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MAY 1, 2016
~!!~~giet 401 Main Street, Vancouver V6A 2T7 604-665-2289
Individuals joining together as a community, the intertwined threads of madness, creativity, and collaboration can inspire hope and transformation in an oppressive and damaged world. - The Icarus Project
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website camegienewsletter.org carnnews@Sbaw.ca caruoews@vcn.bc.ca
catalogue
IN THIS TOGETHER Exhibition runs: May 6th - June 19th Opening: May 6th 6-9pm Online auction goes live at on: Friday, May 13th @ 3pm, visit www.gachet.org
Opening May 6th join Gallery Gachet in launching an exhibition fundraiser: IN THIS TOGETHER May 6th-June 19th: an in-house exhibition with an online auction featuring the renowned Gallery Gachet community of local, national and international artists working in diverse mediums and artistic styles. Artwork available at a range of price-points. After twenty-one years of receiving core funding from the Provincial Ministry of Health, we learned this past autumn that a shift in funding priorities and redefinition of mental health care for our neighbourhood was resulting in the conclusion of our contract with the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority. This sudden financial cut now in effect amounts to half of the organization's overall revenue. In the past six months our friends, community partners and networks have come forward offering various support. We are restructuring with new and hopeful possibilities ahead Now is the time to support Gallery Gachet's future. An iconic & integral community hub with extensive experience as a frontline facility, Gallery Gachet is an artist-run centre located in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, Tsleil-Watuth, Musqueam and Squamish territories. Through artistic means we demystify issues related to mental health & social justice. We educate the public and strive to further the well-being of our communities. Our collectively-run exhibition and I studio space empowers participants as artists and curators. Gallery Gachet also coordinates a volunteer program, mentoring artists. Featuring a range of visual arts, performance and and community-engaged programming, we involve developing artists and professionals alike in collaboration and dialogue. We consider art & culture to be necessary elements of a healthy society. For more information or to learn more about supporting Gallery Gachet: www.gachet.org I contact@gachet.org I 604 687 2468
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THANK YOU - VOLUNTEERS''''
Think of the different volunteer roles as pieces of a puzzle. Individually, it may seem small and insignificant but when connected with another piece, a picture begins to form. That completed picture is what happens when Individuals come together and contribute to Carnegie. Our volunteers complete the picture of our community. They give us the gift of all gifts; their time and commitment. We're filled with gratitude & never forget how mucl of our success is owed to our amazing volunteers. Congratulations to all our honoured Volunteers: Volunteer of the Year: Bill WON6 4 Special Merits: Ada Lloyd (kitchen), Peter Lau (Learning Centre); Garry Moore(reception/board), Oscar Lopez (park), Volunteers of the Month for AprilMing Chou (kitchen/special events), Chris Colborn (dishes/computers/plant care) Volunteer Committee Meeting- Wednesday, May 11 th @ 3:30pm, Classroom 2 Volunteer Dinner- Wednesday, May 18th @ 4:JOpm, Theatre . Burrrito Dinner- Monday, May 23rd @ 5:00pm, Second Floor
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CARNEGIE BOARD ELECTIONS WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY JUNE 2ND 2016 IN THE CARNEGIE THEATRE @ 5:30 PM NOMINATIONS FOR THE BOARD WILL BE HELD AT THE MAY 5TH MEETING
TO NOMINATE SOMEONE, YOUR CARNEGIE CARD MUST
BE DATED NO LATERTHAN APRIL 5TH,
TO RUN FOR THE BOARD A PERSON MUST; •
HAVE A MEMBERSHIP CARD DATED NO LATERTHAN APRIL 3RD 2016
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BE OVER 16
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LIVE OR WORK (paid or unpaid) IN THE AREA
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BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE CENTRE
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HAVE CONTRIBUTED 30 HOURS OF VOLUNTEER WORK TO THE CARNEGIE CENTRE OR THE ASSOCIATION IN THE YEAR PREVIOUS TO THE ELECTION
TO VOTE AT THE AGM ON JUNE 2ND YOUR MEMBERSHIP CARD SHOULD HAVE A DATE NO LATERTHAN MAY 2NDj 2016
CARNEGIE NEEDS PEOPLE LIKE YOU The Carnegie Board runs our Community
Centre, We are a group of volunteers
and the way it functions. There is on,e board meeting a month and seven committees oversee different members make up the following
who care about the Centre aspects of the Centre. Board
committees:
Volunteer - chooses those honoured at volunteer dinners and other volunteer
matters
Program - recommends events andactivities Education/Library - deals with issues from our library, one of the busiest VPL locations, and with the Learning Centre on the third floor Seniors - Our seniors are active and this committee
is dedicated to them.
Community
about issues and events and requests for support, as
Relations - hears from the community
well as overseas CCAP staff and reports Oppenheimer
Park - The park and its programs are a part of Carnegie. We just recently succeeded in
getting a traffic light put in at Jackson and Powell Streets. Finance - All requests/recommendations are monitored
for money go here as well as grant requests.
Financial statements
here.
Most Board members commit to three committees
a month.
We thank existing Board members for their hard work and are grateful for all those who have served the Board in the past. And we look forward to working with those who will serve in the future. Respectfully submitted, Phoenix Winter and Lisa David
Hello City Council and Staff, I could not make it to speak today, but have 2 points to make about the city's potential grant to Atira to allow them to open up empty rooms at the Patrick Anthony Hotel. I am writing on behalf of the SRO Collaborative which is a project of Atira Development Society. We improve habitability and help stop renovictions in the privately owned SRO hotel stock by combining community organizing with legal advocacy strategies. 1. Please approve this grant. Why? • SROs that are leased or purchased by government or non-profits and operated as Residential Tenancy Act buildings, are more secure in terms of safety and affordability for very low-income people. It is important for the city to encourage these types of relationships with owners of privately owned SROs in order to influence succession planning and long term retention of the stock. • The Homeless count is growing and the city must preserve privately owned SROs for very low-income people or the homeless count will continue to go up. In Vancouver, there were 1,746 people counted as homeless in 2015. The Quality Inn is closing soon and 157 tenants need permanent housing. There are about 4000 rooms in privately owned, mostly 100-year-old SRO buildings where residents have no kitchen and share washrooms, with many living in inhabitable conditions. The average lowest rent in SROs, according to CCAP, is $5 18/month which very-low-income people cannot afford. We need to preserve the maintenance and affordability of these rooms while we wait for desperately needed, affordable and self-contained housing to be planned and built. • The city is rapidly losing rentals traditionally accessible to very low-income people. Very-Iow-income tenants are being pushed out of SROs as we speak. The SRA Bylaw, as amended, is not a strong enough tool to prevent these "soft conversions." I'm in touch with some remaining very-Iow-income renters at the Metropole, Lotus, Keefer Cabins, Laurel, York, 666 Alexander who are facing various forms and degrees of harassment including payouts in order to get them to leave so their rooms can be re-rented at higher amounts. Some of these hotels are renting rooms for $1,200/month now. It is difficult for very low-income people to resist this pressure from their landlords, despite the limited city and provincial legal tools available to them now, for a variety of reasons that I won't explain right now, but would be happy to explain in more depth if asked .
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2. Please create a strategy to secure more privately-owned SROs like, the Patrick Anthony Hotel. Recently, I visited San Francisco with Vancouver Chinatown organizers. SF is a city of similar size and with similar escalating land and property costs. I learned about their city's proactive approach to stabilizing their SRO housing through their Code Enforcement, Master Lease and Small Sites Acquisition Programs. I encourage our city to adopt these programs too. We estimate there are about 50-60 SROs that need to be maintained and renovated with secured affordable rents in our city. • For the last nineteen years, the City of San Francisco has funded multiple Collaborative projects like the CCSROC to engag SRO and other renters to build their capacity to stop evictions and maintain the habitability oJ their buildings through Community Code Enforcement Outreach Programs. This long-term proactive education and leadership development approach has not only helped to keep SROs habitable, but they have helped create a robust renters' movement in their city. • The City of SF is Master Leasing twenty-eight SROs in SF at $11Ou/month per room. The owner is responsible for large capital improvements, including all repairs over $5,000 and must renovate rooms and common areas before the lease is signed with a non profit housing provider. The city could work with the Downtown Eastside Collaborative and non profit housing agencies on a receivership strategy that could easily trigger uninhabitable SROs into leases (or purchases) by government. The city is also subsidizing Collaborative Community Code Outreach Enforcement Programs in these SROs (and other rental properties) as another tool to maintain habitability in privately owned, aging buildings. • The Small Sites Acquisition Program is a program of the SF Mayor's Office that purchases small SROs (5 to 25 units) that, like in Vancouver, are typically targets for purchase by SRO Investors & transformed into higher income rentals. Their goal is to remove small SROs from the market to preserve affordability in their city.
A .key organizer who helped write the City of San Francisco's
version of our Standards
of Maintenance
Bylaw
& Single Room Occupancy By-law and who championed these three programs to secure SROs for very-Iowin~om~ rente:s, wi~l.be visiting Vancouver on holidays at the end of July 2016. I'm hoping to organize a meeting with him. It IS exerting to learn about the proactive approaches to securing rental housing for very-low-income and other renters in their city. Please let me know if you would like to be involved.
Wendy Pedersen DTES SRO Collaborative, Coordinator 131 Dunlevy Avenue, Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories Office: 2.\L4=-<?-4.2.:~581. Cel: 604-839-0379
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Jean Swanson at Council CCAP supports the grant for Atira to run the Patrick Anthony for a year. Hope you can extend it past a year and to other hotels and maybe bump up the subsidy so they have the means to run a better place. I came today to make sure you know about the hotel situation in the DTES.lt's not just the Quality inn folks that need a place to live, As we've said before, at ccap we are afraid that homelessness is going to really go up in the near future 'cause virtually no welfare rate buildings are being built, 'cause welfare is so low & 'cause the SRO rents are rising so fast. A few weeks ago we released our annual hotel report. We found the average lowest rents in privately owned and run hotels is $517 a month, leaving people on welfare with a mere $93 a month for everything except rent. We also discovered a new trend--to push rents up beyond 5-$600 to 8-$900 or $1000. The Golden Crown is actually advertising an SRO on craig's list for $1500 a month. Rent supplements aren' going to be much good in situations like these. For example at the Low Young court where you have a housing agreement for 2 units at welfare rate and 6 for people on welfare who have rent supps and where they recently advertised units at 795 to 1195 per month .. So imagine this. You want to get one of those supplemented units. So you go to a group that has supplements, which isn't advertised, by the way, and you ask for a supplement==but the group only has, say $100,000 a year for supps for everyone. If they give you $820 a month to supplement your $375 times 12 months, that's almost $10,QOOa year, so the group could only do this for 10 people when thousands need supplements. So no one is goingto pay that so all the sro owner has to do is set the rents so high that he can't find supplemented tenants and he doesn't have to rent to people on welfare. So rent supps aren't an answer . Since our report has come out we discovered that the landlord at the Metropole is offering low income tenants $1000 to move, and at the Lotus we have heard that low income people are being offered $2500 to move, When you're on disability its hard to resist this kind of money. It might be the only time in your life when you'll be able to have it. So some people are taking it even when there is virtually no place for them to go. Since the report ha come out we also discovered this list of hotels that are for sale: go through it. Since we did this table we found out that 666 Alexander has been sold so the low income tenants there could be at risk too. So we are hoping all levels of govt will buy or lease some more hotels at least until some more social housing that homeless people and sro residents can afford is built. You've not only got the Quality Inn people to house, but all the folks who could be pushed out of these newly purchased hotels. One ofthem is vacant so it's an opportunity. We agree with the points in the letter that Wendy P sent you, most importantly: Please create a strategy to secure more privately owned SROs like the Patrick Anthony Hotel. If you don't do this, we're going to have a lot more homeless people on the street --the dtes will look more like the cover of our report. We've asked the NDP to advocate for this; we're hoping for a meeting soon with the province; we asked the federal minister to come for a tour so we're not putting all the pressure on you but the city could take the lead. You're paying less than $100 per person per room to subsidize the PA, way less than it would cost to run a shelter or pay for police or health costs of a homeless person. I urge you to look at the SF examples that Wendy provided--their master lease and small sites acquisition programs. None of this means we love SROs. We don't. But there is hardly any welfare rate social housing in sight & we need _action ~ow to keep people off the streets and out of shelters.
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"Books and movies are like apples & oranges. They both are fruit, but taste completely different."
__Stephen King.
From the Library Do you still remember your first motorcycle? Is your favourite movie Easy Rider? Or perhaps you have . always dreamed of riding a motorbike? If "Yes", then come on out to the Carnegie Theatre on Wednesday May 11th at 6:30pm to chat it up, enjoy coffee, and be entertained by a variety of story-tellers on the theme of motorcycles! And, if you have a story to share there will be an opportunity to join in. For more on the subject of motorcycles try these from the library ... The American Motorcycle Girls (1900 - 1950) by Cristine Sommer - This beautiful book is a photographic history of early women riders in the U.S. From icons like Bessie Stringfield and the Van Buren sisters, to daring stunt riders and mystery female mechanics in the early 1900s. This book is a real treat! The Motorcycle Diaries (book & DVD) by Che Guevara - Take your pick! Although I recommend starting with the book to learn about Guevara's offroading motorcycle adventure as a 23 year-old that helped shaped his politics. The film features Gael Garcia Bernal, and is a wonderful way to explore Latin America. On Any Sunday (DVD) - Steve McQueen! What more can you say? Actually, this 1970s film has inspired much to say, and is the quintessential motorcross documentary and includes some incredible riding showcasing professional bikers on the Bonneville salt flats. One Week (DVD) - A Canadian roadtrip film featuring a young man with limited time left to live. He chooses a classic Norton bike and goes cross country to clear his mind. It's not your typical biker flick, but more a mellow reflection on life. The Flamethrowers (a novel) by Rachel Kushner - A fictional story about a woman named Reno, who is an artist in New York in 1975. She makes a bold move to combine her love of motorcycles and speed into an art project by entering the speed trials on the Bonneville Salt Flats. Her whole life seems to be one of risk and adventure. Your biker librarian, Natalie
We will never forget you Dean He was confined for many years, Now we have these falling tears. He wasn't with us for very "long, The pain we feel is very strong. Friends now lost to see him go, While others do not even know . No really need to be asking why, Some are here, and some pass by. Whether or not I knew him well, It's almost like I just need to tellA story of someone I barely knew It still affects me, so strongly too. Not much of a stranger in my eyes, My heart can never bear these lies. He wanted so much to belong, Now it hurts, because it's wrong. It can still even break a heart, Even though we're so far apart. Feeling like the blade of a knife, When someone loses their own life.
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A desire to change his very ways, Such matters of what someone says. It shouldn't matter who we are, We're not that different from afar. So hard to believe he was even here, Thoughts remaining are very clear. Feeling sorrow for someone who Suffered a life of hardship too. LEARNTO ... Laugh at adversity Smile at insults Learn from harassment Spit on all racism Distrust negativity Heckle corrupt politicians . Tickle smug untruths And walk proudly past all of these! john alan douglas
1;;)DJ Bruce
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CURRENT HOURS Tuesday to Saturday, 9:15 AM - 5:00 PM
PROGRAM UPDATES
We are connected! Free Public WiFi is now "live" at Carnegie. Connectivity and access is not building wide, but specific to the following zones: Third Floor - entire floor Second Floor - entire floor including the gym (while this was not initially in scope, it is accessible) Main Floor -library and theatre (due to technical/building issues, WiFi not accessible in games room. This problem is being looked at presently and we are working towards a solution). Basement - Small Arts Grant Office, Seniors Lounge - limited access in other To connect: 1. Turn Wi-Fi on 2. Select the Telus network 3. Open a browser 4. Accept the terms and click submit - might have to renew every 30 days for now 5. No password- just need WiFi enabled device As this is very new for us and our patrons, we will need to see how this impacts (or not) the use of space. For instance, having access on the 2nd floor may pose a problem and we may need to either turn the WiFi off or sim y post signs saying the area is for patrons eating/dining. I imagine it all will be fine and a real benefit for our patrons. Keep in mind, the WiFi is provided by Telus, thus if your or patrons are having difficulty with connecting - they should call Telus support line at 1-855-2009434 not our IT Help Desk. IfIarge areas are not active - report to me and I will follow up with the appropriate City staff connected to the project. I will post a few signs / table cards that describe the service and how to connect. Sharon Belli, Assistant Director Carnegie Community Centre
OPPEN ARTS STUDIO THURSDAYS,
WORKSHOP
10:30AM - 1PM
We're weaving in May! Learn some new and creativ weaving techniques, & create your own textile piece: Everyone is welcome! *On Thursday May 12 from 11 :00 AM - 1:00 PM, we're going to WePress in Chinatown to learn about letterpress work. Stop by the park to sign up!
LADIES' TEA PARTY FRIDAYS,2 PM - 4 PM The Ladies' Tea Party is celebrating its Anniversary. Join us on Fridays for socializing, arts and crafts, nibbles, and - of course - tea.
INSIDE OUTSIDE EASTSIDE SATURDAYS, 10:30 AM -12:30 PM Our weekly children's program! Children and their caregivers are invited to take part in arts activities, garden projects, and other seasonal surprises. When the weather's nice, we're in the playground!
[I] OPPENHEIMER PARK - DTES COMMUNITIES' BACK YAR[ •
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see rriy face I walk to a 24-hour corner store east hastings and gore 12:30 in the morning the air is raw a hooker inside the place says "can you buy me a cigarette?" I do
. and she tries to give me some change I say "you asked me to buy it for you it's yours" "thanks" she says and adds "I got attacked tonight see my face" she pushes back long brown strands of hair "two women jumped me" I look at the wounds and blood across her cheek and nose and ear and neck "myoId man was there" she says "and he ran off and left me he ran off with all my rent money now I'm homeless thanks for the cigarette" and she walks away the hebrews said you could not look on the face of god and live but if you could I think god's face would look a lot like hers
Bud Osborn
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•• :.+ .:•• ,@'0Jj •.:.+ .:•• Carnegie Theatre Workshop
... sessions for May ...
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3 Saturdays 3 plays to read May 7 - "Someday" May 14 - "Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth" May 21 - "400 Kilometres" written by Drew Hoyden Taylor
Join in - 1pm-4pm ALLclasses in the Carnegie Theatre In 1993 Drew Hayden Taylor, one of Canada's leading Nativq dramatists, wrote "Someday" based on the tragedies suffered by many Native Canadian families. The characters stayed in Mr. Taylor's mind and he explored their story further with "Only Drunks and Children Tell the Truth" written in 1998. But he still felt the story hadn't been fully completed and in 2005 wrote "400 Kilometres", the third play in his hilarious and heart-wrenching identity-politics trilogy. Free, everyone welcome! No experience necessary For more in/a: Teresa 604-255-9401 thirteenofhearts@hotmail.com
CARNEGIE COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECT NEWSLETTER. I MAY 2016 OUR HOMES CAN'T WAIT
You can check out the fake development sign at 58 W Hastings, opposite Army and Navy.
Downtown Eastside groups representing about 9000 people have endorsed a community driven plan, called Our Homes Can't Wait, for getting 10 sites for social housinq in the DTE8, improving and preserving 8RO hotels, and bringing in a rent freeze and rent control. The groups also want the City to build 100% welfare rate ($375) social housing at 58 W. Hastings St, a site .owned by Vancouver Housing Authority.
COMMUNITY GROUPS ERECT FAKE DEVELOPMENT ,PERMIT SIGN TO DEMAND SOCIAL HOUSING Continued ... To reinforce their demand they erected a development permit sign with their community vision for the site. The City is currently planning to build a social mix rental project on the site, with only 15% of the units going towards SRO tenants on income assistance.
"We need social housing in this area, affordable to people on welfare and pension" said CCAP organizer Herb Varley at the press conference on April 7th, Joanne Shaw, another DTES resident and CCAP organizer said, "We needrent control for the unit, not the tenant." Shaw explained how landlords evict tenants and then raise the rents to $1000 and even $1500 a month for a little room. "Social mix projects drive up rents and drives gentrification which excludes low income people," said Karen Ward of Gallery Gachet. "It would take at least 30 years to house the 836 currently homeless people in this neighbourhood with social mix projects," added Ward. "We can't wait 30 years. We demand that the change starts here with 100%
Vancity
low income housing at welfare rates." The community campaign, called Our Homes Can't Wait, is endorsed by the 300 strong Western Aboriginal Harm Reduction Society, Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users with 3000 members, Carnegie Community Centre Association with 5000 members, the Downtown Eastside Women's Centre which serves 400-500 people a day and the DTES neighbourhood house which serves about 400 people a week. King-mong Chan from the Chinatown Action Group also spoke in favor of the campaign as did DJ Larkin, a lawyer from Pivot Legal Society. Larkin said the "need is urqerrt fOr more housing" and that these measures are bare minimum and necessary to stave off the housing crisis. The groups also released a list of hotels with 182 rooms that have recently been put up for sale and 'called on the city to buy or lease them to protect existing tenants from evictions or to add additional stock for homeless people.
Thank you to Vancity for supporting CCAP's work. Support for this project does not necessarily imply that funders endorse the findings or contents of this newsletter.
HOMES NOT HATE RALLY IN MAPLE RIDGE
Homes not Hate. That was the slogan for a rally and march in Maple Ridge on April 13. About 30 people from the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, Carnegie Community Action Project and Alliance Against Displacement descended onto Maple Ridge to show solidarity with homeless people there. In Marcb the BC government announced that, along with the City of Maple Ridge, they planned to buy the Quality Inn hotel on Lougheed Highway .. However, Maple Ridge's established anti-homeless mob responded by organizing a demonstration against social housing. These self-proclaimed "taxpayers" of Maple Ridge want homeless
people to be driven out of Maple Ridge and the government responded by canceling the sixty beds that would have . otherwise opened at Quality Inn. The march which started at Maple Ridge City Hall and went to the Quality Inn Hotel was quite an experience for the folks from Vancouver. Maple Ridge residents who have protested the social housing project lined up across the street from our rally and shouted "get a job" and other slogans. At least six RCMP hung out with us as we marched down the Lougheed Highway, shouting "homes, not hate" and "tax the rich to house the poor."
A statement released by the homeless former Cliff Avenue residents in Maple Ridge, asks "VYhatwill we do until the new social housing opens? Maple Ridge's homeless shelter closes in June and neW social housing is years-away; where will we go in the meantime? There are rio guarantees we'll still be alive if we have to wait years for housing to be built." . . The statement continues: "The attitude toward homeless folks is really bad in Maple Ridge. We get death threats all the time. We have been chased down, have had bottles thrown.at us, we . have guns pointed us - just because we . are homeless. We are people too."
we
"We want good, dignified housing" the statement continues: "We also want to be able to live if) tent cities without being harassed. The Cliff Avenue tent city was good, it provided.satety and community. .We looked after each other like family, we made our own decisions and we . saved each others lives many times. We are taking a stand for homes not hate because this is our community and we are not going away." When we got to the Quality Inn, Tracey Scott, one organizer of homeless people in Maple Ridge, read her powerful poem about homelessness. The poem was the first statement of the Cliff Avenue Tent City.
Family of Humanity We walk the streets day in and day out We scrape to eat and survive that's what it's all about The City only wants to throw us away, But we are people and have feelings too so why can't we stay? . We take the fall for all the wrong as we hElVerights too, And we stand strong. We are sick, we are women and childreh and we. are old. We need to be safe so won't fold. We fight for our rights with equality for all, . .
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Because-together we stand and united we fall. . We open our hearts and minds to see, there's riot much difference between you and me. The Family of Humanity. By: Tracy Scott, . May 7,2015
YOU CAN SAVEYOUR HOUSING IF YOU KNOW YOUR RIGHTSI
Latelylots of hotels in the Downtown Eastside have been sold or are up for sale. This often means that ·the
If your hotel has been sold, it's REALLY important to watch for these things: .• Are people being harassed so they will leave voluntarily? • .Are. people being evicted? Sometimes the evictions are illegal and you can fight them .. • Is the landlord offering people money to leave?
If people are being evicted they can go to advocates at First United Church for help in fighting the. new owner wants to upgrade eviction. If a landlord is offering you the hotel and then charge money, DON'T TAKE IT RIGHT really high rents, like $900 or AWAY. It's a really good idea to $1000 a month, even $1500 a figure out if there is a place where month for a hotel room with a you could move to that you can bathroom down the hall. BC's afford. Mostly there aren't any good cheap places left. Also, it's a really rent control law says that if good idea to try to meet with all 9. tenant stays in his room or the tenants who are being affected. apartment rentcan only go up That way you can plot what to 2% plus lnftationeach year. . do together and you will be much But if the tenant moves, the stronger in securing your tenancy
landlord can raise.the rent as much as he/shellkes ..
. rights.
The city has an SRA bylaw that . says if a landlord wahts to renovate a room and that you have to move in order for him to do it, the City can make the landlord sign a housing agreement that would pay your moving expenses, guarantee yOU a room in the renovated place at your old rent, and.get your moving expenses paid to move back. So it's way cheaper for El. landlord to pay a tenant $~OOOor $3000 to leave thanto qet hit with the City's housing agreement. If you know these things you have POWER. Some hotels that have been sold recently or-are up for sale include the Harbour Rooms, Shamrock, Centennial, Summer, Laurel Apts, Georgia Manor, and 666 Alexander. .
If you're a low income person living in any of those 'hotels, watch for signs that the landlord is trying to get rid of people on welfare or disability and call the Carnegie Community Action Project at 604 7292380. CCAP has also heard the low income people at the Metropole and Lotus are being offered money to leave ($1000 .at the Metropole and $2500 at the Lotus). If this is happening to you, please call CCAP. We can help you get together with other tenants and fight back to keep your room or.at least get more money.
WHAT ARE THE ELEMENTS OF A SOCIETY THAT路 WOUrD HELP US HAVE BETTER MENTAL HEALTH? See on next page what people answered at our community vision for mental health workshop on April 25th.
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MORE TOLERANCE AND NON-JUDGEMENTAL ATTITUDES. HOLISTIC PERSPECTIVE OF MENTAL HEALTH. STOP THE STIGMA SURROUNDING MENTAL ILLNESS.· ADDRESS THE LEGACY OF RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS. CHANGE THE EDUCATION SYSTEM. INCREASE WELFARE RATES. ADDRESS UNEQUAL POWER RELATIONS IN SOCIETY. CREATE A HUMANE PHARMACEUTICAL SYSTEM INSTEAD OF A CAPITALIST BASED SYSTEM. PROVIDE MORE ACCESS TO TRADITIONAL MEDICINES. SEE DIFFERENCES AS A POSITIVE. STOP FORCED MEDICATION AND TORTURE IN PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS. LEGALIZE DRUGS. FUND MORE COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND PEER • SUPPORT PROGRAMS. GIVE COMMUNITIES MORE POWER. PROVIDE MORE FUNDING TO ADDRESS INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA OF -FIRST NATIONS PEOPLE. LESS JUDGEMENT AND MORE OPENNESS. HOMES NOT JAILS. GIVE FIRST NATIONS ACCESS AND RIGHTS OVER THEIR TRADITIONAL LAND. FUND MORE CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMMING. STOP FORCED DETAINMENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH REASONS. MENTAL ILLNESS IS NOTA WEAKNESS.
REGUL~R CCAP VOLOUNTEER MEETINGS
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11.15 EVERY FRIDAY
The Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) is a project of the board of the Carnegie Community Centre Association. CCAP works mostly on housing, income, and land use issues in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) of Vancouver so that the area can remain a low-income friendly community. The Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) usually meets every Friday 11 :15 on the 3rd floor of the Camoqie . .
OUR COMMUNITY VISION FOR MENTAL HEALTH 16PM MOST MONDAYS CCAP is building a community vision of mental health that centers and builds on the voices of community members with experiences of mental illness and more broadly directly affected by the mental health 'crisis'. Contrary to VCH and the City, this project understands people with experience of mental illness not just as patients, but also as experts of their own health and wellbeing. Through the project we are hoping to make mental health in the neighbourhood political and shed light on the social determinants of our mental health. We meet most Monday evenings, 6pm on the 3rd floor of the Carneqie. Call 604 500 2731 for any questions.
CARNEGIE COMMUNITY ACTION PROJECT UNCEDED (OAST SALlSH TERRITORIES
From Colleen Carroll, in Ecuador
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Yes we have had two bad quakes since the 16th, but all is still well here. Just wanted you, Lisa & friends at the Carnegie to know all is well & to update you. The quake has killed almost 600 people (many more missing) and injured over 7,000. I was well stocked with food supplies, six months worth, & have been able to donate these at the local city hall where they are being collected. Trouble is they cannot get through too easy, the roads are damaged. They will send trucks out and see how far they can get. Customs has rules against sending into Ecuador any used clothing, not even rags. Only new clothing is allowed into the country & the duties are high. This is too bad as people need tents and clothing; over 26,000 have lost everything. But customs would have. it all put in the garbage if it arrived and charge a fine of $10 for each item shipped. If you do not pay the fine they charge you a fine of $177. So please I beg you ship nothing here for the rescue made of cloth in any form. I could never afford to pick it up and distribute it. No tents, towels, blankets or clothing please. Nothing made of cloth. I have personally learned first hand that this is how customs thinks of these items. They all have to be trashed and none are allowed through the mail into the country. I have given '117 of the paintings I have done of Ecuador away to an auction, the city will be auctioning off these paintings to raise funds to go directly into a government relief bank account. This is all I can do from here. MANIFEST DESTINIES Just wanted you to know I'm doing fine, and please What do you see when you look up high in the sky, as send nothing made of cloth. Colleen far as you can imagine, way be~ond our lonely planet, our ever-changin ,isolated reality? Daytime sun and clouds as assorted birds fly in majestic enormous trees Night-time moon and stars that speak to me of endless distant destinies. Where does it all begin, these dreams, thoughts, feelings on which your life depends? I can only wonder what all this does to you ... can you comprehend? Where, exactly, is the starting point and the actual finish line? If that's the plan, ifthat's the way this story eventually unfolds ... until then we should all be cool knowing that everything will hopefully turn out perfectly fine because this is the way life works from time to time. ROBYN LlVINGSTONE.
On Co-op Housing There are many issues facing those who live in lowincome housing. New Democrats believe that everyone should be able to live in dignity in a healthy and safe environment. We have advocated for a National Housing Strategy ever since the former Federal Liberal government cancelled it. During the last election the NDP campaigned hard on this issue, arguing for a National Housing Strategy to address the rising need for low-income housing in Canada. This would include the restoration of federal government investments dedicated to social housing and co-ops, reinvestment of funding from expiring agreements back into operating agreements, repairs and the construction of new units, and a boost in funding for homelessness initiatives. You are absolutely right to be concerned with the long-term operating agreements coming to an end. In the House of Commons, in my response to Budget 2016, I made the following comments regarding housing: "Central to the issue of poverty reduction is the need for a national affordable housing program. Mr. Speaker, in Vancouver East, we have many families in dire need for safe secured affordable housing. Since 1993, the previous Liberal government cancelled Canada's National Affordable Housing program. As' a result, more than half a million units of
affordable housing or co-op housing would have been built with federal funding were lost. Across the country, almost 119,000 families are living on the street or are on the verge of becoming homeless. Real change in Budget 2016 would have realized what antipoverty advocates and housing provides had called for - which is a $3.2 billion investment to renovate old units and build 100,000 new units of affordable and co-op housing nationwide to reverse the years of decline in federal spending on affordable housing. But instead, budget 2016 falls short, way short of this. Long-term operating agreements for affordable housing is not fully restored. There are 34 housing co-ops in East Van with a total of 1669 units. If the government does not fully renew operating agreements and to ensure support is in place for rent subsidies for low income individuals and families classified as in core need, then I fear that many low income families and individuals will lose their homes. This cannot happen and must not happen. Not in 2016." I will continue to work with my colleague Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet, the NDP Critic for Housing, and the rest of my colleagues in the House of Commons to ensure that every Canadian can live in dignity. With thanks, â&#x20AC;˘ Jenny Kwan Member of Parliament for Vancouver East; NDP Critic for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship
â&#x20AC;˘ To Mother
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PACIFIC BLUEGRASS' & HERITAGE
SOCIETY
A variety of bands playing Bluegrass, Folk & Country! Wednesday, May 18,7 - 9 pm Carnegie Theatre
I have insomnia and you, Mother, come in my mind I have for you a large love But I don't know how to prove it to you because I feel like a beast I see you everywhere and you are all around And I feel my sense in a big empty path I ask myself how to write or speak to you. But I feel myself like a beast my head is empty I don't find the words the good one and I don't have illusions You are there all the time when I need I like to be there for you but I have no more illusions It was so longtime that I don't know how to give you your needs But I know you are not difficult to live with The only words I can feel you is to differ myself Will be I've thought about you and I love you forever MOTHER. Roger Brouillette
Saturday, May 7, 2016, Noon-Spm Britannia Community Centre Site/Napier Greenway 1661 Napier St @ Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC VSL 4X4
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Britannia Community Centre is pleased to announce and host the 21 st Annual Stone Soup Festival, a celebratior of food, art, environment and community, including a food market, local artists, community groups, talks and workshops, live music, tea leaf reading, children's activities, free soup and more! More than ever, people are aware of the issues of food security, the benefits of sharing resources & eating 'local' Stone Soup will celebrate the diversity of food in our neighbourhood, the environment and its importance to the culture of our community.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: Urban Foraging & Medicine Making with Lori Snyder: Free Drop-In Workshop & Walkabout: 1-~prh Family Activity Room
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The Greenhorn Community Music Project Performance 1pm West Kid's Area Children's
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Interactive Music with George Rahi (from Gamelan Bike Bike) 2pm West Kid's Area
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"Saving Our Wild Salmon,"slide show & talk by Eddie Gardner (Wild Salmon Defenders Alliance): 3:00pm Britannia Library
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Wild Salmon Caravan Film Fundraiser & Dinner: Film "Charlie's Tickets $20. Date: Sunday May 8, 7:30pm CFEC
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Music Schedule: 12pm Carnival Band .1pm Backspin. 2pm Tim Sars Duo. 3pm The Vancouver Fiddle Club. 4pm Rio Samaya: Commercial Dr Stage Plus tea leaf reading, art workshops and more! Information:britanniacentre.org /(604)718-5800
Peschisolido: Port of Vancouver must adjust to changed government in Ottawa By Kent Spencer The Port of Vancouver is facing scrutiny in Ottawa from Liberal MPs looking to change the way the Crown corporation does business. MP Joe Peschisolido (Steveston-East Richmond) said the port has become unresponsive to community concerns since the Stephen Harper government granted near-autonomous powers in 2008. "I believe we should have a full review of the port authority, its structure and staff and everything. A lot of MPs have concerns with the port and how it functions," said Peschisolido. "Under Harper the environmental process was gutted and the port had authority to make those decisions. The Liberals ran on having a proper environmental review," he said. Problems with current port operations occurred recently when port officials issued a building permit for a jet fuel pipeline in Richmond without the knowledge of Minister of Transport Marc Garneau, he said. "Port staff should take into account that there was an election and policies have changed. The minister was shocked that a heads-up was not provided," said Peschisolido. He said the problem stems from powers granted to the Port in 2008: Environment Canada was removed from the environmental assessment process and the port became responsible for assessing and approving its own projects.
The port also rules on projects in which it holds a financial interest, said Peschisolido, noting it owns the land on which the jet fuel tanker farm will be located. "We ran on a program of social licence. Community concerns about projects have to be taken into account with meaningful consultation," he said. "We need infrastructure projects, but there has to be trust that the process is fair and industry is bearing the cost of environmental risks." Environmental advocate Kevin Washbrook said the port has not taken public input seriously. "Notices of public comment periods were posted on the port's website where people don't see them," said Washbrook, a director of Voters Taking Action on Climate Change. Port president Robin Silvester blamed the jet fuel matter on requirements to operate under the current set of regulations, even as new goals are being set by the government. "We have had conversations with the minister of transport, seeking to understand his point of view, but we're a regulatory agency, not a political body," he said. "The building permit for the jet fuel facility was granted as per normal practice." "We are the federal manager of lands in the port and are clearly designated as the environmental permitting agency. There are 200 or 300 projects a year where we are the designated decision-maker. It wouldn't be normal for us to have a consultation with the minister prior to the decision," he said. Silvester said the port "engages the community broadly" but "it's kind of hard to know what a social licence is." "We always find opinions for and against and then a decision is made," he said. Silvester said the port stands ready to follow the government's directions. "Should the government make changes, we would absolutely follow any changes they would make," he said. Washbrook said it's "really refreshing" to hear that a local MP is bringing Metro Vancouver's concerns to Ottawa, but it's only a start. "The real test for the Trudeau government will be what happens next. The port's functions of owning something and approving it need to be split up. That's a core complaint," he said. kspencer@postmedia.com
Attention:
Catherine McKenna MP Minister of Environment and Climate Change Marc Garneau MP Minister of Transport
We are writing to express our concern as to the development timeline of Port Metro Vancouver's Centerm Expansion Project on the central waterfront of Vancouver. Port Metro Vancouver released their Preliminary Comment Summary Report on the expansion in March. Excluding the Port's stakeholder's private meetings, there were only 57 respondents from the public. At a Town Hall Meeting April 20 2016 called by residents living in close proximity to the Centerm Pier Expansion project, only one person out of a hundred in attendance claimed to have received an invitation card from Port Metro to participate in the Port's survey, as above. This amply demonstrates the failure of Port Metro Vancouver to properly notify the surrounding communities of their and DP World's expansion plans for Centerm.
Diagram of the preliminary
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Residents are voicing concerns about increases in truck and rail traffic including the transportation of unknown amounts and types of dangerous chemicals / cargo through their neighbourhood. People who work, live, and play [Crab Park at Portside] will be exposed and vulnerable to any accidents that may occur on the proposed site with its promise of 66% increase in container volume. Other issues raised at the Town Hall Meeting April were the significant loss of a world class view from Crab Park at Portside, a view that park goers and citizens have enjoyed since 1987. Children have enjoyed this public park during the summer for many years, through a Children's Program run by our local RayCam Community Centre. As MP Joe Peschisolido (Steveston-East Richmond) states in article as attached "Under Harper the environmental process was gutted and the port had authority to make those decisions. The Liberals ran on having a proper environmental review" Port Metro's timeline is May - June 1SI: Decision to proceed with implementation.
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The Port's timeline be delayed in order that Port Metro Vancouver be made accountable for proper input from the public; and that the Federal Environmental Regulations, as quoted above, "gutted" by the Harper government, be timely reas serted by the Liberal Federal governm.ent.
Recommendation:
Don Larson, President Crab-Water for Life Society
plans for the Centerm terminal expansion
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For aficionados of Ye Olde Carnegie Newsletter the August 15 edition marks an auspicious anniversary: The paper will be 30 years on. For the rest of us that's kind of cool! To mark this little packet of time, some of us have started rubbing ideas together to see what sparks & maybe what will catch fire. A few years ago gentle readers may remember the Gaming Commission taking the obtuse stance that the Newsletter wasn't a "program" and could not be paid for with money the Camegie Centre Association was getting from its license in a local Bingo Hall. This was after over 2 decades of doing exactly that. Most community centre papers are info sheets with lists, schedules, descriptions, prices and a onepage article on the group photo of its Board .of Directors. Print annually and just keep copying until next year. The Carnegie Newsletter is a bit different. Over time at least 1800 individuals have put energy into it; about 90 percent in the form of writing, poetry or artwork, with the other 10 percent helping with financial energy. ~hese numbers are heart-warming to me as editor but may not stoke your fire. IDEA! Let's have a contest. Anyone who's ever put pen to paper can enter.
Your piece can be writing or poetry but not go over 500 words in length. There will be 3 .sections: For the June 15 issue the prompt is Food Security. What's available, what do you (have to) do to get it, what kind of problems/ obstacleslbarriers are there between you and getting nutritious, healthy food. What amazing incredible awesome things can or could be happening to make this better for everyone?! All submissions need to be in by June 7. A panel of Newsletter people will vet whatever comes in and feature the best in the mid-month edition. In June, July and the 30th Anniversary Edition on August 15, the best selections will be published along with stories, memoirs and other stuff both past & present. The prompt for mid-July and mid-August will be announced. Prizes will be mind-boggling!'
So here we are - not all crazy or wired or beat to sh and still making the best paper in the city. AND (at last) the purpose of this whole rant: The Camegie Newsletter needs money to keep going, just like mos everyone else. If anything you see or read in this paper makes you nod your head then there's still hope. There is a budget shortfall, a need, for about $9000 If you or anyone you know has a chunk of chang~ ju burning holes in whatever sock it's stashed away m, please send some to the Camegie Community Centr,< Association, with a note saying "for the Newsletter. Thanks. PAULR TAYLOR, volunteer editor.
Here is my donation for the Carnegie Newsletter, Send the income tax receipt to: Name:
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Adme~: City:
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Please make cheques or money orders payable to the Camegie Community 'and write "Newsletter donation" on the memo line at the bottom of the cheque.
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Centre Associatior
,Our address is: Camegie Newsletter, 40 1 Main Street, Vancouver, RC V 6A 2T7
~!!!!!~gie ~ r-----------~~------~----------------__, ." --=~ We-acknowtedge that Camegie Community Centre, and are occurring on Coast Salish Territory.
this Newsletter,
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- THIS NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION Articles represent the views of individual contributors and not of the Associ~on_ .
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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful
committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Meade
WANTED Artwork for the Camegie Newsletter
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Small illustrations 10 accompany articles and poetry. Cover art - Max size: 17cin(6 'I:)wide x 15cm(6")high Subject matter pertaining to issues relevant to the Downlown Eastside, but all work considered. Black & White printing only. Size restrictions apply (i.e. if your piece is too large, it will be reduced and/or cropped to lit). Jnt!igenous women played a key role in defeating /fie misogynist and racist Hatper TD All artists will receive creditforlheir work. government (Photos on this page by Ed BiT) Originals will be retumed to the artist after being copied for publication. Remuneration: Camegie Volunteer Tickets Please make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor. The editor can edit for clarity. formal & brevity. but not at the expense of the writer's message_
Next issue: SUBMISSION
DEADLINE THURSDAY, MAY 12TH
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCfIO~ • AIDS • POVERTY • HOMELESSNESS • , VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ABORIGINAL GENOCIDE • .TOTAlITARlAN CAPITAUSM IGNORANCE and SUSTAINED FEAR
(Publication is possible only with now-necessary don fons.) DONATIONS 2016 Sheila B.$200 Robert McG.-$110 Elsie McG.-$200 In memory of Sam Snobelen: Anonymous -$100 In memory of Harold David: Susan S.-$200 In memory of Bud Osborn: Kelly F.-$40 In memory of Gram: L.-$10 Barb & Mel L.-$100 Cory K.-$19 Sid CT -$50 Laurie R.-$50 Winnie T.-$150 Glenn B.-$200 Craig H.-$500 Ellen W.-$35 Leslie S.-$100 Michele C.-$100 Wilhelmina M.-$44 Humanities 101 -$300 Yasushi K.-$50+ Michael C.-$50 The Far~ -$150 J New Star Books -$56 Jeremy S.-$30 Mafia Z. -$50
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