June 15, 2005, carnegie newsletter

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PIVOT HOUSING AFFIDAVIT CAMPAIGN Become part of the solution and help to improve your situation

Drop by and swear an affidavit on your housing or homelessness experience Pivot will use these affidavits to bring about real change

EVICTIONS, HOMELESSNESS, DEPOSITS, GUEST FEES, HOTEL CLOSINGS AND MOREl

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Summary of thc Homclcss Action Plan Rcport: This report says we can end homelessness if we fix a broken system of socia l housing and income progra ms. The report says 500 to 1200 people sleep outside in Vancouver depending on the season.

Many have health issues . The first priority fo~ reducing homeless ness is to end the barners to getting on welfare.

The report uses this astounding series of statistics, gathered by city workers who have visited homcle.ss people regularly, to show that welfare cuts are a big cause of homelessness : By summer 2004 , more than 75% of homeless people were not on welfare. The specific welfare changes that cause homelessness include: -A complicated application process that takes at least 3 weeks; -A' two year time limit that denies wel~are to. peopl~ if they are considered to be not complying with their so-called " employment plans. " -A rule which requires applicants to prove that they have been financially independent for 2 years.

The report also recommends that welfare support allowances be increased from $185 a month to $230 a month for single employable people. In all there are 86 recommendations for action by 3 levels of government in the report. The two ot~er priori.ties. arc developing 3,200 units of supportrve housing 10 Vancouver and increasing funding for addiction and mental health services.

The City report quotes a Provincial report saying that it is actually cheaper to provide housing costing ($28,000 a year) than shelter and services which cost ($40,000) for homeless people.

A number of Recommendations have been made by City Council and Comments from the public : -That the data in back of the report be disaggregated by gender, age, cultural backgrounds and, most i~­ portantly, First Nations People - there is a large dISproportionate number who are homeless and at very high risk for being homeless !§. ,; "

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-That the Income Priority with the Homeless Actio n be modified to include not only Reducing Barriers to Accessing Welfare bythe Homeless, but also Creating Job Opportunities for the Homeless -(also) " the City of Vancouver to work with the Vancouver Agreement to ensure that job opport un ities are available to the homeless, throu gh such means as including employment objectives as part of larger projects permitting, wh ere appropri ate, and supporting the Vancouver Downtown Eastside Economic Revitalization Plan and the Vancouver Food Council" .

Additional consultation needs to be done with the First Nations Community and " People who beco me homeless are alwa ys clients of the publ ic systems of care & assistance, e.g. mental health, publi c health . welfare, people with disabilities, criminal j ust ice and child protection, including foster care."

Youth , those between 19 and 25, arc not immune to these changes; this high-risk group makes up almost 20% of the people counted as homeless by the Social Planning and Research Council (SPARC) a few weeks ago .

By Maril yn Youn g

Shaldon Hotel I want to let students or working people and income assistance e1ients know that we have clean . affordable rooms here at the Shaldon Hotel . We want quiet peaceful tenants. We have daily, weekl y an ' monthl y rents available in an old historic building that has . showers, baths and kitchen down the hall. Please inform those who are looking for accommodation thanks very much for your assistance.

Manager, ahjahla nelson 604-6&9-1293

"Unless there is loving kindness in our speech, it '.'i going to come out wrong. "

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. Why I don't think Woodwards will save , the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood The City has a theory about redeveloping the Down. . town Eastside. Larry Beasley, the head city planner in Vancouver, explained it in a TV documentary about Woodwards. Basically, the city thinks that you need to get purchasing power into a neighbourhood by creating housing and activities for people who are richer than the average Downtown Eastside resident.

Then, the theory goes, they will buy things in the neighbourhood, businesses will open up and the street scene will improve.

I don't think this theory will work in the DE. I worked at DERA from 1974 to 1981. At that time the DE was a poor neighbourhood but a healthier one than it is now. Most of the businesses along Hastings were open and people frequented them. In those days, like now, residents got their income from old age security, unemployment insurance, welfare and working. In those days the purchasing power of those sources of income was much higher than it is now. For example, in 1980 the support portion of welfare for a single employable person was $191 a month. Today it is $185 . According to my calculations with the Bank of Canada inflation calculator a person on welfare would need $471 a month in support payments to have the same purchasing power today as they had in 1980. In those days people on welfare could buy their food at Woodwards. They could eat the odd meal in a restaurant. They could buy cheap and used clothes and bus passes . They could afford phones if they were thrifty.

In 1980 if you were in need, as defmed by the government, you could get on welfare. That's because

the federal government paid half of the province's welfare costs. But, in order to get that money, the province had to agree to pay welfare to everyone in need. Today, we don't have that rule . Instead we have the 3 week wait, the 2 year independence test, and the two out of five rule that all deny welfare to people in dire need .

Back in the olden days, like today, some DE residents worked. In 1975 the minimum wage in BC was 122 per cent of the poverty line. That is, if you worked full time at minimum wage and you were single, you would eam 22% more than the poverty line. Today the minimum wage is about 80 per cent of the poverty line for a single person. Yes, you can work full time and competently at the minimum wage and still be way below poverty. If you rely and the $6 an hour training wage , you will only eam 60 per cent of the poverty line if you work full time .

And, of course, a lot of the available jobs are not full time or permanent.

Or take UI, now called employment insurance. Before 1990, about 90 per cent of people who lost their jobs could get VI. Now only about 35 to 40 per cent can. The rest depend on relatives, savings, or welfare if they can get it. And, the amount you get from VI is a lower percentage of your (now lower) earnings than it used to be. I can remember getting 75 % of my earnings from UI because I had children to support. But I think the regular percentage then was about 65% . Now it's 55% or less .

Old age security and Guaranteed Income Supplement are about the only sources of income that haven't been drastically cut. Their purchasing power has been reduced, but not as much as the others .

As a result of all these cuts poverty in the DE has deepened. All the studies show that poverty is a huge cause of poor health, bad experiences in school, addictions, and interaction with the so-called justice system. How much does not being able to support one's self on minimum wage, UI or welfare lead people to try selling dope or sex? All of us, regardless of our income,. are constantly bombarded with our society's idea of success: big cars, fancy houses or condos, brand name clothes and electronic gadgets.. What does it do to a person's sense of self when he or she looks at their income and situation in life and believes that they will never afford any of those material things?

I say if the city wants to get purchasing power into

the area, they need to restore the purchasing power of the existing residents.

Admittedly, this is hard to do. The provincial and federal governments have most of the control over wages , welfare and unemployment insurance. But the city's Homeless Action Plan does call on the city to lobby other levels of government for increases in all these areas. I think that's where the city needs to put its energy, not in luring richer people to build condos and live in the area.

By Jean Swanson

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's WorkillD Group on Hmnelessness Issues

First Homelessness Census Released Affordable Housing Kev to Solving Homelessness NWGHI's April 21 count turned up at least 149 homeless persons, said John Hom, Chair of the organization. "And this number is only the tip of the iceberg , It doesn't include all the "hidden ho~eless" who are couch surfing, living in their cars or In temporary, unsafe and substandard housing." .

Affordable housing and more shelter topped the list of what respondents suggested would most help the homeless , and lack of money was the most often mentioned barrier to getting a place of one's own.

Armed with a two-page questionnaire, more than 50 volunteers fanned out between 9 pm and midnight April 21, with each group assigned a designated area in the downtown and in several other Nanaimo neighbourhoods. They interviewed 110 persons; their family members, partners, and companions,

also homeI ss, brought the total to at least 149. This 5 was the first-ever census of the city's homeless population.

The census documented the many and diverse faces ofNanaimo's homeless population. One of the most alarming trends, according to service providers, is the increase in women living on the streets. Almost half the homeless people counted were women, some with young children. Also counted were youth, First Nations, and older Caucasian men. What's more, contrary to opinions about homeless people flocking here to utilize services, the average respondent had been in the city for 8.6 years. The average First Nations respondent had been here even longer 10.7 years.

The brutal reality of homelessness was confirmed by the census, which showed 32% of respondents currently sleeping outdoors, 17% not having had a meal the day of the interview, 66% not earning any money that day , and a quarter to a third describing their physical or mental health as poor. Also widespread was alcohol and drug addiction, with many respondents frankly acknowledging its power in keeping them from straightening out their lives .

Most of those interviewed had not been homeless very long : the average was a little over a year .

Women, however, on average had been homeless twice as long as men. Addiction, family conflict, and eviction led the list of circumstances that led to homelessness.

The respondents utilize a wide variety of services that member agencies of the Working Group operate including shelters, meal sites, food banks, drop-in centres, and treatment programs. Yet , more than a third of the interviewees receive no governmental assistance. Service providers constantly find themselves stretched to the limit trying to meet the desperate needs of their clients with fewer and fewer resources. Many of these crucial programs face an uncertain future as funding is sparse and short term .

In existence since 2002 , Nanaimo's Working Group on Homelessness Issues has been instrumental in developing a strategic plan for solutions to homelessness in Nanaimo and distributing federal funds through the National Homeless Initiative: Supporting Community Partnerships Initiative to combat homelcssness. A major forum on identifying solutions to the affordable housing crunch is in the offing for the fall.

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Housing, along with health, education, and -. · . - -- -:--~- -_;_;_ - _;_ - .• -.. income security, is a core need. Affordable ~ and stable housing benefits low and moderate ': income families and individuals by creating ': . . ~. , " , -" 'JAI security and providing a foundation for • .' ~ . . .•• positive change. Housing plays a central role ' . . ~ . ; - , '~ in social inclusion, neighbourhood vitality, ,,~". ~ _.

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: There are real costs associated with not ';' J~·th , building affordable housing. A recent study in W'I , homelessness in BC found that government expenditures on health care, criminal justice to her new one. and social services (excluding housing) for the Fire is the Life-Spark of the Goddess that homeless were 33% more than expenditures bums deep within each of us. Since our for individuals with homes. This study earliest ancestors first learned to make fire, the showed the cost of supportive housing with flame has been worshipped as the essence of medium support to be $30 .. $40 a day, divinity and the source of light. compared to $155 - $250 a day to maintain an Brigit is the Triple Goddess of the Irish, individual in a provincial correctional institute, Scottish, Spanish and French Celts. and approximately $380 a day for a stay in a Sometimes She was called Breo-saighead psychiatric hospital. Hospital admissions meaning "fiery arrow" or "power". Her three among the homeless are 5 - 12% greater than facets can be seen as fire operating on three those with homes, and the homeless remain in levels of being. As the Smith Goddess, She hospital on average 4 days longer per stay than aided the craftspeople and smiths who worked those with a safe, clean place to recuperate. with fire to fashion metal. She was a poetess; The public cost of homelessness and She brought the fire of inspiration into the substandard housing is clear. If our taxes souls of those who create with words and don't pay for housing, we will be paying to music. As the Healer, She tended the inner keep the homeless in hospital beds while not Life force, and aided those who worked as providing them with beds of their own. healers of the sick to give back to those who How do we escape from, rise above or heal were diseased their fire of Life. At Her from a lifetime of poverty, depression, sanctuary in Kildare they kept an ever-burning violence, crime and imprisonment, substance fire. abuse, anxiety, self-abuse and low self-esteem, The Scandinavian - Germanic Earth Goddess hopelessness and homelessness? Everyone Hlodyn aka Fiorgyn, Nerthus ruled the human needs a place to call their very own. Our home. Her name means protectress of the spirituality can provide a safe place, a sacred fireplace place and a site of subversion, where we The Slavonic - Lithuanian household acknowledge or practice the Old Ways. In goddess Matergabiae's name means "Woman very culture are the ancestral roots of a Fire fire". She was offered the first loaf of bread Goddess who rules the home, as well as the from every baking, which was marked process of baking bread. Traditionally, a ornamentally for Her. woman needed to bring fire from her old home

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The Finnish house goddess Haltia aka Holdja, Hilda lived in the roof beam ; you greeted Her as you entered to ensure good luck. She traveled with you if you moved and brought a log and ash from the hearth of the old house The Siberian mother goddess Poza Mama lived in the hearth fire, and kept the family together. They spit the first mouthful of every meal into the fire as a prayer to Her. She lit the way to the Afterlife, and was asked by shamans for help when mediating with the Otherworld .

Extend this a little farther and She is the Goddess of the Soup Kitchen and Soup Line, with Her cauldron. Her colour was always red, representing passion, fire, and the blood of life: female menses and childbirth. A primary colour, red is associated with the base chakra, the chakra of survival and security. Red is used in magic ce remonies to strengthen, empower and ward off negati vity.

The Hawaiian Volcano goddess Pele was both "She who shapes the land" and "Eater of the land". She is not only a destructive force in Her volcanic eruptions; the lava also creates new land. And in that, She reminds us that even in the midst of fiery eruptions and destruction, there is change and the coming of new life. She is the passionate, creative force in our lives that cleanses, transforms and rebui lds.

To City Council - Will they hear?

I began working for the Ministry of Human Resources 25 years ago. I have worked in almost every office in Vancouver. As a receptionist, I knew that for every client who walked through the door; the buck stopped here.

Even if the least that could be done was som e meal tickets and a voucher for a hostel , each one at least had a warm bed for the night and some food.

I have always felt that the best way to judge any government or bureaucracy is the way in which its most vulnerable citizens are treated.

Twenty-five years later the welfare system has changed. I stand ashamed at the state it is in.

I completely endorse the Homeless Action Plan I) reducing barriers to accessing welfare by the homeless; 2) developing 3200 units of supportive housing; 3) increasing mental health and addiction services.

It is imperative that City Hall bring as much pressure as is possible to bear on the Provincial and Federal Governments, for much of the implementation of this plan depends on their support, participati on and money.

In purely economic terms one of the most startling statistics regarding this issue is that it costs up to $40 ,000 to provide services and shelter for a homeless person . It costs only up to $28,000 for services in supportive housing.

As for what City Hall can do on its own, I highly endorse a pilot project with MHR to coordinate outreach to those who are street homeless and to assist eligible people to apply for welfare.

The City must develop a cohesive rental housing strategy which includes: I) encouraging the private sector to create more affordable housing; 2) preserving the existing rental stock.

Tourism Vancouver would tell you that Vancou ver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world . You would not have this view if you lived on the City's streets . Let us make Vancouver a more beautiful spot for all of our citizens.

By Chyrse Howe s

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You're invited to a workshop on the City's

Housing Plan for the Downtown Eastside Time: 11 am to noon, Wednesday, June 15th Place: Carnegie Art Gallery on third floor •

Learn what the plan says about housing in the Downtown Eastside.

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Will the plan push low income people out of the Downtown Eastside?

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What can we do about it?

Sponsored by the Carnegie Learning Centre and Association

The Fortune Coolie My good inner health always finds a way to test me An awareness of higher standards -It's there, it 's fre el On the table, I was thrilled with the sight of a single packaged cookie There, as if placed carefully, at Carnegie Centre, for one and all to see A delicious homemade cookie ,just lying there, seemingly beckoning to me Not a soul around to accept it, seriously, no one else there but me!

A delicious and tasty treat, the timing seemed like it was perfect fate I hesitated; I yearned, but in the end I decided to observe it -'To wait.'

Then I was anxious and reminded_ofa communityattentiveness A simple consideration and in fact, in reality, a warmth and kiss The homemade, lingering cookie, which I did not in truth need Left with me, a straightforward principle. a growing of a humanitarian seed This one cookie could become a beneficial statement for all in the public eye I hope to pass along an intimate, worthwhile feeding . a service we all need to cry!

Mom's words follow truth: ' Don't be a Taker; be a Giver" offer what you don't need.'

Someone else's actions today demonstrated this effort and I, as well, pass this creed.

Who would think a single cookie could bring all our heart strings to a neighbouhood bind As the quote goes : 'What goes around , comes around--' Let's rememberto be kind Recalling my own trials : my several years of undernourishment and homelessness Searching for a free, hot and decent meal, always searching my organizations ' list Praying and wishing for life to be made easier. - A hot mea], and definitely a warm bed Inquiring where to go? - Which businesses help? Thinkingof hungerl - Where to be fed!

One coo kie, at no cost, at Carnegie Centre. Perhaps one of the staff len this day 's treat The concert of everyone's events , the experienced understanding- is hard to beat!

S. Sharpe

Getting a new bed Trepidation - I think that 's what it's called when you' re kinda scared to do something. Today I was a bit leery about going back to work. I hadn't been to the newsletter office for about 3 or 4 months . It's been so long that I can't even remember. I was wondering if I would be welcome. It's newsletter day and I used too show up pretty well every time for about a year or so. I had suddenly quit coming, back in January or February. I had developed some " eye" or was it " i" problems . Anyway today as I said was newsletter day and I thought that I'd stop around and see if they still wanted or needed my help.

I was like the prodigal son and everyone had a pleasant smile and hearty welcome. Sure made me feel good . I guess another reason for my leeryness was the fact that I had been sleeping on the floor. I was sore all over and hadn 't got much sleep the night before. The night before that, I had been kept awake by strangers in my bed . You know, the little buggers who come out after dark and suck on your blood. When I got up. i destroyed my bed . I had intended to throw out the mattress and save the bed I had built for myself out of an old pallet I found one day. I had actually built a futon bed because I had been given a futon mattress. It even converted into a couch when I wanted it to. All I had to do was say "Abracadabra" and poof I had a couch or " Presto" and wham I had a bed. You know how these things work. But as I pulled it apart, there were so many bugs crawling out of the woodwork that I decided to get rid of everything, so I hauled it all down to the garbage room. I took it apart so no one else would put it into his or her room.

I told my manager and she arranged to have my room sprayed right away . Now I had no strangers in the night or a bed for them to inhabit , which left me with just a floor to sleep on. It's cement and sure is hard to get comfortable on. I have about 4 blankets and a little sponge . My next quest was to get a bed.

I was off to see my worker and hope for a little compassion . That's the wrong thing to look for in this neck of the woods, especially from someone who has total power over your welfare. I should explain something first. When I first moved into my place, I had moved out of an SRO (single room occupancy) , so I had nothing to move into a new place with. No bed or furniture of any kind . My worker was kind enough to allow me a bed from WRAGS -

9

cost $90. It was delivered about 3 weeks later so I have experience sleeping on the floor. What pissed me off was that the bed was supposed to be new, but it had springs sticking out of the side and it used to scratch the back of my legs when I got in or out of bed. Both sides were the same. I even took a pair of wire cutters to the damn thing so that it wouldn 't scratch so much . It sure was a poor excuse for a NEW BED. My worker didn't believe me that such a bed existed. He told me I was a liar, but he said he was sorry he couldn't believe me. WRAGS wouldn 't do something like that. Too bad that I hadn't taken pictures of it or something.

On my way to see my worker I stopped in at a few nd 2 hand stores and found I could get a decent bed for $50 from St. James. I thought great it'll save him $40 and I'll have a bed tonight. After explaining my self to the little king of my particular kingdom I was told I could have a bed from WRAGS take it or leave it. What choice did I have? Sleep on the floor for a couple of days or until I could get a bed on my own . I choose the WRAGS bed. I thanked him and left. I only hope this one is in better shape then the last bed I got and that it gets here a lot sooner. In the mean time I'm kinda grouchy most of the time. You know - lack of sleep and the sleep I do get is very uncomfortable. Please bear with me and I'll try not to be a bear. - Hal It's a few days later now and I got my bed . It's not new but it's a long way off the floor and I fell asleep for about 8 hours as soon as I lay down, even though it was 6 in the evening. Now it's the middle of the night and I can't sleep so I thought I'd add a little bit to my story. Hope you found it interesting.

By Harold Asham

News from the library New books : The Vancouver stories: west coast fiction from Canada's best writers -intro by Douglas Coupland.

(FIC V) A lovely collection of 14 stories with Vancouver as their setting, ranging from years ago to the present , from authors like Pauline Johnson, Malcolm Lowry, Lee Maracle and Shani Mootoo.

Sundogs : a novel by Lee Maracle. (823 MAR) Set in 1990 , this novel (Maracle's first) is about the struggle of a First Nations family, and heroine Marianne, in the year surrounding the downfall of Meech Lake and the Oka crisis . . Beyond the pale: dramatic writing from First Na. tions writers & writers ofcolour. (822 .8 BEY) This is a unique collection of short plays by playwrights of different dialects, different experiences and perspectives in Canada - telling us of the pains , sorrows and joys of people with different lives.

Looking for La Bomba: the Cuban adventures of a musical oafby Richard Neill . (917 .29 NEI) This is the hilarious story of a would-be British musician following an impossible dream to play music in Cuba . Problem is, he can 't play, has no musical talent, and doesn't know any Cuban bands!

The Indian Lawyer: a novel by James Welch. (823 WEL) This mystery-thriller, though not a new book, is a vivid tale of the American West. The hero, Sylvester Yellow Calf, was raised in poverty on a Blackfoot reservation and is now a prominent lawyer - and is not at home in either world .

The Official Fahrenheit 9/1 I reader by Michael Moore. (79 1.437 MOO) The movie was the first documentary ever to win the Best Picture award in Cannes (2004). This is the companion reader to the movie, complete with the screenplay, articles, letters and very funny cartoons. A must-read for those who don 't love Bush.

Sorry everybody: an apology to the worldfor the re-election of George Jv. Bush. Website, www.sorryeverybody.com. by James Zetlen, (973 .931) Here are 1,000 photos from citizens around America, apologizing profusely for the rest of the country's having re-elected George Dubya.

It's funny, outrageous, sometimes silly and sad .

So - come on into the library, in order to read these books and many more new ones like them! Or, just come in and use our Internet computer, to see the X-Bush website!

AJOlARN5Y

of HDP5

An influence from pain, and wastings said "it's easy to get a person off the streets, but the work is to get the streets out of the person."

One's integrity comes from the balance we build: Mentally, emotionally, physically and most of all spiritually.

Our journey is from our heads to our heart, to put things in the place of acceptance so we can grow and develop into strong indi vidual - fathers , mothers, brothers, sisters and , most of all, friends.

Our connection to the Creator is to remind us: We need not think our way into healthier living, but r member to live our way into healthier thinking.

All My Relations, Dwayne K Haluk (NWT)

Legal Services Society Tries to Cope I am pleased to advise that the LSS Board of Directors has extended the term of the LawLINE legal advice service to March 31, 2006. In the coming months it is expected that the LSS Board will put a 2006/2007 budget to government which will include this service as a permanent program.

In the fiscal year April 2004 to March 2005 the LawLiNE opened 14,661 cases (7532 information! referral cases ; 7129 legal advice cases). Case categories included 39% family ; 16% debt or consumer; II % criminal; 6% health and estates, 6% housing ; 4% income security; and 4% employment. Calls come to the LawLINE roughly in proportion to the population distribution around the province; 64% of callers were female and 36% male.

The demand on our service is growing. We appreciate there continues to be waits for callers to get through. We are reviewing our ability to provide direct services to community advocates, outside of our phone queue. For the moment, this is something we are not able to offer but there are various steps we are taking to make our resources as available as possible. Once we open a particular file, we do have a voicemail system for these existing clients to leave further information for us so the queue can be avoided after an initial call. Several LawLiNE staff monitor and post to PovNet or may do off-PovNet follow up. Our staff is participating in LSS regional and provincial training conferences for advocates, and we also contribute to various PLEI materials.

Allan A. Parker Program Manager LawLINE , Legal Services Society of BC http://www.lss.bc.ca/default/Default.asp

Artificial intelligence: No match for natural stupidity.

Carnegie Community Centre Association Elects New Board of Directors At its Annual General Meeting on June 2, the CCCA AGM (how 's that for acronyms) hosted over 30 people - members - to hearing reports from all organized groups under this charity umbrella: Finance, Programs, Volunteers, Seniors , Publications, Oppenheimer Park, Library & Education and Community Relations. oh yeah, there wasan election too..

While the executive was voted on later, the 20051 2006 Board of Directors is: President - Margaret Prevost Vice-President - Muggs Sigurgeirson Treasurer - Peter Fairchild Secretary - Gena Thompson Member-at-Large - Robin Cole Chris Laird Stephen Lytton Joyce Morgan Dora Sanders Gerald Wells

Robyn Livingstone Mathew Mathew James Pau Bob Sarti Ernie Williams

HBIIa. Hell aaaa .

Based on a survey of 1,512 former welfare recipients, B.C. Human Resources Minister Murray Coell claimed that the government's downsizing of social assistance was resulting in people finding work. However, only a third of the survey population actually completed the survey and nearly half could not be contacted because their phones were out of service.

Coell said most of those were young, mobile single people who go where the work is, which is probably why their phones were disconnected. "We assume they have found work and their life has Improved ."

The Tragic Death Of OlafSolheim Remember Expo '86?

A World's Fair came to Vancou ver to cele brate the city's 100th birthday.

The eve nt inspired developers to co ntinue building the corporate, skyscraper city, a machine effec tively designed for making money ( I) and for excluding those who don't have the money to live in it.

In anticipation of the tourist invasion abo ut 500 to 600 tenants were ev icted from Downtown Eastside hotels in the spring of 1986.

Owners reno vated the rooms and increased the rents .

Another 1000 to 1500 lodging house rooms were switched from monthly rental to tour ist rental status .

Aller all, "TIle world runs by greed," Michael Walk er of the Fraser Institute, and he also stated that displa ced tenants wo uld "save everyone a lot of troubl e if they were all put on buses to the Kootcnays." (2)

The people being evicted were mainly older men who were long-term residents, and who had worked to help build the province of British Columbia.

Some were retired.

Others were unemployed and disabled.

Most of them were poor.

The y thought of their hotel rooms as home .

They had a circle of friends in the neighbourhood, and they belonged to the community of the Downtown Eastside.

They didn't want to be thrown out like garbage.

They didn't want to become refugees in their own land .

Olaf Solheim was one of these men .

He was a gentl e eighty-seven year old with a long white beard.

He had worked most of his life as a logger in British Columbia, and he had lived at the Patricia Hotel for over forty years.

Olaf was from Norway, and in Norwegian Solheim means sunny home. ,' f-.

Olaf was thrown out of his home in the spring of 1986 to make way for Expo '86 tou rists .

DERA helped him find another pla ce, and even hired a homeworker 10 help look after him.

His world was brok en , however , and he was disorient ed .

He wand ered the stree ts for a few weeks.

He refused to cat , and then he died on April 18, 198 6.

Dr . John Blatherwick, the city' s medical health offi cer , said, "The spark went out of him after the eviction .

He just stopped living."

Wh en the manager of the Patricia Hotel was asked w hy he didn't let Olaf sta y, he replied, "Wc' re not a nursing hom e ." (3) Olaf wasn't the only person to die because of the ev ictions.

Tw o men committed suic ide soo n after rece iving their ev iction notices, and Jim Green , who wa s the man ager of DERA fro m 1981 to 1991 , said that ele ven Expo-related evictees had died as of Ma rch, 1988 . (4)

.,

'r-

II.

'.'

In the year 2005 gentri fication is still a major problem for the Downtown Eastside.

The development of Woodward's will increa se the pressure of gentrification, as will the Winter Olympics of 20 IO. Not onl y docs the Do wntown Eas tside need thousands of unit s of social hou sing , as Jim Green pointed out in 198 5, (5) but the welfare rates and minimum wage need to be rai sed.

When people have no money , they can't pay rent and they can't buy food .

Th ey arc excluded from their own community .

Solheim Plac e on Union Street was built by DERA as soc ial hou sin g.

It was nam ed in memory of Olaf Solhe im.

He wo uld want us to con tinue the fight for a just society, so that what happe ned to him wo n't happen to residents of the Downtown Eas tside in the next f ve ye ars.

Sandy Ca mero n ( I) "11w Develope rs;" by James Lorimer, pub. by James Lorime r & Co., 1978, p.79. . .

(2) "Economist backs busing evictees," by Terry Glavin, The Val/couver SUI/, April 23, 1986. .

(3) "Ten Year s And COlUlting," by Joe Armato, Carnegie . .

News letter, April 15, 1996.

(4) "Urban Mega-Evcnts: Evictions and Housmg RIghts: the Canadian Case," by Dr. Kris Olds. On the Internet. Look under Olaf Solheim.

(5) Carnegie Crescent, 1985. ':

J

â&#x20AC;˘.'

THE RETU RN OF THE DOW NTOW N EAST SIDE POET S (July edition)

SPRIN G PIDG INS The Pidgins outside my window, they are really not all right.

The noises they make would do for the sound track of a blue movie for a whole night.

What they are saying I do not know.

What they are doing it would not be nice to show.

I understand it is the spring, and they must do their thing .

However I sit here alone without a shred of lust.

Feeling like a voyeur overhearing all, their fuss.

I wish they'd get those damn eggs laid, Before ideas of spring in my head are made .

Once those eggs are hatched, They'll have so much to do, I'll no longer have to listen to their suggestive coo.

Their little ones will be a needing And they'll be kept busy a feeding . Their ideas of spring will then be snatched.

June's poetry night was a huge success. We haven't had so many people get up to read since out sensational "Folk Festival and Poetry Reading" last summer, which turned into a Love-In Costume Party!

We usually have our show on the first Saturday of every month. However, the first weekend in July most of us will be going to the free outdoors Jazz Festival at the RoundhousefDavid Lam Park. It's like a smorgasbord, for those of us just wading into the shallow end of the Jazz tradition. With four stages, you can sample something you might never otherwise hear, and if you don't like it, get up politely at the end of a song and go to another venue and see what's there. The more "mains tream" music - blues, funk, African and Latin - plays in the park, with a rubber dancetloor set up in front of the stage.

See you there! And we'll be having our poetry night on the next Saturday, which happens to th be July 9 â&#x20AC;˘ Regular time, 7:00 pm.

The Book - a collection of the writers who read here - is in the works. It will be dedicated to Paul Wright, a well-loved poet and community activist who died last summer. If there is anything of his that you particularly like, let me have a copy. We still haven't settled on a title; any ideas? Poetry from the submitted work was selected by a jury of four: myself, Paul Taylor, Gena Thompson and Maryann Cantillon. We will be publishing the words of Brian Nelson, Carl MacDonald, Colleen Carroll , Delanye, Diane Wood, Gena Thompson, Goh Kagan, Leith Harris, Louisa de Plume , Mary Duffy, Maxine Gadd, Muriel Marjorie, Naomi Narvey, Sandy Cameron, Sophia M. Freigang and Stephen Lytton .

Need I add, the stuff is brillian t!

By Diane Wood Men are from earth. Women are from earth ..Deal

By Colleen Carroll

with it.

A STITCH IN TIME The ambulances go by many, the fire trucks too.

The cops show up eventually as do me and you.

One drunk down, one 00, one homicide on the Downtown Eastside beat.

Robberies, not just a few.

Pack him up into the ambulance nice and neat.

Off to the hospital or morgue he goes, one more off the street.

The cost to the hardworking taxpayer for his show of care?

Let's just say it's something upwards about there.

The amount sure it's not cheap by all accounts.

This is the end cost, For a soul that has long been lost.

That our society is forced to share .

Oh how we lament it The taxpayers' money , how they mis-spent it.

All on a bloke who in society gave nothing in return.

Why we cry and rage, In our taxpayers ' cage.

Why did he not his share earn?

The answers to this are many, and to the powers that be we must turn.

You see they thought they would save some money.

Time has proved them all wrong.

And money, your hard earned money, they must now a plenty burn.

We must all dance to the tune of their song .

Had there been prevention, we'd of saved ourselves the cost of detention, than eventually more in turn.

Poverty and depression, but produce only an obsession to escape the status quo.

To crime, booze or drugs an escape often chooses to go.

A wish to stop this human crime Can only be met by spending money on time.

A minimum livable income for all, Might not prove an order too tall.

When we take into accounts you see Of what's become of our present methods in society.

They only encourage a wish to escape, Rather than one to partake.

In the end the more we now pay, to listen to the sirens day after day.

By Colleen Carroll Omega The world ends with crackhead monsters all you see at the break of day.. When bank managers wear earrings and you take dope so you don't take dope.. it ends with a whimper, as you wish you'd been lucky enough to die before these days when the world ends Coyote

Alices in Wonderland?!

Alices of all shapes and sizes are invited to the 12th Annual "Alice in Wonderland Mad Tea Party and Croquet Picnic" - Sunday, June 19th, 2005, from 1-4 p.m. at Trout Lake Park (15th & Victoria, West side of the lake). Come in costume as any character from the story (the curious and curiouser are most welcome - even if there's NO ROOM) and bring a picnic blanket, a flamingo , and a tasty treat. Play croquet with the Queen, consult with Humpty Dumpty, chase the Dodo in the Caucus Race! With music by 'Toot-A-Lute' and 'The Carnival Band'.

Contact: Dan Vie, Organizer The Community Arts Workshop Society (604) 253 - 3207

Happiness is a relative term I'm relatively happy these days compared to the guy next door 3 days after welfare day and he's bummin' says he only blew 50 but it's bullshit it all went up a pipe and now he's lookin' at a long long month seems like you can always find someone worse ofT, poorer in some regard not much of a way to feel happy comparing yourself to the dregs

The Storm The heaven covered by blankets of haze , Grey to the eye and eerie to the heart, Though oddly tranquil.

Her children of the sky run along, The force of their feet shakes the very clouds.

Sound echoes across the land .

The fear of the storm is what mystifies the willing, And the power of her cowards the strongest man.

Her power lights up the sky Her breathe is forceful but steady .

Heeding warning to the coming rains .

In the end the grey skies are parted , Heaven's light ines through, lighting the path.

But the storm will return , Covering Gaia's blue eyes once more.

Bringing the stormmistress back.

For she is endless and eternal.

Jason M Tizzard One Turn When in the wind Hold on tightly to something Considered precious For if it's taken You may never hold it again .

Greg Lesnick

so even tho ' my fridge just broke after I spent a whack of cash on food and even knowing happiness is never perfect without comparing apples to oranges, dogshit to cat, I guess I'm happy.. as happy as is legal even without counting all the pleasure I get from just being me and not anyone else that's something in itself, I guess

Al

SMILE Evcrytimc you smile, things begin to change All my wrongs are somehow given hope to rearrange Everytime I hear you laugh sounds become in tune All your words leap out and sing like music from the moon Everytime I walk with you people disappear All the world believes in us whenever you are near Everytime I think of you and everything you are I smile, laugh. and walk along - your love is never far...

Amanda Mitchell

Carnegie Community Centre & Vancouver Moving Theatre with the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians and in support of the DTES COlJUllunity Arts Initiativ e present the

2 nd Annual DTES

Heart of the City Festival 27 October - 6 November 2005 DOW NTOWN (i\IT ~jDr

* community arts * cultural treasures * music * theatre * poetry * dance * * visual art * performances * live radio broadcasts * workshops * films * The Shadows Proje ct * Breaking into the Biz Forum * Festival Gala * urban barn dances * historical wa lks and talks * forums * ArtTalks

* profiling and ce lebrating the richness of our neighbourhoods and cultures

* sharing ideas,

vis ions , art and more . ..

With a focus on the rich and diverse communities of the Downtown Eastside, the Heart of the Cit y Festival celebrates the creative and committed artists and activists that thrive in our community. The festival launch part y at the Carnegie Centre on Oct 27 th is followed by eleven days of play readings, musical showcases, coffee houses, cultural centre open houses, dance, spoken word, writers wr iting, processions, forums, workshops, discussions, gallery exhibits, mixed media viewings, art talks, history talks, and history walk s.

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ie

A feature event of the Festival will be the first phase ofa new community art project - The Shadow s Project - a shadow theatre production for the whole family on the theme of addiction and recovery. The play is being written by Rosemary Georgeson, James Fagan Tait and Savannah Wa lling, with a team of Downtown Eastsi de involved writers. The music will be directed by Joel ysa Pankanea, and Tamara Unroe is the shadow designer. Up to thirt y DTES musicians, actors and shadow puppeteers will be involved.

ar

Watch for further announcements of the Heart of the City Festival program.

For more information on the Festival please contact Rika at 604-665-3003.

Fine Dining in the Downtown Eastside The Harbou r Light Centre, on E.Co rdova between Main and Columbia, has been serving plates and bowls of slop (in a polite way) for more than fifty years. Now, however, very hungry men and wom en with their options very limited line up in dro ves day after day, year after year.

TIle hours arc II -I 1:55am in the mornings (w hat an eye-ope ner at the crack of dawn for many folk s) and dinner from 5-6pm in the raucous evenings.

Breakfa stllunch and supper are term s used quite loosely - for good reaso n

A Hit

The musical play "Crime and Punishm ent" has been nomina ted for 13 Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards , includi ng Outstan ding Production in small theatre, the Sydn ey Risk Prize for Outstanding Original Play, and the Critics Choice Inno vation Award.

(The show was co-produced by NeWor ld Theatre and the PuSh Festi val in associa tion with Vancou ver Mov ing Theatre .) You may rememb er that the cast of the show incl uded se veral five performers from The Downto wn Eastside Community Play: Grant Chancey, Klisala Harrison, Kuei-Ming Lin, Stephen Lytton, and Elwin Xie . Commu nity play alumn i received special mention for direetion (James Fagan Tait), lighting design (Itai Erdal) and sound design and musica l direction (Joclysa Pankanea). The awards will be announced at the Commo dore on June 20. Congratulations to the whole cast and artistic team !

DAN el NC; YOUR .

~C;6 with Delayn e

goes monthly Relet Ule bloclr ed energ y COIl1leCI with your deep lie{( Come into your. freed om (have fun!!)

2nd Sunda y of the month , 2-4pm Carne gie's Gym

Breakf ast is particularly hard to describ e, partly because it is perfectl y undescr ibable - what I can say without literally ga gging from the memo ry. It is certainl ya dish worthy of being gobbled up by the mouthf ul on an episode of Fear Factor in the food segment: To chow down on Harbou r Light's world famous liquefied roadkill - unidenti fiable rottenin g fish, of dub ious origin.. from parts unknow n ... ' A marriag e made in Sally Ann 's heaven of the sea ' s and highway 'sfire in hell cuisine .'

If fear is not a factor, you can again partake of this same rancid, bubblin g and reheated concoc tion when it is once again scoope d out of the rusting cauldro ns in the earl y evening s.. curiously and , as always, quite generou sly (the humanity of it al1! ).[Go figure : with getting about $2 for every plate from the gov't] Lunch is served - or picked at - or dumped out - 7 days a week, and Monda y, Wedne sday, Frida y and Saturday evenings sees Dinner . Takeout orders are

,.â&#x20AC;˘

supplied to the downtrodden and down 'n out, too

weak or too intoxicated to stagger into this sanitized,

ANARCHY TO ACTIVISM.

tightly controlled, unequaled in its depravity for suchfine food: This establishment of the Straight &

Local authors discuss the subject, it's FREE, and all are invited to attend! Carnegie's own Bob Sarti will be presiding.. .

Narrow.

I might add that the decor is based firmly on preand post-modern San Quentin and Alcatraz Island penitentiaries. i.e. No sharp or metal objects, like cutlery, are allowed, and only plastic forks are given out - only one each - upon entry. The maitre de maison says quietly that it's easier to count that way .

There is no stuffy dress code. Come as you are!

It is preferable to have the grunge, lived-in look , with no jacket or tie required.

FRIDAY, June 24, 7 pm: At Carnegiell

Plenty of free parking for shopping carts .

Bon appetit!!!

Robyn the culinary critic Livingstone

POCO LOCOS

RETURNS AGAIN III Friday, June 17,7 -10pm Carnegie Theatre Come out and dance dance dance to tile Latin beat

It is a lie. It is not true that we have to take part in this lethal market.

It is not true that the only options are between different kinds of war.

It is not true that we must take sides with one or another stupidity.

It is not true that we must renounce intelligence and humanity.

It is possible to have another world, different than what the violent supermarket is selling us.

It is possible to have another world where the choice is between war and peace, between memory and forgetting, between hope and resignation between the gray tones and the rainbow.

It is possible to have a world where many worlds fit.

It is possible that from a "No!" will be born an imperfect, unfinished, and incomplete "Yes!" that gives back to humanity the hope of rebuilding, every day, the complex bridge that joins thought and feeling. Viva life! Death to death!

Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos

"Brothe r Maxim illian, your music wi ll be the death of us all! The church has no other choice than to excomm unicate you and your evil harmon ies!" or somthin ' like that. And old Bro Max hits the road with a band of gypsies and starts writing down all those previou sly unrecor ded tunes. Meanwh.ile the . inquisit ion gets wind of old Bro Max, and his previous gig playin' one of those big old church org~ns, and they decide that educate d men ha ve no busines s preserv ing the music of commo n people. (especi ally

Music Program Random Note s Yeah, I finall y got about half of that load of laundry done and I was ponderi ng those Elizabe than wherefores ' and whatever's that were creepin g into a discussion Dean '0 and I were havin' about gramm ar, and proper this , and proper that, and t~en it s~ck me that those critters who came up WIth musical notatio n were probably wonder ful linguists; Poetry Rogues , or defrock ed clergym en who'd s~en the light they weren't suppos ed to talk about 10 pr~per company; The one that sa id the churc~e~ banning of particu lar intervals in musica l compos ition was a load as tall as the great pyrami d, Yeah the churche s of the middle ages banned 6th, 7th, and other harmon ic relation ships in the ~usic of the time for reasons you'd have to be a forensic psychologi st to begin to underst and what or why harmonies commo n to folk music, or more modem blues music, were banned from earshot if the gig was in a church.

all those bluesy harmonies that tend to elicit emotions in people that the church disapproves oj).

Yeah the Inquisition can't have music that gives people feelings being preserv ed in musica l notation so old Bro Max gets put on the Inquisit ion's most wanted list.

Poetry Rogues , gypsies , vagabo nds, lowlife s: excommu nicated and reviled . Kept to a lower social order by the social politic of the day that was dictated by pious old windba gs who claimed to speak for a god no one has ever seen. Well, no one who ever sat in judgem ent over someon e hauled in front of the Inquisi tion anyway. If I was God I wouldn 't talk to those bozos. I'd be talkin' to old Bro Max. teIIin" him to hop that ship in the harbou r before the next tide. Course , he'd probab ly have to go as a deckha nd or somthin ' cause poetry rogues are always poor of coin.

Their coin was their muse, and that muse is as imbedd ed into culture as a genetic trait is to one's own person; One doesn't exist in the same way withou t the things that have combin ed to make you yoursel f. So, contrar y to the social cant of the day, the devised system for notatin g music was a way for their muse to speak in the physica l across space, and time. It's as if some spirit had whispe red into their ears about a sometimes whenever, where music would be as appreci ated as breathi ng itself. Giving the culture we live in its mulatto ; its diversit y that stodgy old farts of every era hate in equal portion to their hatred of the feelings certain kinds of music can elicit.

I guess we can thank all the old Bro Maxes for listening to their muse, and hoppin g that boat way back whenev er. I mean, can you imagin e a Friday night dance at the Carneg ie with nothing but Gregor ian chants to wiggle your hips to?

Till next time, M .

Music Program Random Notes Yeah I finally got about half of that load of laundry done 'and I was pondering those Elizabethan wherefores' and whatever's that were creeping into a discussion Dean '0 and I were havin' about grammar, and proper this, and proper that , and t~en it s~ck me that those critters who came up WIth musical notation were probably wonderful linguists; Poetry Rogues , or defrocked clergymen who'd s~en the light they weren't supposed to talk about ID pr~per company; The one that said the churc~e~ banmng of particular intervals in musical composmon was a load as tall as the great pyramid.

Yeah the churches of the middle ages banned 6th, 7th, and other harmonic relat ionships in the ~usic of the time for reasons you'd have to be a forensic psychologist to begin to understand what or why harmonies common to folk mus ic, or more modem blues music, were banned from earshot if the gig was in a church.

"Brother Maximillian, your music will be the death of us all! The church has no other choice than to excommunicate you and your evil harm onies !" or somthin' like that. And old Bro Max hits the road with a band of gypsies and starts writing down all those previously unrecorded tunes . Meanwhile the inquisition gets wind of old Bro Max, and his previous gig playin' one of those big old church organs, and they decide that educated men have no business preserving the music of common people.(especially all those bluesy harmonies that tend to elicit emotions in people that the church disapproves of).

Yeah, the Inquisition can't have music that gives people feelings being preserved in musical notation so old Bro Max gets put on the Inqui sition's most wanted list.

Poetry Rogues, gypsies, vagabonds, lowlifes: excommunicated and reviled. Kept to a lower social order by the social politic of the day that was dictated by pious old windbags who cla imed to speak for a god no one has ever seen. Well , no one who ever sat in judgement over someone hauled in front of the Inquisition anyway. If I was God I wouldn't talk to those bozos. I'd be talkin' to old Bro Max. tellin" him to hop that ship in the harbour before the next tide. Course, he'd probably have to go as a deckhand or somthin' cause poetry rogues are always poor of coin.

Their coin was their muse , and that muse is as imbedded into culture as a genetic trait is to one 's own person; One doesn't exist in the same way without the things that have combined to make you yourself. So, contrary to the social cant of the day, the devised system for notating music was a way for their muse to speak in the physical across space, and time . It's as if some spirit had whispered into their ears about a sometimes whenever, where music would be as appreciated as breathing itself. Giving the culture we live in its mulatto; its diversity that stodgy old farts of every era hate in equal portion to their hatred of the feelings certain kinds of music can elicit.

I guess we can thank all the old Bro Maxes for listening to their muse , and hopping that boat way back whenever. I mean , can you imagine a Friday night dance at the Carnegie with nothing but Gregorian chants to wiggle your hips to?

Till next time, M.

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Happ y Endings?

Little Things Have to be thankful for the little things I got can't take things for granted they can always disappear sooner than not Children out there dying in the streets of Amencaollua in the streets of Iraq been a whole lotta horror goin' round and a whole lot comin' back Got to be thankful for the little things I secure things can always get worse of that I'm sure So don't feel sorry don't cry for what you have not just be thankful for the little things you got AI

The more things change the more they stay the same the more you struggle the deeper the quicksand the more you try the worse it gets ; funny you' d think we 'd learn but we never do Only thing matters to me anymore is the bright sunny smile of my daughter when she bounces up bringing solace to an old man, tired and worn out by swimming against the current all the time I wish there was a happy ending I keep praying that it'll work out that way you do your best. .. sometimes it's not good enough smile while you can stock up against the game getting rough Only thing keeps me here is wanting to see how it all plays out scared to death of living but too chicken to die this body hurts me through time and space and I am just holding onto the ride

RALL

DOWNTOW N EASTSIDE YOUTH ACT IVIT IE S S OC IE T Y 49 W .Cordova 604-251 -3310

FIXED EXCHANGE SITE - 5 E Hastin gs NEEDLE EXCHANGE VAN - 3 Routes: 604-685-6561 City - 5:45pm - II :4 5pm Overnight - 12:30am - 8: 30am Downtown Eastside - 5:30pm - 1:30:1111 \ .,.""v"'.,./'V"'V""v""'v""...,' V , .A / ' "'\. ' /................ '-'''v <, ~, "-"'- """'-'""J"V~""" -, ..,,- ,

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EGOS at The Dugout Delivered Wednesdays: $2.50 I dozen

Submission Deadline for next issue: T11F. NF.WS I. F.TTF. R IS A Pt 'RI.I (',\ nON OF TtlF. C \ RNF.GIF. ("OM~tI' Nn V CF.:-rrRF. ,\ SSOC I.\T IO N

Monday, June 27

Articles represent the views ofirKlividlL,1 contributors :tn CI IKll o f the Association, ~ d i t o r:

PaulR Tayl or; cover art & layout, Diane Wood .

2005 DON ATIONS Lihh)' 0 .-$40 Barr)' for Dave McC.-SSO Rolf A.-$45 Margaret 0 .-$25 Christopher R.-$SO Mary C-$30 Bru ce J.-$30 U'mista - $20 Heather S.-$25 Ra~'Cam -$ 3 0 Gram -$ 100 Padd)' -$30 Glcn B.-$50 John S.-$8 0 Penn)' G .-$21 J enny K.- $20 Dara C. -$20 Sand)' C.$20 Aud rey-$20 Wcs K.- $50 Joanne H. -$20 Rockingguys -$20 Thc Ed gc Community Liaison Ctt -$200 Pam 8.-$25 Wm 8 -$20 Janice P.-$20 Michael C.-$50 Anonymous-$2

Contact Jenny

'Vai Ching Kwan MLA

FOR THOSE For those I've hurt please Forgive me For those I grew up with up Lees grow back together For those that I do not know Let's get to know one anoth er For those that are coming behind Us I welcome you 10 this World And for those who feel lost You are not alone .

Sandrajim

, -w-; II-;;-kn~\\kdge i'i13tC;;;t1 ;gi ;C~n~lll7it y-Ce~t;, ;;;;dthi;;-

._- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Tbe Downtown ElUl.!ide Re3idenl.! A"OcUltioD DERA belps with:

Working for You 1070- 1641 Commercial Dr. Y5L 3Y3 Phone: 775-0790 Fax: 775-0881

'1

I Newsletter, lire happening on the Squarni sh Notion 's territory. I

Phone &: Sife M.lIbote' Welfare problems; Landlord dlsputes; flowing problems Unsafe IIrlol: coodlllolU

At. 12 E Ha5ting~ Street, or call (,o.t-(, R 2 -0~31.

NATIONAL

I al day! art and cultural celebration Scheduled Events June 17-June 21 At the Vancouver Art GaDerv Friday - JUNE 17 10:00 Arts, Crafts & Food Market 12:00 Traditional "Mothers & Grandmothers Dance Society - Traditional Prairie I :00 Red Blanket Smgers & Drummers Traditional Medicine Songs 2:00 Mooshum 's Little Metis Jiggers & Shaganappi Metis Fiddlers 3:00 Raven Reflections Haida Fashion Designing 4:00 Arlette Alcock Metis - Contemporary Folk 5:00 Old Elk Powwow Troupe & Black Fish Singers 6:00 DiggingRoots (Toronto, ON) BlueslJazz/Reggae 7:00 Pamyua (Anchorage, Alaska) Music & Yup'ik (Inuit) Dance At the Vancouver Art GaDerv Saturday - JUNE 18 10:00 Arts, Crafts & Food Market 12:00 Dancers of Damel ahamid Westcoast Traditional Dancing/Singing I:00 Insignia (Contemporary) Progressive Rock Music 2:00 Children of Rainbow Drum Group Toddler & Elementary Students 3:00 Art Napoleon Aboriginal Roots Music 4:00 Old Elk Powwow Troupe & Black Fish Singers 5:00 DiggingRoots (Toronto, ON) Blues/Jazz/Reggae 6:00 Nisga'a Ts'amiks Dancers Westcoast Traditional Dancing/Singing 7:00 Pamyua (Anchorage. Alaska) Music & Yup'ik (Inuit) Dance

At the Vancouver Art GaDery Sunday - JUNE 19 10:00 Arts, Crafts & Food Market 12:00 Urban Heiltsuk Dancers Westcoast Button Blanket Dancers 1:00 FaraPaJrner (R&B/Pop) & OEO (Underground Rap) 2:00 Mooshwn's Little Metis Jiggers & Shaganappi Metis Fiddlers 3:00 DiggingRoots (Toronto, ON) Blues/J azz/Reggae 4:00 Sandy Scofield Band Metis - Contemporary 5:00 Old Elk Powwow Troupe & Black Fish Singers 6:00 Marcel Gagnon (Prince George, BC) Contemporary Singer/Songwriter 7:00 Pamyua (Anchorage, Alaska) Music & Yuplik (Inuit) Dance Special Closing Performances Billy Joe Green & Derek Miller YALE BLUES CLUB - Aboriginal Blues Monday - JUNE 20, 2005 @ 7:00 pm Proposed Entertainment: . : II :00 pm - Derek Miller Band (SIXNations, <?N) 9:30 pm - Billy Joe Greene (Winnipeg, Marntoba) 8:00 pm - Marcel Gagnon (Prince George, BC) 7:00 pm - futellifunk (port Coqui tlarn, Be)

VOGUE THEATRE - Abori ginal Musi ~ Produ ction & Comm unityA ward Show Tuesday, JUNE 21,2005 - Chief Bill Williams (SquamElders by g Openin (Musquearn), Leonard George .

Charles Mary ish), Hosted by: Tina Keeper (North of 60) and Chief Leonard George (Tsleil Waututh) · Janet Rogers - Spoken Word (Victoria, BC) · Children of the Rainbow Drum Group (Surrey, BC) · Dalannah Bowan (Jazz) · My Girl & Friends (House Band) · Aboriginal Youth Theatre Proj eet · Pamyua (Yup'ik - Inuit) . . Spakwus Siolem - (Squamish Nation)

I .at

rou t

FRE E Workshops fer-and-by

Abo rigi nal Wo men

Lak~'Ji-

JUNE 212005 3350 Vict oria Drtv e Pancake Breakfast: 9:00 am -11 :00 am Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Center 1607 E Hastings PARADE:11 :00 am -12:00 pm: up Commercial Drive to Trout Lake Community Center Aboriginal Day Festivities atTrout lake Park: 12:00-5:00 pm: Performances; Arts &Craft Booths; Info Booths; Food Concessions; Family, Youth &Children's Activities; Canoeing; Feast (Rain or Shine; Bring chairs!)

at Oppenheimer Park - Tuesday JUNE 21 11:OOam - 3:OOpm BBQ Crafts Music Drumming and Dancing Help always needed with planning and running the event. Call Oppen heimer Park for more info: (604) 665-2210 Watch for posters with more details!

Friday s, 1 - 3:30pm Every week to Septe mber 29, 2005

Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, 302 Columbia St. For infor and registration, call Carol at681-8480 ext 233 Light snacks and bus tickets provid ed

Session 6

Session 9

CrIminal Law

MHR

What I need to know If I am assaulted (my role +

flll!rig out V\S).

June 17th, 2005

Understanding and applying for welfare, disability-land IL July 15th,2o o5

Session 7

Session 10

Criminal Law

MHR

What I need to know If the police comesto my door (what are my rights) .

June 2.. th, 2005

Role of the financial aIdworker.

Steps to appealing adedslo n.

July 22ncf" 2005

Session 8 CrimInal Law

Session 11

What I need to know If Iam charged with a alme (Includes Info on how .to apply for pardOn).

Julyath , 2005

Childtax benefits and chIldsupport orders, when on assistance.

July 29th, 2005

MHR