining of dizziness.

The 3rd floor display case is not a cafeteria tray.

Put a sock in it alreahr!

The neighborhood bad-mouth squad has realif hit the jackpot this time - a nice fat headline in the Courier branding us as Skid Row once again. ' That's just the kind of image we don't need when we're trying to fight cutbacks and condos on every fiont.

This latest article is another attack by trash artists in the Downtown Eastside against the work that other people do in this neighborhood.

There was the CKNW radio series a few weeks ago about some alleged turf wars in the D.E. Then the Province launched an investigation, using freelance dirt-seeker Kimberly-Ann Daum.

Now it's the Courier's turn.

And each time, the media scandalmongers are assisted by people right in the neighborhood.

Some of these tattletales are residents pursuing a personal grievance, and some are people earning their pay here who don't need the services they are criticizing, but do covet those government grants that other groups are getting.

They find themselves in bed with poverty entrepreneur Michael McCarthy, who makes his living sending desperately poor people out to sell the newspaper he owns for him on street corners (have you checked the weather lately?) Ironically, McCarthy, who promotes the right-wing agenda, regularly bashes some of the very groups he is now lining up with in the Courier.

More irony: one of the most vocal critics of other groups is the owner of a private, for-profit company in the social service field. Helshe is also director of a registered non-profit society operating in the D.E. in the same field a society whose board includes no resident of the D.E., but

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Burnaby and Kerrisdale.

Let's hope this mania for Freedom of Information requests doesn't spread too far, because who knows what tangled webs will be revealed?

If someone has a beef with someone else, or two groups are angling for the same pot of government cash, let them duke it out in the neighborhood, and convince the community they have right on their side. That's the principled way to handle disputes. ,Appealing to the outside media, or to big dadd? . at City Hall or in Victoria, just brings disrepute down on everyone.

And speaking of the Courier, just what is their interest in this neighborhood? After all, they don't even circulate here. There's not enough income being earned in the Downtown Eastside, and their advertisers couldn't care less.

But if you live in Kerrisdale, Shaughnessy or Dunbar, you get the paper delivered free to your doorstep. And Alison Applebe, who wrote the article that labels our community skid row, wrote story after story that slagged D.E. groups during the big casino battle.

The Courier has never demonstrated any interest in righting wrongs or eliminating injustice in the D.E. But a nice juicy scandal involving lots of squabbling in a low-income neighborhood - now that just confirms their opinion of the type of people who live here, and justifies calls for cutting programs even more.

And when they can get the people of the neighborhood to do their dxty work for them, so much the better.

Jake Tomaitis

Globalization or how t o fool everyone equally

Countdown to

A.P.E.C.

3 5 0 days till shopping

We've heard of whitewashes, smoke screens and cover-ups. We know when the bullshits flying and the politicians are lying. We've listened quietly as phrases like friendly fire, collateral damage crowd control and progressive conservative have entered our language on need to know basis.

We know that "World Class City" really means one giant casino (Monaco style of course) controlling the whole world on a larger than life simulated Expo site.

Ah Globalization, what an incredibly adaptable word; you can use it to justifL poverty, murder, prostitution, slavery drugs, crime workfare, gentrification and the spread of condoms. An industrialized gambling nightmare staking our

rights or economic zones into that big game, into that great promise of pie while all the time dreaming of one more number one more. Lets raise a glass of oil and plastic by-products and proudly shout out, "Trust us, we don't lie."

Some say a lie is nothing more than an insipid diversion meant to delay the truth. Its like a brain with no thought, a computer with no morality, or a human with no right. Ah but what about the good old days when slaves obeyed their masters and did what they were told. Or what about the time that the word "class" meant more than union dues or night school?

Oh those damn good old days when service sector employees were not empty phrases for the working poor. Or remember this, how about the good old days when the phrase "working poor" didn't exist.

This week Johnny Come Lately Chretien and W.A.C. Glen Let Them East Stale Cake Clark said that human rights violations were standing in the way of economic progress. Both of our daddies agreed that the best way to stop human rights violations in this or any other country was by letting our brother and sister entrepreneurs have as much freedom as possible. Free trade, Nafta, and now the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation.

What a bunch of great deals! What a couple of great guys!

The word "Cooperation" has become a co-opted and active merchandising term. People like our friends W.A.C. Glen and Johnny have taught us so much. We always thought it meant something else.

Boy these guys really care about us, they really care?? We never knew that political prisoners would owe so much to Stir and give me yor bucks, Mic-mad-cow or yes our very own Bombardi. If we'd only figured out before that greed and avarice were something to let everyone strive for.

We salute you Canada for selling out again. We salute you BC for helping them do it. Hell Harris and Klein have nothing on us we have the APEC conference next November. Lets invite the world???

Sacco-Vanzetti

OMEN: Join us in remembering women who have been murdered.

Refuse to be silent about violence against > Express your feelings about violence by paintingldecorating

a t-shirt. (It is free). Daughters of the Wind will be drumming and there will be refreshments. > Wednesday, December 4. > 12 noon to 3:00 pm carnegie Centre, 401 Main St., 3rd floor.

The t-shirts will then be displayed at Carnegie and at the Y WCA---

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665-3013

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-> -> > ->

Join the candle light vigil to remember women who have been murdered in Vancouver and in the Montreal Massacre.

Friday, December 6.

5:00 pm.

Meet at the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, 44 East Cordova St. We will then go to the Vancouver Art Gallery for the candle light vigil.

MEMORIAL FOR WOMEN DECEMBER 6,1996 Remembering the women who have died in the Downtown South, Downtown Core and West End

GATHERING PLACE

THEATRE 609 HELMCKEN STREET 4:30 TO 6:00 p.m.

After t h e Memorial Service we will join the Candlelight Vigil at t h e Art Gallery For information or confirmation contact Emily Howard at 665-239 1

ELECTION SUMMARY FOR PRECINCT #900 09 BALLOTS CAST: 649 Candidate vote percentages based on votes cast for that office TOTAL Zarmela ALLEVATO Phili OWEN JonatRan B BAKER Paul F. WA~SON Marc .

- -- - EMERY Saae ADVICE ~aj;MANG Zipp The Circus CHIMP Ronayd F. McDONALD Gilbert J.W. BAILEY Gaston GINGRAS Randy Oliver O'GRADY Samantha FOXX Dhavide Arjunan ARULIAH Yummy GIRL Kellee Lynn COLE Jennifer E. DUNNAWAY BUZZ Jason BENJ Pete FISHBURGER .

Michael J. FOSTER Golok Zlf BUDAY Lorna Marie POTTER ~ a m e sOCTEAU Sarah WHITTAM Frank The MOOSE Michel LeBLOND Lupo The BUTCHER BUGGER Allison Jane McLENN'AN John M. McGOLDRICK Tony MONTANA ZAIUS Mr. x Greg WESTERLUND Kenneth P. THOMAS Barb E. DOLL Stuart MAXWELL Jeff D. NIX Eddie FERNANDES Nlcholas PODBREY A. 'Red Hot PEPPER Roger Stewart REIMER Tamas R. REVOCZI Dylan RYMER ~irgenT. SCH+UB Christina Louise SHAR The STAINER Sebastian TEMPLER The Trash TERMINATOR Pete CHEZANKREME John A. TWEED Steve WANSLEEBEN Tho BUSKERVILLE Figgg FREUD Ryan S. BIGGE INGRID L. Ron MOONBEAM --

2 62 185 46 39 17 9 5 5 5 4 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

SCHOOL TRUSTEE

30UNCILLOR

Jane BOUEY Anne ROBERTS Tracev DRISCOLL Ruth F~ERMAN Kelly E. QUINN Noel HERRON Maya RUSSELL Kamla R. RAJ Stuart RUSH John CHENG Bill S.T. W E N Barbara BUCHANAN Sandv McCORMICK Ted ~ U N T Ken DENIKE Bill BROWN John R. ROBERTSON Mar Salvino KAMBAS Pauy ALEXANDER Richard LEE Carol WHITE Stevhen Edward SAMUEL ~ l l h nWONG Marie ANDERSON Pat VACCA ~ l a r avan der MOLEN Howard PRICE Darin BASEGGIO

qel LEHAN Shane SIMPSON rim LOUTS Blair PETRIE Yerrilee ROBSON Vina KHAJURIA Sean R. McEWEN Jamie Lee HAMILTON Yichael WALKER ~rancesWASSERLEIN Don LEE Daniel LEE J e ~ fi er CLARKE Nancy A. CHIAVARIO Sordon PRICE Lvnne KENNEDY ~ b nBELLAMY Sam SULLIVAN 3eorge J. PUIL Alan HERBERT Valerie JEROME Frederic BASS Raymond LEUNG Ann LIV NGSTON Connie f o m L CowEOy&L~1~ Ste hen F.Y. CHONG

** P

0L L LNG**

MEMORY CARD COPY # : MEMORY CARD COUNT # :

0

1

TOTAL

~

-

136 134 134 128 126 125 122 103 99

Shane LARUE Matt MC~RATH TOTAL

Donna MORGAN Ellen WOODSWORTH Dermot J. FOLEY Yang SHIN Anita ROMANIUK Richard SAUNDERS Ra' T. SIHOTA Gabriel YONG Laura L. McDIARMID

I I

David D. CHESStuart PARKER Patrick WARREN Duncan R WILSON Alan P. FETHERSTONHAUGH

I

.

I~arshahK. BAINS Stuart CAMPBELL Edwin Man Kin LEUNG Madan JOSH1 Gary G. CRANE K e v m E. McLAUGHLIN Don WEST Craig L. SAHLIN

I

248 243 236 234 233 217 209 165 135 128 126 123 123 115 111 107 85 70 65 61 60 59 45 41 38 32

Brian Lee BUCHANAN Sarah J. FARRIS Lorelei HAWKINS Sharai MUSTATIA Julia Ann MARKS Anthony J. RYDER Lani RUSSWURM Jenny SHAW Joseph X Manuel A. AZEVEW Wendy M. TURNER Gordon T. KENNEDY Harkirpal S. SARA Mike BELL Heather Inglis BARON Arno D. NEUMANN Joan L. ROWNTREE Mike LAWRENCE Maureen G. DAWSON Mike McLEAN Guy WERA Jeffery D. BERWICK gator MCCLUSKIE Robert Martin McCALLUM Howard DAHL Iqbal SARA

233 216 216 213 211 210 209 209 207 207 178 166 160 151 143 143 140 129 122 109 98 97 95 75 69 66 58 58 58 57 55 53 53 50 49 49 48 46 44 42 41 38 38 31 28 28 25 25 23 23 22 16 16 16 15 12 11 7

liss

FUNDING

TOTAL

,--------------------------------------OF ELECTING COUNCILORS IMETHOD

TOTAL 248 197

% 55.73 44.27

+---------------------------------------

l~ixedsystem TOTAL 164 +---------------------------------------

124

5 6 . 9 4% 43.06

+---------------------------------------

]proportional system TOTAL 159 135

~wardsystem TOTAL

% 54.08 45.92

I +

+---------------------------------------

+---------------------------------------+

I

(Other system TOTAL

1 0

Guests in Hotels Know your rights

.A&-?

c

,

', DEYAS NEEDLE EXCHANGE: '"'

'

DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE ROUTE DAILY 5:30pm-1:30am

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5 3 0 7:oo 6:40 7:00 7:15 7:30 7:30 8 8-9 9 9:45

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10:30-11:30 11:30-11:45 11:45 12-1:30

NOTE: 12:30-1:30

Driving: Cordova, Franklin, Dundas, Semlin, Commercial, Woodland Park, Clark WISH Vernon & Hastings Hawks & Hastings Driving: East Hastings, Cordova 100 Block East Hastings , Driving: Portland Hotel, alleys, Cordova to Clark Driving: Dundas, Joyce, Kingswag, Fraser, First Ave, Seymour Granville Street, 1000 block alley Boystown Driving: Main a t Georgia, Broadway, Commercial, Clark, Vernon, Dundas, Templeton, Franklin, Hastings, Cordova Other van a t 100 block EJIastings

If you have lived or are living in a Downtown Eastside hotel room, you've probably been told at some time or other that you can't have guests in your room, or else you've been charged a fee. You may have been kicked out of your room with little or no warning. Many of these things are illegal, and you can fight back. The following info comes from DERA: IT IS ILLEGAL FOR LANDLORDS (INCLUDING HOTEL OWNERS OR MANAGERS) TO SAY THAT NO GUESTS ARE ALLOWED OR TO CHARGE A FEE FOR VISITORS TO ROOMS. You can have guests in your room as long as they don't disturb or cause trouble for other tenants in the building. Your landlord can make reasonable visiting hours, such as between 9am and 9pm.

The landlord can also charge reasonable overnight guest fees.

Once you have paid your room rental fee, that room becomes your home to use when you wish. It is illegal for your landlord to keep you out of your room at any time OR to charge

X

ATTENTION ALL IV DRUG USERS

DEYAS NEEDLE EXCHANGE TRADING POLICIES

We have been informed by the Vancouver Police that, as of October 20th, they will be taking a harder line on the simple possession of narcotics. In this initiative, they will be targeting their efforts and attention to people fixing in public places. The current situation has upset community residents, merchants and tourists. If you are fixing on the street, in the alley, in a doorway - anywhere someone from the public could possibly see you - you can expect to draw heat. The Police will not charge for having rigs or for having traces in rigs you are carrying, but if they find you fixing, they will charge you for possession.

The main purpose of the Needle Exchange is to help prevent the spread of aisease - eg. HIV, hepatitis by making available sterile needles to IV drug users. We also have condoms, alcohol wipes, lube, informationon AIDS and other medicalconditions, and informationon drug use. Exchange workers also make referrals to other agencies on request.

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~ 1 trading 1 is done on a point for point basis. Clients may trade 42 needles per person per week at the fixed site (max 14 per day 3 times a week) and up to 5 per van stop. Exceptions can be made only for medical reasons. You can get no more than 1 needle at any time if you don't have any to trade.

We do not issue needles t o non users. Clients not registered with the Exchange will be asked to confirm IV drug use by showing tracks to the Exchange worker, or to the STD nurses.

Clients are expected to d o their own trading. No carries.

Exceptions can be made only on medical grounds.

BE SMART! FIX IN PRIVATE OR YOU'LL BLOW YOUR FIX AND BRING HEAT ON YOURSELF AND OTHERS.

Clients are expected not to sell needles they obtain from the Exchange. We are not an "income subsidy" program and re-sale of needles could be a reason for our funding to be challenged. Don't sell Exchange rigs.

Clients are expected to return used needles to the Exchange.

An accidental needle stick from a rig that is thrown away or left lying around can transmit hepatitis or HIV. It's up to *all of us to keep our community safe. Return your rigs!

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The Police are also more likely to let you keep your rigs if they're not worried about being poked. Keep all your rigs capped. If the Police pat you down, warn them you have rigs and show them or tell them where the rigs are. If you're straight with them, they're more likely to be straight with you.

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F

. ydu and extra fee for going room. It is illegal for your - to your landlord to make you pay an extra fee for your room key. It is illegal for your landlord to throw you out of your room or to change the locks unless he has obtained permission from the Residential; Tenancy Branch of the government. ONLY A BAILIFF CAN EVICT YOU. NOT EVEN THE POLICE CAN LEGALLY FORCE YOU TO LEAVE. It's also important that you don't abuse the rights of the landlord. Many hotels don't want you bringing your dates home. The noise and

disruption can bother other tenants. Landlords can also come down on you if you're using your room as a shooting gallery. It's really just common sense. If you're fairly quiet, don't leave rigs lying around and respect other tenants living around you, your landlord will have to respect your rights.

If you need help or further information, get in touch with DERA. Their off~ceis at 1-425 Carrall St. Their phone number is 6682-0931.

FOUR CORNERS COMMUNITY SAVINGS IS NOW SERVING THE PUBLIC

FINANCIAL SERVICES AVAILABLE INCLUDE: BANK ACCOUNTS, CHEQUE CASHING TERM DEPOSITS, and MONEY ORDERS

NO CHARGE ACCOUNTS FOR : CLIENTS ON LOW INCOME, UNDER AGE 19, OR OVER 55

***

IF YOU HAVE NO ID: YOU MAY BE ABLE TO CASH GAIN CHEQUES OR OPEN AN ACCOUNT HOWEVER WE NEED 2 DAYS TO OPEN AN ACCOUNT OR CHEQUE CASHING FILE WITHOUT ID.

***

MINIMUM ID REQUIRED IS TWO VALID CARDS, ONE OF WHICH MUST HAVE A PICTURE IF YOU DON'T HAVE THIS. PLEASE SEE US EARLY VALID PICTURE ID INCLUDES BC DRIJ'ERS LICENSE, CANADIAN PASSPORT, BC ID, AND STATUS CARDS. IF YOU HAVE OTHER ID. PLEASE CHECK IT WITH US BEFOREHAND

TO AVOID DELAYS, PLEASE OPEN YOUR ACCOUNT BEFORE CHEQUE ISSUE DAY

THANK YOU

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" m e celebrate our 27th y:ar of beautiful tropical displays with a "FREE" visit to Vancouver's only lropical paradise, the Bloedel Floral Conservatory, located atop beautiful Queen Elizabeth ?ark.

Admission is FREE on FRIDAY, DECEMBER 6TH from 10:OO a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Come enjoy a tropical Christmas with beauliful floral displays featuring poinsettias and other seasonal plants set amidst Vancouver's own garden paradise "under the dome". Santa Claus will visit on this day, and the Northridge Elementary School Choir will fill the Conservatcry with Christmas cheer from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Csrne and celebrale the Conservatory's anniversary celebration, and delight in a show of festive displays, blooming plants, and the sights and sounds of the jungle1 Great Christmas gift items and flowering plants for sale in our Gift Shop.

Call 257-8570 for more information.

2 master rollers and a matching sky of stars the smell of growing no smell of fear all is well the moon is there all runs life like salmpn rush water we will be succumb and succeed that is all and stars shoot on Naomi Macdonald

Seniors' Corner On November 14 the Carnegie Seniors went on a wonderful trip to Harrison Hot Springs. Our fist stop was at Mission where quite a few of us headed for the nearest thrift store. I bought a beautiful unicorn ornament.

Our next stop was at the Chehalis Fish Hatchery.

We went exploring to see as many fish as possible.

There were many people lined up on the river bank enjoying fly fishing Two dogs were also having fun in the great outdoors.

On the way to Harrison we saw a blue heron, many eagles and trumpeter swans. This was a wonderfill chance to enjoy nature at its best. A delicious lunch was served as soon as we arrived at Harrison.

Quite a number of us went in the Hot Springs Pool while others went for hike or pretended they were tourists at the lavish Hot Springs Hotel.

Some of our seniors had never been to Harrison before, so this particular outing was a special treat for them.

A special thanks to the Seniors' Lottery Fund for donating the bus for the Carnegie Seniors. It was greatly appreciated.

On November 7 Mike Rennie and I went to the Villa Caritel for an Intergenerational workshop. It was most interesting as they match school children

up with seniors and they learn fiom each other.

They were talking about how to have healthier communities. I said that we should be more concerned about the homeless as they are part of our community and many are in extremely poor health due to bronchitis and pneumonia. This places an extra burden on our hospitals.

They served us a nice lasagna supper and I was taken for an extensive tour of the new extended care unit. The patients have spacious rooms with locked glass cases outside each room where they may store their valuable possessions, such as family photos etc. Also, many of the patients become confused and are able to recognize their rooms this way.

It was most interesting to meet so many new people fiom various organizations and I even managed to obtain support in helping the homeless during this exceptionally early winter.

Irene Schmidt PS I hope the residents in this neighbourhood aren't too depressed over the civic election. Some students were working on a science project for television andthe~~nterviewed me on the street.

The question was, "Do you believe there are aliens on other planets?" My answer was, "I do know there are a lot of aliens at City Hall."

Exclusive interview with Kindlers Sunrise A few weeks ago I was given the privilege of a secret interview with Kindlers Sunrise. She said she would pick me up in fiont of the main post office and then drive me to a secret location for the interview. The secret location turned out to be a drive through Dairy Queen. She ordered a double cheese burger with extra beef. I had a black coffee. We parked and I began my interview. My name is Greg Caro.

Gregl Kindlers is it true that you have just finished a massive research project on Nanny Green?

Kindlerd Yes I have and I can tell you that things are not what they seem at Blackhome.

Greg! What do you mean?

Kindlad Nanny has been seen throwing chocolate bar wrappers onto the ski slopes.

Greg! But Kindlers, isn't that rather silly? Are you a silly person?

Kindlersl No I'm not, I'm a very serious person, with important things to say.

Greg! Like what?

Kindlers? Oh you can't see it, but I can, I know what she's really up to. I know what she's trying to do to people. Do you think for a moment she would dare do that if she didn't own that mountain or be very close to powerful people who do? Do you ever wonder why she doesn't do that at Whistler or anywhere else?

Greg! Well no, I didn't think of that Kindlers, what do you base that on? Do you have any proof of any kind?

Kindlerd Oh people have told me things, you better believe it, you'd be surprised, let me tell you. People have seen things.

Greg! Are these people willing to confirm your story?

Kindlerd Of course not, they can't go public, don't be so naive. They live there and work there.

They need all the money they can get. These people may not have morals or spines, but they have been saying these things for a long time. If

people say things long enough they have credibility in my books. Some say they only want to divide their community. These people can't say what they really think, they have to hide behind self-righteousness and innuendoes. It's not fair to expect people to be honest and up fiont. But as

sure as gossip is real I can assure you that it's important gossip and everyone knows that that is the most reliable kind.

Greg/ Oh I see, will anybody be willing to print this potentially libelous material?

Kindlerd Oh yes, one paper is willing to help fan the flames of a prairie fire, so to speak.

Greg/ Is it true that someone said The people on that mountain have made poor decisions and that': why they are there. And to give them more money would be a huge mistake, when I fact the province could give the money to the poorest areas instea& Kindlerd Well I can't say who said what, I'm out of the loop now. But one thing's for sure. My friends and I will expose the wrapper every chancc we get!!! They don't think I'm silly.

With that I ended my interview. This is Greg Macro saying that poor bashing is still in vogue for the egocentric who never help anyone but always justifL their actions by claiming to be the most honest people.

7 I

THE GIFT There are several kinds of hypnotic madness in the world but there is only one so cruel and so debilitating that it dares only to raise its ugly head once a year. Yes this moral and social crippler is here again. Its disguise is one of the most diabolical in modern history. 1t hides behind fat jolly men-in red suits and materialism. It lurks through advertising and sentimental films.

It all started a few hundred years ago on Long Island. Pilgrims from lands afar began to notice the winds of rebellion blowing in Baiting Hollow, a small rail junction not far from Long Island Sound. The leader of the rebels was an Irish immigrant with a red beard who was often employed as a brakeman.

Fearing the worst the pilgrims convened an emergency meeting in South Hampton. After 40 days and forty nights the pilgrims decided to coopt any movement that might create disunity amongst those who believed in the necessity of Edwardian Supermarkets.

They decided unanimously to do everything in their power to present the rebellion as just another form of madness without foundation.

Furthermore, they decided to celebrate the very materialism that the rebels opposed by showing the faces of happy children receiving leather goods and clogs from grocery stores.

Needless to say the rebels were dumbfounded.

They dissipated and began to sell as many of their values as possible. They wanted to be like the pilgrims and own their own push carts.

As their leader grew older his'beard began to turn white and his body grew plump. Every year he tried desperately to convince anyone that there was another way, that materialism was not the only choice. But alas all his words fell upon deaf ears.

One morning, December the 25th to be exact, the old man had been knocking on the doors in Pilgrim Clause Mews. A young char woman by the name of Sanatoria unwittingly threw a bucket of ashes onto the old man's head.

He stumbled and fell backwards onto the cobblestone streets. Blood began to oozed fioin

every orifice in his being. He bled so much that all his clothing turned a bright red. Only the soot that clung to his leather belt remained untouched.

When the police arrived on the scene they misreported the incident and the old man became known as the Clause from Santa Mews. As time passed he became known simply as the Santa Claus.

Every year now in December we see the confusion and madness that reigns supreme in shopping malls and gastown. In most western industrialized countries the true meaning of Santa Claus has been perverted by the descendants of greedy pilgrim families around the world. Unlike Halloween, the modern pilgrims are unmasked and . allowed to be anyone they want as long as they continue to appear happy, sentimental and very self righteous.

From the journals of Charlotte Ford Kennedy, published by Kingfisher Press, Connecticut, USA

Drinker's Lament During the last days of my drinking, I was all my self My family did not want me, nor fiends who wouldn't have anythmg to do with me. As I sat alone in a tavern drinking and thinking, they can't do this to me. I'll show them then. They can't do that to me. I'll show them.

At the end, I was not only alone, I was scared.

James Roadknight

for bud So there you have it your 15 minutes in history your 15 minutes in time.

Your voice filled with willful memories rubber anchors in coagulating mud.

A bunch of Lonesome Monsters on South Granville just across the street from the darkened Sun a couple of miles from main and hastings a few years away from human desecration There was Paul and Marge very stubborn and very immediate There was Bob with his up against the wall attitude thinking about birds and the different forms of flight There was Sandy and Jean what a fierce, and gentle scene So much support, So much concern

For those who drink from the crystal bowl for those who hear the apartment floors creak for those who understand redemption but must consume instead.

For those For those who go to secret meetings to discuss the insights of death For those who eat sandwiches all cut into wonda bread squares We are filled with thin excuses and anxious conversations the reading begins.

"Excuse me," he said, "I have a point to make, "Excuse me" "Pass the nachos please, I can hardly hear myself speak."

"This beatnik stage is cute even if it is only six inches off the ground."

"Bring me another sophisticated lady and a pint of draft for my Christmas cheer.."

"I don't know what he's reading but it's definitely true its so, its so grateiid deadish."

"Are there any more nachos left?"

"Are there any more lovers that will take me home?"

"What time does this bar close?"

"Can we have a game of pool?"

One small step for man One giant leap for mankind.

Leigh Donahue

mirror...what a shock.. I saw a ghost a of death...my thoughts were coming to an end.

It's time for me to say good-bye and leave this world ...Thank God I am not going to feel the pain anymore. Then it clicked I got myself here and it's up to me to clean up the wreckage.

I did try to commit suicide...was not successful. So here I sit telling my story.

There are people who are out there who can help you as they have helped me. All I had to do was ask for help...oh no me ask for help ha. I did and there were people coming out of the wood works ready to help.

It doesn't stop there "cleaning house" is a big job.

I learned that I first had to start with myself...Honesty was not in my books as I was told though it start from self and then the inner

I went into treatment and learned to talk about my feelings and get in touch with the person who I thought had left me during my trouble times. It wasn't true...it was me who forgot to ask my higher power into my life again.

For years I thought my Higher Power had left and God didn't. I was once asked who do you think picked up that phone when you tried to commit suicide. Well you get the drift.

The point I am trying to make is that there is HELP just a phone call away or in reaching distance.

See you back on the RED ROAD, the recovery road I can't promise you a bed of rose..,I can only say that your life is what you make of it...YOU HAVE A CHOICE

NPA (NO PEOPLE ALLOWED) In the end we lost every hope of being represented ,@ City Hall. But now we can really use our voices.

I haven't been up to City for a while, since the councilors yelled and told us we were crazy...this was about the March for Jesus. Lori and I took a verbal eating by a few of the councilors (no names mentioned) Just because Philip and his group swept the board...No they will have to listen to the Communities.

I certainly don't want the NPA telling our people that we need cardboard boxes to live in....It's all about Housing Affordable and the biggest one of all is Safety.

Find out when the City is having there planning meeting. Let them know that we are still alive and want there support towards Housing and Safety.

SAFETY 652 OUR HOMES

PLEASE DO NOT BE VICTIMIZE BY...

1. We have had a great number of people being broken into their hotel rooms. Most of them don't like to report the incident as the first question they get asked is "are you drinking or were you drinking."

2. No one should have be humiliated and or violated once again.

3. If you are having problem's security wise...one you can call Dave Dickson @ 687-1772 and if he is not there talk to Debbie Mearns.

4, Every 2nd Tuesday of the Month we Have a police liaison meeting...next one will be held @ the 12 East Hastings (N.S.O.) If we work together we can make a big difference...giving up is not a choice!

VOLUNTEER CCIRISTMAS PARTY Saturday, Dec. 14th 1to4pm Carnegie theatre Featuring Joanne Hamen & Peggy Wilson (hot lunch served) OPEN DANCE Saturday, Dec. 1 4th 7-10pm Band: TBA Voting Day On the morning of the 16th of November, I left my apt. and proceeded to the third floor to see Amy, Volunteer coordinator for Carnegie. She was not there as she felloff her bike the night before and had to have stitches sewn in her leg an would be off on sick leave. I left and headed for the Vancouver library where I was to vote for the next mayor of Vancouver city. As I came through the electric door for scooters and mobile chairs, I saw and old friend of mine handing out free samples of tea in paper cups. The name I'd forgotten. She and I chatted for a few minutes. I asked here where the polling station was. Mary told her partner she would be right back and she proceeded to walk with me to the rear doors and pointed the way. I thanked her very kindly, then went in to cast my ballot.

James Roadknight

j

es from the Learning Centre Videha -

Wooden Faces The knotholes in the grainy wood of my coffee table have always bothered me. I sit before the dark stained table and play solitaire on it by the hour. I have to kill time somehow between the things I have to do or want to do. I have very little money to do very much and all I seem to enjoy doing is playing that card game.

The way the knotholes are situated in the grain give the appearances of faces. Three faces. One grouping of knotholes is on the le& near the radio.

It seems to move, to make expressions when I have the radio on too loud. The second grouping is in the middle of the table, and just stares, it has a mark above the eyes which give it a mad tt appearance. The third and nastiest grouping is next to my table. I live in a bachelor room and all my furniture is crowded together.

The other day a visitor came. I didn't like him. and He was telling me I have to have my carpet r cleaned. Its the rule, when you rent a place you 1e have to keep up the carpet, and make sure the gh burners on the stove and the oven is always ,I c clean i, too. My place is very clean, except for the carpet which will cost a lot to get clean. The frowning face on the coffee table seemed to frown I even more. I got mad but just said I would do the job as soon as I got my check. e The man. said he would come back next month. ld If he does I kill him. My frowning face seemed to n agree that I should.

Dora Saunders

Videha has been a volunteer and part-time tutor at Carnegie Learning Centre for many years, where he has taught Sign Language to several staff members, students and tutors.

Videha was born in Montreal where, as a child, he attended a school for the deaf. In spite of his learning problem he understands and communicates in French, English and Sign Language.

Both Videha's parents are deaf, but he has a sister who is a hearing person. She is married and lives in Quebec with her husband and three children who all have normal hearing.

Videha is very artistic and does a lot of art work for the Learning Centre and Carnegie Gallery. He says that although his father has no leanings in this direction, his mother had a decided artistic bent.

She made beautiful quilts and embroidered linens, etc. Because he was rather friendless and lonely as a pre-school child, his mother taught him a lot of things long before he became a schoolboy.

Videha lived in many countries before he landed in Vancouver. His latest stopping place was Brazil, where he taught deaf people for one year.

When I asked him if he wanted to continue living in Vancouver rather than in Quebec, he said, "We live now and we know nothing of tomorrow." He says, "Carnegie is where I live."

Videha is a great asset to the Learning Centre people and we all hope he will stay here for a long, long time.

Come to the Learning Centre and meet Videha!

Joan Doree (volunteer tutor)

poetrq bq

Elim beth T h o r p e

A job to do and everybody a job to do Harvest wheat by hand save fuel Freshly made gluten and peanut butter sandwiches

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#c When I think back on the past Scenes fiom my childhood mist through my mind What she I be a famous painter?

A writer? A housecleaner?

When I got to teenagerhood I didn't want to be awthw Fame came to me like a bolt fiom the cloud Am I too pretty? Am I too proud?

Romanticize all I want there's a hole in my stomach I want

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wore a dress I'd be in drag Come on can't you see it? I'm a man.

Don't come on to someone in drag - its illegal Unless you're made for it Drag comes in good time I wore drag when I was in grade three

11 1

Snow is coming Santa is here Warm your parents Loving is clear Don't play with bombs Love is here to stay Santa is coming in his sleigh Remember your parents In prayer each night Thank the lord for that brilliant white light Remember your brothers and sisters too Play with God He was a Jew

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One day I had nothing to bo all year One day I admitted to myself again that I was queer One day I felt ashamed and stopped looking at those pictures One day I discovered someone else's roots One day I discovered my mother had suffered One day I wanted to die One day I argued with myself and got a job One day I complained about the mob

FYes, I know I'm crazy. Sometimes it's evil crazy Sometimes it's good &zy. Sometimes my different personalities are in shards. Either way this insanity is hard. I get upset at the slightest provocation. I get out of arguments in utter devastation.

+

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I rode a bicycle in my dreams I rode a bicycle in my nightmares I saw an old poor man collecting newspapers on his bicycle I rode a bicycle (my mother's) to work I rode a bicycle up and down hills 1rode a bicycle that's light shone as I worked

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My child is pretty and bright She could be a pixie She could be a sprite My child does all that she can and she's only six My child loves me although I couldn't keep her

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# Injustice is often done injustice is overdone injustice is rampant if justice were done now what would happen? Dream. Justice is made of dreams.

E

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D ~ ~ N T O WST0 N CLINIC 219 Main; Monday - Friday, 10a.m. 6p.m.

EASTSIDE NEEDLE EXCHANGE - 221 Main; 9a.m. 8p.m. everyday YOUTH Needle Exchange Van on the street every night, 6p.m. 2p.m. (except Mondays, 6p.m. midnight) ACTIVITIES

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\VII~/ B/ - $20 L i l l i a n 11. -$25 Sonya S . - $ I 0 0 Kettle F . S . - $ 1 6 Ilazel M. $10 Joy ?'.-$lo Bca P . - $ 3 0

1:rances -$SO Charley -$25 Libby D . -$40 Guy M. - $20 Tom L).-$17

Lortle 'r. -$20 Me1 L.-$17 Sara I). -$20 cnens 4 2 0 Susan S. -$3U DEYAS -$I00 Brigid R . -$30 Amy E. -$20 Ilene F . -$SO Kay P . - $ 1 5 Anonymous $67 Sam R.-$35

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THE NEWSLElTER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMlJNlTY CENTRE ASSOCIATION Arlicles represent the views of individual conlrlbutors and not of the Association.

Submissiori Deadline for the next issue: December 12,1996

NEED HELP? The Downtown Eastside Residents' Association can help you with: * any welfare problem "information on legal rights *disputes with landlords *unsafe living conditions *income tax *UIC problems *finding housing 'opening a bank account Come into the Dera office at 425 Carrall St. or phone us at 682-0931.

DERP. HAS BEEN SERVING THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE FOR 23 YEARS.

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting Hastings Park!

All the plans will be on display Monday, This is one of the plans being considered for the east side's big new green space, Hastings Dec. 2 to Saturday, Dec. 7 at Hastings Park,to be developed where the PNE has been Community Centre, 3096 East Hastings.

Drop on by and put in your two cents. located for the last hundred years.