January 15, 2006, carnegie newsletter

NEWSLE IIER 401 Main St. Vancouvtr

604-665-2289

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.Sien-Off Thouehts for 2005: . Most knowledge we use is less than 15 years old. . The half-life of internal medicine knowledge is 4 years. So by the time a resident graduates obsolescence has already started. . A technical degree's shelf life is 5 years. . Our knowledge of physics, health and human development doubles every eight years. . I 0,000 scientific articles are published every day. . 1,000 health care journals are published each month. . 80% of the things we'll use in 2014 have not been invented yet. . 60% of everything from finances to parking tickets can be handled without human intervention. . The class of 2000 was exposed to more information in one year than their grandparents were in a lifetime From a keynote address by Tony Williams, B&, MSc, PhD, Prolessor- &hool ofLeadership Studies, Royal Roads University

KAT SAYS TO GET OUT mERE TO VOTE! TO FIND OUT WHERE TO VOTE: Call the main office (604) 664-9050. All they have to do is give their postal code and the person answering the phone will tell them where their local polling station is.

Also it's easier to vote now... so make sure you do!! those on the web can go to www.election.ca and where it asks what your postal code is type in your postal code and then click on WHERE DO I VOTE? and it will pull up your polling station address and times. or ask someone to do it for ya.

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Carnegie Community Centre Association BOARD of DIRECfORS Thursday, February 2, 7:00pm (Theatre) FINANCE COMMITTEE Wednesday, February 1, 4:30pm (Assoc. Office) PROGRAM COMMfri'EE Tuesday, January 31,4:00 pm (Assoc. Office) COMMUNITY RELATIONS COMMITTEE Thursday, January 26, 4:00pm (Assoc. Office) SENIORS' SUPPORT GROUP Thursday, January 19, 2:00 pm (Theatre) EDUCATION/LffiRARY COMMI'riEE Wednesday, January 18,3:00 pm (Classroom 2)

First Nations Princess Beautiful Mother Honourable Grand-mother Sincere Sister . Loving Aunt Absent Great-aunt Precious Cousin Forgiving Ex-wife Dedicated Volunteer Trustworthy Friend Respectful Individual I am No~a-Jean from Telkwa B.C., living in the Downtown Eastside, proud to be in recovery and I strive to be clean and sober. I have love, honour, respect and compassion for fellow addicts and will stand by those who need me. I stayed sober on Christmas and New Year's Day. Love and kisses, Norma-Jean

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WHAT'S UP AT THE STATION Station Orientations Come on down to Co-op Radio and find out how to become a part of the people's station. Information sessions are held on the third Tuesday of every month at 6pm. No registration required.

-Tuesday, January 17 -Tuesday, February 21 -Tuesday, March 21 (spring into Co-op!)

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2005 Annual General Meeting Co-op Radio's 2005 Annual General Meeting was held on Sunday, November 27th at the Roundhouse Community Centre. A new Board of Directors was elected by the station's membership. Volunteers were given recognition for their contributions over the past year, and members passed a number of special resolutions to reaffrrm the station's engagement with and commitment to its listening members in the coming year. Thanks to all who attended!

路 New, Recent and Returning Shows Check out the fresh sounds that Co-op has to offer!

-Awakening Dreams By Language Children share their stories, experiences and dreams.

-Y57 Youth speak up and speak out with interviews, music and spoken word.

-Contempo A fusion of Latin American, world and urban music in context.

-Conception Radio ' NuJazz, Broken Beat.electronic music -Chasin' the Tr@in Chasin' The Train is back! Join Cory Weeds for an exciting hour ofjazz radio.

Check the Co-op Radio Program Guide for all the details!

Wzsh List

Do you have items that we could use?

If you can donate any of the following, please contact us at: technician@coopradio.org or 604-6848494 ext. 228 -Outreach materials (t-shirts, stickers, magnets, hats, buttons, mugs) .

-Letter-size printer paper (white and colour) -Photocopying -Flat plastic CD sleeves -RAMforPCs -Headphones -Microphones -XLR cables and connectors -Toilet paper and paper towels -Garbage bags -Healthy ferns Media Democracy Day 2005 Co-op Radio was proud to be a part of the fifth annual Media Democracy Day Independent Media Fair, Saturday, October 22nd, 2005 at the Vancouver Library Central Branch: Thanks to the Campaign for Press and Broadcasting Freedom for helping to organize the event.

To learn more about Media Democracy Day, visit www.mediademocracyday.org

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TURN ON YOUR RADIO -Downtown East Side Radio Cabaret Come to the Cabaret. live at the Radio Stati.,on Cafe every other month!

Starting Sunday, January 29th at 9pm . -Just Radio A strictly legal broadcast debunks Canada's refugee myths, exploring the obstacles to entry and the risks of deportation and detention.

Wednesday, February 1st at noon -2006 Homelessness Marathon Co-op Radio participates in the fourth annual, people-powered homelessness radio marathon, broadcasting news from the streets of Montreal and cities across the country. Read all about it at www.ckut.ca/ homeless.

Wednesday, February 15th at 2pm

Re: police raids on Astoria Hotel, Lucky Lodge, and Gastown Hotel .

From: Carnegie Community Action Project, Jean Swanson First, CCAP would like to be notified if and when any of the above hotels are scheduled to appear before council to show cause why their license should not be suspended, and we would like to speak to council as a delegation if and when this happens.

Secondly, we are extremely concerned about the impact of the police raids on the three Downtown Eastside Hotels listed above. We agree that the people who are fraudulently collecting welfare cheques and illegally selling drugs should be stopped, and we strongly believe that hotels and rooming houses should be maintained in a clean and safe condition and have good management. However, we urge Council to deal immediately with the impact of the raid on existing tenants of the hotels, and on the available housing stock in the Downtown Eastside.

Im12act on tenants: What will happen to current tenants if the buildings are closed as the police suggested they should be?

What will happen to these tenants because of the Ministry's actions (on Global TV and in the Sun) of stopping cheques to landlords at the three addresses?

Does this mean that, effectively, no one on welfare will be able to stay in these buildings? Christmas holidays are here. The city needs to ensure that there is an alternate structure to make sure that vulnerable people who have their rent paid directly to the land lord will not be evicted because the Ministry is no longer sending cheques to their landlord. The city and province must work together to ensure that this accommodation is available for current residents and maintained in an acceptable condition. We urge council to use Section 23.8 of the Standards of Maintenance bylaw, which allows the city to do the work in buildings that landlords won't maintain.

That way the buildings can remain open for current tenants.

Im12act on stock of affordable housing in the Downtown Eastside: The three buildings together contain 223 units of low income housing. The City's Housing Plan for the Downtown Eastside asserts that it is crucial to maintain the existing stock of affordable rooming

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houses and hotels. The City's policy is to replace each unit of hotel or rooming house housing tliat is converted or demolished with one unit of new social housing. However, there are currently no federal or provincial funds for new social housing and, in the past few years, one of the major causes of hotels and rooming house rooms being deleted from the housing stock has been closure by the city for maintenance violations. The Downtown Eastside Housing Plan (page 38) has good recommendations for enforcing the Standards of Maintenance bylaw) including requiring a hotel management certificate as a condition of receiving a business license and as a requirement for SROs reopening after closure from enforcement action. These recommendations should be implemented immediately rather than only studied. According to police more hotels may be in the same situation as the three that were closed. City staff should immediately start enforcing the Standards of Maintenance bylaw in these places too.

The city should also consider buying the hotels and running them for Downtown Eastside residents.

The raid on the three hotels needs to be seen in con路 text of other forces that are reducing the low income housing stock for current Downtown Eastside residents. For example, some landlords are upgrading their rooms and renting to students only, and the new Woodwards development, with SFU, will

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attract even more students who could displace existing residents. While some hotels and rooming houses are in ok condition, others are disgusting.

CCAP has directed complaints about specific hotels to the city with very little result. City inspectors don't seem to want to put too much pressure on owners, fearing closure.

The city also needs to immediately, before the federal election, put pressure on all the federal political parties to reinstate funding for new social housing, and put pressure on the province before the budget in February, to increase welfare rates, including the shelter portion, so landlords won't be able to use inadequate revenue as an excuse for poor maintenance.

With the World Urban Forum coming up in June, now would be a great time for the city to act fast and prove that one of the best cities in the world for people who are not poor, can ensure at least minimal housing for people who are poor.

Yours truly, Jean Swanson, coordinator, CCAP

Downtown Eastside Residents sue City Officials for illegal conduct during Hotel inspection VANCOUVER - Seven current and former residents of the Pender Hotel, located in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside, are suing the City of Vancouver for illegal acts committed by police and ftre department officials during an " inspection" of the hotel on September 14, 2005. The residents allege that the

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city destroyed property, caused personal injury, and subjected them to humiliating and disrespectful conduct including wrongful detention. They are suing under the newly amended Small Claims Act, and are seeking damages totalling more than $140,000.

"I heard a big bang on my door," said Brian Sutton, a senior who had lived in the hotel for two years before the incident. "The police made me go outside and wouldn't let me get dressed, even though I was only wearing a short bathrobe and sandals." Another resident, who asked not to be named, added "They said we were contaminated, but'didn't give us any medical treatment. They made us stand in the cold beside the hotel for six hours without water or food.

They wouldn't even let us use a bathroom."

Officials inspecting the building called in the City of Vancouver Hazardous Materials Team when one f'trefighter said he felt faint and received medical treatment. Citing concerns over a possible methamphetamine lab, the HazMat team searched the build¡ ing. Residents allege that police broke down their doors, despite being offered room keys, and took their photographs. In the end, no evidence was found of any meth lab or contamination. The City has refused to repair the damage it caused to the hotel and although three months has passed, tenants' doors have still not been fixed.

The Notices of Claim of the seven claimants were filed in Small Claims Court, which after amendments introduced on September 1, 2005 now allows claims of up to $25,000. Because the seven Notices of Claim all share similar facts, the Small Claims Rules allow them to be combined into a single proceeding. Altogether,. the seven residents are asking the court to award $140,600 in damages, exclusive of interest, against the City. The individual claims range from $25 ,000 at the high end to $1000 at the low end. " City Officials would never act this way towards residents of the West End or Kitsilano," said Pivot lawyer David Eby. " Given the pressure to 'clean up' the Downtown Eastside for the coming Olympics, the city should be doing everything it can to improve the quality of life in Vancouver's residential hotels.

In this case, they did the complete opposite."

For Further Comment: David Eby, Pivot Legal Society Cell: 778-865-7997 news\\ irctq .pi ,¡ot Iega I.org .

Poverty breeds crime Ten years ago, Mike Harris slashed Ontario's welfare rates by 22 percent, thereby cutting by almost .one-quarter the incomes of Ontario's most vulnerable families. The young kids in those vulnerable families are now teenagers. Recently, there's been an upsurge in violent crime by gangs of teenagers. Is it far-fetched to think there might be a connection?

The Harris government cut spending on programs aimed at helping disadvantaged kids integrate into the mainstream.

There' s ample research to show that conditions of poverty, economic disparity and social marginalization are among the factors that lead to crime, notes Wendy Cukier, who teaches justice studies at Ryerson University. But in recent years, our ruling elites have steadfastly ignored such well-documented and intuitively obvious connections, as they've redirected an ever bigger share of the national income to themselves, via tax cuts. That was why Harris cut welfare rates to deliver tax cuts, with the biggest tax savings going to the richest members of society. The Harris policies took money from the poor and handed it to the rich. Did we really think this wouldn' t affect poorer children, who already faced more difficulties than their schoolmates?

Of course, during the Depression, people suffered great poverty without turning to crime. But back then poverty was the norm. Today's poor live amid general affluence, giving them a dangerous sense of exclusion from the mainstream.

The Harris government also cut spending on an array of programs aimed at ensuring disadvantaged kids integrate into the mainstream. It cut funds for teaching English to immigrants, for social workers in the schools, for community recreation. And when some kids behaved badly, it banned them from school with a "zero tolerance" policy. Where did we think they would go?

For an angry teen who feels excluded from the mainstream, a gang offers a sense of belonging, prestige, dignity and status among his peers. The . mainstream offers less and less. Of course, the mam.. stream offers jail. The Boxing Day slaying has renewed calls for toughening up our criminal justice • system. That's understandable. But it's also what we've been doing for the past decade. We've toughened up our laws considerably, including mandatory

minimum sentences for gun-related ~rimes ..T~e courts generally deal harshly with VIolent cn~als as they should. But if we really want ~o m~e this a liveable society, not just enjoy the .satisfaction of locking up bad people, we should mtervene muc~ earlier. We still don' t seem to grasp the ~onnectlon between slashing social supports and soctal breakdown, including violent crime. . .

In the midst of the current election campatgn, the Liberals and the Conservatives are promising massive tax cuts rather than massive social reinvestment. Tax c~ts may put more cash in our pockets.

But are we really better off if we have more ~as~ for shopping yet no longer feel safe to go sh~ppmg · Economics teaches us there's no such thmg as a free lunch. Recent experience in Toronto should remind us there's no such thing as a free tax cut.

By Linda McQuaig

Linda McQuaig is an award-winning journalist

---------- -- --- -------------- ---~ -N~~;sary Voices Society

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Government Evasion, a move against the poor.

An elected person is appointed by electors to govern. ln order to hold elections, a considerable amount of resources is invested. In some cases, the elected person will implement the plan presented during the campaign. Also, for purposes of "plans of national consistency", that person will have to continue with ongoing plans -medium and long-term projects- in harmony with other level of governments, and former governments.

In order to govern elected people use the tools provided by the Administrative practice. Management is a sub level tool of administration, which usually looks for the optimization of resources and results.

Government is a broader discipline that comes from a mandate issued by the people, and requires the making of responsible-critical decisions, in order to look out for the well being of the people and the state. People come first.

Government does not necessarily look for profit but at a diverse group of objectives. Not an easy job as simply management. Besides, management by itself does not say so much~ and needs to have an adjective to be qualified (good, fair, poor, bad, etc.)

A manager is accountable to her/his administnitor.

An elected person is accountable and responsible to the totality of the people, even to those who did not vote in her/his favor, which is especially relevant when results have not been ' a landslide.. ' To proceed under the concept of"more management, less government" it could lead to neglecting the very commitment of an election, furthermore to a deception for democracy.

Updated practical studies in Economic Development have shown that an effective way to minimize the effects of the cycle of poverty is at the local level (The City). As people with more money can afford to get into express and fast lines/tracks to almost everything (in some locations in the world they can even buy human organs); the poor on the other hand, need an effective government to have access -at least- to a modest level of health, education, shelter and training To avoid -or subtly- to evade government in favor of management, is not only going back in time -even behind authors as Henry Fayol and Woodrow Wilson, but also it could generate amongst other things, civic discrimination and political discrimination.

Citizens vote for government, not simply for management. It would be a pity to loose the vital perspective that the Achievement and Preservation of Community is one ofthe top priorities ofan elected citizen -especially at the local level. .

As tax evasion is a fault, government evasion could be a major fault, because that passive move, intentional or not, will limit seriously the capacity of a city to face or to react, in the face of real problems and unexpected circumstances, and surely would eventually require even more resources, because giving little attention to some socio-economic affairs, will become more expensive and costly in the long term. If the local governments of the North American cities hit by the hurricanes last year would have kept the perspective of Community Preservation and Community Achievement, many lives would have been saved.

By Jorge Escolan-Suay

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The politics of poverty How Canada can achieve its perennial resolution to end child poverty.

For many Canadians, the primary campaign issue in this election is: What is your party prepared to do, to eliminate child poverty?

On November 24, 1989, the House of Commons unanimously passed an all-party resolution that, "This House seek(s) to achieve the goal of eliminating poverty among Canadian children by the year 2000."

Five years after that optimistic deadline, Canada's child poverty rate continues to be among the highest in the developed world. Only one political indicator is inversely correlated to child poverty rates in developed countries.

UNICEF, for example, puts Canada's child poverty rate at 14.9 percent during the late 1990s, even though Canada is wealthier (using the total value of goods and services or GDP) than just about every other developed nation. Compare Canada's 14.9 percent with the 2.4 percent rate in Denmark. The Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Finland, Sweden, and Norway have virtually eliminated child poverty.

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As a public health researcher trying to come to grips with why this might be, I reviewed Canadian public health documents that' ve accumulated since the famous 1974 Lalonde Report that put Canada on the world map as a leader in "health promotion".

Health Canada seems to be on-side. Its 1998 Statistical Report on Health of Canadians stated that: "In the case of poverty, unemployment, stress, and violence, the influence on health is direct, negative and often shocking for a country as wealthy and as highly regarded as Canada."

These sentiments were echoed in a resolution passed by the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) 2000 annual meeting stating that: "Be it resolved that CPHA... promote dialogue with the public about the persistence of poverty in the midst of economic growth and declining unemployment rates; the negative effects that poverty has on the ~ealth of individuals, families, communities, and society as a whole; and solutions/strategies for reducing poverty and its negative health consequences."

Public health professionals understand the importance of poverty. There is plenty of evidence that the public understands how much poverty costs us in healthcare. Why is nothing being done?

An increasing body of research finds that child poverty rates cannot be attributed to failings of those children and families who are poor. The cause does not even lie with the presence or absence of well-meaning intentions of policymakers. Rather, poverty rates reflect the general operation of the economy - heavily influenced by the politics - of a nation. International studies reveal the best predictors of child poverty rates are: a) the percentage of low-paid workers within a nation; b) levels of minimum wages; and c) percentage of national resources or revenues invested in social infrastructure.

Among developed nations, Canada has the highest percentage of low-paid workers (23 percent) exceeded only by the USA. Our minimum wages are among the lowest. Despite Canadians' beliefs about the generosity of our welfare state, we actually have one of the least developed welfare states. Indeed, scholars identify Canada as a "liberal welfare state" that shares characteristics with nations such as the

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These nations spend relatively httle on soctal and entitlement progr~s. This low expenditure results in higher levels ;6f child and general poverty, and . greater income and wealth inequality. . .

How does a liberal welfare state turn mto a natton that takes the well-being of its population seriously?

The answer is deceptively simply. The best predictor of child poverty rates is also the best predictor of jurisdictional commitment to providing its citizens with a modicum of security and well-being: The influence of "left" parties in government, as measured by the "Left Cabinet Share" indicator. Left cabinet share is the percentage of Cabinet members who are members of a labour or social democratic party. Canada and the USA have never had a labour, CCF socialist or NDP party in power at the federal leve( but Can~da has at least had representatives of those parties in Parliament. .

How strong is the relationship between left cabtnet share and child poverty rates? Among 14 developed nations between 1946 and 1990, the presence of left parties in government is strongly inversely related to the probability that a child will experience poverty. .

To illustrate: Sweden had a 32 percent left cabmet share and a child poverty rate of2.4 percent.

Belgium had a 13 percent left cabinet share and a 6 percent child poverty rate.

Canada has 0 percent left cabinet share and a 14 percent rate. .

And the USA also has the lowest left cabmet share at 0 percent and 25 percent child poverty rate.

Why is this so? Social democratic parties are committed to full employment, equitable distribution of income and wealth, and the provision of a strong social safety net. Indeed, most of the progressive . changes that have occurred in Canada such as Medicare and Pensions and, most recently, increased spending on housing, daycare and transportation, have come about during minority government situations.

The electoral implications of these findings are clear. As Vicente Navarro of the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health points out: "For those wishing to optimize the health of populations by reducing social and income inequalities, it seems advisable to support political forces such as

the labour movement and social democratic parties, which have traditionally supported larger, more successful redistributive policies."

The bottom line is this: if you vote Conservative or Liberal in January, you are voting for child poverty. ~

By Dennis Raphael

Dennis Raphael, PhD, Associate Professor at the &hool ofHealth Policy and Management at York University in Toronto, is editor ofSocial Determinllnts ofHealth: Canadian Perspectives published

by Canadian &holars Press.

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Creative Thinking

I was eight of years of age We stole to eat Milk off the door steps and soft bread rolls From Sir Thomas Sifton' s Store Me and Jamesie Burke Stole 12 boxes of cakes We were scared to get caught So we took the empty boxes back.

Of course the manager caught us He kicked our arses and thru us out.

Jamesie & I decided to look for more excitement and profit We took on the Tourists who came from Glasgow to SW Scotland to catch the ferry to Ireland (Same) Tourists left their bags unattended Jamesie and I had lots of excitement Stealing out of the bags all food we both could carry away J amesie and I were fostered out and hungry This was 1936 in Scotloand Hard times .. (world wide.)

James McLean

(Class struggle still goes on.)

Raise welfare rates now!

On December 29th about 17 people came to the Art Gallery at Carnegie to write a letter to Claude Richmond, the Minister of Employment and Income Assistance. Welfare rates are extremely low now and the provincial government will be releasing its budget for the next year in February. Everyone wanted the government to increase welfare rates so people who need welfare will have enough for rent, food and necessities. At $510 a month for a single person, the current welfare rate is not enough to live on.

The letter writing workshop was part of a campaign started by the Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) to pressure the government to increase rates and end the barriers to getting welfare that are making so many people homeless.

CCAP has circulated a letter on the internet through various email lists and internet publications, urging people to write to Richmond. If you would like to join in to increase the pressure, Richmond's address is Claude Richmond, PO Box 9058 Stn. Provo Govt., Victoria, BC V8W 9EL His email ad¡ dress is claude.richmond.mla@leg.bc.ca.

Jean Swanson One of the letters written at the workshop:

"Poor citizens are treated like criminals" ¡ Dear Mr. Richmond,

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I have taken the time to write you this letter with the hopes of giving you another perspective as a person on social assistance.

I rent a small room which costs $3 80 per month. I don't think there exists anything in the city that is clean, safe or habitable at the rate of $325 a month..

The difference between my rent and what social services will pay is $55.

This $55 a month could be better spent on basic necessities such as food, transportation and vitamins.

Poor citizens are treated like criminals. Why? I understand that being on social assistance is not to be a "joy," but at least it could be humane.

My monthly budget fur food works out to $42.50 per week. Do you, Mr. Richmond, think that $42.50 is realistic in today's economy? Could you live oil $42.50 per week? I never thought that I would have to rely on social assistance ...but there are situations beyond my control. I'm not only ill but poor at the same time-a deadly combo. It really is a frightening, depressing, debilitating experience.

You have the power to make a difference-if you care.

Regards, D. L. Duggan

Get to know more about Libby Davies MP Most of this information comes from Libby Davies' s election website, http://electlibby.ca. I think it is important to write about some of the things Libby has done, in order to involve people in the upcoming federal election on Monday, January 23, 2006, because of what former City Councillor Ellen Woodsworth recently wrote in The Carnegie Newsletter, namely, that the reason she wasn't re-elected was because of low voter turnout. I think it's possible that that problem may reoccur, so rm writing this article to acquaint people with some of Libby's efforts, and hopefully help them to decide to participate in the election process, and to support Libby.

Libby started as a community activist over 30 years ago. She has been a strong voice for people in

,, need in the Downtown Eastside for a long time. She frrst became the MP for our area in 1997, and has been re-elected twice to that position, showing that she has won our confidence repeatedly in her ability to advocate for us in the Downtown Eastside.

"Libby's community office has helped hundreds of residents with federal government matters such as immigration, student loans, employment insurance, taxation, pensions, and Aboriginal affairs." (This is a direct quote from her website.)

I happen to know that Libby played a key role in getting the federal NDP's revised budget passed with the co-operation of the federal Liberal minority government last year. The federal Liberals were about to give corporations and businesses more than $4 billion in tax cuts, and Libby and the federal NDP instead had that money diverted towards more social spending.

Libby has advocated on behalf of drug users, arguing that, unlike the thought of Stephen Harper' s Conservatives, they shouldn't be treated as criminals. Harper has said that if he is elected, he will shut down the safe injection site, without, as Libby has stated, ever even having stepped inside of it. It was partly due to Libby' s efforts that the site was established in the first place, and also, that heroin was made freely available to addicts. Controversial subjects, it is true, but the site has saved lives, and the prescribed medicinal heroin has helped cut down on crimes committed by drug addicts, as well as eased their misery.

Libby has spoken out against homelessness, in support of the Carnegie Community Action Project' s efforts to help homeless people obtain welfare and housing. Libby responded to the death of Frances McAllister, who died on the streets of Vancouver

December 6, 2005, and said that the system failed Mr. McAllister and thousands of other homeless Canadians, and called for federal standards for in- . come security and housing, towards an end to homelessness in Canada. (You will recall that in 1993, the federal Liberals ended funding for social housing, and inâ&#x20AC;˘1996 ended standards for income assistance, finally having the end results of increased homelessness (it has doubled in Vancouver in the past three years), and cuts to income assistance.)

These are just a few of the actions that Libby has participated in as our federal governmental representative during the past number of years. One thing is for sure, though: Libby definitely deserves our su port again in the upcoming federal election.

By Rolf Auer

volunteers!!

VOLUNTEER DINNER .

Wednesday, January 18, 2006 _ Theatre@ 4:30pm This dinner is one way Staff show our appreciation to our noble, hardworking ..volunteers for all that you do for the community. Please pick up your dinner ticket in the Volunteer Program Office (for those who have 16 volunteer hours in this month).

VOLUNTEER CHILI DINNER Monday, January 23, 5- 7pm 2nd Roor Concession Please pick up your ticket from the Volunteer Pr gram Office (limit one ticket per person).

DID YOU KNOW?: Volunteering touches every part of a community and is something that is regularly practiced by over 6.5 million Canadians. The United Nations have publicly announced that volunteers contribute substa tially to a better quality of life in Canada. â&#x20AC;˘

Help: SHEER MADNESS! FREE HAIRCUTS !!!

We are looking for a volunteer to cut hair. We provide the tools and the space. This is a very popular program as it provides a much needed, appreciated service. If you are interested, please talk to Colleen in the Volunteer Program Office on the 3rdfloor.

Their Spirits Live Within Us" The meeting dates of the organizing committee will be as follows: Thursday January 5, 12, 19, & 26; February 2 & 9th, 12 noon at the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, 302 Columbia Street, Vancouver.

This event is organized and led by women because women, especially Aboriginal women, face physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual violence on a daily basis. The March is honouring and remembering the lives of the 29 murdered women and the women still unaccounted for in the downtown eastside Please bring your enthusiasm and ideas; all women welcomed.

Please come and help us plan the 2006 march For more info call Marlene at (604) 665-3005.

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PICTON GOES TO TRIAL JANUARY30 The Committee planning the Valentine's Day Women's Memorial March met January 5th and dec ided support the families of the murdered women when Willy Picton goes to trial at 9:00a.m. o n January 30.

The New Westminster Courthouse is easily accessible for anyone with a buspass; just take the Skytrain to the New West Station, it's right across the street. For those wishing to go out in the van, we will be leaving at 8:00a.m. from the DTES Women 's Centre, at Cordova and Columbia Streets. All are welcome, men and women.

We don' t intend to try to enter the courthouse; we want to represent our community; and honour the women and their families with our presence, elders, drums and the memorial quilt with over 90 names, that was created in the DTES last · year as a lasting memorial .

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Their Spirits Live Within Us••

Dear Friends and Supporters, On behalf of the 15th Annual February 14th Women's Memorial March Committee, we are writing to ask for your support. The March is sponsored by organizations and individuals in the Downtown Eastside and is held to commemorate the women in our community who die each year due to violence and to remember the women who are still unaccounted for. This year we will honouring the memories of the now 29 Women who have died at the hands of alleged serial murderer Robert Pickton ' who goes on trial Monday, January 30, 2006.

Every year the Memorial March committee needs to raise between $2,000 and $2,500. Money donated is used to pay for hall rental, a sound system, food, flowers, memorial brochures, posters, candles, tobacco and other expenses. We are appealing to you for your financial support. Here are some real ways you can contribute to making the Women's Memorial March a success: 1) Make a decision as an organization, agency, union or individual to donate monies to the Women's Memorial March or to the Lasting Memorial for women.

2) "Pass路the basket" among your friends and colleagues, and donate what is collected. All monetary donations will help us in this event. 路 3) Make a donation-in-kind of items such ~ printing services, tobacco, blankets, food, flowers, nbbon, beaded items or medicine bags. Please contact us for a list of appropriate in-kind donations.

Ifyou wish to make a contribution to the Lasting Memorial for downtown eastside women, please ~ designate your donation to Lasting Memorial memo 1. on the cheque. We hope to have the unveiling of this memorial in the summer of 2007.

We thank you in advance for your support and look forward to you joining us. The March will be held on Tuesday February 14th, 2006 starting at 12:00 at the Carnegie Community Centre Theatre, 401 Main Street, Vancouver, Be. We ask that organizations and agencies leave their banners at home as the Women's Memorial March carries five banners to honour the women from this community.

For further information or to make a donation please contact Marlene; if you'd like to include the name of a woman on the memorial brochure, please call me at (605) 665-3005 or e-mail me at marlene.trick@vancouver.ca Please make cheques payable to Downtown Eastside Women's Centre Assn. 302 Columbia St. Vancouver, BC V6A 4J1; Women's Memorial March or Lastin2 Memorial.

All donations over $10.00 will be gratefully a\ knowledged with at tax deductible receipt.

In Sisterhood, the organizing committee.

13

ALWAYS LOVING YOU

Each day is different because we are silenced. We all come from the great ~reator; it's in our hearts will-less heart aches, less pain to feel, less loneliness, missing someone you love; wondering if they are thinking of you.

I remember what an Elder said to me, stand tall and pray to the Creator, he will show you what to do when you feel low.

I never forgot your smile and your good grace - we walked many times and shared stories of when we were on a shore land skipping stones in the water, laughing about how many children we will have just two little sisters playing in the sand.

I never thought that I would lose you. It keeps on hurting, tears are always falling for you, please come home now, WE NEED YOU BACK! Pray for you every night sister, please call home everyone wants you back.

Always loving you. Your baby sister Marie Lands

survival and Abuse I've struggled with my own mistakes and addictions Why would路anyone hold me against my mistakes?

Meaning pills, not needles or pipes, Never been out on the streets But I've seen pills and broken pipes as well. '

I've been abused through and through You name it: mentally physically through & through When I was a child and an adult through & through You hope and pray that it's over soon Rape is rape no matter who does it Finally it' s over. You are still alive.

I am a survivor through and through Of all that happened all of those years You arejt survivor of the Downtown Eastside Tracy

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The Women's Memorial Quilt

By Diane Wood

We invite everyone, men included, to contribute to . the Women's Memorial Quilt. In January and February of 2005, the community joined together to create a Memorial Quilt for our annual Valentine's Day March. It evolved into a fabric banner to remember all the DTES women who have died through violence - physical violence, alcohol and drug addiction, HIV?AIDS, poverty and homelessness. Eventually we want to hang it in a permanent site where everyone can read the names, and add names over time. This project grew from the combined vision of Marlene Trick, Roseanne Gervais, Elaine the Lunatic Artist, and myself. For some of us it was a response to Canada's monuments and memorials to remember the Montreal Massacre, while ignoring our own Vancouver women. It is more loving than a stone monument that someone is paid to come in and design, in that we all made it, and it represents our women and our community as we see it. In the way that Oour grandmothers made quilts and baskets that we pass down from one generation to another, we know when we create something like this, it will outlive us. We gave a voice to a community traumatized by grief. We turned that crossword puzzle grid of the faces of our Missing Women into real people, with lives and lovers, kids and families. I envisioned a big, soft quilt to wrap the women in, wherever they -are now, on a big fluffy downy heavenly bed. I beâ&#x20AC;˘ lieve they will know this is what we've done. There were moments when we shared the knowledge of how right and big this project is. Big in all senses of

the word; if we carried it shoulder to shoulder we would take up 6 lanes of a city street; we had to snake it down the street like the dragon in a Chinese New Year's parade. I have no idea how many people actually worked on it, but it was lots. So much love and so many tears went into creating it.

Every year on Valentine's Day we gather to ask why their deaths were ignored, written off and insufficiently investigated by the VPD and Canadians outside of the DTES. It took a sensationalizing American TV crew of "America's Most Wanted" to bring everyone's attention to bring attention to the Vancouver Massacre, and embarrass officials into finally posting a cash reward for information. Many of us believe they have had that information all along, friends and families of the women were not heard, no matter how often they went to the VPD. Why didn't the VPD go to them, instead of turning their backs on the information and photographs that could have been used to stop the insane murderer(s)? ' This year Willy Picton will be facing trial for many /J of the murders. Yet we know that the body of a ~ murdered DTES woman is written off again and again as "natural causes" or a drug overdose. The violence hasn't stopped with the arrest of one man.

This quilt is a memorial for all the women we've lost, not just the names the police officially recognize as "missing". We'll be carrying the quilt through the streets again this year, and if you want to add names, messages, or images, please come to the community workshops that will be taking place over the next 4 weeks at the Carnegie, the DTES Women's Centre, the Aboriginal Front Door Tuesday mornings from 9:30-- 11 :30 WISH on Tuesday evenings, and Oppenheimer Park on Friday mornings from 11- 1:00.. Materials will be provided, just bring yourself and your ideas.

These are the names already on the quilt: â&#x20AC;˘

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Andrea Josebury Angela Jardine Artessa Eunice Robertson Barbara Laroque Betty Williams Bonnie Rangers Brenda Wolfe Cara Ellis Carapiedra Carrie Lynn Cindy Beck Cindy Feliks Daniella Larue Darlene Cardinal DawnCrey Deedee Martin Diana Melnick Dianne Rock Diane Stonechild Debra Jones Dorothy Spence Elaine Allenbach Elsie Jones Frances Young Gail Sam Gloria Sam Heather Bottomley Helen Hallmark Helen Tyza Holly Cochrane Inga Hall

Ingrid Soet Janet Henry Janice Saul Jaqueline McDonell Jaqui Murdock Jean Jennifer Furminger Julie Young Karry-Lynn Kandace Joeline Katherine Seymour Katie Brezuk Kellie Little Kerry Koski Laura Mah Laura Smith Leigh Miner Lenora 0 lding Linda Grant Lori Alexander Lorna Larraine Arrance Maria Laliberte Marilyn Moore Marina Margaret

Mary Mamie Frey Mary Jane Brezak Michelle Alexander Michelle Gurney

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Michelle Wing Mona Wilson NancyM Rachel Davis · Rebecca Guno Rose Smith Ruby Hardy Sarah deVries Sereena Abbotsway Sharon Abraham Sharon Sam Sharon Ward Sheila Egan Shenylrving Sherry Rail Sheryl Donahue Stephanie Lane Suzie Q Tammy Fairbairn TanyaHolyk Tania Peterson Teresa Triff Teresa Williams Theresa Devlin Tiffany Drea Tracy Lyn Vema Littlechild Vicky Fraser Wendy Allen Wendy Crawford Yvonne Boen

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We have a choice. We can have a cynical attitude in the face of the media and say that nothing can be done about the dollar power that creates itself in images, words, digital communication, and computer systems that invade us not just with the invasion of power but with a way of seeing that world, of how they think the world should look. We could say, Well, "that's the way it is," and do nothing. Or we can simply assume incredulity. We can say that any communication by the media monopolies is a total lie. We can ignore it and go about our lives. But there is a third option that is neither conformity, nor skepticism, nor distrust. It's the option to construct a different way; to show the world what is really happening, to have a critical worldview, to become interested in the truth of what happens to the people who inhabit every comer of this world.

- Subcommandante Insurgente Marcos

Libby Davies in 2006!! You can count on her.

As you well know, by now, I assume you do, I certainly hope so.. or do you feel like it's just deja vu all over again from 2004? I sense many people are feeling election bum-out/hangover, whether it be municipal, provincial or federal - or all of the above.

However don't let it get you down, friends and constituents: this election, like every other one, is very important for the continuing strength and clout and voice in Ottawa of the pressing needs and tremendous advantage of living in the Downtown Eastside.

In this raging contest there seems to be 3 or 4 main political parties in Vancouver East (if you include . the conservatives and the greens). There are also the usual suspects with monikers like Marxist-Leninist, Workless, Rhino and even the Christian Heritage, all of which garner their measly handfuls of votes which have no effect whatever on the outcome.

It always comes down to a 'race' between two very different philosophies but Vancouver East hasn't even been remotely close since Libby Davies won back the seat after the brief and lamented spate of Anna Terrana and the Liberal Landslide, when the entire country was so sick and disgusted with Brian Mulroney and the Conservatives that we left them with just 2 seats in Parliament.

This riding is, in point of fact, a virtual lock - an NDP stronghold as long as we protect the various neighbourhoods and stay vigilant federally; as long as we get the vote out, maybe volunteer or otherwise help Libby get re-elected.

It is critically important to make sure you, as a person, are registered to vote i.e. on the voters' list, and encourage others to do the same. If you aren't registered and/or don't know where to go, you can still go to a polling station on Election Day. Bring identification and then you'll have to swear an oath.

Libby's main opponent seems to be the careerLiberal parachute candidate, former IWA boss, former NDP follower and now turncoat Dave Haggert.

He was trounced in 2004 in New Westminster; a very weak candidate.

Re-electing Libby Davies as our representative in Ottawa reaffirms the message that the people who reside in Vancouver East will never sell out or be stomped on. We must defend our turf inside Coast Salish Territory.

The all-inclusive and almost universally popular Libby Davies is our best, only and most positive option for the long term future.

By ROBYN LIVINGSTONE

THE ISSUES LIBBY GETS THINGS DONE FOR EAST VAN: *Helped negotiate $1.6 Billion for housing as part of the $4.6 Billion NDP Budget deal (Bill C-48) * Successfully pressured the Liberal government to re-instate Section 95 subsidies for Coop housing *On-going work to re-establish a National Housing Strategy to make housing accessible to everyone *Lobbied for the federal contribution for the Woodwards housing project and urged the government to dedicate units to off-reserve Aboriginal housing *Tabled a Bill to end Racial Profiling *Worked with Vancouver organizations to end cuts to immigrant settlement programs * Introduced the Once in a Lifetime Bill to promote immigration to Canada * Introduced an eight point Chinatown Revitalization plan, in close consultation with local organizations and the City of Vancouver *Spoke out against the sale ofTerasen Gas and Canâ&#x20AC;˘ ada's natural resources to foreign interests, especially those with poor labour and environmental records. * Established a Parliamentary Committee to address violence and safety issues in the sex trade and local communities * On-going work to respond to the drug crisis in the Downtown Eastside including a letter to Stephen Harper responding to his comments against Vanco ver's safe-injection site.

Libby's record speaks volumes. She is really not a politician -with the common negative connotations

Waiting for sunrise again, the sound of summer's Strong breathing, an incipient wave Hello across the fields

that seem locked in with that word. She isn't engaged in smearing opponents personally even when the people in Ottawa act like bullies and/or spoiled brats. It would be so easy to fill up pages with how despicable Stephen Harper is and speculate on how destructive the Conservatives will be this time . .. but Libby doesn't need desperate measures in the l~ast. Also, given the incredibly biased, slanted media coverage that has Harper being 'incapable' of doing wrong - virtually the new corporate white knight - there will be plenty of opportunities to drag Harper's slime into the light of day over the duration of a conservative minority government. Hey-Ho. '"\

~1..1~; ~

~~'(,路路

And if he comes Alone, scarred head haunted Dark, and brings his hands Gently to me To fold forever in one Small room The substance of having Waited, and waiting no more

ByPAULR TAYLOR

On desire, the clear green Need, his eyes Closing on me like daylight And all the music we' ve wanted

Winter is here So be of good cheer My shoes are leaking And I sure could use a beer Except I don't drink So never mind I'll while away the time Composing some rhyme

Swirling us through to autumn Dark Thirty ~

And if it's just doggerel ~'\~~ That's okay ~ I'll write and enjoy it ~sO. And say, "What the hay?" \>o

)f not us, who? )f not now, when?

I am always surprised that we have such a low turnout rate at the polls on election day. If people in the Downtown Eastside do not care enough about homelessness, drug addiction, poverty, health care, education, First Nations issues, etc. to take a few minutes out of their day to vote, how can we expect people from other parts of the city/province/country to care enough about those same issues to do anything that help us?

I urge you to vote in the upcoming federal election on January 23rd. Libby Davies MP has been a great elected representative for the Downtown Eastside.

She has worked hard to help our community deal with the issues I have listed, and more besides. She deserves our support. Remember, if you choose not vote, you forfeit your right to complain!

Respectfully, Lisa David

Fate

Part 2

Now I am divorced with two lovely children. My boy and girl come to my place on Friday and stay until Sunday night. I don't have a house or a car. I don't have time to date anyone either. I am poor and don't have any material wealth but I know that God loves me for who I am and what I have accomplished. I have worked in the Downtown Eastsi_de for seventeen years. I don't do drugs or even drink_. I always try to do the right thing and treat people Wlth respect. Maybe that's why God gave me a miracle that can last a lifetime ....

In January 2005, a few elders came to the Carnegie Centre where I work to buy their yearly membership. As I was preparing to write up these memberships I looked at all the elders and in my thoughts I said to God, "I wonder if one of these elders has a daughter or niece they could introduce me to? It would be nice if she was born in the year of the Dragon because I am good with Dragon girls. Just a thought!" After selling a few memberships a couple joined the line. They recognized me from working at the centre for so many years. The lady, who I call aunt, is somehow related to my stepuncle. She asked

if I was married. I told her yes but that I was going through a divorce. Her face broke into a smile and she said, "I have a niece in China. Do you want me to hook you two up?" Silently I said "God, did you hear that?!" I said to her "Sure give me her phone number and address. I'll call and write to her." She said, "OK." An hour later she came back and gave me her niece's address and phone number in China.

Being polite I said to her, "Ok, I'm busy right now but I will write and call her."

Weeks went by and I had not yet called her. My aunt kept asking if I had. One day I called and the girl answered. I said, "Miss, may I have your picture?" She said, "Yes." From then to May we talked on the phone about 6 times for an average of 10 minutes each time. During this time I was also sending her letters and pictures but she was not receiving them! Finally I just sent her my address in a letter and did not include any photos and she got it! On June 9, 2005 I received a letter from her with two pictures inside. One was of her alone and another ~f her with her mother. In the photo of her alone she ts standing in front of a well known statue and giving the peace sign with both hands (the same the girl held her hands when she pulled her veil back in my dream 13 years ago!). I called her on the phone that very same day. The first thing I said was, "Wow! You have a very nice smile and you're very pretty!".

She sat'd, "Thanks I" ..

From June 9th on we talked for hours on the phone every day until the middle of July. I told her about my dream, my father, and the Girl in the red dress.

She said, "Wait a minute, did you say a Chinese red dress?" I said, "Yes. It had a flower pattern on it."

She said, "I've had a Chinese red dress in my closet for the last 12 or 13 years! I've never worn it because I've never had a good reason too, yet I've held onto to it and did not want to give it away. It fits me perfectly and does not fit anyone else so well" I said to her, "Why would you buy it if you don't have a use for it?" She said, "I didn't buy it, my aunt gave it to me." I asked her which aunt? She said, "The one who hooked us up!"

We talked about this red dress and many other things over the next few weeks. She has a sister born ... in the year of the Tiger, her brother-in-law is an Ox, her father is a Rat and she is a Dragon. I stopped her there and said, "Your mother must be a Rabbit!" She

laughed and asked, "How did you know?!" I told her my sister was born in the year of the Tiger, my 112 brother is an Ox, I am a Rat, my daughter is a Dragon and my father is a Rabbit!"

Another coincidence is that her father and mother had the same last name before they married, and so did her sister and the man she married. Her Aunt and Uncle who hooked us up also had the same last name before they were married. To top it all off.... my last name is the same as all theirs!

The coincidences don't end there. My mother left me when I was 3 years old. For 23 years I did not know what City my inom was born in or when her western birthday was. When my father was very sick he and I went back home and found my mom again.

Now I know her western birthday is July 16th, the same as her Chinese birthday. It turns out that my mom and the girl with the red dress were born in the same city! To top it off, this year (2005) the western anniversary of my fathers death (August 20th) falls on July 16th on the Chinese calendar! Her birthday!

I believe someone up there is trying to tell me something!

With everything that happened and all the things in common we were discovering I forgot to tell her about my 2nd dream. Then in August, 2005 I told her about it and she said, â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘That is very funny and strange! The lane-way; the crowd of people, and the dim light. I have lived in the same house for the last 21 years and my Father has a clinic about 5 minutes away which I have been working at for about 8 years now. The things you saw in your dream are the things along the way from my house to the clinic!"

Needless to say I am shocked to hear this!

I believe in FATE. I believe our loved ones look out for us even after they have passed away. I strongly believe that miracles do happen by the grace of God. Maybe I did some things right in my life that pleased him. I am truly grateful for these amazing events and people in my life.

Thank you for reading my story.

T. C. (Carnegie Security)

How you gonna keep 'em down on the fann?

There's a population explosion happening at the CEEDS farm in the Cariboo...

Ten little piglets born just before Christmas are creating no end of havoc in the barn, running around, getting into everything. Their mother, Nancy, a 500-lb Duroc sow, dutifully n~ses them practically on demand, but they're growmg so fast, she won't be able to do it much longer.

Within the next week, their appetites will be larger than what Nancy can provide. So we've been gradually introducing them to solid food - barley mixed with milk.

The piggies aren't the only new arrivals round the farmyard. I'm on my annual winter holiday at CEEDS and when I'm not busy tending the stock, I've bee~ trying to keep track of all the wildlife.

We were all excited to see signs that a badger had been nosing around the pasture. Badgers are an endangered species in B.C.- there are probably only 300 left in the entire province. So it was a real reve- · lation when we noticed the mounds of dug-up dirt that is their calling card. With their sharp claws, they will root down underground to find the field mice and moles that they relish.

Badgers have a big territ~ry. They can tr~v~l up to 60 kilometres between therr burrows (that s hke from Vancouver to Maple Ridge). It was so unusual . to realize that one of the critters was here that a provincial biologist came out to collect badger hairs and other evidence.

While badgers are loners, they don't always travel alone. They're such good hunters that they often attract coyotes, who tag along in case an extra meal might become available. That's why it didn't surprise us when we spotted a coyote making its way across the pasture in broad daylight. We can hear them howling at night in the woods, but you don't often see them that close up.

We were worried the coyote might go after the chickens and ducks, but it steered clear of the bam.

We think he decided to avoid tangling with Akabuta, the big, ornery boar that patrols his domain in the barnyard. Akabuta is Japanese for red pig.

Then there are the moose that keep popping up. We were out for a walk in the woods, when a mother and calf crossed right in front of us. They didn't run away, just walked off in a stately manner.

Every morning we can look out the living room window and see a mother moose and calf chowing down in the swamp grass. It could be the pair we saw in the woods, or maybe not. Seems like there's two families in residence in the neighborhood.

A couple of years ago, a female moose used to come right into the front yard at dawn where we kept a stack of hay. The CEEDS bull and milk cow would keep a wary eye on her, but not get too close.

All the animals at CEEDS are free range and eat organically. The vegetables are all organic, too. Of course, there are no vegetables at this time of year, just the animals.

CEEDS, which is near 100 Mile House, encourages visitors to come up and take part in farm life.

Lots of Downtown Eastsiders have been here for a visit. You can write CEEDS at Box C-184, Horse Lake Site, Lone Butte, B.C. VOK 1GO, or email at CEEEDS@bcintemet.net. Or you can wait till I get back to Vancouver at the beginning of February, and I'll show you my pictures of all the little piggies!

By BOB SARTI •

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A recent photo of Bob feeding the pig's in sub-zero weather OR of Subcommandante Insurgente Marcos

-This is Important I recently received unsubstantiated information that the Salvation Army wishes to pursue a program, already in use in Surrey, where the Salvation Army provides a service of collecting recyclables in lieu of the citizen taking them to a refund depot.

For many (plus a few dozen more) the only source of income is the West-End collection of bottles and cans to provide a few dollars in order to utilize in any fashion deemed necessary to the collector.

This proposed act of collecting the recyclables from the West-End will in fact deprive the poor already desperate enough to climb into garbage cans, dig through dirty diapers, food stuffs and any other often sticky, grimy, possibly toxic material rife with disease and germs for these few pennies.

Should this program be instituted by Vancouver' s Sally Ann, then the misery and desperation for those who use these garbages to survive the Welfare 35 day m~nths is only short of the arrogance of groups, collectives and organizations who take cash only and produce a meal(not of personal choice but one of eat it or get out.)

Like many who have heard the rumor the Salvation Army wishes to deprive binneres of the few dollars collected via the filth of societies refuse are to say in the least more than angry.

It is hoped that through the Carnegie Newsletter an update or confrrmation of the proposed program of this organization depriving the binners of the few 路 dollars earned under adverse conditions, we would like to request any information that will confrrm or dispel this rumor. ~ We (whoever wrote this piece) look forward to hearing from the Carnegie Newsletter to apprise us of this activity of the Salvation Army and we hope this policy of depriving the poor of the few remaining methods of collecting a few dollars will be made common knowledge and the binners are able to mobilize to stop this attack and theft to support a multimillion dollar operation.

01/23/06 Alma VanDusen and Peter Kaye Rooms., Central VPL, 350 W. Georgia. 7:30 to 9:30PM. Free. Info: http://www.necessa..YYoices.or2

What will we eat when the oil runs out?

Dr. Wayne Roberts, Program Coordinator with the Toronto Food Policy Council, will bring his extensive experience in food security to explore the following questions. How can the world's population be fed without the extensive use of fossil fuels in the production, processing and distribution of food?

What changes can we make to implement food security at the local level, while promoting popular education, public health and community control?

~~~

1996. One of the national welfare standards required provinces to give welfare to people in need.

Jenny Kwan, our MLA, said that the social safety net has been systematically tom down and income assistance is "impossible to access. '~ Kwan challenged Carote Taylor, the provincial Minister of Finance, to go through the "bureaucratic nightmare" of applying for w~lfare. She said she had tried and couldn't do it.

It's a myth that homelessness is caused by "individual failings," said Davies. "Homelessness is not an accident; it's not random; it's a failure of public policy. It's caused by a lack of housing."

Davies helped negotiate a deal between the Liberals and the NDP last April. According to the deal, the NDP would support the Liberals if they put an extra $1 .6 billion into affordable and Aboriginal housing ..

The Globe and Mail and Vancouver Province ran decent stories on the news conference but the Sun almost ignored it, even though they sent a reporter. -

o any politicians care about homelessness?

I

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On December 20, Libby Davies and Jenny Kwan, r~ Member of Parliament and MLA for this area, jomed people from several community groups at tamegie for a news conference on homelessness.

1 Listening to the speakers was refreshing because not one of them blamed the poor for poverty or the homeless for homelessness. But it was also sad because it was about a week after Francis McAllister a 37 year-old member of the Beaver Indian band in ' Alberta, died on Hastings Street next to his wheelchair after spending a night outside in freezing weather with wet snow.

"Francis McAllister should not have died," said Margaret Prevost, chair of the Carnegie Community Association Board. "No one was there for him. We don't want that to happen again. We need more housing."

Others at the news conference explained why we have homelessness today when we had hardly any ten years ago. Our Member of Parliament, Libby Davies, said McAllister's death was an "urgent call to action to all levels of government" to ensure that alt people in need can get on welfare and get decent aff9rdable housing. "The system failed [McAllister] like it failed 1OOOs of other people," Davies said.

Then she explained that the federal government had stopped virtually all funds for new social housing in 1993 and ended national standards for welfare in 1

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By Jean Swanson

The Salvation Army's Good Christians

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Feed the poor, spoonfed by dogma The Lord is your Big Brother And so is our Army of God You are scum until proven otherwise.

Line up, bright and early, at a Godful hour to eat your opinions or any beliefs that these ' Good Christians' say The Lord does not approve.

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Close your eyes Close your mind And be like good sheep; for that' s what is wanted.

Get down on your knees and let these 'good, generous people' with smiling faces and military ranks lash the evil out of you the last of.your evil pride and dignity so you will be cleansed for Sunday for some Spiritual Exercise In Jesus' Name(?) . ..

S. Tuffet

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Nftlll10111 I .. IJIIIJIV Read Any Good Books Lately?

We've started a book review noticeboard at the library. If you've got an opinion on a book you've read recently, why not share it with other library users? Just write a short (up to 200 words) review.

Reviews can be typed or handwritten. Include your name if you like, and be sure to include the name of the book. Drop off the review for Beth at the library, and we'll put it up when we have space.

New Books: Two new cookbooks this month: The Food of China: A Journey for Food Lovers (641.59), and The Food ofIndia: A Journey for Food Lovers (641.59). Beautifully illustrated with clear, simple recipes and photos of local places, these books are a gorgeous addition to the library.

Ever wondered why a Nova Scotian is called a Blue Nose? Or where Canada Dry came from? Or what an Albertosaurus is? Then check out Weird Canadian Words: How to Speak Canadian by Edrick Thay (422).

Other new books this month include After Suicide: A Ray ofHope for Those Left Behind by Eleanor Betsy Ross (362.28), Gardening Month by Month in British Columbia by Alison Beck and Marianne Binetti (635.09) Beth, your librarian

Main&Dastings

Book~luh

Hello people. As you should probably know we are presently reading MONKEY BEACH by Eden Robinson. Well I have some good news for you. We can still welcome a few more people and we'd love to have you come for at least one day. We usually have a very good time as well as a_ small snack. Mostly we are having a great time reading this book (you know, laughing and joking around) and now we are going to meet the Author at the end of the month.

I've taken the liberty of copying the poster and I've put it in a story so that you would see it and maybe come to the bookclub. Also I want to invite you to a special evening at the Carnegie Community Centre Theatre, 401 Main Street, on Monday, January 30th at 6:30p.m. Admission is free; all are welcome.

The First Nations Cultural Sharing series presents

An Author Reading by Eden Robinson

BLOOD SPORTS A riveting new novel from one of Canada's edgiest and most original young writers!

This gritty new novel from the Giller-finalist author of TRAPLINES and MONKEY BEACH takes the reader on a pulse-racing, heart-wrenching journey through Vancouver's infamous Downtown Eastside.

Moving effortlessly throug~ time and various narrative styles, including letters and video transcripts, BLOOD SPORTS is a jJowerful tale that keeps us on the edge of our seats even as it moves us with its depiction of human weakness in all its guises.

Eden Robinson's first book, the story collection TRAPLINES, was named a 1996 New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Her frrst novel, MONKEY BEACH, won the B. C. Book Prize for Fiction, and was short-listed for the Governor General's Award and the Giller Prize. Eden lives in northern British Columbia on the Haisla Nation reserve . known as Kitamaat Village.

I hope that this is enough to entice you to come to the bookclub for an hour of friendly reading every Wednesday morning starting around 11:30 AM. You can just sit and enjoy the company or you can read a few lines to get you going. The atmosphere here is one of enjoyment with a good book and a few friends. Since we have both of those, all we need is you. hal

Celebrate Mozart's 250th birthday with a performance of the Mozart clarinet quintet and jazz standards.

• Johanna Hauser, clarinet • Mark Ferris, Tony Bernal violins • Henry Lee, viola • Finn Manniche, cello Carnegie Theatre Saturday, January 21, 6:00pm ..• '

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of many things, many things, my love, and he did not eat, as in told in our stories, he did not eat and stayed in the cool forest and talked with our forefathers. He took a cold bath one day, then two days, then three and four. He ran with me running behind him, never letting him stop. He cried, but my love, · these tears were for you.. so he could meet you with. a clear heart. For four days and nighttimes, we did this. Cedar - our wondrous cedar - makes a great medicine. Grandchild my beautiful, to bath in it, to drink it, to swish, swish your person with it, on the back, on the front on the legs to make your legs strong and go in the right directions. This is right to do. For to be strong always in your mind and your heart and your eyes; to look only at good things and see straight is the only thing you must do.

I fish, my grandson .. you will fish for your food. I hunt, my grandson.. you will hunt for your food.

Always share - always share with a person. Your grandmother finds the medicines, my grandson.. you will learn this, but she must be the one to show you.

My beautiful, when my son, your father, listened and had to sleep on the floor by the family bed for four days and four nights, he cried again because to take comfort away from a man is to take away part of person' s life. But this is a lesson for a man, to stay strong and not become weak by staying in the warm bosom and becoming afraid to leave to take care of what a man has to do for his family.

Four days out of a man's life is his first gift to his child. Four day out a man' s life is a frrst gift of discipline. Four days out of my son's life is my first gift to you my grandson, to give this beautiful gift of life to you. _ Submitted bv

WHEN UP COMES THE SUN

Kat Norris

A Coast Salish Grandfather to his Grandson Grandchild, my beautiful ... to hold you in my arms is such a beautiful gift. The love for you is so great.

The day you came into this l~e was so beautiful my heart sang for days and days. The ceremony was for you, for your spirit to be healthy, strong and kind.

To be qum qum, as the musteemux people we ARE strong, forever.

Grandchild my beautiful, in the 4 days before up comes the sun, I walked down to the beach, I prepared your father, my son, to meet you. We talked

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DOWNTOWN • EASTSIDE YOUTH ACTIVITIES SOCIETY · 49 W.Cordova

NEEDLE EXCHANGE VAN- 3 Routes: 604-685-6561 City- 5:45pm- 11 :45pm Overnight- I 2:30am- 8:30am Downtown Eastside- 5:30pm - t :lOam ...

604-251-3310

(For all of you gen~e readers who didn't feel right not having a January 1st edition to read, don,t despair. Even those who have had shortness of breath, anxiety or panic attacks, para· noid delusions, etc., just calm down and ascribe such to Newsletter withdrawal. Over the next 11 months there will be 23 issues before it happens again PRT )

FREE - Donations accepted.

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NEWSLETTER

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THIS NEWSLETfER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE ·

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CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION Articles r~present the views of individual contributors and not of the Association.

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2005 DONATIONS Libby D.-$100 Barry for Dave McC.-$50 Rolf A.-$45 .

Margaret D.-$25 Christopher R .-$50 Carneg1e Editor: PaulR Taylor; layout, Diane Wood.

Community Mary C-$30 Bruce J.-$35 U'mista- $20 Centre Heather S.-$25 RayCam-$30 Gram -$200 Paddy -$30 Glen B.-$50 John S.-$80 Submission deadUne for next issue: Fri4ay, January 27 Penny G .-$71 Jenny K.-$20 Dara C .-$20 ~----. .• Sandy C.$20 Audrey-$20 Wes K.-$50 I We acknowledge that Carnegie Community Centre, and this Joanne H-$20 Rockingguys-$20 Bruce G-$5 L N~letter, are happening on the Squamlsh Nation's territory.

The Edge Community Liaison Ctt -$200 Pam B.-$25 Wm B-$20 Janice P.-$20 Contributors are not permitted to malign or attack or relegate · Michael C.-$50 Sheila B.-$25 Beth B.-$20 any person or group or class, including drug users and poor CCPA ·$20 Rape Relief-$25 Ahonymous-$5 people, to a level referred to or implying 'less than human'. ' Humanities 101-$100 :MP/Jelly Bean -$20 Leslie S.-$20

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DO YOU HAVE A LEGAL PROBLEM? Contact

Jenny

Corne to our Free Clinic on Carnegie's 3rd floor

JVaiChmgr-------------------------------~

Kwan MLA

· Working for You 107U- 1641 Commercial Dr V5L JYJ Phune: 775-0790 Fax: 775..{)881

Oountuwn Eastside Rcsident5 Association 12 ~:.ll.lstings St, orcall682-0931

Coast Salish Territory

Dear friends, You are warmly invited to the frrst gathering of the Truth Commission into Genocide in Canada in 2006, on Thursday, January 26 at 7 pm in Classroom II of the Carnegie Centre. This gathering will have three components: an educational event, a Truth Commission business meeting, and an open circle for local aboriginal and non-aboriginal people. Admission is free. For more information, contact Kevin Annett at 1-888-265-1007.

FUNNYm The Washington Post has published the winning submissions to its yearly contest, in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words.

The Washington Post's Style Invitational asked readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing a letter, and supply a new definition. Here are this year's winners:

The winners are: 1. Coffee (n.), the person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted (adj .), appalled over how much weight you have gained.

3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly (adj .), impotent. .

6. Negligent (adj .), describes a condition in which you absent-mindedly answer the door in your nightgown.

7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.

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8. Gargoyle (n.), olive-flavoured mouthwash.

9. Flatulence (n.) emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle (n.), a humorous question in an exam 12. Rectitude (n. ), the formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon (n), a Rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with Yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism (n.),:The belief that, when you die, your Soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent (n.), an opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.

Carne · Users.

Because this place is a safe :spot for people trying to stay ·clean, things like needles, wrappers, empty drug papers, and blood stains are not only banned but really disrespectful to those of us who are trying to sta clean.

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Been there and

1. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

2. Foreploy (v): Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

3. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period.

4. Giraffiti (n): Vandalism spray-painted very, very high.

5. Sarchasm (n): The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

6. Inoculatte (v): To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

7. Hipatitis (n): Terminal coolness.

8. Osteopornosis (n): A degenerate disease. (This one got extra credit. ) 9. Karmageddon (n): It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a serious bummer.

10. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

11. Glibido (v): All talk and no action.

12. Dopeler effect (n): The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

13. Arachnoleptic fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

14. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

15. Caterpallor (n.): The colour you tum after fmding half a grub in the fruit you're eating.

And the pick ofthe literature: 16. Ignoranus (n): A person who's both stupid and an asshole.

Be who you are and say what you mean; those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

Some Thoughts on

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"Signs the Times" - a book of poetry by Bud Osborn,

with woodcuts and linocuts by Richard Tetrault.

On the cover of"Signs ofthe 1imes" is a print of Olaf Solheim, drawn by Richard Tetrault from a photograph of Olaf at Solheim Place. Olaf died at the age of 87 after he was thrown out of the Patricia Hotel to make room for Expo '86 tourists. He'd been a logger, and had lived at that hotel for about 40 years. It was his home when he wasn't in the camps.

"The spark went out of him after the eviction. He just stopped living," said Dr. John Blatherwick, Vancouver's medical health officer.

In his drawing, Richard has given Olaf the power of an Old Testament prophet. Olafs body, slightly hunched over, and his large hands, suggest great strength, and his soul-searing, accusing stare c~al- · lenges the people and the system that caused his · death. As the 2010 Winter Olympics approach, Olaf doesn't want residents of the Downtown Eastside to die the way he died. "We are a community of prophets in the Downtown Eastside," Bud Osborn has written. So do Richard's prints and Bud's poems complement each other Bud's poems and Richard's prints make visible what those in power try to cover up - the despair, poverty and homelessness of our times, and the courage, endurance and dignity of those who resist an unjust s}rstem. In the ftrst poem in the book, Bud writes: · -·- .

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''across North America hand held pieces of cardboard crudely lettered or painstakingly printed express the lived poetry of poverty

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no home no job no money no food and name preventable diseases untreated because of inability to pay for relief or healing •

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reaching from the Atlantic to the Paciftc'' But people resist the injustice of a soul-destroying system. In the poem "Oscar", we meet Oscar from El Salvador. He has suffered much, but he can still "..burst forth with a passionate call to action a call for us to protest for jobs and housing and decriminalization and to protest against the violence of the police" This poem, "Oscar", is printed in the book in both English and Spanish.

In the poem "Theology from the Outer Darkness", Bud writes of overwhelming suffering and intense pain, as though a person were on a cross .. the cross being a weapon used by the Roman Empire to keep people down. Many people turn away from a person in anguish because the pain is more than they can bear, but Bud, who has experienced a lot of suffering, listens as a man tells him his story. Bud does not tum away, and Richard, in the power and compassion of his drawings, does not turn away either.

The man telling the story in the poem

".. stretches out his arms again and makes the sounds of crucifixion and says 'the pain the pain'" On the cross a person is furthest away from the Wlconditional compassion we call God, and at the same time is closest to that Compassion. This is a mystery We know about crosses in the Downtown Eastside.

In his struggle to express anguish, the man reaches out to another human being. "my family is dying right now," he says to Bud. ¡speech leads away from isolat,ed suffering to community - the brotherhood and sisterhood of those who live in pain. The sharing of a story creates a new experience that can help us find the lang~age of hope and resistance. But we have to keep c~g, even in the outer darkness. This poem contams great compassion, and in the words of t.he Russian liturgy, "everyone who comforts another 1s the mouth of Christ."

Bud continues on this theme of caring in the p~m 11 No matter how vicious the system is". He descnbes how the corporate global economy dehumanizes us: " .. .I become this system of oppression I make scapegoats of others I hate and I resent and I fear and I am greedy and even when I have called out or cried for help my voice and my wounds are managed by the system"

But Bud remembers: "yet I also bring something else to mind and therefore I have hope because of our deep and hidden and oppressed love for one another deeper than any economics of greed and madness"

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There are many inspiring poems and prints in this book. "A Binner is a Troe Spiritual Guide", dedicated to Carl Macdonald (our own Mr.McBinner) is here. So is "A New Day", the poem Bud read at the opening of In site, North America's frrst publiclysupported, supervised injection site. Bud writes, "I dedicate this poem (A New Day) to the many people who laid down their lives to bring about this lifesaving and hope-inspiring initiative."

"Signs ofthe Times" is the second book Bud and Richard have done together. The frrst one, "Oppenheimer Park" , was published in 1998. In both publications David Bircham did the fine graphic layout and design. For mor~ information on "Signs ofthe Times", contact Paneficio Studios, email: rtetrault@telus.net or Anvil Press, email: info@anvilpress.com The book is also available at some book stores, including People's Co-op Book Store and Macleod's Books. The price is $20.00. Also, there are copies of the book in the Carnegie NewsletterLibrary.

It is through this love that we will prevail: "we will overcome because we live differently than the system intends for us we live in cooperation and compassion and we have arisen and we have come alive . . .. and we are res1stmg

On Wednesday, March 1, 2006, at 7:00p.m., Bud Osborn will read from "Signs ofthe Times", and Richard Tetrault will display some of his prints, at the Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library in the Alma Van Dusen Room.

By Sandy Cameron

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Tradeworks Training Society I Pathways Information Centre "ROAD TO EMPLOYMENT EXPOSITION"

Monday January 16ttt_ 11 :00 A.M. - 3:00 P.M. TWO LOCATIONS- both at Main & Hastings 390 MAIN STREET (former 4 corners bank)

& CARNEGIE CENTRE THEATRE

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DOOR PRIZES WORK BOOTS, FLEECE PULL OVER-HATS AND MANY OTHERS FREE REFRESHMENTS

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Every one is welcome to join in on this event.

De ·n your road to employment by takin action.

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Learn more about housing options Learn how to keep yourself healthy Get information about training Talk to people who can help you find enrployment Talk to employers • ~----------------------------~

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SHADOWS DANCING

Success Skills for Lifelong Learning at the Carnegie Learning Centre

January 17 to April4

This course, offered through Capilano College, is FREE to residents of the Downtown Eastside. It is ideal for anyone returning to education or even just thinking about doing so in the future.

Success Skjlls for Lifelong Learning will be in the form of 12 workshops presented on Tuesday afternoons, from 1:00 to 3:00, with individual support available Thursdays between 1:00 and 3:00.

These workshops will include such topics as setting goals and managing time, expanding your vocabulary, critical reading and thinking skills, and participating in meetings.

If you are interested, contact Betsy or Lucy at 604665-3013, or drop by the Carnegie Learning Centre, 401 Main Street, 3rd Floor, to check us out.

Shadows dance Leaves flicker Mothes awaken Confused by the light Shadows stretched Larger than life dance harder when the wind blows It' s whooooooosh Accompanying the Soft rustling of the leaves.

Skin is tantalized By the warmth comforted by the Coolness in the air As nature pulls You ever closer to the frrepit Kat Norris, Coast Salish

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