May 1, 2006, carnegie newsletter

FREE -donations accepted

MAY 1, 2006 camnews@vcn.bc.ca www.carnnews.org

NEWSLETTER 401 Main Strttt, Vancouver

Happy Mothers' Day

V6A 2T7 (604) 665-2289

6

6

b

.

6 •

•

Mother Life Giver: You gave, you give So much, Right from the start Of my being; You shared your blood, Your breath, Your heartbeat.

You gave me nourishment, warmth and lots of love It is no !wonder I cried When it• was my time To enter this world. , My shock and fears Were finally stilled Only when they placed me upon your breast, and once again Our breath, our heartbeat Was the same Your gentleness, your soft Reassur~ng voice, told me You love me And if I could only speak I Know I would have said Hold me, Mother Life giver Cause I love you too . ŠSam George December 25,2005 This was written for, and inspired by my daughter-in-law Leah and my yet to be born grandson Thomas.

It seems to me we can never give up longing and wishing while we are alive. There are certain things we feel to be beautiful and good, and we must hunger for them.

- George Eliot

The soul and the spirit have resources that are astonishing. Like wolves and other creatures, the soul and spirit are able to thrive on very little, and sometimes for a long time on nothing. To me, it is the miracle of miracles that this is so.

- Clarissa Pinko/a Estes

MOTHERS' DAY

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE. "I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECLA TE A JOB WELL DONE. "If you're going to kill each other, do it outside.

I just finished cleaning." .

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR

MODIFICATION. "Stop acting like your father!"

2. My mother taught me RELIGION. "You better pray that wi II come out of the carpet."

15 My mother taught me about ENVY.

"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have spinach.''

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL. "If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

16. My mother taught me about FORESIGHT.

"Just wait until we get home"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC. " Because I said so, that's why."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING "You are going to get it when you get home!"

5. My mother taught me RESPONSIBILITY. "If you fall out of that swing and break your neck. you're not going to the store with me."

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL

SClENCE. "If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

6. My mother taught me FASHION SENSE. "Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY. "Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about OSMOSIS. "Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTION ISM. "Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!" .

I0. My mother taught me about STAMINA. "You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER. "This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

I 2. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY. "If I told you once, I've told you a million times. _Don't exaggerate!"

19. My mother taught me ESP.

" Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

•

20. My mother taught me HUMOR. "When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

•

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME

AN ADULT. · "If you don't eat your spinach, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS. "Stop acting like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my HERITAGE. "Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM. "When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

3.

To Mayor and Councillors, On April 5, Bruce Clarkson, a Gastown resident, and myself met with John Kamada (Fire & Rescue Services) and Kevin MeNaney (Central Area stafl) regarding dangerous goods being shipped by rail on the central waterfront.

Why would we want to put 15,000 extra people at risk of losing their lives by building a stadium over dangerous goods' railtracks?

Mr. Clarkson presented a DVD and hardcopy info in a well-documented report to your staff. He continues to photograph ' new' dangerous cargoes, noting times and amounts, since the April meeting.

Evacuation is logistically impossible. There'd be less than 45 minutes to evacuate everyone within a one-mile radius. Also, how could an accident be accessed or contained underneath a block-long structure? Why has not the C.P.R forwarded requested information - requested by your own staff- regarding the shipment of dangerous goods?

Truly, Don Larson

HOT PANTS The other nite while visiting my friend I felt a hot sensation on my left thigh. I was sitting on her chair and I suddenly jumped up saying I was on fire. Earlier I had put two batteries in my pocket along with some money. I guess the coins connected to the battery terminals and science took over. It gave Mr. Mcbinner hot pants and hot flashes!

To Whom It May Concern;

l

Ada Marie Dennis was kind enough to volunteer her time to show myself and my friend throughout the entire Carnegie Centre.

We truly appreciated her sharing her knowledge and passion with us.

Donna Galbraith, Edward Pittner

art exhibition

a visual exploring power qf ~ove an~ C:levotionRadha the divine feminine force ¡ action of compassion and strength

•

WATER FCR LIFE Mother Earth Our Mother Earth is suffering Rivers, lakes, oceans and air are being pollu~ed Humans are careless, no compassion Greed. Greed taking everything in sight.

Animals are being pushed out, .

Understandable as they are invaded by humans.

Sooner or later, Mother Earth cannot defend Herself Compass10n . ... "' Nowhere to be seen.

Wake up people. ...

All my Relations, Bonnie E. Stevens

radha yoga & eatery

728 Main Street

(604) 605 0011

11:30 - 4 pm Mon - Fri show runs to May 28

.M ary Antionette, Professor Bob and Subcommandante fnsurgente Jean

0

Raise The Rates Road Show

WE NEED: Actors willing to commit to every weekend in July & August Volwtteers for our info table A rap song A poster design Ideas for the leaflet Pbotographs c

WE WILL MEET on Thursday, May 11 from 12:30 - 2:30 路 the 3 rd fl. art gallery of the Carnegie m

Raise The Rates Road Show Many people who aren't poor believe those of us o路n welfare are getting a "free ride" and a generous monthly income. They have been turning a blind eye to our situation and blaming us for the government's policies. The plan is to make our situation understood outside of the DTES, and achieve a broad base of support for our demands. Hopefully we can create understanding and solidarity for a campaign to raise the welfare rates and encourage others to take some action.

The plan is to create a leaflet and a poster we can use as tools to educate people who don't know how low the welfare rates are. We want to print up hundreds of posters, leaflets and possibly postcards, to give out at neighbourhood festivals. People can take the posters and put them up which will get our message out. Leaflets can contain the facts and figures. We are looking for images and words on how to get this information out.

Help us figure out what kind of a package to put together to make our presence felt. What do you want us to say? And what would be the most effective way of saying it? We can make it like a quiz " Did you know .. .?" How do we break through the bubble Mainstream

Media has created, for most people who live outside the DTES? At all community events, there is a perfot mers' stage with a mike and PA. We will ask for time to do presentations to accompany our information tables. Should these be satiric "street theatre'' pieces, like Professor Bob at tbe Shoe-In? Interactive workshops? Poetry readings? Political speakers? Rap songs?

What are your ideas? We have 6 ideas for a poster so far 路 " 1994 was 12 years ago, Could you live on $510 a month?" ; " With no roof over your head, you can't wait 3 weeks and look for work"

"This woman (or man) needs a raise" " CANADIANS VALUE FAIRNESS ...

Bob receives only $510 a month to pay for rent and food DOES THAT SOUND FAIR?" 'BC's economy is booming .... but is yours?"

"Canadians care about those in need ... or do they?"

5

•

Massive pollee effort in kidnapping case raises disturbing questions Where were the 300 officers when 60 women went missing?

In the hunt for 23-year-old Graham McMynn, son

of a Vancouver Southlands millionaire, the police left no stone untumed.. _ By their own admission, 300 officers, including help from.the RCMP, the American FBI' Scotland Yard, and "others" the spokesperson was not at liberty to divulge, scoured the Lower Mainland "day and night"' to search out the victim. Fourteen houses in Vancouver, Surrey, and Nanaimo were put under round-the-clock surveillance. Finally, a week after the abduction, police barged into a house in Surrey and found McMynn, returning him to his family.

And that's fantastic.

But where was the deployment of 300 officers working day and night with RCMP, when 60 or ' more women living in the Downtown Eastside went missing in just as mysterious and disturbing circumstances as McMynn's abduction? Where is the overwhelming effort today in the north where several women ~ave gone missing on Highway 16, the socalled Htghway of Tears?

I'll grant that a dramatic day-time abduction inv?lving cars blocking a road and guns being brandished makes for more immediate public interest ~d I ce~ainly don'~ think that McMynn's pedigr~e • nc~, white, West Stde -made 'anyone in authority dectde to make a greater effort to find him. But compar~ ~o the reaction of authorities to missing poor, a~o~gmal~ Downtown Eastside women, or today's mtssmg ~tghway 16 women, police have exhibited a clearly different level of reaction.

Given what we now know about the missing women from .the Downtown Eastside, and what's been al~eged m the case against Robert Pickton, sus~cted m the murders of most of them, there seems l~ttle doubt that lives could have been saved had pohce reacted with more than the shrug they did back when unusual reports of missing women surfaced.

Surely no one would suggest that the life of a Southlands millionaire's ·university student-with-agirlfriend son is worth more than a Downtown Eastside Native woman doing tricks in the alley for hits of smack. But the media and political leaders, no less than the public and the police, sat all too easily with the excuses proffered for a lackadaisical investigation: who knows where they live anyway, who keeps tabs on them, they've likely just gone off to do tricks in Calgary, they don't really have any families who care, and so on. No one in the media, the public, or in our political leadership would have allowed those kinds of excuses for a sub-standard investigation of McMynn's kidnapping.

The good news is that, now we know that when so~ebody, anybody, disappears and could possibly be m trouble, there are at least 300 police, along with help from the RCMP, the FBI, and unnamed others, standing by ready to jump into action day and night to relentlessly search for the missing person, and try above all to return him or her to safety.

It should never make a difference how the missing person came to be missing-whether it was a brazen attack on a quiet street of rich houses or a routine solicitation on a street of single occupancy rooming hotels. It also shouldn't make a difference who the missing person ir-whether a rich white kid, or a poor aboriginal woman.

To the degree that the media, the police, our political leaders, and we the public reacted so differently to the case of McMynn's abduction compared to the 60 or more cases of the missing Downtown Eastside women, or the currently missing women of Hi~way 16, is a measure of how far we have yet to go to·achieve true justice and democracy .

(From The Republic)

By KEVIN POTVIN

•

• •

....il .....•. ' . , •

'f'o

, ,.

" ·~

.

t ,

•

II

•

'•

,•

....

•

. .-

• ••

...

.. ..

(

..

l

'llffordable llousi1191"

Reprinted from The Long Haul

I

•

WORLD URBAN FORUM: Living the Global City:

Wednesday June 21st, 6 Pm THE INDIGENOUS Cfi'Y Multimedia Panel with Chief Leonard George, Tuesday May 9th, 6 Pm A Conversation with The Elders of the Downtown Kamala Todd, and Jeff Thomas Eastside Women's Centre and Women of the D.E. UBC Robson Square Theatre, 800 Robson St. · Co-sponsored by the Aboriginal Media Lab. UBC Robson Square Theatre, 800 Robson St. In celebration ofNational Aboriginal Day join Chit/ Elders Reta Blind, Harriet Nahanee, Leona Reid, and Phillapa Ryan together with Selina Barton, De- Leonard George, Aboriginal social planner andfilm maker Kamala Todd, and urban-Iroquois photogralano Gail Bowen, Carol Martin Skundaal will talk pher Jeff Thomas for a multimedia event that affirms about violence against Aboriginal women in Vancouver, and the work ofthe Downtown Eastside Cu that the Canadian city is an Indigenous City. As these leaders and artists illustrate, Aboriginal people tural Centre. offer much knowledge about how to live well on the Monday June 12th, 1:00-3:00 Pm land and with each other. Can our cities be transLIVING ROOM formed by the full recognition and inclusion ofAboCarnegie Community Centre Theatre, 401 Main riginal people in planning and place making?

With the Carnegie Community Centre Board and community members Et~el Whitty, Director ofthe Carnegie Community Centre, will join the Carnegie All events are free and open to the public with advance registratio~ unless otherwise noted. All regisCommunity Centre Board in hosting a forum with tered seats will be released 10 minutes prior to the community members on questions relating to public scheduled start time.

For more information visit spaces in a densified urban environment. www.wuf3.ubc.ca

•

A call for accountability at the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance The government has now been decisively called to account for its harmful policy choices at the Minis-try of Children and Families. Justice Ted Hughes confmns that BC's child protection system has been "stretched beyond limits." Thankfully, with therelease of Hughes' review last week, vital reforms should be on the way.

It is now time to turn equal attention towards another rillnistry responsible for vulnerable people The Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance, which oversees welfare.

The ~imilarities between the governmenf s handling MCFD and MEIA are striking. Hughes found th~t the bi!dget cuts at MCFD "took the knife too far."

The budget cuts at MEIA (then called the Ministry of Human Resources) went ever further (in 2002, a 30 per cent budget cut over three years was announced, and the actual cut was even deeper). Both ministries have been subjected to sweeping policy changes. And at both Ministries, these changes were made without putting in place any measures to monitor or evaluate what impacts many of the new policies may have.

The Hughes review occurred because many courageous advocates and family members refused to be silent, the Opposition and the media took up their caH, and the government was left with no choice but to subject its record to independent scrutiny, and hopefully - to rethink its policy choices and acknowledge past mistakes.

But advocates, community service organizations across the province, and the BC Association of Social Workers have been consistently sounding a

•

•

......

••

>

•

•

"'

I ..

• I

'

similar alarm with respect to people needing social assistance. And a growing chorus of community groups has been calling for an increase in the paltry benefit rates those on welfare receive.

Last month, we published a study called Denied Assistance: Closing the Front Door on Welfare in BC. The study sougl_tt to find out what has driven the dramatic decline in the number of people receiving social assistance in recent years, and to examine what has happened to some of those denied help.

According to the government, the number of people successfully applying for welfare has plummeted. because people are being "diverted to employment".

The fact of the matter is, the government no idea what has happened to people who are turned away.

It has never done a study that follows up with those who are denied or discouraged from applying for welfare. It has no measures whatsoever to account for their well-being or safety, let alone to know whether they have in fact found employment.

The study found that only about half the recent drop in the number of people on welfare can be explained by the improved labour market. The balance was due to the government's policy changes, mainly changes that made it much harder to access welfare.

I

Among,the study's key findings : * BC' s welfare eligibility rules and the application process have become so onerous and complicated to navigate that they are systematically excluding some of the very people most in need of help. Many of them are not employable. Too often, the more vulnerable a person is - such as those with mental health issues or addictions - the more difficulty they have accessing the system. *Some people are being "diverted to employment" . . ... (as the government presumes). But too many are • instead being diverted to qomelessness, charities, survival sex and desperation. Some are living on virtually no income. The truth of this is evident on the streets to anyone with eyes to see, and is supported by all the recent local studies into rising homelessness (and not just in Vancouver). * People in need who are eligible for welfare are frequently unable to get it without the help of a knowledgeable advocate (and funding cuts mean there are fewer of such people, just as the need has grown).

-

•

I

q

•

I

The response to the study from Minister Claude Richmond was fundamentally unacceptable and inappropriate. The Minister dismissed the study,as "the same report that comes out every year. It s got a different cover." Not so. This was the frrst study to undertake an in-depth evaluation of the new eligibility rules and application system. It conducted interviews with unsuccessful applicants, welfare advocates and Ministry workers. And it drew on Freedom ~f Information data that the Ministry had never before released, and in some cases, that none of the recent Ministers responsible had ever cared to ask for. The Minister needs t<l stop attacking the messengers and accept responsibility. ¡ . .

BC's welfare application system ts not working.

The Hughes report has shown the undeni_able benefits of an independent review. It's time MEIA was held to account.

By Bruce Wallace, Seth Klein, and Marge Reitsma-Street

.

..

Vancouver Native Community Supports Six Nations with a Solidarity Rally Over 100 concerned members of the Vancouver Native community met at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre on Saturday, April 22nd , to show solidarity with the Six Nations in Caledonia. Vice President of the United Native Nations David Dennis from the Nuu Chah Nulth states, "As a collective we decided that in: order to ensure the safety for the Six Nations women, children and families, we will have a peaceful denionstration on Tuesday, April 25th, 2006 at 12:30 pm at the Vancouv~ Art Gallery. We will unite with our brothers and ststers all across Turtle Island."

The Six Nations camp is unarmed and any police violence against the clan mothers and youth is unac-

ceptable. On April20, 2006 at around 4:30AM, the camp was swarmed by 150 heavily armed police in cruisers and vans, using batons, tear gas cannons, and tasers with 16 arrests. One woman was brutally beaten by five OPP officers.

Organirer Annita McPhee from the Tahltan Nation further states, "We want to send a clear message to the federal and provincial governments that they must stop criminalizing our people who are standing up for our land and against injustices that been brought upon by the colonizers. Canada must stop using guns to resolve its disputes with the indigenous people." Simply because the Ontario and federal governments have committed to negotiations, the threat of another police invasion is not over. The Six Nations have stated that the blockades will only end when the people at the camp decide for themselves whether enough progress has been made in ensuring an end to the ongoing theft of Six Nations land. . This rally in Vancouver is intended to serve as a deterrence to prevent any further police escalation against the Six Nations. We stand in support of the demands of the clan mothers for an immediate cessation of construction by Henco Industries on Six Nations territory which has never been surrendered and was formally recognized by the Crown as part of the 1784 Haldintand Deed and for peaceful resolution to the .current standoff to be conducted on a nation-to-nation basis. .

Elders from the community encouraged everyone . , "to pray for the safety of the Clan mothers, children, traditional teachers, and hereditary chiefs. This is a ¡ time for all Nations to stand together."

'

No Longer Victims: Holocaust Survivors Take to the Streets "Bishop Michael Ingham/ We know you're in there/ We have you IIWraUy su"oundedl Come out with your hands up/" Protestor at the Second Annual Aboriginal Holocaust Remembrance Day, outside Christ Church Anglican Cathedral, · Vancower, April15, 2006

When he was five years old, Rick Lavallie watched as his older brother was tortured to death with electric shocks by a priest at the Catholic Indian Residential School in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. Last Easter Sunday, Rick was spat upon by a churchgoer for daring to publicly remember how his brother had died, at a vigil outside Holy Rosary Catholic Church in downtown Vancouver.

The torture of aboriginal people in Canada never seems to stop; but neither does their memory of their . fallen relatives, and the growing anger of many residential school survivors at the refusal of Canada and its churches to admit and be tried for their mass • murder of generations of children.

That anger finally exploded in the streets of Vancouver at the Second Annual Aborigipal Holocaust Remembrance Day, in the longest sustained public protest by residential school survivors in Canadian history. Or~anized by a local urban aboriginal group, the gathering spanned three full days during the Easter weekend, from April 14 to 16, and was ten times the size of last year's protest. Nearly one hundred people braved the rain and verbal assaults of church officials to ask a simple question to the Catholic, Anglican and United Churches of Canada: Where are the remains of more than 50,000 children who died in Indian Residential Schools? ' ' .

The churches that are responsible for their deaths have grotesquely refused to answer this question ....

i

'

o \VIl v\ray

"' y ( )

nat

rt)test tiay; ..,...".

· ·A:l ~th.r '

t .f k:~ d y t;os...~w tlr-s.f

..., ~ . ·~

ever since it was frrst presented to them a year ago, and their criminal silence continued at this year's gathering. Church members and clergy alike scurried past the mostly aboriginal protestors or tried to sneak into their churches through back entrances.

The only comment from church people came in the form of threats and insults to the protestors, like "You should all be locked up!" and "Get away from here!". One man at the Holy Rosary church made his hand into the shape of a gun and pointed it at elder Dolly Pratt, just moments before his companion spat in the face of survivor Rick Lavallie as he stood quietly holding a sign ·saying "Where are the bodies?".· As Rita, a residential school survivor, commented, ''The same kind ofhatred we went through in the school is here today in these church people. It's never stopped" In contrast, the response of passersby was almost unanimously positive and supportive. Over twelve hundred leaflets were distributed by protestors, and only ~o copies ended up on the sidewalk. Even a policeman commented, "You guys keep this up. It's a good cause". Dozens of people stopped to join the protest or share in the free soup offered by the organizers, and a homeless man nanied Miguel even gave me his umbrella to shield the leaflets I was distributing from the rain.

Since the gathering was aimed at all three of the churches that ran the Indian residential schools, the protestors conducted a mobile picket of the largest downtown catherals of the Catholic, Anglican and United churches. Aided by an imposing prop - a twelve foot-high cross regaled with the inscription "Cops plus priests equals evil" and ''Aboriginal Holocaust Remembrance Day" - the protestors drummed and sang as they distributed a "Pastoral Letter" to members of the churches. The letter was an appeal to the heart and a call for the churches to abide by their own beliefs and help aboriginal children receive a proper burial.

Having attended both years' gatherings, it's apparent to me how much angrier and more confident aboriginal protestors are becoming, and how more seriously they are being taken by the general public. In a kind of resurrection miracle, men and women once crushed by their torture and incapable of speaking of the residential school crimes were able this Easter to finally name and face down their abusers, and call for justice.

1

t'

!

I will never forget the sight of a young aboriginal man standing fearlessly in front of a hundred angry Catholic church members and singing one of his family's ancestral songs as he invoked the memory of his dead father. That kind of courage stands in glowing contrast to the pathetic fear and evasion being displayed by the leaders and clergy of the churches that once so confidently tortured and killed aboriginal kids.

That contrast is being revealed to growing numbers of Canadians, and to the world, the more that residential school survivors speak out and act out publicly. It was an honour for me to stand in the ranks of so many brave warriors, who are helping to rip away the mask of deception surrounding the "wolves in sheeps' clothing" churches that have done so much murder in the name of their "Prince of Peace". Perhaps that is 路t he deeper purpose behind what we did last weekend.

This movement will continue, for it is spreading.

The same weekend that we gathered, aboriginal protestors in Winnipeg, Prince Albert and Montreal rallied outside and even occupied churches to call for a return of the murdered residential school children. The government and churches may continue to evade and deny, but they have lost any moral credibility or initiative; that now lies in the hands of the once-victimized aboriginal people. ''I used to be a victim; now I'm a threat/" exclaimed elder Harriett Nahanee to our gathering. May such a transformation touch each one of us. And may the spirit of the disappeared children continue to make us restless for justice and pushed by that fervour into the streets.

Kevin Annett (Eagle Strong Voice)

tl Council of Canadians joins Alberta communities to defend fresh water :'midst g~o~ring concerns about freshwater scarcity m the Pratnes, the Council of Canadians' national water campaigner, Susan Howatt, will be touring Alberta and Saskatchewan to speak to local activists about water stewardship in Canada.

"In Canada, there is no national strategy to address urgent water issues and no government leadership to conserve and protect our water," says Howatt. ' 'The Federal Water Policy is over 20 years old and badly outdated. There is a growing list of crises facing our fresh water, including contamination, shortages and pressure to export water to the Unjted States through pipelines and diversions."

Lyn Gorman, the Council of Canadians ' regional organizer for the Prairies, says the growing industrial and agricultural use of water in the region is unsustainable. " N full cumulative environmental impact assessment has been conducted to evaluate the impacts of current and proposed industrial activity," says Gorman. "In the meantime, the expansion of Alberta's industrial heartland, the development of oil sands in both Saskatchewan and Alberta, and the drilling of coal bed methane wells will have detrimental impacts on freshwater sources in the Prairies."Despite this, the Alberta govenltnent's provincial policy framework on water management docs not safeguard against de-regulation of the industrial use of water.

Susan Howatt will hear from local communities about the growing concern to protect fresh water from industrial pollution and corporate control in Alberta and Saskatchewan. The Council of Canadians is calling for a national water policy that wi11 address these urgent issues.

For more information, please contact: Meera Karunananthan, Media Officer, Council of Canadians : 613 .233.4487 ext 234, 613 .795 .8685 (cell);

Volunteer ofthe Year -I honour my adult babes Sheri, Jordan, Sherman, Stephen Shane, and Sheena; -I honour my angelic grandchildren Brandon, Anthoi1y & Emily.. a new ba~y in Aug.!; -I honour my family: Doreen, Rocky, Helen, John & Lori;.

-1 thank the volunteer coordinators Colleen and Sindy; -I thank the Seniors coffee sellers and Marlene Trick; -I thank the Lane Level and 2nd floor Reception; -1 thank the Carnegie staff, Security, front desk, kitchen, BSWs and Newsletter, -Pool room, Weight rpom, Learning Centre & Computers; -NA, AA meetings, Harbour Light recovery, foodlines -The Aboriginal Front Door;

Norma Jean Baptiste :.,( ,

. ;-

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference."

I thank all Downtown Eastside residents who I proudly serve coffee to and who use the free phone.

-I honour Telkwa BC. It is my place of birth and the land where I grew up. I gratefully accept this award.

Thanks to those who nominated me. I have love, honour, respect and compassion for all walks of life.

I have pride and am living a clean, sober and positive life! ·· "In the wondrously beautiful month of May----

" and so goes the opening of Robert Schumann's great song cycle, the Dichterliebe ( A Poet's Love).

•

.

Join Cliff Ridley, baritone and Danielle Marcinek, piano for a performance of this work along with a fiery set of Argentinian Dances for piano by Alberto Ginestera and a little triptych of French songs by Gabriel Faure, Poeme D'un Jour (Poem of a Day).

Friday May 12th at Jpm Carnegi.e Theatre

~~~~~ - ,·-_ --,_ -~ -~~=~--~~~~-~-~-----~

' iJ. jJlt ) fHi d!l

--

) b l lC l'll f,: 01l

:; u:\:'T-(111.:.

I

l

â&#x20AC;˘

The Fifth Noble Truth: Stay Alive

Increasing violence in southern Thailand has put Buddhist monks in peril. In response, several creative entrepreneurs have invented devices to keep them out of harm 's way, reports the blog "Eyeteeth" (Oct. 14, 2005).

"Monkmobiles" - bulletproof motorcycle sidecars with special windows for receiving alms - and saffron-coloured bulletproof vests are some of the inventions meant to keep the monks safe in unsafe territory.

Did you graduate at Carnegie today?

Harold Asham was emcee of the Graduation party for Capitano College students at Carnegie Community Centre on Wednesday April 19. Bannock, Quiche, coffee, and juice and were served.

After lunch 18 Students received their Certificates of Completion in First Nations Journeys and Success Skills for Lifelong Learning courses.

Les Nelson, Elaine Woodhall and Mike Read read stories they composed for the Lifelong Learning course.. Sue Blue demonstrated Drum Making and Dream Catchers that she constructed to learn First Nation practices.

Students of The First Nations Journeys class participated in 5 field trips. Pictures of the trips are available on computers in the Learning Center on the 3 rd floor of Carnegie Community Centre.

Carnegie Community Centre is celebrating Volunt~r Appreciation Week and Lucy Alderson recognized tutors for their help in keeping the Learning Center open. Lucy gave special recognition to two tutors: frrst was in memory of Joe Ray and second to Paul Cartewho will return when he recovers from his accident. The next enrollment will begin for classes in September 2006.

VG

Unforgetting 13 or what I got from one year of University.

As I sit here wondering what I might contribute to the Yearbook, I can' t help but look back on the past year and try to figure out what I got out of it and if it was worth the year (8 months) of my life. It has been quite an adventure to come to university at this time in my life. I have an urge to learn more and even a feeling that I would like to instruct others.

First I would like to thank all of those involved in HumlOl. From the coordinators to the mentors, instructors and tutors, everyone did an exceptional job and made the year very exciting and enjoyable. I had my doubts when the year started but after the first night I could see that this course was gonna be special. The instructors were all volunteers and that meant they were there because they enjoyed what they were doing. Not an unusual situation, but I think one that is sometimes hard to find in a schoolroom setting. I knew we would have some very interesting evenings as long as the Profs were enjoying themselves and us as students. It's a pleasure to Jearn when everyone is so damned nice. They had to be because I woulda run out if they weren' t. The very first prof we had, Ana Harland, taught us critical thinking and from then on I was captured in the web of learning again. One of her philosophies is "Truth is Relative". Another one "Pursue Truth and Wisdom. Let the fruits of Philosophy transform you".

One of the classes I took early in the year, Philosophy, with Jonathan Wender, who told us what Plato had said, something about how we are born with knowledge and as we go through life we, by learning, bring this knowledge to the forefront of our consciousness. I believe this to be true. Our ancestors learnt things and these things are infused in the genes that they pass on to us. We aren' t really learning them for the first time, we are just remembering or un-forgetting (anamnesis) them. "Your soul, your desire to learn, pulls you to the truth." "A just soul has understanding of the truth."

What else did I learn this year. University sure is a lot of reading. I mean we get things to read about the things we have to read. It sure is intense and I'm sure if I was a student of this or any university then my life would really be crammed with reading and homework.

From Nicola we learnt the 7 Elements of Literature.

We also read and discussed 2 interesting stories, " Pure Evil " and " The Painted door". Arthur Allen took us on a walking tour of downtown and then taught us something about Architecture.

Margot of " Semiotics" showed us that we are part of many cultures, sub-cultures and counter cultures.

From Tomasz we learnt about Media Studies. Michele taught about " Transformation" in children's literature, another very interesting subject. Then Gender Studies with Chris was very interesting and informative. We also saw a feminist movie or maybe I should say a male bashing movie called " Tough Guise". The next week we had a couple of nights to spend at the UBC Asian Centre where we were enticed by a very smooth operating organization. Michael lectured us on the US war machine but then we got to read the book and see the movie " Jarhead". I didn' t like either but it was a learning experience. Mr. Cousland gave us some good lectures on the Dead Sea Scrolls and their impact on Christianity. I guess it fit in with the season as we were nearing our Christmas break.

I guess I should start a new paragraph to devote to our second half. Sarah gave us a couple of good readings, one on Earl Shorris and another by Paulo Friere. I apologize for not doing my homework but I had a family crisis at the time. I guess I coulda still done it but by the time I got back into class it was almost a month later and I missed all the 6 classes of First Nations Studies. Other classmates told me that it was a pretty interesting study. Maybe I'll go back next year for the classes I missed. The timing was fantastic for our next topic, which was Political Sci.. ence at about the time we had our national election.

Gerald did an excellent job of keeping us interested.

Christopher made a kinda boring subject LAW come alive in our minds and I think that this was one of

the livelier class discussions, although all the class discussions were pretty good. Next Lorraine came in and allowed us to learn about Social Theory and Censorship. " Truth is produced, is constructed as though it is essential." " Power is the ability to cause circumstances to affect your world".

A local famous person, Bruce Alexander came to delve into our minds on the subject of " Addiction".

So tell me what is your addiction? Is it work or play or anything else that you think you need in your life?

One of the defmitions of addiction is " the brains need for sustenance of a particular kind. It causes euphoria in the brain." Lou Parsons came in and gave us 2 good nights of Urban Planning. He is a former graduate of Humanities 10 1 and this was his first teaching assignment. I think he did a very good job and he gave us a, I think, presently relevant reading by Jane Jacobs. She wrote the thing in the early sixties and it is more relevant today then it was back then. At least I think it is. Sally gave a brief history of politics and Geography. Then she made us walk about False Creek. It was cold and wet but it was fun?? Karen, a Capilano College Prof., came in and renewed our interest in economics. She sure knows her stuff. Our final class of the year was Psychology. I asked what psychology was and was told that it is everything including the kitchen sink. Our classes were about vision and the seeing brain very interesting and a great way to end the year. He had us all sitting on the edges of our chairs. He made us sit up and take notice.

Thanks Jim and thanks to all the professors of HumlOl. I had a great year and I wouldn't take it back for anything. All the tutors did an especially good job. Thanks and I have a big thank-you to Davis and Maureen for their mentoring abilities.

I would really like to send a special thanks to Peter, Stephanie and Brianna for all the help and encouragement they supplied throughout the year. The coffee and cookies were pretty damn good each and every night. I'm glad you had the patience and perseverance to make it through the whole year. I wish all of you - students, teachers, tutors, staff and mentors all the best in your future endeavours.

Well there it is people. One year of University in a couple of sentences. I know I can't really give it justice unless I write a book but it should stir your imagination a bit. hal

j ~

SUS.JO

ow Supervisory and non-supervisory jobs in your area

â&#x20AC;˘

We offer: . meaningful employment . a variety of temporary positions . flexible hours . work from home

Are you: . 18 years of age or older? . detail-oriented . organized and reliable? . knowledgeable about your community?

Ideal for: . those too young to retire . stay-at-home parents . students . those seeking job experience

Can you: . pass a written test? . travel locally? . walk extensively? . use good judgement?

-------------------How to apply - Online at www.census2006.ca For more information call 1-800-862-6381 II-I --- --- ---- - ----- -- --I

Max, they can not stop the spring!

This is just a story of science fiction .. or maybe not?

They called him "A one man band". He was to be seen walking on Hastings, between Cambie and Princess. Sometimes on Cordova, sometimes on PowelL .. but in reality he never was a believer...in boundaries. Destiny placed him here, in the heart of the city. Some said he was seventy, some others said in his late eighties... it was hard to tell. Many believed he was Hungarian or Czech, some others said he was Jewish, but many bet he was Arab, though he was fluent in German, Italian and Portuguese ... who cares. But for his friends, he was simply "Max". One of the UBC students in "our bunker" swears he once saw him solving a highly complex problem of Algebra for some high school students. Mikhail "the Russian" said that Max was a scientist in Krakow -a PhD; but Pierre "the Quebecois" said Max used to play the guitar with Django Reinhart and Duke Ellington. One of the Sisters of Mercy, says one day she saw, in Max's little bag, his picture -maybe when he was flfteen or so- wearing the banner of the French resistance with a submachine gun in his hands (Yes, when you are fighting invaders, torturers or guys who use concentration camps and cham-

I

hers of gas, all sort of oppressors, you are not an insurgent, but a member of The Resistance). Dusko "the Serbian" told me he saw how Max agreed to a draw with Bobby Fisher, one dark night near Blood Alley at Gastown in an incredible chess match -not ever to be seen on TV. And my friend Poncho -from Chiapas- said he saw Max playing for Milano Football Club in The Azteca Stadium, back in 1966.

Also, Maureen told me that one night in 1980 at the Balmoral, a very old man, -a descendant of Bill Minner's guards- told Max about a map of Karnloops, where one haul was hidden.

Who was Max? Hard to tell, but furthermore, who cares? Max was Max, totally lucid in his madness.

Was he mad? Not at all. Just lucid in his madness.

At the reading room, my friend Scandinavian good friend Bjorn, told me he had seen how Max was reading books in many languages, some in ancient Mandarin.

Lately Max spent entire weeks without talking, sometimes sitting totally idle at the third floor, listening how Mike was brilliantly playing the guitar.

No one knows for sure how Max got that "factory of bubbles", some said a Child gave him one day last summer, near "four comers", but after careful rehearsals he quickly became an extreme expertise

n:

creating soap bubbles, for his own delight and happiness of the neighbors.

The day fmally came when Max was evicted 'cause someone had change the authorized use of the room Max shared with Marc and Peter - two other senior residents. He rejected totally the alternative of going to a shelter. So on that day, with his eyes on the sea and the stars Max came to Pigeon Park and he ' . opened some empty boxes and started creating bubbles . . . the most beautiful bubbles! All shapes and colors: birds, flowers, read hearts ... people arow1d were amused by Max's Art. A police car stopped suddenly and contemplated the possibility to arrest ·Max for scandal on the public way, but they left for unknown reasons. One tourist was so impress and delighted by the free show that she even filmed it entirely, until the moment Max collapsed.

He was pronounced dead at the scene by the paramedics: a massive brain stroke, they said... an . aneurism exploded, and in the fraction of a second, Max took off, for the stars and beyond. Free as a bird. No more phantoms ofevictions...

Who was Max? Where he was from? Who cares!

Max was a friend, a good neighbor; a good will person among the nations. One day after lunch, Susanne told me that Max frequently quoted Hemingway: "A human being can be destroyed ... but not defeated!"

Eviction -or its sophisticated equivalentof "use " or "ownership " change- is nothing but a blatant demonstrationof/ cruelty.

Max, they can break your guitar but they can not break your song. As the poets have said: "They may even try to destroy all the flowers, but they can not stop the spring".

Let's denounce all forms of evictions. A toast of coffee for Max! A toast to celebrate color, sound and diversity.

By Jorge Escolan-Suay (Acknowledgments: Vassil, thanks for the co!foe.

Paolo, thanks for your song)

Sl

\

.

"" "..

• • '

tl "

.J. ..

Dear Mayor and Councillors, I I

• :U

rr t<

F b

v

The Carnegie Community Action Project is a project of the Carnegie Community Centre Association and • accountable to the approximately 5000 members of t the Carnegie Community Centre Association. l We are alarmed about the impact of certain City of • Vancouver and Vancouver Agreement policies and ~ programs that seem to be implemented in secr~y I and without any consultation with the actual restJ dents mvolved. All too often, we only learn about • •• them afterwards, through the media.

Project Haven is a recent example. From what we \ 1 can tell, Project Haven, Phase II, is a project spon• sored by the Vancouver Agreement, where police, fire, and city inspectors are going through 54 hotels and rooming houses in our neighbourhood to inspect • for health, safety, and criminal activity. While we need maintenance and other standards enforced in our community, we do not need buildings closed and tenants thrown out. Already the Pender Hotel (36 units) and Bums Block (18 units) have been closed.

The Lucky Lodge (48 units) is scheduled for a business license hearing on May 2 and the Astoria Hotel (84 units) is due for a business license hearing that has not yet been scheduled. This means a total of 186 units and the residents who live in them are in jeopardy. We have no list of which places are targeted, no idea how many have been inspected, and no idea how many more will be closed. Neighbourhood residents have not been consulted or informed about what is happening.

The CCAP completely agrees that SROs should be maintained in safe, clean and secure conditions.

However, cracking down on SROs is only one half of a plan. The other half should be enforcing the Standards of Maintenance Bylaw by having the city do the work when landlords refuse, and implementing c!ty council's policy, since 1991, of replacing lost SROs 1 for 1 with new social housing. Unless this half is implemented Vancouver will have many

more homeless people, and evicted residents will suffer needlessly.

There is a range of actions the City could implement now to mitigate this suffering. In the Downtown Eastside Housing Plan and Homeless Action Plan, Cowtcil agreed to numerous recommendations to maintain SROs and replace those that are closed with new social housing. Some of these include: . Buying one building per year. No building was bought last year and none has been bought tllis year and it is April already. . Lobbying federal and provincial governments for money to build social housing. If this has been happening, it's not very visible. . Lobbying the province for higher welfare rates and an end to the barriers that keep people in need from accessing welfare. With higher welfare rates residents would be able to pay higher rents and support local retailers and landlords would have more money to upgrade buildings. The upcoming , ~ UBCM convention would be an ideal place to make this point in unison with other councils.

The planning department has also been involved in a model of dealing with proper management at the Avalon and Silver Hotels. In this project, a building management course for hotel employees is coupled with RRAP grants and an agreement by the owner not to raise rents for 20 years.

The city also has section 23 .8 of the Standards of Maintenance bylaw which allows the city to do re' . pair and maintenance work in substandard rooming houses when the owner refuses to. Although the city legal department is reluctant to use this section of the bylaw, people we talk to believe it can be used to maintain minimum standards.

Tite city could also build another building in the Downtown Eastside with the $12.4 million for housing that was approved by voters in last year's 1 Capital Plan--yet no new building has been started. , The province has announced that it will be using rent supplements instead of building new social housing. The city should tell them that rent supplements won't help people in the Downtown Eastside.

Health and safety standards should be maintained in SROs with ongoing inspections and ongoing enforcement. When owners refuse to meet minimum standards, the city should do the work and charge

the owner. If management is a problem, the city 路 should implement its plan for management training.

City Council should instruct staff to take these proactive measures now.

The province should also be told to restore the earnings exemption for all people on welfare, not just people with disabilities. So long as employees on welfare are not allowed to keep even one cent of their earnings, the only way they can get extra money is "under the table" or through illegal or questionable means. BC is the only province in Canada that does not have an earning exemption for people on welfare who are not disabled. This fact could be contributing to the criminalization of 路people in the Downtown Eastside as they strive to survive on $510 per month which everyone knows is not enough to pay for safe housing and nutritjous food.

We believe it is irresponsible to push one element of a plan (enforcing maintenance standards and dealing with criminal activity) without implementing the other element (building replacement housing).

One problem may be that people in the Vancouver Agreement or some of its partners do not agree with the 1 for 1 replacement goal that has been a Council priority since 1991. Some are saying that there is too much social housing in the Downtown Eastside. And Vancouver Agreement documents talk about giving people so-called "choices" of housing throughout the city. But the Downtown Eastside does not have too much social housing. Of the low income housing in the Downtown Eastside, about half is social housing. This is the best housing in the neighbourhood.

For the most part the privately owned SROs are the worst housing. Social housing gives residents security of tenure. Often it is the best housing they have even lived in. It gives them a secure base from which to contribute to their community as many of them do.

We urge you to vigorously pursue these alternatives and to convince the Vancouver Agreement to become more transparent in its activities. If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate to get in touch with me at 604 729-2340, or 298-1614.

Yours truly, Jean Swanson, coordinator

•

•

" A small bear could be in there,'' Jean said.

A Homeless Girl " Bears don' t come to Spanish Banks," I replied. " Yes they do," Jean said. " I heard that a bear tried to A little figure sleeps on the steps of a building register in the Humanities 10 I course at UBC." Like a discarded bundle in dirty wrapping, Another paper plate flew out of the garbage can, How old can she be? along with a plastic fork and half a hamburger.

My own daughter, years ago, curled up in her bed, " Maybe he's a coyote," I said. "Coyotes live all over In clean sheets and wann blankets, Vancouver."

Trustingly, peacefully and happily. " I think coyotes would push the gar bage can over," The same posture of this small girl Jean said. brings tears to my eyes.

Another paper cup, a paper towel, and a baby' s toy I used to place my hand softly rattle shot over the edge of the container. on my daughter' s little head, " A raccoon! That' s it. There' s a raccoon in that garPraying for her future, choking with Jove for her. bage can," I exclaimed.

Here sleeps this strange girl, alone and yet quietly. " Good guess," Jean said. " Let's be careful because What does she dream of? raccoons can be quite fierce."

Have her dreams any colours?

We had moved closer to the garbage can, and we Or is her mind blank and desolate could hear something moving around inside it. That like a desert that stretches without end? noise had our full attention, and we were ready to back off should the creature in the can prove to be I want to place my hand upon her head, dangerous. A slice of pizza erupted out of the garAs I used to do to my daughter, bage can. Then silence. We waited in this ominous and tell her that I love her. silence with a mixture of fear and curiosity.

With aching heart I call on God. Slowly a black, feathered head, with black beak and Miriam M. Batts eyes dark as midnight, appeared above the rim of the (Reprinted from The Street) garbage can. " A crow," Jean said in surprise.

The Stranger In A Garbage Can " The mother of all binners," I said.

The crow hopped up on the garbage can rim, and Jean and I were walking at Spanish Banks one fine eyed us defiantly. rooming with the sea sighing softly and the moun" He looks like a general defending his territory," tains watching us like old friends. Down the path Jean whispered. was a garbage can, one of many used to collect the " He sees us as a nuisance, not as a threat," I said. left-overs from numerous picnics.

The crow dropped to the ground. He strutted among As we approached the garbage can, a paper plate the delicacies he had rescued like a king among his came flying out of it and rolled on the grass. We treasures. He took his time. He was completely stopped in surprise, and saw another paper plate sail aware of where he was, and where we were. into the air, do a graceful loop, and land a few feet " Black-robed priest," Jean said. from the container. " Or black-robed gangster," I added. · " Someone is binning this morning," I said. " He's " They stick together. They support each other," Jean looking for a treasure where others see only trash." said. " They do," I agreed. " They have much to teach " He's trying to make some money so he won't us about survival." starve," Jean said, "and he must be very small to fit The crow picked up a chunk of hamburger bun, in that garbage can." gave us a dismissive look, and flew away. We were " Maybe he' s a child who got left behind after a picleft behind at Spanish Banks beside the garbage can. nic," I said. " If we could see crows as crows really are," Jean " Maybe," Jean replied. We were about twenty feet said. " That could take a lifetime," I said. from the garbage can, and we stopped to consider the situation.

Sandy Cameron

A FAILED SOCIAL EXPERIMENT .

We will be ovettun, for we have neither the energy nor the belief that we have the power to keep our community intact. I had that faith, but only for a moment. It's happening suddenly, those bastards in council, greedy and jobs-for-the-boys MLA's, they've sold us out. We're told it was a 'failed social experiment': Tell me, what power gave a shit before the Olympic bid, they have been dreaming ofjust such a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, while they allowed the decline of our places of residence, j boarding up when told they'd have to make our rooms liveable. All over the signs are visible, permits have been applied for (and approved), folks are out on their asses, so many more to come: told they should become part of the larger community - the • places where we came from, [with] those who showed us we didn't belong; not to mention those who were raised here, their own community will no longer be theirs.

I wouldn't suggest that we are entitled to our own neighbourhood, but there really is so much space, surely those who desire wealth can give up this little hole in a vast city like ours.

This is an opportunity for this city to show its humanity and selflessness to the world: and those who have fallen through the [crack] in democracy, and become a false [errant] statistic of capitalism.

With the assistance of various governmental agencies, charities, philanthropic organizations and co cemed individuals, we have built a community.

Community: a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society (2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.) Sharing, participation, and fellowship. {The American Heritage@Dictionaryofthe English Language, 4th ed)

This tells them who we are and what we can, and a wonderful number are, doing. What's left out of · these definitions is any judgement. If you are able to leave out any judgement,????

The day I finally ventured from my room, I stepped off a sidewalk and came upon the people who [showed] me a community. The stairs were broad, for the welcome is wide.

Matthew

How many drinking places does the Downtown Eastside have?

Here's a good question: How many legal places are there in the Downtown Eastside where you can buy alcohol to drink? Guess!

Why does the answer to this question matter?

Well, the people who are proposing to build a Whitecaps soccer stadium next to our neighbourhood say that we qon't have to worry about the behavior of soccer fans in our community before and after games. We don't have any problems at Swangard Stadium, they say. But how many liquor outlets surround Swangard? · We already know from listening to sports talk radio and checking out the Southsiders' blog on the intetnet that some soccer fans are disgusting poor bashers and bashers of the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood.

According to the city's 2004 Downtown Eastside Community Monitoring Report, there are 45liquor licensed premises accounting for 8225 seats in the Downtown Eastside. The report also says that the city has set a goal of reducing the total number of licensed seats in the area. Yet the Whitecaps plan to serve booze at their events.

Poor-bashing and neighbourhood bashing fans plus 8225 licensed liquor seats could equal a very toxic mix of drunken stadium fans getting rowdy in our neighbourhood, harassing local low income residents or who knows what else. It's another reason to say "no" to the Whitecaps stadium at the location proposed just over the tracks north of Gastown.

--Jean Swanson (CCAP)

,

•

Review a Book & Win a Prize!

Want to tell everyone about a book you've read? Did you hate it? Love it? Did it live up to the hype?

This is your chance to VENTI Fill in a book review form at the library and we'll put it on our Book Review Board. An not only do

you get to share your opinions with everyone at Carnegie, but each mont, we11 draw a name for a great prize. .

0

Reader's Bill of Rights

News from the Library

1. The right not to read.

2. The right to skip pages.

3. The right not to finish.

4. The right to re-read.

5. The right to read anything.

6. The right to escapism.

• 7. The right to read anywhere.

8. The right to read out loud.

9. The right to browse.

New Books:

Ramblin, Man: The Life and Tunes of Wood:Y Guthrie by Ed Cray (781 .57) is a thorough, honest and sympathetic look at the folk singer and political · activist. Cray packs the book full of information he gained from access to the Woody Guthrie archives.

Can't find the off switch? Never sent an e-mail? No idea how to find information on the Interent? In It'~ Never Too Late to Love a Computer (004.16), Abby Stokes presentS a simple, easy-to-use guide "for late bloomers, older newbies & technophobes."

It' s even printed in larger prip.t, for those whose eyesight isn't what it once was.

Bipolar Disorder Demystif~ed, by Lana R Castle (616.89) is a useful guide written by someone who has lived with depression and bipolar disorder_for over forty years.

Letters to a Young Artist by Anna Deavere Smith (70 1.15) is a series of letters to an imaginary friend just starting out in the Arts. The letters address questions of confidence, discipline, fame, failure and fear.

.

also have a couple of beautiful First Nations art books: The Magic Leaves: A ITIStory ofHaida Argillite Ca'I'Ving by Peter L Macnair and Alan L Hoover (709.71) and Not'Val Mo"ls$eau: Retum to the House ofJnwmtion (759;21). Look fur these and other First Nations art books in our First Nations collection, just to the left of the library desk. Did you know that we have a list of our First Nations books & authors? So if you're looking for something specific, just ask!

Beth, your librarian

..

PALESTINE, ISRAEL & ME •

May 5th" 7th, 7:30pm Admission by donation Unitarian Church,. 949 W. 49th at Oak Forum Theatre about the struggle for peace and justice in Palestine and Israel, and the effects of that struggle on people and communities in Canada.

Presented by Jews for a Just Peace and the Social Justice Committee of the Unitarian Church of Vancouver, working with Headines Theatre, endorsed by the Canada Palestine Association and the Palestine Community Centre of BC.

For more information: visit www.jewsforajustpeace.com and click the Forum Theatre link, or call604-220-0381

.'

'

'

r

I \

\

·)~"' ...It

•I

'I J \

'

..

-:

:.1

,·-

'

;

.

'•

11th Annual Stone Soup

. Festival

'

'Our ll'hyear will feature the theme - •a taste of the drive'. People are more and more aware of social, economic, and environmental benefits of 'local', and the 2006 Stone Soup Festival will feature local . farmers, prepared foods, and crafters, as well as local community groups to educate and engage. We haven't forgotten about · the fun either! As always, there will be live music, storytelling, crafty fun for kids, and of course, a Stone Soup. We invite you to participate in the fun.

Saturday 11:30am- 5:00pm ·Napier Greenway Britannia

'

'

•..•'

'

' ,'

May 6th .

Every Thursday is Aboriginal Day at Oppenheimer Park

I

COME AND JOIN US I I

11:00 am Pow Wow Drumming learn or teach drum songs together

'

1:30 pm Bannock Making make bannock to be shared with participants in the afternoon circle 2:30pm Bannock Circle

share bannock and woodland tea while we do talking circles, crafts and plan trips

Up Coming: We hope to go picking medicines and sage, and go to Pow Wows, Camping and more •

My 2 Homelands Join Tuan Luu for the opening reception of his photo exhibit that includes images from his two homelands Vietnam and Canada.

Thursday, May 4th, 1:00 PM 3rd Floor Art Gallery Carnegie Community Centre The exhibit can be viewed from May 1st to 31st.

-

.,

~

.,

.

I

.'I

..

Strategies, multiple intelligences, methods for studying, multiple pathways - altogether a good insight. A rewarding experience with Betsy and everybody. â&#x20AC;˘

These stories were written by the students in the 2006 class of Success Skills for Lifelong Learning.

This is a Capitano College course offered by the Learning Centre for peQple who w~t to improve their reading, writing and learning skills, and perhaps go back to school. If you are interested in taking the course next year, talk to Lucy or Debby in the Learn- ing Centre on the third floor.

The writers reflect on their experience with the course and also on one of the topics we read about: Black History.

No More Procrastinating Les W. Nelson I've had the privilege of taking the Success Skills course and I was fascinated by it. So if you are considering educating yourself, I highly recommend any type of course that you like. Furthermore, there are excellent instructors¡as well as very good tutors who are willing to help out with whatever they can. I have been going to the Native Education Centre, and I get tutoring at Carnegie that helps me with the courses. ..A mind is a terrible thing to waste." So procrastinate no more - you have all the wisdom and spirituality of knowledge, so you can upgrade.

To Procrastinators Les W. Nelson PROCRASTINATE no more! Go to the third floor!

Don't be surprised You'lllearn more than you already know Betsy and Lucy are the best and so are all the rest. :My Evaluation of the Success Skills Course Denis LeMaire As springtime comes around, with a little sunshine in our lives, it comes to mind that in anything you do the most important thing is you and the person helping you. Success Skills has been a perfect opportunity for me to gather together subjects that I had left behind or that I thought was not worth studying, and itew possibilities that I will now take time to work at during the summer or during my life. Learning is of your own free will.

Life Denis LeMaire Life awakes Bright eyes Tears fall Rain drops

Moon shadows Sun gleams Stars shine Life goes on!

BLACK HISTORY OF AMERICA M. McCormack For the longest time I didn't understand how the captures, shipments and sales of so many people could be made. Through reading books in my late forties I learned about the enormous parties that were thrown in Africa to honour the African tribes' Kings by the whites, and when they had all passed out, they were taken captive, shackled and shanghaied aboard ships that weren't fit to support animals, let alone man.

Then they were auctioned off to the highest bidder right off the loading dock in New York and San Francisco, probably the entire world.

Once on the plantation they were made to work hours so long they dropped in the field, to be whipped and bedded for that night. Waking to a measly bowl of gruel and out to another day of cruel.

Though always suffering, the underdog black would relax (probably Saturday evenings), singing and playing to such with varioll$ instruments.

I believe this is how the Underground Railway got its beginning, to save many a "run away" from death.

With Lincoln's reprieve they started heading north and south to Jamaica and other parts of the West Indies. This also started the Civil War. When that mess cleared, the blacks could only get the most menial of tasks. The men and women got to the Mississippi area. Thus the roots of the Cajon Gospel and Nighttime jazz were born. These people were now new stronger natives, and soon learned how to use the whites' 'Yeapons against them.

Reading about Arkansas and Alabama was when I realized there.was a difficulty between the people of the south, and didn't re~y believe until the assassination of Martin Luther King. >

'

Somewhere the US Constitution says all men are to be treated equal no matter what colour, race or creed.

The ¡history stands something like that too. Should have been a lot better, but in my heart I feel even today there is still racial prejudice.

Today when I watch the civilized law move, even here in Vancouver, I hope to Christ that with time, knowledge, and education this cancerous racism may be stopped with all races of the world.

And through knowledge, we the living could help the entire life of all human beings become better.

BC Libs guilty of bad child welfare Last year, battered by months of bad press and â&#x20AC;˘ endless BC NDP attacks, the BC Liberal government created an inquiry into the functioning of the Ministry of Children and Family Development, now headed by Stan Hagan. The head of the investigation, Ted Hughes, is a former ethics commissioner, who, 15 years ago, forced then-Premier Bill Vander Zalm to resign several hours after delivering a different report investigating the wrongdoings of Vander Zalm' s government.

The venerable Hughes presented his 172 page report on April 7, roundly condemning the BC Liberal government and Premier Gordon Campbell for their mishandling of the ministry by forcing it to undergo massive budget cuts and at the same time to absorb reorganization costs.

Said Hughes bluntly of Campbell's denial that funding cutbacks were the cause of the misfortunes of the ministry, "He was wrong."

Wrote Vaughn Palmer, columnist for The Vancouver Sun, on April 8, " 'It is commonly understood that organizational change costs money,' [Hughes] wrote, as if addressing an administration of dolts, as maybe he was" (thereby proving once again that Palmer can go after the BC Liberals just as fiercely as he did after the BC NDP when they were in power). Additional note: Hughes suggested to journalists that they be "shit disturbers" in making sure his report was taken seriously.

The report made 62 recommendations, which Minister Hagan said later would all be adopted. The BC

NDP has stated it will cooperate with the BC Libs in every way possible to see that the report is implemented.

Getting tired of more-than-slightly-creepy neo-con politicians like Mayer Sam Sullivan, Premier ¡ Gordon Campbell, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and US President George W. Bush? You're not alone. I am, too. Why would I call Sam Sullivan slightly creepy? I don't know how else to describe someone who would slaver at the chance of throwing a two-week long party for the rich in 2010 at taxpayers' expense, while at the same time cutting back the social housing that would result from said event. Anyway, there' s more than just that reason to call him that.

On the same day that Hughes released his reportseveral hours before, in fact- the Sullivan-led, NPA-dominated City Council voted to axe the Vancouver Child and Youth Advocate Sheila Davidson, not even giving her notice throwing her out on the same day. Said Davidson, "The mayor says we do services, we don't do advocacy. But I think that the advocacy brings another perspective" to government. Particularly where the government's perspective has gone so spectacularly wrong, I think.

But there's another issue below all this which is eating at me. Like Globe and Mail columnist Rick Salutin wrote one time of child poverty, "What are the parents, debris?" And my question is similar: Why is it right to give so much attention to child welfare, and yet not care a whit about adult welfare recipients?

The abysmal state of welfare policies in BC is well known. The average recipient is lucky to have $125 to spend on themself for the month, let alone obey the government requirement to in addition to paying for food, transportation, communication, daily upkeep look for work, too. And that's if the recipient is even lucky (?) enough to get welfare in the frrst place. .

There is a campaign on now to raise the welfare rates 8nd change welfare policy into something less inhumane. The campaign is on from now until the provincial budget of2007. If you want to partici- . pate, or contribute ideas, or help somehow, contact Jean Swanson at The Carnegie Centre. Here's hoping the campaign is a success!

By Rolf Auer

•

.,, '

'

' \

Ifs fwmy how so much information can be available, yet 98 (well, let's say 95) percent is from the

same point of view and that its basic ideology is behind in and ahead of almost everything that is ' deemed worthy of reporting, writing and talking about. · The disparity between those who have and the rest of us is addressed as solvable or made palatable just by tweaking the elite capitalist system causing.such.

Headlines or partisan reporting can fill many heads with the illusion or delusion that something major is 'in the works', that 'things are turning out as nice people should hope', or most starkly 'there is no alternative'.

Remember that the victors write history books, decide what, if any, story/legend/myth carries on and how. With the speed of technology it becomes disturbing to see stories re-written on a daily basis, changing a premise, deleting words or adding phrases not present or inherent in the original.

It is mostly accomplished by a highly ~ophisticated system and network that has been functioning on a global level for decades. There are entire divisions of front-running governments and corporations that deal with propaganda, know how to influence and destabilize many sections and interests in our community and society. There are many companies whose sole purpose and business is to break unions, . stall or stop political movements and eradicate financial and supportive interests.

If s the wall that always seems to come up. A long time ago (20 years .. ) Tora did a Downtown Eastside ~·:

cartoon that just said, "Why can't they ever get it right?" The Woodwards development is a telling example, in that the hoped for social housing (both there and on South False Creek) are under a concerted effort to diminish and/or eliminate. What is built very likely won't house anyone who participated in the months' -long squat; all housing starts are of the condo variety with hefty tags and much of the boarded up and empty space so visible will not rent to or be used by low-income ventures or services for current residents. The poor are generally seen as docile or finally defeated by money, money and more money.

Stories are biased and very off-the-wall when it comes to how much spin is put on conditions or programs or events to make those most generally marginal and/or despised - poor, single or single-parent families, anyone whose presence is unacceptable by dint of their race, creed, skin colour, sexual orientation, economic situation, mental health and hopes be portrayed as part of the problem - against mom, apple pie and the consumer way.

"Everything is for sale in this community'' but any desire for balance or just to be included as a stakeholder is not, apparently, even on the table of those making decisions. Right now, begun several months ago, both the police and fire departments are being used to spearhead a drive dressed in realistic sounding reasoning, that involves visiting and inspecting over 50 hotels in the area with a stated purpose to shut those deemed not habitable, not up to code (fire or building) or, apparently, too much trouble to make right. On the surface this is perfectly plausible, except that no thought is being e~pressed that recognises the obvious consequences.

There are rules, regulations and bylaws that, if a new " immediate remedy" article was added, could deal with the lack of alternatives. Putting people on the streets - evicted 'for neutral reasons' - is the fttst step to making homelessness a crime ... or just an inevitable consequence of "progress".

Question everything and always ask "Who or what will this - whatever- serveT' ByPAULR TAYLOR ·

DEYAS Needle Exchange Van Schedule

DOWNTOWN. EASTSIDE

Telephone (604) 657-6561 AM Van 7:00am- 5:00pm (on the road 8am-4pm) PM Van 4:00pm- 2:00am (on the road 5pm-lam) 7 Days /Week

YOUTII ACTIVITIES

'

SOCIETY 604-251-3310 FREE - Donaliona eccepted.

0

n .. . . .. .. . ..

NEWSLETTER

CCJFffi(Q) ll®~o7IFJMI <C(Q).:,(Q)JP> IR?Jhll»li(\)2

THIS NEWSLEITER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION Artklca represent the views of individual oontributon and not of the Associati<n

Editor: PauiR Taylor; layout by Diane Wood.

Cover art by Randy Mcivor

@ I

M

8

!&

8

i

f! I

I

I

I 8

Carn~gie

Community C~ntre

Submission Deadline fnr nPrl

•

2oo6 ·ooN.A'fioi'is ·Libby o.~st oo aoir A.~$so Barry for Dave McC-$100 Christopher R.-$30 Margaret.D.-$40 Bruce J.-$15 The Edge-$200 Mary C-10$ Penny G.-$50 MP/Jelly Bean -$20 RayCam-30 Janice P.-$30 Wes K.-$ 30 Paddy -$60 Glen B.-$25 John S.-$60 Leslie S.-$20 Wm.B -$20 Michael C.-$80 HumanitieslOI-$100 Gram -$20 Sheila 8.-$20 Ben C.-$20 Brian $2 CEEDS -$50 Joanne H.-$20 Wilhelmina M.-$5 Anonymous -$

49 W .Cordova

·--· f

r

i~~, ..~

•

Contributors are not pennittcd to malign or attack or relegate ' any person or group or class, including drug users and poor • people. to a level refeued to or 'less than human' .

SPRING FEVER DANCE · Contact

Jenny Wai Ching Kwan

FRIDAY MAY 5 WITH DJ MIX AND FRIENDS

MLA

Doors Open at 7:00 '•

Working for You 1070-1641 Commercial Dr VSL JYJ Phone: 775-0790 Fas: 775-0881 Dowotown Eastside Residents Association 12 E. Hastings St, or caii682-09Jt

..

We all live in suspense, from day to day, from hour to hour; in other words, we are the hero of our own story.

-Mary McCarthy

•

WOMEN'S SEWING CIRCLE WITH DIANE AY FROM 2:00- 4:00 EVERY SAT STARTINGMAY6 .

AT THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE WOMEN'S CENTRE 302 COLUMBIA STREET EMBROIDERY, APPLIQUE, QUILTING, FABRIC ART MATERIALS PROVIDED

rr

nobody here but us chicks!'

Women's Sewing Circle For 2 years I have been leading a - a weekly sewing bee Thursday mornings at the Carnegie, which we called the Hen Party "nobody here but us chicks". This series of on-going lessons and workshops has produced incredible, unique fabric art. We ended up having 2 exhibitions, as part of the Heart Of The Community Festival in 2004 & 2005, and have sold many pieces. In January and February of the last 2 years we have also held community workshops so everyone could participate in creating the Valentines' Day March Memorial Quilt for our missing and murdered women.

The group no longer meets at the Carnegie; we' ve "flown the coop" and landed at the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, with a new time, Saturday afternoons from 2 - 4, for the rest of this year. Everyone is welcome, you don' t even need to know how to sew.

The imagination of each artist is given full expression. We often use images found on calendars, shopping bags, newspapers, greeting cards or library books.

Diane Wood

. "·*"" -.c;. <: 7 "'!-

i

•

A ·c oLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO SERVING YOU'I'H AND FAMllJES IN 'I'HE COMMUNITY

Saturday May 6, 2006, 11 am - 2 pm Strathcona Community Centre 601 Keefer Street

Join us for food & food for thought Childminding available

Ifyou have any questions you can call Karen @ 604-254-6995 •

THE ART STUDIO'S

AnnualSpring Sal~ Ma~ 12'\ 2 - 7pm 2005 E 44t Ave at Victoria .

604-871-9788

over-ru , ~~~-· B.C. > _..,._ contr11Cts, ' '

~.,

"-.,.10

r

·-

"The Apology Act is designed to promote the early and mutually beneficial resolution of disputes by allowing parties to express honest regret or remorse."

B.C Attorney-General Wally Oppal comments on new legislation designed to allow people and organizations to apologize for ba_d behaviour without incurring legal

liability. '

L' ~.

I

::

I

•• SUMMER•s COMING! Time to get in ·SHAPE! Come Play Soccer at Oppenheimer Park, · 400 Powell, every Saturday at 11 :OOam! Organized by t,.e Latin Anierfcan SoCiety In Action (LASIA) In collaboration wfth Oppenheimer Park

I

.

•

' ers

rate

with the (i)owntown r.East · e Cl'oets . i

'

'

\

.t • \

i' \

I

s, k ·. _,, t

•

... , '

.

( ; t ~

·_ ,

1.-' ·

t .'

~

7:00 m

' I

'

• I

•

\•

in tlie Carnegie lJJieatre 401 :Main Street

•

••

'•

< • \

. .. .'

. I .. .

' i ff

'f !

·, ,

t ~- .

.

·" ,;, .•

• •• ~

..

.

i/.;. . ,,

. . .. ... . ..

.

~~

.

. f.

I

( '

...

'

•

..,..,.~

..

·..

. ." .

'

'l'

( .

.

+

II

)'

(

I

.

•

•

;

'v•.

'

I

../

/Lo

;

. .

•

..

..

•

. '·. '

...

'

. .. .'

'• '

\'

....<

'

'

•

.

I)', . ,

• '

.

.•

'

~

'· . .

,f).'~

'

.

. .·. .,... '

•'

•

'

'

I

1

' .. '. /

The Pacific Baroque Orchestra presents the last of its concerts in the 2005-2006 season.

"The Young R.omanticsn is a tribute to youthful genius, featuring music by pre-teen geniuses Mendelssohn and Rossini. Also on the program is the Concerto No. 3 for Guitar and Orchestra by another young star Mauro Giuliani.

Giuliani was in his twenties when he took Vienna by storm with his brilliant playing and tuneful virutosic compositions. Guitar soloist in this concert is Ale ander Dunn.

'

~

!~

~ -~

f f. ~

~· I

''l'!i.

•

..

•

•

• I

..

J

I

When: Friday, May 5th, 7:30 p.m.

(Pre-concert talk at 6:45) Where: StJames Church at Gore and E Cordova.

.·r

J

: •, •

•

..

'

.

•

Admission is free.

•••

~ ...-----· .... -···-·· •. f