FREE
- d o f l a t l ~ l l sa c c e p t e d .
FEBRUARY 1 , 1 9 9 2 .
Mac K
WORK.ing
STREET TALK: Guy Prairie and Diane Mackenzie both favor the old Vogue theatre as the ideal spot for ----.I--
bf G
-1
~ L I U I I VI
-
a
new Downtown South centre
JEFF
ROBERT SARTI Vancouver Sun
They've got a lot of free time, but not many wholesome places to spend it. Surrounded by the beer parlors and low-rent cafes of the Granville Street strip, residents of Vancouver's newest neighborhood started work Friday on obtaining a safe and public "gathering place" to help save their community. "People here can't afford the bus fare to getIup to the West End or down to Hastings Street," said ' 52-year-old Guy Prairie. "We can meet in the beer parlor, but who wants 4-
A n 4hn479)
LU uu
wab.
J
I
About 2,000 people live in the hotels around Granville and Davie. Most are single older men, many with disabilities and on fixed income. City council has rezoned the area - now dubbed Downtown South- to allow dense redevelopment as housing for office workers, but has okayed planning for a gathering place, a health clinic and other facilities to help stabilize the long-term hotel residents. The residents already have a model for what they want - Carnegie Community Centre, which serves a similar population in the Downtown Eastside, about two kilometres away. Carnegie director Diane Mackenzie, who has been assigned by council to make recommendations about the new centre, told 50 residents at a meeting called by the Downtown Eastside Residents Association that she intends to talk to everyone, in1 the area, from local developers to < I "
1.
The meeting was held in the lounge of a nearby' social housing project. .. "When I started at Carnegie, I walked the streets with the p ~ l i c eon welfare cheguenight; and got a gciod idea of the comn~unity,':Mackenzje, said. . ''I'm going to ask the police if l'can'faur with* them on Granville." Police Insp. Ken Doerq, who was in the audience, interrupted her, saying: ".Y6u donft have to ask - you can walk with us.". . Mackenzie told the residents it's up $0 them tg decide what goes into the centre. . i., "Carnegie has things like a mm.'.a -, kit'chen and '3 food progkm and a lhrary -so you decide:: she said. . . c.j Funding for the centre would come from levie$'j .. imposed by council on developers. ' ., . The residents also decided to fight for ahealth ., clinic in the area - again similar to one i? the,.'? ... ;, Downtown Eastside. City social planner Jeff Brooks said:he had already started talking to St. Paul's HoSpital on; cials about decentralizing some of their.prograhs . into a street-level clinic on Granville. . . . . . "If peode on Granville get a Cold in the chest: and need attention, nine times out of 10 the^. end .; *' . up in St. Paul's," said Brooks. "That's not economical for St, Paul's.'It would help if they moved out of their walls.and down :' , here." Brooks said health program for seniors, mental patients and alcohol and drug abusers woulc' . .,, be priorities in thq :fir&. *i
, I
.i
:' :
\
.
I
Powell S t r e e t S u n r i s e I looked o u t t h r u t h e g l a s s o f my e a r l y morning bedroom. I saw a p i n k c l o u d f l o a t i n g low i n a r e d gloom, and it d r i f t e d i n and o u t t h r u t h e , p o r t h o l e s o f my e y e s , t h e n I saw t h e d e s t i n a t i o n where my head would come t o r i s e .
The p i n k c l o u d grew heavy on t h e s h o u l d e r s o f my b r a i n , s o I t h r e w it a t a b l i n d g i r l who s a i d I looked i n s a n e . Then s h e c a l l e d me a f o o l , and s h o u t e d o u t l o u d , "You n e v e r w i l l r e g a i n y o u r s u n r i s e cloud!" The sun melted me, and my r a g e b u r n t t h e sun. I reached f o r d e s t r u c t i o n t o But t h e s t o p what I had d6ne. p i n k c l o u d shone o f v e l v e t add t h e n d r i f t e d i n t o black; I could almost r e a l i z e t h a t i t n e v e r would come back I f y o u ' r e e v e r i n my s p a c e and you s e e a weary g i r l , w i t h a glow a l l around h e r l i k e a crimson g l a x e s swirl, p l e a s e g i v e h e r my r e g a r d s , and say I ' l l t h i n k s h e ' s kind i f s h e would j u s t r e t u r n my s u n r i s e mind
Perspective If a l l I see is only a l l the pain i n t h e world t h e n I would f e e l t o t a l pain If a l l I see is only a l l t h e love i n t h e world t h e n a l l i would f e e l i s t o t a l love What I want t o see i3
my c h o i c e . I Am A f r a i d o f Nothing
Resolved: I am a f r a i d o f n o t h i n g Even t h e o l d d r e a d o f walking down t h e s e grim s t r e e t s ... My t r e a d i s f i r m now, i n a c o u r a g e o f having l o s t e v e r y t h i n g I am a f r a i d o f n o t h i n g now. Negating f i n g e r s r e a c h me t h r o u g h t h e h e a r t o f t h e s e long n i g h t s - i n t h e v a c u i t y of d a y l i g h t s met expressions - oblique reminders reminding me t h a t - now I am u t t e r l y u n a f r a i d . ABirthist l e
Dreamweaver
V i c t o r i a : Cindy McLaren, Brenda Pohl Dorothy Livingstone, Kathy Edwards, Abby Kindlan, G l o r i a H a r r i s , Evelyn Hammond, Susan Noakes. The following s t o r y appears i n t h e End Legislated Poverty Newsletter f o r January. I t ' s r e p r i n t e d h e r e a s a f i n e p i e c e of news - a s t h e t i t l e i s a statement of v i c t o r y and t h e a u t h o r i s one of t h e determined i n d i v i d u a l s who helped make it happen. NDP Government t o Fund Food
f o r 100 Schools
.
n-,,..,:
r bllrlbL
--
By PAT CHAUNCEY &#:
I
1-
v
- ~ EUCOU~L ~ h ~ ijl Education
M i n i s t e r Anita Hagen announced a $7 m i l l i o n package f o r a p r o v i n c i a l food program: They made t h e announcement on Jan. 14th i n Surrey. The program i s a r e s u l t of End Legi s l a t e d Poverty's community o r g a n i s ing s i n c e 1987. There wouldn't be a food program without h e r o i c e f f o r t from a handful of low income women. One o r two people g e t a t t e n t i o n from t h e p r e s s when an i s s u e i s r a i s ed. Usually t h e r e a r e l o t s o f o t h e r people involved. Low income people r a r e l y g e t a t t e n t i o n and success from t h e i r e f f o r t s . Other people g e t c a l l e d e x p e r t s when they've never l i v e d with poverty. Some of t h e r e a l e x p e r t s a r e low income women. Here i s a p a r t i a l l i s t of women who deserve c r e d i t f o r t h e food program. Many o t h e r s c o n t r i b u t e d . Vancouver: Debbie E l l i s o n , Georgina Isaac, Rose Brown, Pat Garret, Mary Ellen Johnstone, I r e n e Schmidt, Georgina Marshall, J a c q u i e Cowlan, Yvonne Marks, Cora Case, Pam Cooley, t h e r e a l Margaret M i t c h e l l , Katherine 6 Georgina Zeron, S h e i l a Baxter, Ellen Woodsworth, Colleen Burke, Betty McPhee, Dee Martin, and honourary women Dave Martin and Alan Alvare. -
Surrey: S a f f r o n Kanzeon, Ann Regan, J e n n i f e r Chobotuck, Val Watson. Burnaby: Anita Gingrich, A n t o i n e t t e Naaffa, Carol Withers-Chow, Tim T a r t e r . Nanaimo: Karen S h i l l i n g t o n , Louise Ross, Gail VanDerLeek, J a n e t Doherty, Mary Wasley. The s t a f f a t End L e g i s l a t e d Poverty ( P a t r i c i a Chauncey, Linda Marcotte, Pam Flemming, Jean %3::so:: - Ed. worked f o r y e a r s with low wages and continued t o l i v e i n p o v e r t y while working t o g e t a food program i n place. A l l of t h e s e people continued t o work through f a m i l y c r i s i s , hunger, homelessness, d e p r e s s i o n , s i c k and emotionally u p s e t k i d s , l e g a l problems, c h i l d apprehensions & M i n i s t r y Investigations. Lots of times people had l i t t l e support i n t h e i r l i v e s and had f a m i l i e s 6 f r i e n d s who were embarassed by their efforts.
>
Dear P r e m i e r a n d M i n i s t e r s :
The new food program could be e x a c t l y t h e kind of program ELP wanted. Food w i l l have t o be a v a i l a b l e t o a l l c h i l d r e n w i t h i n a school. People who can a f f o r d it, pay what t h e y can. The meal i s f r e e f o r people who c a n ' t pay. No one w i l l b e i d e n t i f i e d i f t h e y need f r e e food. The food program w i l l b e expanded t o a t l e a s t 10 more s c h o o l s i n Vancouver. " I t j u s t goes t o show you t h a t i f low income people work t o g e t h e r we can g e t what we need," s a i d Linda Marcotte, C
r-~rte ( I T
.
., I r ~ e 1 0 1 i ~ ittte t
01
g ~ i i ~ e ~ ~
One problem w i t h t h e food program i s t h i s : t h e gov3;t wants School Boards t o d e c i d e between h o t E cold food and between b r e a k f a s t , lunch and snacks. Children l i k e t h e hot lunch program. Margaret Mead once s a i d , "Never doubt t h a t a small group of t h o u g h t f u l committed c i t i z e n s can change t h e world; indeed, i t ' s t h e o n l y t h i n g t h a t e v e r does. " End L e g i s l a t e d Poverty i s concerned about communities n o t a d m i t t i n g t h a t t h e y have hungry school c h i l d r e n . I< you a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n g e t t i n g f o o d in your school phone 879-1209 and ask f o r Linda o r Pat.
On b e h a l f o f t h e Carnegie Community Rela t i o n s Committee, I ' d l i k e t o t h a n k your Government f o r i t s d e c i s i o n t o fund s c h o o l l u n c h programs on a l a r g e s c a l e . I am a p p e a l i n g t o t h e NDP Government t o make Crisis G r a n t s more a c c e s s i b l e . The food voucher system s h o u l d be made a v a i l a b l e t o p e o p l e w i t h c h i l d r e n on s o c i a l a s s i s t a n c e , handicapped, e l d e r l y and t h o s e w i t h unemployable s t a t u s due t o p h y s i c a l o r mental d i s a b i l i t i e s . They should n e v e r b e d e n i e d e x t r a food when t h e y need i t . During s c h o o l , l u n c h programs a s s i s t with f e e d i n g some hungry c h i l d r e n b u t what about d u r i n g summer, Christmas 6 E a s t e r h o l i d a y s and t h e r e s t o f t h e t i m e t h e s e c h i l d r e n a r e n o t i n s c h o o l ? What about c h i l d r e n n o t l u c k y enough t o a t t e n d a s c h o o l t h a t h a s a l u n c h program? U n t i l p e o p l e a r e g e t t i n g enough money t o f e e d t h e m s e l v e s p r o p e r l y t h e r e must b e a way t o a t q u i r e enough food t o e n s u r e t h e y can e a t p r o p e r l y a l l month. The food voucher i s p r e s e n t l y d e f i n e d a s a c r i s i s g r a n t . Every five-week month c r e a t e s a c r i s i s f o r p e o p l e on a s s i s t a n c e . Taking money from t h e s u p p o r t p o r t i o n o f t h e i r cheque t o pay e x t r a s h e l t e r c o s t s c r e a t e s a c r i s i s . If a F i n a n c i a l Aid Worker chooses t h e y can deny a c r i s i s g r a n t . T h i s i s u n f a i r a s most p e o p l e a r e a f r a i d t o appeal t h e i r worker's d e c i s i o n s . I r e a l i z e some i n d i v i d u a l s g e t t h e i r che. q u e s a i L p ~ u n g t ls ~p e d tile ~ i ~ u u eu11 y ~ L U h o l e t c . However, t h i s l i s t h e m i n o r i t y and t h e m a j o r i t y should not be subjected t o hunger b e c a u s e o f t h e a c t i o n s o f a few. A few y e a r s ago I a t t e m p t e d t o a d d r e s s t h i s i s s u e w i t h t h e S o c i a l C r e d i t Government b u t w a s n ' t s u c c e s s f u l . Your Government i s now i n a p o s i t i o n t o s t o p hunger. I am a p p e a l i n g t o t h e New Deomcratic Government t o e n s u r e t h a t t h e food voucher system i s made a v a i l a b l e t o a l l o f t h e above g r o u p s o f i n d i v i d u a l s w i t h no p e n a l t i e s a t t a c h e d t o i t s u s e . T h i s could s t o p t h e hunger f o r t h e most needy of t h o s e on Soci a l A s s i s t a n c e . Anxiously a w a i t i n g a r e p l y . Bharbara Gunmundson
The Nature of Loss There i s no d e s c r i p t i o n f o r l o s s o t h e r than t h e word i t s e l f , I t s one s y l l a b l e c ~ n t a i n svolumes about s u f f e r i n g , unutterable private tragedies; U n t i l you have l i v e d i t s torment you w i l l remain ignorant of t h e word. . Don't attempt t o pronounce i t . Don't r a c e t o c a t c h up. Shut up, and be g r a t e f u l ! ABirthistle
On t h e f r o n t page of t h e Sun (Jan.2
The l a t e s t w e l f a r e "increases" a r e again 2n o u t r a g e . Even t o c a l l it an i n c r e a s e i s iiiisleading. The breakdown between s h e l t e r G supp o r t f o r s i n g l e people g i v e s an 8.3% increase t o t h e landlord, a 5% increas e i n income t o people on handicapped GAIN and nothing a t a l l t o o t h e r s i n gles, - employable o r unemployable. In $$ . . t h i s means OLD NEW Single her Sup. She1 . Sup. employable unemployable handicapped
$300 $300 $300
$200 $250 $394
$325 $325 $325
$200 $250 $414
The $25 s h e l t e r i n c r e a s e i s a g i f t t o D.E. h o t e l l a n d l o r d s , I t w i l l become t h e main f a c t o r i n upward p r e s s u r e on r e n t s . I t i s t r u e t h a t 1992 r e n t s i n s e v e r a l c a s e s were creeping above t h e $300 s h e l t e r l i m i t . Some p l a c e s a r e i n t h e p r o c e s s of going up t o $310 o r so. But t h e s h e l t e r i n c r e a s e w i l l mean t h a t v i r t u a l l y a l l h o t e l s w i l l go t o a base r a t e of $325, w i t h t h e supposedly ' b e t t e r ' e s t a b l i s h m e n t s topping t h a t by a n o t h e r $10 o r s o . I t i s almost c e r t a i n t h a t t h e i n c r e a s e w i l l p u t r e n t s $15-$25 h i g h e r than t h e y would have been. For s e n i o r s , f o r whom t h e c o s t - o f l i v i n g i n c r e a s e t h i s y e a r was 754 a month, t h i s w i l l r e s u l t i n a d d i t i o n a l hardship. By MARG GREEN
a s Federal Employment M i n i s t e r Berna ralcourt i s quoted s a y i n g , "How long :an we c o n t i n u e t o pay people t o j u s t lo nothing?" S o c i a l A s s i s t a n c e i n Can la i s a r i g h t G a n e c e s s i t y . Of cours .here a r e s t o r i e s of an i n d i v i d u a l he )r a f a m i l y t h e r e c o n s c i o u s l y G d e l i b x a t e l y avoiding work. And of c o u r s e :here a r e hundreds of thousands of peo~ l fei n d i n g themselves a c c e s s i n g s o c i a l l s s i s t a n c e f o r t h e f i r s t time, while .ooking a l l day every .day . f o r a job l t ~ ~ t iitfiye thiiii~ Z ZiZiiXiiit iizge d ~ ~ d I :nd i n sweatshop c o n d i t i o n s with zero , ~enefits. Valcourt c i t e s Ifthe magnitude of t h e i e b t t h a t i s t h e r e " t o p u t t h e blame Eor it s q u a r e l y on t h e v i c t i m s o f " f r e e " zrade, with over 300,000 jobs permanent1 ly l o s t ; of t h e GST, w i t h a 400% i n :rease i n c r o s s - b o r d e r shopping; of m i v a t i s a t i o n G deregulation, with nassive l a y - o f f s , p l a n t c l o s u r e s and r e l o c a t i o n of s c o r e s of t r a n s n a t i o n a l m s i n e s s e s i n t h e s o u t h e r n US G Mexico. A t l e a s t 4 of Canada's 6 major banks reported r e c o r d p r o f i t s i n 1991. The Royal Bank of Canada had o v e r $145 m i l l i o n i n income t a x e s d e f e r r e d i n . 1 9 8 7 standard p r a c t i c e f o r o v e r 93,000 c o r p o r a t i o n s which pay no income t a x . In 1991, t h e Royal Bank had i t s beancounte r s reword s t a t e m e n t s t o show t h e y d i d not a c t u a l l y n e t $1.2 b i l l i o n . . . j u s t $987 m i l l i o n . Valcourt must s e e t h i s a s ' evidence t h a t bank owners work 25 hours a day, 8 days a week, b u t t h e r e ' s somet h i n g amiss i n t h i s brand of l o g i c - a person e a r n i n g t h e minimum wage has t o work 87 hours a week t o have a g r o s s income a t S t a t s Canada' s o f f i c i a l pove r t y l i n e . Maybe it has something t o do with t h e TV ad about "You must work smarter!" How smart i s i t t o c o n s i s t e n t l y reduce c o r p o r a t e income t a x t o where
1
t h e t o t a l s a c t u a l l y p a i d a r e o n l y 11% of a l l income t a x e s c o l l e c t e d ? Valcourt s t a t e s t h a t b u s i n e s s i s h u r t i n g f o r l a c k o f s k i l l e d workers. There may b e v a l i d examples h e r e E t h e r e , b u t it h a s almost n o t h i n g t o do w i t h t r a n s n a t i o n a l s s e t t i n g up shop i n t h e maquiladora zone i n Mexico E e n j o y ing n o n - e x i s t e n t enforcement o f p o l l u t i o n c o n t r o l s E a workforce w i t h $4-$5 a DAY p a i d t o t h e a v e r a g e employee. V a l c o u r t i s t h e M i n i s t e r o f Employment y e t h i s own p a r t y applauds b o t h t h e Bank o f Canada E t h e Business Counc i l on N a t i o n a l I s s u e s when t h e y d e c l a r e t h a t h i g h unemployment i s a n a t u r a l , normal, even i n a l i e n a b l e concommitance of a market d r i v e n economic system. Crud i s a word u s e d t o d e s c r i b e t h e p r o d u c t o f a b u l l 1 s bowel movement.
In 1988 t h e p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s campaign of t h e P r o g r e s s i v e Conservat i v e s , e n t h u s i a s t i c a l l y supported (or a t l e a s t p a i d f o r ) by t h e 1%o f Cana d i a n s who own 68% o f t h e w e a l t h , g a r n e r e d 43% o f t h e v o t e . They a r e now a t a dismAl 15% i n p o l l s , y e t a r e engaged i n t r y i n g t o e n t r e n c h t h e Con s e r v a t i v e / C o r p o r a t e Agenda i n Canada's c o n s t i t u t i o n w i t h t h e "economic union" p r o p o s a l s . A " c o n s u l t a n t " i s someone who b o r L"w5 ;".".ur .w*tc;i t" .--.. L G L L YVU iVliLit tillle L..
1,
it i s . V a l c o u r t i s paying t h e wrong p e o p l e t o t e l l him what i s p o l i t i c a l l y popular t o say. PaulK T a y l o r , E d i t o r , Carnegie N e w s l e t t e r .
,
EMPHYSEMA m a t everyone should know about emphysema: F i r s t o f a l l i t w i l l k i l l you - I should know; my f a t h e r q u i t smoki n g a t t h e age o f 52 and l i v e d a n o t h e r 20 y e a r s , but he s u f f e r e d i n agony. I was t o l d a y e a r ago by D r . L e s l i e Lawson t h a t I have t h e d i s e a s e if I d i d n ' t s t o p smoking I ' d be dead i n a y e a r . I had smoked f o r 45 y e a r s . I was a v e r y s i c k p e r s o n ; I c o u l d o n l y walk a h a l f a block, t h e n s t o p , t r y i n g t o g e t enough oxygen i n t o my l u n g s t o g e t my h e a r t slowed down enough t o g e t a n o t h e r h a l f - b l o c k . I wds sick ellough i u g e i i n SL.P a u i C s H o s p i t a l f o r about 10 d a y s . They t o l d me I had an e n l a r g e d h e a r t , a s well a s low blood'pressure and b r a i n damage. D r . Lawson p u t me on l i q u i d oxygen 24 h o u r s a day, 3 d i f f e r e n t i n h a l e r s p l u s 2 p i l l s t w i c e d a i l y . I a l s o phoned N i c o t i n e Anonymous and found o u t o v e r 3500 people d i e e v e r y y e a r and o v e r 700 non-smokers p a s s away from 2nd hand smoke. The one t h i n g t h e s e p e o p l e a l l had i n common was t h e y d i e d f o r nothing. Smoke i f you wish, b u t do you r e a l l y want t o gamble w i t h your l i f e o r , worse, w i t h someone e l s e ' s ? If you r e a l l y want t o q u i t smoking more i n f o r m a t i o n can be o b t a i n e d from ' ~ i c o t i n eAnonymous. C a l l me o r t a l k ' t o Verna on t h e 2nd f l o o r . JAMES R. - 253-5541 VERNA B - 685-3757
...
---
-
-
The Wastrel lump everyone, Dismiss everyone. S t o p seeking s p l e n d o u r i n s i m i l a r souls. Explore, i n s t e a d , t h e t e r r i f y i n g a s p e c t s o f your own e a r t h l y experience. 'ick i t o v e r a s do t h e crows inspecting refuse, fermenting imagination d u s t b i n days. lut magnificent o l d crows; magical o l d crows t h a t i v e fi l o v e mate f o r l i f e . T h a t ' s r i g h t ! Then s t o r e t h i s burden n your own p r i v a t e s o u l t o s h a r e , l a t e r , n o t among one o r two u t with y o u r c o n t r o v e r s i a l t i m e . .ABirthistle
.NATIVE BOOKS I N CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE LEBRARY
On January 1 3 t h I a t t e n d e d t h e C u l t u r a l Sharing Night t o p u b l i c i s e o u r s p e c i a l c o l l e c t i o n of Native a r t and customs books. For t h o s e who were n o t t h e r e , h e r e is a rundown of what we have and how t o g e t it\, We have books on * Native a r t s and c r a f t s , l i k e jewelry-making and c a r v i n g I
I
* * * *
Native c u l t u r e ( f o r example, t h e customs o f t h e Haida)
*
Biographies o f Native people
Native legends Native books f o r c h i l d r e n F i c t i o n by Native w r i t e r s
We a l s o have
-
* Newspaper c l i p p i n g f i l e s of Native a r t i s t s * Newspaper c l i p p i n g f i l e s on l o c a l p o l i t i c s , customs and people Some o f t h e s e books may be o b t a i n e d d i r e c t l y from o u r L i b r a r y s h e l v e s . The more expensive a r t books a r e kept behind o u r desk and go o u t on a one week loan w i t h I D l i k e a s t a t u s c a r d , b i r t h c e r t i f i c a t e , d r i v e r ' s licence, o r BCID t o leave a s s e c u r i t y . The more expensive books on customs, legends and p o l i t i c a l i s s u e s go o u t on a t h r e e week loan w i t h any of t h e above I D a s s e c u r i t y . P l e a s e come i n and s e e o u r c o l l e c t i o n . J u s t ask a t o u r desk. I f you have any problems ask f o r me, ELEANOR, and 1'11 do my b e s t t o h e l p you. I f you s e e any of o u r books l e f t behind i n h o t e l rooms, r e s t a u r a n t s o r anywhere i n t h e Downtown E a s t s i d e , p l e a s e r e t u r n them t o us. Thanks f o r your h e l p . Eieanor Keiiy, L i b r a r i a n .
r A N IRON HAND upon the people
9.
THE BLEEDING EYES of JUSTICE In a h a l l t h a t s c a l l e d Forever, IVhere t h e r e i s no wrong o r r i g h t ; There J u s t i c e wept with bloodied t e a r s , Through t h e l o n g , e t e r n a l n i g h t . For a s o u l t h a t was i n torment, Torn a p a r t w i t h i c y rage; S t a r i n g beneath a shadowed sun, Death would t u r n a n o t h e r page. A v e r y l o s t and t o r t u r e d man,
Who would wander block by c l o c k ; Through s t r e e t s and l a n e s w i t h angered p a i n , Through D e a t h s s door he soon would walk. A man no l o n g e r r a t i o n a l , -
-
JIIC
-- -
1 --C I ~ > L ~IIVIIVZ;.~~~
h:
r
1 ;C n .
r r r v ,
His voice was b u t a mindless scream, In h i s hand, he h e l d a k n i f e . A mind deranged,who could n o t change, Confrontation with t h e Law; A knife against a thirty-eight, This would b e what J u s t i c e saw.
S t a r k , s a v a g e soun'ds,the loud r e p o r t s , Cracked hard a c r o s s t h e sky; While t h e pavement r a n with crimson, On cold pavement he would d i e . For t h e Law h e l d no compassion, Showed no mercy i n i t s b r e a t h ; Only a s t e r i l e emptiness I n a poor man's l o n e l y death. In a h a l l t h a t l s c a l l e d Forever, Where t h e r e i s no wrong o r r i g h t ; There J u s t i c e wept with b l o o d i e d t e a r s , Through t h e l o n g , e t e r n a l n i g h t . Michael James McLellan
I do n o t wish t o be an a l a r m i s t , b u t c e r t a m m a t t e r s i n worid affairs 111ust be considered by a l l c i t i z e n s o f a l l c o u n t r i e s . We must i n s i s t on u n i l a t e r I a l world government. Remembering h t e 6 0 ' s when my t h r e e c h i l d r e n a l l under 4 and watching t h e 11 TV news - t h e g r e a t d i s c u s s i o n s o v e r 11 I n u c l e a r war. People were a c t u a l l y b u i l d i n g s h e l t e r s , governments b u i l t underground I bunkers and e a r l y warning systems People now tend t o t h i n k t h a t with i t h e S o v i e t ' s changing economic b a s i s and t h e break-up of t h e r e p u b l i c t h a t t h e t h r e a t i s diminished. I would h a r d l y t h i n k t h e n u c l e a r warheads have been removed, nor t h e i r t a r g e t s changed. The o t h e r s p l i n t e r c o u n t r i e s a l r e a d y i n r e v o l u t i o n smack of t h e beginning o f World War 11. The army i n Russia i n v o l v e s probably 1 / 2 t h e people, e i t h e r a s s o l d i e r s o r m i l i t a r y providers. I d o n ' t think they w i l l enjoy t h e i r new l i f e i n s o u p l i n e s . Y e l t s i n t o u r s t h e c o u n t r y promising a t u r n e d around economy i n 3 y e a r s . This i s an i m p o s s i b i l i t y even with massive U.S. a i d . Germany 6 Japan took 15 t o 30 y e a r s t o a g a i n become world leaders.
1
I
1
...
I
I /
1
I 1
11 ,
I,
I
I I
not s o e a s i l y geared over f o r product i o n o f consumer goods. Energy i s t h e key t o t h e whole o f ~ o r t hAmerican wealth. We u s e 2/3 o f t h e world's r e s o u r c e s . , The c o l l a p s e o f t h e Russian economy i s due mainly t o t h e i r i n a b i l i t y t o supply energy, i n t h e form of o i l , t o t h e i r s a t e l l i t e countrues. This switcf of economic systems i s n o t a North American v i c t o r y i n p o l i t i c s but a f a i l u r e i n r e l a t i o n s between t h e S o v i e t b l o c and t h e i r e a s t e r n o i l - s u p p l y i n g c o u n t r i e s , who wanted payment i n nucl e a r weapons which were n o t g i v e n . This i s why t h e S o v i e t s had no argument with t h e U.S. & a l l i e s ' bombardment & t a k e o v e r of Saddam Hussein' s o i l f i e l d s . I t was a g r e a t , s c a r y message t o o t h e r OPEC c o u n t r i e s about t h e i r f a t e i f t h e y s t o p t H e supply of black g o l d - and a p o o r l y done and unf i n i s h e d job. When t h e S o v i e t s look a t t h e people s t a r v i n g i n t h a t c o u n t r y and c o n s i d e r whether t h e U.S. w i l l j u s t d r i b b l e i n s u p p l i e s u n t i l t h e y a r e brought t o t h e i r knees, one wonders what t h e Russ i a n m i l i t a r y l e a d e r s think..what course t h e y w i l l t a k e . I d o n ' t mean t h e 7n F, 8C1 ; ~ e ~ r - ~ l d g e n e r a l s , c r o n i e s o f Y e l t s i n & company b u t t h e younger 6 f f i c e r s who a c t u a l l y run t h e army. Armies a r e n o t n e c e s s a r i l y l o y a l t o governments; Y e l t s i n has a l r e a d y promo t e d a 50 y e a r - o l d major t o g e n e r a l . . one t h e y t h i n k t h e t r o o p s w i l l follow. L e t ' s hope so. By TOM LEWIS
Ibupee, or Not Toupee
We mourn t h e v i o l e n t d e a t h s of o u r Native women F, t h e o t h e r s i s t e r s of t h e Downtown E a s t s i d e , whose memories w i l l not be forgotten. Friday, FEBRUARY 14 Powell & S a l s b u r y , where Cheryl Ann's body was found 12noon - walk back t o Carnegie with t r a n s p o r t a t i o n i f needed. 1:00 meet a t Main & Hastings 1:30 Memorial S e r v i c e , s p e a k e r s . . (refreshments)
11-12
Cheryl Ann J o e Bernadine Standing Ready Lorna Carpenter Sandra Flamond Sadie Chartland Ray Arrance Martha Garvin T r i s h Waddams Wendy Poole Rose P e t e r s G others
...
I f you know of any o t h e r s t o add t o t h i s l i s t p l e a s e c o n t a c t 665-2289 6 l e a v e a message f o r Margaret Prevost.
The Legal Drug Alcohol i s t h e weapon of t h o s e i n power. Without a l c o h o l a s t h e l e g a l drug t h e l y i n g p o l i t i c i a n s of a l l p a r t i e s wouldn't g e t away w i t h a l l t h e n e g a t i v e t h i n g s t h e y do. There i s t h e v i s i b l e drunk and t h e i n v i s i b l e drunk. The p r i v a t e drunk l i v i n g i n s u b u r b i a with a f a m i l y E job o f t e n i s more v i o l e n t than t h e v i s i b l e drunk. Wife b e a t i n g and c h i l d abuse i s u s u a l l y a crime of t h e i n v i s i b l e drunk i n suburbia. The p o l i c e make a h a b i t o f a r r e s t i n g t h e v i s i b l e drunk. F o r t u n a t e l y t h e m a j o r i t y of p u b l i c drunks a r e n o t v i o l e n t . . i t i s more a r e l e a s e of t e n s i o n o r boredom. So-called s o c i a l d r i n k i n g i s mainly f o r t h e upper income c l a s s ; t h e i r excuse i s t h a t t h e y ' r e " j u s t being sociabl~e", which i s a p i l e o f BS. People d o n ' t u s u a l l y d r i n k t o be s o c i a b l e . . t h e y d r i n k t o escape d a i l y l i v i n g . Without a l c o h o l a s a l e g a l drug many people would d i r e c t t h e i r anger t o t h o s e i n power who d e s e r v e it
Without t h e l e g a l qIvgjiG--illegal drugs, v i o l e n c e &&lh a c t u a l r y i n c r e a s e a l l o v e r s o c i e t y . F r u s t r a t i o n G anger would be d i r e c t e d t o t h o s e i n power. The l e g a l drug a l c o h o l i s o f t e n more d e s t r u c t i v e than t h e s o - c a l l e d i l l e g a l ones. Recently a committee was formed t o l e g a l i s e i l l e g a l drugs, which would e l i m i n a t e much crime. A 'Narc' was i n terviewed about t h e drug problem E h i s o n l y concern was "don't rock t h e b o a t ; wait 3 y e a r s , then I ' l l have my pens i o n . " Thousands o f Narcs E o t h e r s i n t h e phony war on drugs know it i s a s s i n i n e drug laws t h a t cause most of t h e
problems b u t t h e i r m o t i v a t i o n i s job 1 s e c u r i t y f o r l i f e . They make a c a r e e r o u t of l y i n g t o t h e p u b l i c by manipula- , t i n g crime s t a t i s t i c s i n f a v o u r of keeping drugs i l l e g a l . P r o h i b i t i o n of booze proved t h a t making it i l l e g a l increased violence..if t h e d e s i r e is s t r o n g enough one i s going t o g e t what one wants - i l l e g a l o r l e g a l . By BRIAN WAGGET Honesty Last June I went t o t h e Royal Bank on a Saturday t o g e t some money o u t o f t h e night aachFfie, 1 p i ~ n r h ~ idn t h e r i g h t numbers and, when my bank c a r d came o u t , I took it and p l a c e d it i n my w a l l e t along w i t h a $50 s o c i a l s e r v i c e cheque. I t h e n p u t it on t h e c o u n t e r i n f r o n t o f me! I reached f o r t h e cash with my l e f t hand, and a l s o t h e r e c e i p t with my r i g h t , t h e n walked out. Nobody c a l l e d n o r t u r n e d t h i s i n . I had t o make a p o l i c e s t a t e m e n t s o I could go t o t h e w e l f a r e o f f i c e w i t h a p o l i c e case number i n o r d e r t o r e p l a c e t h e missing cheque. The I D w i l l t a k e months t o r e p l a c e . I t was o n l y l a s t month t h a t my bank book f e l l o u t of my pocket i n one of t h e washroom's i n Carnegie, b u t a c a l l from Butch a t t h e f r o n t desk r b l d me
someone had t u r n e d it i n . I ' d l i k e Do g i v e t h e s e honest people a g r e a t b i g Thanks! Honesty i s a r a r e q u a l i t y i n t h i s day and age. James Roadknight
-i.
I
I
1
'
What s a y JACK E MAY.
...on
t h e new y e a r of 1992
-
What a r e your hopes; what a r e your a s p i r a t i o n s f o r 1992, she asked me.
-
Who d i d ? The woman on t h e TV show. You watch t h a t program?
,
I t comes on, I s e e i t , switch, s w i t c h , ads, a d s
...
So I s t a y awhile.
So, what a r e your hopes..your a s p i r a t i o n s ? A s p i r a t i o n s d i f f e r e n t from hopes?
-
what's t h a t ,
- Well, I hope t o answer your q u e s t i o n , but I a s p i r e t o b e i n t e l l i g e n t . What a hope! For me, I hope t h a t i n 1992 Mulroney drops dead, and I a s p i r e t o be o f f w e l f a r e and i n a job.
-
Both u n l i k e l y .
- If what
...?
But one may happen and t h e o t h e r could happen, i f
What d l y e know?
I s t h e r e something
...
...?
- Now, j u s t c o n s i d e r . 1991 was a h e l l u v a y e a r and I c a n ' t s e e t h e mess being c l e a r e d up soon. 1992 w i l l be tougher; and if Mulroney were t o d i e , what d i f f e r e n c e would t h a t make? The s t r i n g s t h a t make him jump 6 work h i s jaw s t r e t c h from Washington. And puppets a r e cheap where m u l t i n a i t o n a l s a r e concerned. On t h e o t h e r hand i f we, who have l o s t confidence (you know, L vA : . L . . , . A . . p,,,,4-L? c s s h l e s s 2nd c m s ~ ? i l e n1t y y i n t l e s s i n a market economy), a s p i r e d i n 1992 t o g e t b e t t e r o r g a n i s e d . f o r a c t i o n I n support o f p o i i c i e s t h e NDP have committed themselves t o , t o r a i s e l i v i n g s t a n d a r d s h e r e i n BC ;ind improve job o p p o r t u n i t i e s and working c l a s s r i g h t s E s e c u r i t y - you a t l e a s t f i n d y-ur w e l f a r e n o t j u s t might g e t o f f w e l f a r e and i n t o a job so low down under t h e p o v e r t y l i n e . I . . . ,,PC
...
-
I t ' s a hope; and I ' m one t h a t ' s ready t o a s p i r e .
- L e t ' s do i t .
The t r a d e unions a r e working p e o p l e o r g a n i s e d on t h e job; c o m m u n ~ yand s o c i a l o r g a n i s a t i o n s and a g e n c i e s a r e mostly working people off t h e job, i n t h e i r neighbourhoods, s e l f - a c t i n g and h e l p i n g a s v o l u n t e e r s i n s o c i a l l y b e n e f i c i a l a g e n c i e s and p u b l i c i n s t i t u t i o n s . Working t o g e t h e r i n support o f t h e needed p o l i c i e s a f r i e n d l y government has proclaimed, o r can b e reasonably expected t o respond t o i n a h e l p f u l way.. We h e r e i n B.C. can hope f o r and reasonable a s p i r e t o b r i n g about p o s i t i v e changes f o r t h e b e t t e r i n t h e g e n e r a l democratic, l a b o u r f, employment s i t u a t i o n h e r e i n '92.
-
Let's do it.
,
-;:~ditor,The Times: After reading the article "Courses tackle' environment" (Trail Times Sept. 26), I would like to congratulate the efforts of all those who organized m c h courses. They tackled a problem which is probably much more dif%,$iicult and complicated than they thought. $In order to help them I should add some complementary comments: ur It is a great pity that dealing with the different pollutions the nuclear and 'A 5; nuclewhemica1 technology is neglected. Most of'the environmentalists are 4 imitating the ostriches because they do not want to deal with the scientific aspect of the nuclear problem. Thinking that they are not competent, they often endorse the opinions of those scientists who are on the payroll of the ; polluting industries. -* Wurthermore, we have to be very iareful by dealing with the new fashionable expression of "sustainable development", which wants to 4 "marry" ecology with economics ;?T;d presently it is used a s a political gimmick. Sincere environmentalists must acknowledge that all kinds of human %activities in connection with developments are very polluting if we start to $exaggerate. Of course, we should be able to distinguish and judge which one *!of the pollutions is more or less dangerous. As an example, let us consider SEple who prefer to spend their holidays in Hawaii, who buy vegetables nsported from Chile, who endorse auto-racing, motorboat trips, water -skiing or other pleasure activities h c h llnnece%arily b u n energy sourthey a r e much more part of thg problem as those who do not recycle W r garbage. 1 ' iUnfortunately, today we get a situation where we must concentrate nearly all OW efforts to survive and to save the quality of our life. Meanwhile, we tapply the "brake" on all kinds of d e ~ & ~ & e n t . ,"wedlock" between environment and economics is just an illusion. hp, Etienne Szekely, Rossland. #
4 8
4 3
Hope with scientists Editor, The Times: The new NDP program for "sustainable den-J" represents some hope for the pollution concernea population. Now the environment problem starts to be a primordial issue in the legislature. Nevertheless, to promise economic growth without harming our environment is a wrong strategy. The public will soon learn the reality: that the present environmental nightmare can only be stopped with substantial economic sacrifices. The only tenable argument, which politicians should use is the following: our economy will collapse anyway when 90 percent of the population will be disabled by mental disorders, cancers, AIDS and other modern cellular diseases; our cellular immune system is jeopardized bv the exaggerated inchitria: pdliiti~ii. It is frightening to peliici i i ~ erlurnber oE future disabilities with the help of today's statistical data. The cleaning of the environmental mess is a "must"; it should be considered as a mandatory prevention in order to secure human life and to preserve a tolerabie economic situation for the future. We should definitively f o r g e t o u t economicgrowth. For sincere ecologists the most crucial problem is to find a new way of life, which is in harmony with nature. This is presently impossible, because we do not know how nature works. It would be the duty of science to guide us, but instead we experience a complete scientific confusion and ignorance. Due to the complexity of the problems, scientific opinions are expressed by those spokesmen, who are also selling the products. The best example is the nuclear power and nuclear technology: is it really polluting or not? This question is a story of believe it or not even for the best trained scientists. Our only hope is that some independent unorthodox scientists will soon introduce revolutionary new scientific ideas and theories, which will allow us to better understand nature's mechanism. Different organizations, including political.. parties, should endorse such scientific efforts. Etienne, Szekely, Rossland
a&;
:;System cannot be sustained
'~dito;, The Times: When politicians debate sustainable growth (The Times, Feb. 141, we experience com$te political chaos. -I(,. This chaos is already world-wide and it is ecluallv present in ~olitical. w* tconomic, scientific and-spiritual activities of oui life: Overybody feels the It was very to read about the pROUT theory 6 beceSsity of a total transformation and as a result there are only two in recent Carnegie Such possibilities: Survival of a part of the human population after the collapse of g i v e some hope f o r an e n t h u s i a s t i c e c o l o g i s t l i k e me. the industrial society; or total extinction of the homo sapiens. ' It seems that most of the ~oliticiansare still mainly concerned with I found t h e term " s u s t a i n a b l e development" i n one a r t i c l e rr ~ l r7 r ah ,... , p ~ ,uru , . . ~Iu.,aG - - - I . - - - J3C;U 2 - UI c- L&d- l:l zU misunderstanding. Br;st;;iiiiiig the economic prusperity of ine induslriai estabiisiunent. Tiley have confidence in a chaotic scientific illusion and they believe that investing 1 ~ 1 dbe perfect if people would develop 6 reinforce their honey in scientific researches solves the environmental problem. Spiritual life, incE!ase their =pacity to meditate 6 better Representing the Social Credit party at Selkirk College9 forum, Mr. t h e i r -p h-y s i c a l c o n d i t i o n 6 h e a l t h . Today t h e word "develep- :bohnst,on declared: "We're not prepared to shut down production to nlppt ment" i s r a t h e r r e s e r v e d f o r economic & i n d u s t r i a l growth, I:$nvironrnental standards." A delkate question arises: What kind of .production? Nobody will argue about those products which are strict:y business s u c c e s s , unnecessary t e c h n o l o g i c a l G s c i e n t i f i c ~necessnryfor our survival if the production and the demand is equilibrated. ventures pleasure Such be Yet, the majority of products are unnecessary industrial junk. which are s u s t a i n a b l e ; t h e y d e s t r o y o u r l i f e - We must admit t h a t 9 i n %uwposedto serve our commod,it,vor our lea sure. Further over-~roduction i $ f such junk is criminal; it ser;ires only a rhnority of short-sighted profiteers t h i s s e n s e . we a r e d a n ~ e r o u s l vo v e r - d e v e l o ~ e d . 'and helps US to become the 'fdinosaurs" of the industrial age. Our civil isation 6 t h e whole human r a c e i n a l a t e old . In this chaos an increasing number of people start to meditate inage state ' In this condition it is stupid to dream about Bvidually. They find out that in the future we rather have to collect cpiritml s u c c e s s f u l economic developments 'I;n a r d e k t o b e t t e r e x p l a i n yalues instead of material junk. my i d e a s I send you some a r t i c l e s p u b l i s h e d i n T r a i l Times. After all, humans are living entities able to meditate individually. Wr do need spiritual leaders or religious writings to reinforce our spir~tuall i f t I l m g l a d t o r e g u l a r l y r e c e i v e your n e w s l e t t e r . F e l i c i t a t i o n Furthermore, in the present transformative chaos only those people have the f o r your e x c e l l e n t work and I wish you l o t s of s u c c e s s . 'thance to survive who made the transition from a materialistic to a spiritual ;way of life. Etienne Szekely. Rosslantl. Etienne s z e k e l y (Box 1198, Rossland, BC VOG 1YO) I
hteresting
.I
7
u
i\
.
I
I
-
Stepped on by an Elephant Whether it was an Indian o r African e l e p h a n t I do n o t know ~ u such t a cruel elephant This my s c a r s w i l l show Nor was it an Indian t e a k wood l o t Nor an African s a f a r i No j u s t a block o r s o away In dimly lit Blood Alley. The r e s i d e n c e t h a t I could a f f o r d t o engage On my lowly p o e t ' s wage Was d i r e c t l y o ' e r t h e v e r y s p o t The c r u e l pachyderm trumpeted n i g h t l y on t h e s t a g e So when I s e t t l e d i n my bed i n q u i e t s o s e r e n e '1'0 enjoy my f a v o u r i t e , E l i o t , a man I do esteem. Unexpectedly about n i n e The s i l e n c e it d i d s h a t t e r Along wrth a pane of g l a s s t h a t f e l l o u t with a c l a t t e r The f l o o r began t o s h i v e r t h e very w a l l s d i d shake And I thought Oh J e s u s i t ' s a bloody earthquake But it continued every hour r i g h t up ti1 a.-m. t h r e e The elephant t r u m p e t t i n g b a s s w i t h f e r v o r and g r e a t g l e e Ti1 I f i n a l l y r e a l i z e d it was a l t e r n a t i v e music They were r o c k i n ' up a t me. The next day over b e e r I d i d m e d i t a t e Deciding t o approach t h e m a t t e r a s would a man of s t a t e D i r e c t l y d i d I i n t e r v i e w t h e keeper of t h e elephant A t h i s gate To ask him p o l i t e l y , i f t h e e l e p h a n t could t u r n down The volume on h i s b a s s . H i s r e p l y was "1 pay 5 G ' s a month t o s u b s i d i z e you bums u p s t a i r s and we w i l l p l a y t h e music a s loudly a s we care" And I r e j o i n e d we were about t h e same age Perhaps we could c o n t i n u e t h i s d i s c u s s i o n o u t s i d e t h e e l e p h a n t ' s cage H i s h e l p e r s suggested t h e y had heard enough Implying t h e s i t u a t i o n would improve i f o n l y I ' d ---- o f f R e t r e a t seemed wise, b u t l a t e t h a t n i g h t A water p i p e sprang a l e a k EUREKA an e l e p h a n t wading pool The second round seemed mine and I went t o c e l e b r a t e In a happy beery fog l a t e t h a t n i t e I s t a g g e r e d home And I swear a l a r g e grey animal stomped upon,almy dome In t h r e e p l a c e s my jaw was f r a c t u r e d and I l o s t s e v e r a l t e e t h The moral t o t h i s s t o r y i s t h a t i t ' s a t e r r i b l e g a f f To walk i n darkened a l l e y s o r t o g i v e an elephant a b a t h . Tom Lewis
i
I 4
:
I t was wet E i t was e a r l y but t h e spirits of over 30 people were high. The time was 7:30 i n t h e morning, with *eople from community, t e n a n t s s r i g h t s , environmental, l a b o u r , w t 5 - p o v e r t y s e n i o r s groups g a t h e r i n g and walking t o t h e Simon F r a s e r U n i v e r s i t y a t Harbour Centre on W.Hastings. "Protest", er em on strati on". . .it was 6 i s s e r i o u s . The event t h a t brought u s but was a p o l i c y Workshop on Regional Governance. The purpose of t h e conference was t o s e t o u t t h e groundwork E s t r a t e g y f o r a r e g i o n a l p l a n n i n g p r o c e s s i n BC. But t h e o r g a n i s a t i o n E f e e s t r u c t u r e elimi n a t e d democratic p a r t i c i p a t i o n . The conference agenda had been d e t ermined by a few academics and engineered by t h e development E r e a l e s t a t e i n d u s t r y . By not i n v i t i n g t h e above-mentioned groups, by excluding u s from t h e p l a n n i n g of t h i s conference, changes i n r e g i o n a l governance provide an o p p o r t u n i t y f o r t h e d e v e l opment i n d u s t r y t o proceed without i n t e r f e r e n c e from neighbourhoods, l a b o u r E community o r g a n i s a t i o n s .
l - v o t e NPA m a j 6 r i t y on t h i s Board decided t o spend $100,000 on a n o t h e r s t u d y - t h e Future o f S t a n l e y Park i n t h e f a c e of a c l e a r r e j e c t i o n by v o t e r s . The Task Force c o n s u l t e d w i t h e x p e r t s 6 p r i v a t e i n t e r e s t s , but when t h e y r e p o r t e d t o t h e Board were t o l d t o go ahead and hold p u b l i c meetings b e f o r e b r i n g i n g recommendations back. One of t h e members of t h i s Task Force, Alan A r t i b i s e , c o i n c i d e n t a l l y t h e chairman of t h e Regional Governance Conference, l i t e r a l l y freaked out and stormed o u t of t h e Parks Board meeting a f t e r abruptly resigning.
What does it a l l mean? I f t h e r e i s a "study" on poverty, does it make much sense t o a s k someone with a degree i n s o c i a l planning o r s o c i a l work while never c o n s u l t i n g people working with a n t i - p o v e r t y groups? I f development i s hoped f o r , does it make sense t o p l a n f o r h i g h l y c o n c e n t r a t e d masses of people, i n h i g h r i s e s , o f f i c e s , e t c . without t a l k i n g t o people involved w i t h t e n a n t s ' r i g h t s o r s o c i a l housing =. +h#. b l I Y Ll"+.^-; L V J I I I ~ = ~ L L a ~ I I V vG l l l ~ l l L. 11 &IL I I ~ ' p l a n ' i n v o l v e s b r i n g i n g thousands of people i n t o t h e downtown a r e a , "build a freeway" i s e a s i l y agreed t o i n t h e c o r p o r a t e boardroom, l e a v i n g r e s i d e n t s along whatever pathway i s "chosen" t o r e a c t with c o n f r o n t a t i o n demonstrat i o n s - t h e ongoing Us a g a i n s t Them. In t h e c a s e of t h e Regional Governance conference, t h e sponsors were a couple of u n i v e r s i t i e s , t h e Board of Trade, Real E s t a t e Boards, A r c h i t e c t u r a l and Engineering groups.. and t h e p l a n n e r s of t h i s conference were q u i t e s a t i s f i e d t h a t everyone who mattered was r e p r e s e n t e d . DERA, End L e g i s l a t e d cllb
The most r e c e n t example of p u b l i c p r o c e s s being scorned was a t t h e Parks Board,when, even a f t e r t h e NPA sponsored "Zoo Expansion" referendum was def e a t e d i n t h e municipal e l e c t i o n s , t h e
^.."
--.-..---L?
T I I
Poverty, Tenants Rights Action Coalit i o n , Greenpeace, COPE C o u n c i l l o r s E r e p s from o v e r a dozen o t h e r groups seemed t o have been excluded on t h e b a s i s of being " s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t grouptf m i s f i t s . Oddly enough, A r t i b i s e e t a1 d o n ' t s e e development c o r p o r a t i o n s o r r e a l e s t a t e boards a s " s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t groupsf' - t h e i r l o g i c being t h a t such groups a r e p r o f i t - m o t i v a t e d s o of course r e p r e s e n t anyone who m a t t e r s . The p o l i t i c a l p a r t o f t h i s was covered by such a n o t a b l e a s Gord Campbell, c u r r e n t l y a c t i n g a s Mayor of Vancouver and a u t h o r of such p u b l i c p r o c e s s f i a s coes a s Downtown South, t h e Resource i+i
n? --c r I ~ I
a ,
Ia l~t u
JV
nn
"11.
The e x p e r t s , right-wing p o l i t i c o s , c o r p o r a t e c o n s u l t a n t s 6 t h e owners of same a r e xll q u i t e c o n t e n t t o make p l a n s and design s t r a t e g y with o n l y t h e s m a l l e s t sop t o " s p e c i a l i n t e r e s t s ' ' t h e p u b l i c - by having 2nd E 3 r d echelon employees t a k e t h e complete c h a r t s G graphs t o t h e charade t h a t p a s s e s f o r a p u b l i c meeting.
l i n e f o r i n d i v i d u a l s t o g e t obscenely r i c h a t t h e expense of t h e g e n e r a l popu l a t i o n , t h e n milk t h e p u b l i c t r e a s u r y and run, l e a v i n g a $500 b i l l i o n d e b t f o r t h e same p u b l i c t o pay. P a r t i c i p a t i o n from t h e v e r y beginning of r e g i o n a l governance E a l l t h a t it i m p l i e s i s e s s e n t i a l t o r e v e r s e t h e wealth p o l a r i s a t k o n t r e n d t h a t i s now a c c e l e r a t i n g - a s it d i d i n t h e 1920's b e f o r e t h e Great Depression of 1929. The economic d i s a s t e r of t h e 1930's w i l l seem l i k e a p i c n i c compared t o what i s coming. P r i o r i t i e s E communic a t i o n must be i n c l u s i v e t o change from a c u l t u r e based on greed looking o u t r-- -.--I.----LUL ~ l u l l l v r ; ;u ~~ i r ; L V & ~ ~ ~ i e k ut ijl ti uil compassion E looking o u t f o r each o t h e r . A -
By PAULR
[ I m T a q ' I\
We've a l r e a d y seen what such narrowminded, "you- scratch-my-back- I ' 11scratch-yours" manouevering has done, l i k e t h e Savings E Loan d i s a s t e r i n t h e S t a t e s . A l l t h e f ' r i g h t " people g o t t o g e t h e r , made it l e g a l r i g h t down t h e
ax-1
TAYLOR
THE "WORLD ' S GREATEST" :
J o a n l e d e s c r i b e d h e r s e l f once a s "The World's G r e a t e s t C h a i r Dancer." C h a i r danc ing i s what you do when you d o n ' t want t o Eet up & dance, b u t you l i k e t h e - m u s i c s o nuch you c a n ' t s i t s t i l l . J o a n i e r e a l l y was t h e w o r l d ' s g r e a t e $ t . She was unique - & unique i s t h e o p p o s i t e of c o n v e n t i o n a l , i f you know what I mean. I remember J o a n i e s p i l t b e e r on h e r d r e s s i n t h e middle of an i n s p i r e d , s l i g h t l y drunken speech s h e was making one n i g h t i n t h e Blackstone ( h e r f a v o r i t e pub b e s o r e it became t h e Hotel C a l i f o r n i a ) . She stopped' c h a i r d a n c i n g f o r a minute, grew s i l e n t & s t a r e d a t t h e s t a i n on h e r d r e s s '...a c t u a l l y , s h e t i l t e d h e r head s l i g h t l y & examined i t w i t h g r e a t c u r i o s i t y . Then, w i t h s t u d i e d c o n c e n t r a t i o n , slow l y poured a l i t t l e more b e e r i n t o h e r l a p . She seemed t o become o b l i v i o u s t b everyt h i n g around h e r , & o b v i o u s l y approved o f t h e e f f e c t , s p l a s h i n g a few more s p o t s on
h e r s e l f . Suddenly s h e had c r e a t e d , i n h e r own e y e s , a work of a r t - a m a s t e r p i e c e , t h a t b o r e a message a s c l e a r l y a s i f i t had been w r i t t e n i n t h e b e e r s t a i n s thems e l v e s . . . " A l l of l i f e i s a c r e a t i v e a c t even t h e m i s t a k e s . " 1f J o a n i e had been a c o n v e n t i o n a l s l o b i n s t e a d of a u n i q u e c l a s s i c , s h e w o u l d l v e reacted i n one of two ways a v a i l a b l e t o c o n v e n t i o n a l minds: e i t h e r s h e would have dismissed t h e s t a i n a s u n i m p o r t a n t - o r b e come o b s e s s e d w i t h c l e a n i n g i t up. As it happens, i n t h e s p i r i t o f a l l good c h a i r d a n c e r s , J o a n i e took t h e h i g h road, & t u r n e d a s l o p p y s o c i a l embarassment i n t o a creative a c t t h a t s a t i s f i e d h e r . Not o n l y
c r e a t i v i t y , b u t h u m i l i t y f, a s e n s e of humour animated t h i s impulse. J o a n i e was v e r y human, Her h e a r t was i n t h e r i g h t p l a c e f, t h e r e was n o t h i n g s h e c o u l d do about i t . She was c o n t i n u o u s l y l o o k i n g f o r good homes f o r an e n d l e s s supp l y o f k i t t e n s , s i n c e s h e could n e v e r r e f use t h e use of her closet t o s t r a y c a t s t h a t happened t o g e t p r e g n a n t . J o a n i e was u n c o n v e n t i o n a l , c h i l d l i k e , 4 u n i q u e . Real human n a t u r e i s l i k e t h a t . T h i s i s something p o l i t i c s , s c i e n c e 6 medi c i n e w i l l n e v e r u n d e r s t a n d . I'm s u r e t h e r u s h hour o f western progress w i l l never know what it missed. TORA
i
REASONS WHY
Canada should not enter into the proposed trilateral 'TREE" trade agreement with the United States & ~ e x i c o : In 1988 Brian Mulroney promised jobs, 'obs, jobs under a Free Trade Agreement with the United States. Instead anadians have suffered the loss of over 200,000 jobs and t h e number is rising. We cannot trust the Mulroney government to rotect the interests of the majority of Canadians. The Mexican dea can only result i n the loss of many more jobs.
d
f
In 1988 Brian Mulroney said free trade would bring lower consumer prices and save the average family $800 a year a s a result. Instead rices did not come down and 1991 actually saw piices increase with the Goo and Services Tax. Why should we trust their promises this time?
E' l
In 1988 Brian Mulroney said free trade would bring prosperityT--&--.-I to borderI-:-communities i 1'- - --- 1 - - L f-am L C . . . as Americans took pcivarliage of a w e s u t u , ~ ~ G C U ~ L LLL ~LL L L C G . I-VGCW rua uoJ caused thousands of Canadians to flock to US. shop ing centres a t the price of jobs a t home. This can only become worse with cheap exican-assembled products flooding the market. i U U r
%
In 1988 Brian Mulroney promised retraining and relocation programs to offset any "adjustments" to our economy because of the FTA. Out-of-work Canadians are still waiting. Instead of delivering that promise, we have seen the Conservatives dismantle our primary social safety net Unemployment Insurance.
-
In 1988 Brian Mulroney assured Canadians that water was not on the negotiating table. Instead the Saskatchewan Tories signed agreements that will require diverting water from other systems to meet obligations to the United States. With the Mexican deal, abundant Canaclian resources will be even more in demand. There are now close to 2,000 American and multinational factories operatin i n Mexico to take advantage of low-wage levels. Since the Mulroney trade dea , a t least 40,000 jobs have been relocated to Mexico from manufacturing jobs in Canada. Under a n expanded agreement, this "trickle" would become a flood of lost jobs.
k
The number of Maquiladora assembly plants along the border is growing by 15 ercent every year. This means on average that one new plant opens every worLng day in Mexico. Under a n expanded deal, this growth would mushroom dramatically and cost Canadians thousands more jobs. Not only is Brian Mulroney asking us to compete with wages of 60 cents per hour. We must become "internationally com etitive" in every sense with a Mexican s stem which turns a blind eye to child la our and every other imaginable abuse o workers. Over 10%of the workforce i n the Maquiladoras is under 16 years of age.
!i
i!
The current government of Mexico routinely engages in human rights abuses .such as torture, assassination, political frabd and repression. These cases are well documented, and cannot be ignored in any trade deal. The multinational corporations have turned the Maquiladora zone into a toxic waste durn Mexican authorities have turned a blind eye and refuse to enforce what regu ations now exist. Without insisting on minimum standards, Canadians are endorsing this practice by expanding trade with Mexico.
?.
i " l
As the Empire Gro ws: Canada-US-Mexico Free Trade. T r a d e i s n ' t f r e e . I t c o s t s a l o t & working p e o p l e pay. T h i s i s t h e b i t t e r lesson communities a l l o v e r t h i s c o u n t r y h a v e l e a r n e d s i n c e Canada s i g n e d a F r e e Trade d e a l w i t h t h e US i n 1989. And ' F r e e ' T r a d e i s n ' t j u s t a b o u t t r a d e , b u t is g i v i n g b i g b u s i n e s s e s u n l i m i t e d freedom t o move t h e i r c a p i t a l anywhere a t anytime, w i t h o u t r e g a r d f o r t h e communities t h e y r u i n i n t h e p r o c e s s . ' F r e e ' T r a d e i s a b o u t m u l t i n a t i o n a l c o r p o r a t i o n s t h e world o v e r ( w i t h t h e h e l p of t h e p o l i t i c i a n s t h e y prop up) s t r i p p i n g governments of t h e i r power t o g o v e r n . cisio ions t h a t a f f e c t t h e economic, s o c i a l & c u l t u r a l l i v e s of c i t i z e n s a r e b e - . ing made i n t h e boardrooms of t h e s e c o r p o r a t i o n s . L e s s & l e s s c a n o r d i n a r y c i t i z e n ~l o o k t o government a s t h e way f o r u s t o d e m o c r a t i c a l l y c o n t r o l o u r l i v e s . NOW Canada i s g e a r i n g up t o s i g n t h e N o r t h American F r e e T r a d e Agreement (NAFTA). The g o a l - " E n t e r p r i s e f o r t h e Americas" - is a huge t r a d i n g b l o c , a c o r p o r a t e e m p i r e c o v e r i n g t h e e n t i r e Western Hemisphere from A l a s k a t o A r g e n t i n a . NAFTA i s t h e i r hope t h a t e x t r a c t i n g cheap r e s o u r c e s from Canada & e x p l o i t i n g cheap l a b o u r from Mexico w i l l b e t h e t i c k e t t o i n c r e a s e d p r o f i t s . A team of p e o p l e from l a b o u r & community e d u c a t i o n groups wrote a paper w i t h t h e t i t l e above. I n i t t h e impact of f r e e t r a d e s o f a r i s looked a t , s u g g e s t i n g where t h i n g s a r e l i k e l y t o go w i t h NAFTA & t h e need t o d e v e l o p a l t e r natives , 11We w r i t e f o r p e o p l e i n Canada who know t h a t F r e e T r a d e h u r t s . We b e l i e v e t h a t i f we p u l l t o g e t h e r we c a n f i n d a l t e r n a t i v e s - ways t o t a k e back c o n t r o l i n communities. We need t o p r o t e c t community v a l u e s & economi c development p u t t i n g
.
/
The Moment i s a resource f o r people who want t o l e a r n and act for justice.
1
- 9 copies
lndividuslr
Inrtitutionr
$3.00 each
$4.50 each
rS Subscriptions
(3 issues of The Moment a year) --
A
$9.00
$13.00
The Moment A 947 Queen Street East A Toronto, ON A M4M A Phone (416)469-1123 A F A X (416)469-3579 A
1 ~g
A
M r . Trever Lautens, who w r i t e s f o r t h e Vancouver Sun, wrote t h a t it was n o t f i t f o r t h e s t a t e t o f e e d hungry school c h i l d r e n . . n o r anybody e l s e f o r t h a t m a t t e r . Mr. B i l l Vanderzalm made t h i s same statement when he was l e a d e r of u s a l l . These two gentlemen would have done very well i n South A f r i c a a few years ago. Both Trever and B i l l f o r g o t what they learned a t t h e i r Mommy's knees Share your joy, your happiness, your time, y w r food, your money, g l a d l y with a l l . Give a l l t h e love you can with a g l a d h e a r t and hand. Do what you can f o r o t h e r s and back w i l l come A
-
1
A
C I U U I I L l b J J
+
A
JLVIbJ
A
U I
1
A
UICIJJIII&.
cl.,.-;nrr
UIILLllll&
draws o t h e r s t o you. You may n o t s e e ' t h e r e s u l t s of your s h a r i n g r i g h t away. Tomorrow t h e y w i l l come back a thousand fold. James Roadknight
I I f e e l so happy when.1 s e e c h i l d r e n playing t o g e t h e r . a n d t h e y d o n ' t
c a r e about t h e f u t u r e o r t h e n e x t day They d o n ' t know anything about t h i s world and t h e y a r e happy f o r what they have. I t makes me f e e l so good and happy a f t e r a long day when I e a t such good and l i s t e n t o slow music. I always thought n o t h i n g could make t h e sad person happy u n t i l by a c c i d e n t
I found you can be happy when you t a l k about what's on your mind Danny Mehrdad
It t h e time of my i n c a r c e r a t i o n I was not conscious o f t h e clanging n e t a l door fly thoughts t u r n inward t o a mind Full of Lacerat ion 4t b i r t h a s i c k l y c h i l d Unknowing, n a i v e Let t o grow working c l a s s Naive I b e l i e v e d i n God, Right & Wrong A l l was w e l l , Tryth & J u s t i c e were s t r o n g Oh! But I l e a r n e d with t h e passing, of y e a r s VL??*I-: -I l l ~G L 1 1 1 L 3 we c l i n ~ tz are a s changing seasons appear Morality with g e n e r a t i o n s Arranging y e t r e a r r a n g i n g Turn t h i s way one s e t of views Swing around once i t ' s a l l old.new: Time f l i e s , time t r u d g e s y e t it does n o t e x i s t An i n v e n t i v e r e c o l a t i o n One could i n s i s t To keep boundaries on t h e Miasmal m i s t C o n t i n u i t y i n a vacuum. What p r i s o n ? may you ask Why locked a t b i r t h What heinous crimes were your t a s k (Here, have a mo from my f l a s k ) Were t h e gods angry a t your innocent mask. But i n a crowd with i t s b o i s t e r o u s swell The c l a n g o r o f workers r i n g like a bell To and f r o busy l i k e a n t s t h e y f l y Making, b u i l d i n g , s e l l i n g and a l l We a l l must labour, pay o u r dues joy, sorrow and b l u e s Locked i n you and I Deadlocked ti1 t h e day we d i e . Tom Lewis
D9b'NT0WN 'OUTH
ACTIVITIES SOCIETY
STD CLINIC - Monday t h r o u g h F r i d a y , 9am - 5pm. FREE MEDICAL CLINIC - Mon, Wed, F r i d a y , 5 :30-7 :30pm NEEDLE EXCHANGE - 2 2 1 Main; e v e r y d a y 9am - 5pm. N e e d l e Exchange van - on t h e s t r e e t Mon-Sat e v e n i n g s . N . A . m e e t s e v e r y Monday n i g h t a t 223 Main S t r e e t .
1992 DONATIONS : Keith C. -$20 Nancy W.-$100 Luba P.-$10 Robert - $ I 0 Four S i s t e r s Co-op -$SO0 DERA -$SO0 Legal S e r v i c e s -$200 -
Actlrl.. #*p*e..ot elu* r1.u. runeslbuso8. a d not o l Ih.
r
\
Etienne S.-$30 F o r e g t Lawn -$30
.
I:lllili Clty
-
.I
InJlvl4u.l
L..ncl.clvn.
,
t l a ~ t c t l l u ~ te sc . c u p ~ t ~ c ~ .
I n f o m t a f i c a n ' t ncccpt
S u b m i s s i o n d w a t l o ~ wf o r t l t l n t f c u e l e t t c r , eo DEADLINE 11 you c a n I l c I p , find ~ u c t l' I n y l o r next issuew d I t e ' l l g l v e you a receipt. 11 Februar:! [uesday I h t r ~ r h so v o l y b r i t l y
NEED IlELP ?
~ l l Downtown e Eastslde Residents' ABsoclrtUo~~ can help you with: * any welfare pro1)lerns + lniormatlon on legal rlghts * disputes will1 landlords * u!is?>e !iyL-g- ecfidi~:;;:g lnconlc lax + UIC problems * finding housing * opening n bank actaunt +
I
or phone us at 682-0931
I
DERA HAS BEEN SERVING THE D O W N T O W N E A S T S I D E F O R 18 Y E A R S .
bly f i n g e r s walked t h e Yellow Pages under A r t 4 pages - g a l l e r i e s , shops, s u p p l i e r s , crafts. dealers Turning t h e pages my d i g i t s s t r o l l e d t o Poetry A complete vacancy Apparently p o e t s need n o t a damn t h i n g n o r do t h e y a d v e r t i s e I n t e l l e c t d o e s n ' t come packaged Cheap a r e p e n c i l s and paper There e x i s t s though small s u b t e r r a n e a n clubs C ~ i d l e l i ~ dud l ~ i wur& hidden under t h e s t a i r s S p i e s a r e more open and b e t t e r p a i d I s t h e t r u t h found o n l y i n performance Does p o e t r y become show business Would a reading on a v i d e o have more impact What i s a p a t h o l o g i c a l ' ' l i a r t t . . .a person who l i e s a l l t h e time, even when she o r he knows t h e y a r e going t o g e t caught. How can you t e l l i f a person i s one? Dear Friend. P a t h o l o g i c a l l i a r s d o n ' t know t h e d i f f e r e n c e between a l i e E t h e t r u t h ; t h e y mix up f a c t and f i c t i o n . Unlike k i d s who w i l l f i b o r t e l l s t o r i e s t o g e t a t t e n t i o n and sympathy, pathologi c a l l i a r s have a form of mental illness. Fortunately, ( " i t ' s treatable") J o e Paul
Perhaps p o e t r y belongs only t o t h e u n i v e r s i t i e s l i k e organs donated by dead drivers t o be dissected, discussed and d i s c a r d e d . No my f r i e n d s Poetry i s o n l y f e e l i n g and thought wherein p e r s o n a l i y I ,sneak up behind t h e t r u t h only t o f i n d He's reading i n some o t h e r dimlit c e l l a r l e a v i n g l i e s strewn about t o cover h i s t r a i l u,3-..c, .*"*"
+,-.A",,
Gvuuj
F
r(
---,.
gull-
.I----------
C U l l l U l l U W
A thief i n the night o f f e r i n g up g r e a t rewards f o r h i s capture A charlatan assaulting the mores o f t h e people Nickled G dimed Well, fuck p o e t r y Riding my b i c y c l e i s more fun. Tom Lewis
~ditor, c h i n a ' s expulsion of o u r 3 MP1s begs the q u e s t i o n , should human r i g h t s be a aajor component of o u r f o r e i g n p o l i c y ? Late l a s t y e a r t h e Vancouver Board of Trade made a shocking response t o t h e v i o l e n c e i n Indonesia and Canada's of o u r a i d program t o them. In a l e t t e r t o t h e M i n i s t e r , t h e Board wrote, "I am aware t h a t o u r a i d program t o Indonesia i s under review, I am concerned t h i s response may be an overr e a c t i o n . Often o u r wetern v a l u e s on human r i g h t s a r e not f u l l y understood by o t h e r c u l t u r e s and a r e viewed with suspicion. I b e l i e v e Canada should promote t h e r i g h t o f l i v i n g , but we must guard a g a i n s t appearing sanctimonious and, a s w e l l , i n c l u d i n g i n human r i g h t s t h o s e concepts t h a t a r e not c o n s i s t e n t with t h e behavioural v a l u e i f ither cultures. " I would ask t h e Board o f Trade what c u l t u r e i n c l u d e s random k i l l i n g o r t h e roughing up of v i s i t i n g e l e c t e d o f f i c i a l s as a behavioural v a l u e ? Canada should c o n s i s t e n t l y u s e i t s i n t e r n a t i o n a l w c l o u t " t o "push 6 shovew c o u n t r i e s t h a t do n o t r e s p e c t i n d i v i dual r i g h t s . Darren Lowe fhln \.sV
rhnv.lrl
-1
,..-,,-+,.;uala~lcvu
d ~ z v u r uu ~ a v ~
*L-r.
LllaC
r
~
GLlt
-
r i g h t s of c i t i z e n s a r e n o t s a c r i f i c e d t o i n d i v i d u a l 6 c o r p o r a t e greed. - Ed)
Editor, Normally I f i n d t h a t Carnegie Centre weathers any storm being a s organized a s it i s b u t I do have a bone t o p i c k . "Seniorf s OpenHHouse with Snacksw A s I a r r i v e d a t t h e door t o t h e S e n i o r s Lounge, I was asked t o show ID. My S e n i o r s (membership) c a r d had expi r e d i n December.. t o o bad, I don' t go. i n . An Open House i s f o r everyone. When you c l o s e t h e door t o one, your house i s no l o n g e r open. Members only i s f o r p r i v a t e clubs. Dreamweaver PS: I ' m now a paid-up member ( a g a i n ) . Dreamweaver, Doubtless members of Carnegie who happen t o be s e n i o r s (over 40) w i l l respond, b u t t h e b a s i c r u l e f o r y e a r s has been t h a t t h e S e n i o r s Lourage i s f o r people, o v e r 40, who pay $1 a y e a r t o be a member of Carnegie. I t was passed a t a S e n i o r s ' Committee meeting because t h e Lcunge h o l d s t h e o n l y TV i n Carnegie and a l l t h e c h a i r s were being taken om a d a i l y b a s i s by nons e n i o r s , people with l i t t l e o r no r e s p e c t f o r o t h e r o r o l d e r s e n i o r s , smoke r s 6 c o f f e e d r i n k e r s who c o u l d n ' t a f f o r d t h e d o l l a r f o r a y e a r ' s membership. Admi sqinn t o m y p~!ent i n t h e S ~ n i n y g Lounge i s gained by being a Carnegie '+n i o r member. A r t Work
He has e l e c t e d t o f o r g o h i s s t u d y of t h e Old Masters. I t o n l y a g g r i e v e s him, how t h e Old Masters w i l l emulate h i s techniques have b l a t a n t l y l i f t e d c e r t a i n s t r o k e s of h i s ; p a r t i c u l a r treatments; he has found many r e p e a t e d i n s t a n c e s .
The i c e i s beginning t o melt. Back i n 1981-82 t h e r e was a r a b i d s o c r e d , a c t i n g a s premier, named B i l l Bennett. He had j u s t been e l e c t e d , I t h i n k , and l i k e Mulroney i s doing now decided t h a t o r d i n a r y c i t i z e n s should pay f o r t h e i n c r e d i b l e mess he G h i s c o h o r t s i n t h e government had caused. The word was " R e s t r a i n t " , s h o r t f o r " I ' v e got mine and I ' m going t o screw you f o r yours t o o !I t There was born a c o a l i t i o n of l a b o u r and community groups named " S o l i d a r i t y " and b a t t l e was joined. There were demo n s t r a t i o n s , marches, meetings ... i t was t h e f i r s t t i m e t h a t l a b o u r 6 c i t i zens' o r g a n i s a t i o n s had worked t o g e t h e r l i k e t h i s , but t h e r e lay t h e core of t h e problem. Labour has v e r y s t r u c t u r e d procedures; you make a c a s e f o r your view of an i s s u e and t h e n i t ' s nwi-- f~ 2 ynre
1--
-
m~jnrit;r ~ I J L ~ C . ezll
t i o n s G r e s p e c t i v e (non-labour) groups o p e r a t e on t h e b a s i s of consensus.. you propose s t r a t e g y l a c t i o n t h a t most everyone i s comfortable with ( o r a t l e a s t has no s e r i o u s problem doing). Bennett was going a l l he could t o ) i g n o r e t h e growing s o c i a l u n r e s t b u t [ S o l i d a r i t y was determined. Labour i n volvement i n S o l i d a r i t y was coming unglued a s t h e y d i d n ' t have c o n t r o l ; a union r e p had 1 v o t e , even i f t h e y were r e p r e s e n t i n g a 10,000 member orga n i s a t i o n , w h i l e t h e r e would b e a r e p i t h an e q u a l v o t e even i f t h e y were rom an o r g a n i s a t i o n w i t h o n l y a handf u l o f members.
I t came t o a head when t h e r e was a v o t e t o hold a g e n e r a l s t r i k e . There were 20 community groups G 19 l a b o u r unions r e p r e s e n t e d and t h e v o t e was 20-19. Members o f unions were supposed t o hold an ' t i l l e g a l " s t r i k e , f a c e f i n e s 6 imprisonment; t h e s t a f f and v o l u n t e e r s of t h e community groups d i d n o t have t h i s t h r e a t t o f a c e . I t h i n k it was Jack Munroe o r someone who went t o Kelowna and made a d e a l with Bennett ...t h e s e v e r i t y of h i s " r e s t r a i n t " program was s h a r p l y r e duced. From t h e n u n t i l now t h e BC Fed e r a t i o n of Labour h a s c o n s c i o u s l y opposed involvement i n c o a l i t i o n s . Over t h e l a s t few y e a r s , with " f r e e " t r a d e , t h e GST, p r i v a t i s a t i o n G deregu l a t i o n , l o c a l Labour Councils have worked with v a r i o u s c o a l i t i o n s b u t t h e Fed, under G e o r g e t t i , has n o t g i v e n s u p p o r t . When t h e Canadian Labour Cong r e s s made $18,000 a v a i l a b l e t o each p r o v i n c i a l Federation - funds f o r orga n i s i n g "Enough i s Enough1' a c t i o n s on O c t . 2 6 ' ~n a t i o n a l day of a c t i o n - t h e BC Fed was t h e o n l y p r o v i n c i a l l a b o u r body i n Canada t h a t r e f u s e d t o match them and r e l e a s e them t o h e l p . Local l a b o u r c o u n c i l s and i n d i v i d u a l unions donated what t h e y could and went t o t h e BC F e d ' s Annual General Meeting determined t o break t h i s jam. I d o n ' t p r o f e s s t o know how unions work p u t i t took a l o t of energy t o g e t t h e following " s u b s t i t u t e resolut i o n " passed and t h e f u t u r e b r i g h t e n s : WHEREAS s u c c e s s i v e Conservative and L i b e r a l governments have i n f l i c t e d c r e d i b l e h a r d s h i p s on Canada's work ing p e o p l e ; and WHEREAS unemployment , enormous pub1 d e b t , u n f a i r t a x a t i o n and s o c i a l s e r v i c e cutbacks c o n t i n u e t o h u r t working people; a n d . . . .
4
I
p U u x l r
8L IT FURTHER RESOLVED t h a t t h e B.6. Federation of Labour p a r t i c i p a t e i n t h e n a t i o n a l Action Canada Network; E BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED t h a t t h e B.C.
Federation of Labour Executive Board convene a meeting o f groups such a s t h e c u r r e n t Action Canada ~ e t w d r kBC, o t h e r l o c a l c o a l i t i o n s , F i r s t Nation: o r g a n i s a t i o n s , s e n i o r s , churches, women1s groups, n o n - a f f i l i a t e s , and o t h e r i n t e r e s t e d community groups with t h e g o a l of e s t a b l i s h i n g a v i a b l e , r e p r e s e n t a t i v e province-wide component of t h e Action Canada Network t o accomplish l a b o u r ' s agenda.
.
I heard t h a t Ken G e o r g e t t i , t h e P r e s i d e n t of t h e BC Fed, wasn't t o o t h r i l l e d with t h i s b u t everyone has t o wake up soon. By PAULR TAYLOR
IF ~f you the the the the
YOU
Carnegie Newsletter, IVell, a y e a r has passed s i n c e we l a s t s e n t you a donation t o cover t h e m a i l i n g c o s t s o f t h e Carnegie Newslett e r , s o I am sending you a cheque f o r a n o t h e r y e a r . We r e a l l y enjoy t h e news l e t t e r and f i n d it a u t h e n t i c , c r e a t +ve 6 p r o v o c a t i v e . Keep up t h e good work! I have enclosed a copy of o u r newsl e t t e r , which i s kind of tame by compa r i s o n , b u t we a r e working on it. We a r e a l s o s t i l l t r y i n g t o make t h e G r e a t e r F o r e s t Lawn I n i t i a t i v e Council a t r u e g r a s s r o o t s , community development o r g a n i s a t i o n , b u t t h i s i s n o t without i t s d i f f i c u l t i e s . We c e r t a i n l y a r e i n s p i r e d by t h e Carnegie C e n t r e G Best wishes t o you a l l ! D.E.R.A.
OPEN
open your e a r s you' 11 healmost o p t i m i s t i c a r e t h e p r o f i t s . o f doom ghost p e s s i m i s t i c need p r o p h e t s and soon e v a n g e l i s t p r e a c h e r a monetary black h o l e e v o l u t i o n i s t t e a c h e r says humanity l a c k s s o u l ,
I f you the the the the
open your e a r s y o u ' l l h e a r whimpering winds o f doubts b i l l i o n s of stomach growls m i l l i o n s e a r t h quakes a s it scowls
I f you the the the the
open your e a r s y o u ' l l h e a r moan o f e x t i n c t s p e c i e s sounding groan o f Noah's hammer pounding creak of t h e Reaper's g r i n d i n g wheel squeak of g i a n t l o c u s t s i n t h e f i e l d
I f yau the the the the
open your e a r s y o u ' l l h e a r b i a s e d h i s t o r i a n remembering t o f o r g e t s i g h o f a plundered p l a n e t ' s deep r e g r e t s avenging a n g e l s above you s o a r heavens evening a l l t h e s c o r e s
w h i g n ~ r i n gi/!inds r
-----
cf donkt
J. La R i v i e r e
J u t t a Elbe
TIME WAS