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No P r i n c i p l e s A t a l l (NPA) (Page 21)
ELECTION SPECIAL
Over t h e p a s t two y e a r s , o u r c i t y h a s i g n o r e d t h e h o u s i n g c r i s i s a s we a r e pushed o u t of o u r communities t o make way f o r h i g h c o s t condominiums. Wednesday, November 7 t h , was a turning p o i n t f o r people organizing t h e i r own h o u s i n g . On t h a t d a y , i n P r o v i n c i a l C o u r t , t h e "owner" o f seve r a l h o u s e s on F r a n c e s S t r e e t u s e d t h e l e g a l s y s t e m t o c o n t i n u e h i s att e m p t s t o empty t h e h o u s e s of a community o f p e o p l e . They and t h e media r e f e r t o t h e m s e l v e s as s q u a t t e r s . The condominium d e v e l o p e r had s o u g h t a n i n j u n c t i o n t o p h y s i c a l l y remove o v e r 30 p e o p l e from h o u s e s t h a t h e has t i t l e to..houses t h a t he wants t o d e m o l i s h . More t o t h e p o i n t , h o u s e s t h a t h a v e been l i v e d i n f o r 13 months by up t o 100 p e o p l e i n o n e of t h e t i g h e s t and b e s t - w o r k i n g communities i n the city. The d e v e l o p e r had b o a r d e d up t h e s e p e r f e c t l y l i v a b l e spaces over a year a g o , b u t o n e o f t h e h o u s e s had a l e a s e t h a t d i d n ' t e x p i r e u n t i l about 6 months ago. P e o p l e d e s p e r a t e f o r h o u s i n g , and l o o k i n g a t o v e r 800 others units i n the city that are c o m p l e t e l y boarded u p , moved i n t o t h e vacant houses. They t o o k c a r e o f them, hooked up and p a i d f o r u t i l i t i e s , and l i v e d t h e r e . The d e v e l o p e r has t r i e d unsuccessfully t o persuade the Frances S t r e e t s q u a t t e r s t o leave. From h i s n a r r o w v i e w p o i n t , and t h a t of t h e owners of t h e o t h e r 800 unused a p a r t m e n t s i n Vancouver - t h e s e ~ e o p l ehave n o " r i g h t " t o occupy pro-
p e r t y t h e y d o n ' t "ownf' No d e m o l i t i o n If t h e s q u a t p e r m i t h a s been i s s u e d . t e r s hadn't s t a r t e d using t h i s l i v i n g s: ..;?, t h e h o u s e s would h a v e s a t emLE f o r o v e r a y e a r w h i l e o v e r 100 p e o p l e would h a v e had t o l i v e i n worse surroundings. I n t h e i r own words: "We a r e t h e F r a n c e s S t . S q u a t t e r s . We h a v e h e l d o f f condominium d e v e l o p e r s from Grandview Woodlands. The c o u r t d e c i s i o n d e f i n e s whether o r n o t a l l homeless people have a r i g h t t o use vacant housing. "We h a v e made u s e o f h o u s e s t h a t would o t h e r w i s e b e f i r e t r a p s o r and c a n s a y h o l e s i n t h e ground t h a t our houses a r e b e t t e r kept than many r e n t e d p l a c e s i n Vanoucver. II We a r e h o m e l e s s p e o p l e . We a r e women t i r e d o f p u t t i n g a l l o u r money i n t o u n s a f e and u n h e a l t h y w e l f a r e hotels. W e a r e p o l i t i c a l a c t i v i s t s
...
t i r e d of l i v i n g i n a s o c i e t y where we work a t j o b s we h a t e t o pay f o r f o o d and r e n t t h a t o n l y b e n e f i t t h e r i c h . "We aa p o o r p e o p l e h a v e o r g a n i z e d t o f i g h t t h e h o u s i n g c r i s i s head on - because t h e b a s i s of t h e housing c r i s i s i s w h e t h e r you c h o o s e human r i g h t s o r property r i g h t s a s your priority. . "There a r e t h o u s a n d s of h o m e l e s s i n Vancouver- T h e r e a r e many more thous a n d s who s h e l l o u t more t h a n h a l f t h e i r paycheques f o r g r e e d y l a n d l o r d s and d e v e l o p e r s . " The S q u a t t e r s A l l i a n c e o f Vancouver E a s t (SAVE) made a n e l o q u e n t , empndsi o n e d d e f e n c e on t h e 7 t h . The j u d g e They wanted t o b e a l l o w e d listened. t o s t a y u n t i l t h e demolition permit w a s a c t u a l l y approved; t h e developer wanted them o u t t h a t day. The B i g Business mindset p r e v a i l e d w i t h t h e j u d g e g i v i n g t h e S q u a t t e r s u n t i l the 23rd of November t o move o u t . "THERE I S NO JUSTICE." (Dave B O W i e r ) ."We w i l l d e f e n d o u r homes."(SAVE
,
To N e w s l e t t e r R e a d e r s ; The Nov.
1 e d i c i o n of che C a r n e g i e
Newsletter p u b l i s h e d my l e t c e r i n w h i c h I gave f a c t s and f i g u r e s i l l u s c r a t i n g how I a s a r y p i c a l G A I N r e c i p i e n t would b e f i n a n c i a l l y a f f e c t e d by t h e GST, s h o u l d i c be implernenced. I p o i n c e d o u t t h a t , a s a low-income p e r s o n , I would b e Less h u r c by t h e GST t h a n would che higher-income Midd l e C l a s s . I poinced ouc t h a c f o r o c h e r r e a s o n s , t h e wealchy f a v o u r e l i:minariad,uf Jrhe:~grescurr:Federal~.Sales 'L'a&~anc?,implementatlion o f t h e GST. The E d i t o r p u b l i s h e d h i s rebuttal. I would h a v e b e l i e v e d t h a t most r e a d e r s would h a v e r e c o g n i z e d c h a t h i s remarks were irrelevant and i n c o n s e q u e n t i a l i n r e f e r e n c e K O my l e t t e r , s i n c e t h e y f a i l e d t o a d d r e s s che p o i n t s I made, and I would have l e t the matter r e s t there. However, t h e E d i c o r c h o s e t o i n c l u d e i n h i s r e b u t c a l a spitefully-worded i n a c c u r a c y and f o l l o w e d i c w i t h a p e r s o n a l a t c a c k v e r g i n g on che l i b e l l o u s . H i s i n a c c u r a c y : "87% o f Canadians wanc FAIR t a x e s buc you ( s p e a k i n g c o me) s a y y o u ' r e o k a y . . s e c u r e i n s u b s i d i z e d housing w i t h a pension." M r . E d i t o r , I am o n e o f t h e 87% who wanc FAIR c a x e s . And I am NOT okay. A s I made v e r y c l e a r i n my l e t t e r , I am on p r o v i n c i a l G A I N and no o n e on G A I N i s okay. We a r e a l l d e s p e r a t e l y poor and d e s p e r a t e l y i n s e c u r e . I know o f a t l e a s c one man o f my a g e (60) co whom t h e MSSH s e n t a l e c t e r r e q u i r i n g t h a t he e i t h e r submit a s a t i s f a c t o r y Job-search r e p o r t o r e l s e be c u t o f f . ". s e c u r e i n s u b s i d i z e d h o u s i n g . " S u b s i d i z e d h o u s i n g means I l i v e i n d e c e n t q u a r t e r s b u t a l l of t h e poor s h o u l d have d e c e n t h o u s i n g . T r u e , my r e n t i s low b u t t h a t o n l y means t h a t my w e l f a r e cheque i s t h a t much smaller. And i f t h e w e l f a r e c h e q u e srropped s o I c o u l d n ' t pay my r e n t , I ' d b e ouc on
..
.
the s t r e e t l i k e anyone e l s e . Where i s the security i n t h a ~ ? 3. NOW l e t ' s g e t on co t h e l i b e l l o u s bit.. You s a i d : "Maybe 1 ' m misrraken b u t I t h o u g h t a d v a n c i n g y e a r s imparced some wisdom. " During t h o s e a d v a n c i n g y e a r s , M r . E d i t o r , I have s e e n o t h e r c a s e s where p e r s o n s who p e r c e i v e d che i r r e l e v a n c e and c o n s e q u e n t weakness of t h e i r own a r g u m e n t s have t u r n e d t o i n s u l t and i n v e c t i v e . I have s t i l l a n o t h e r bone r o p i c k w i t h you, M r . E d i t o r . My l e t t e r t o o k up a l l b u t c h r e e l i n e s o f che f i r s t i n s i d e page of t h e N e w s l e t ~ e r . I n chose t h r e e remaining l i n e s , d i r e c c l y below my s i g n a t u r e , "I h a t e you c a u s e d co have prinrred: I chink a l l t h e v i o l e n t violence. p e o p l e s h o u l d be caken ouc and s h o t . " Whecher o r n o t i c was y o u r i n t e n t i o n , M r . E d i c o r , many r e a d e r s w i l l h a v e r a k e n c h a r unsavoury d e c l a r a t i o n as a p a r t of my l e t t e r , a P o s t S c r i p c , a n e x p r e s s i o n of my own f e e l i n g s . Why d i d you c h o o s e t o p u t t h a c t h e r e , M r . E d i r o r , o r c h o o s i n g s o , why d i d n ' t you p u t a r u l e , a l i n e between my s i g n a r u r e and t h a t j o k e ? I am g o i n g t o h a v e a copy o f t h i s letter. I f the Editor p r i n t s it w i t h o u r d e l e t i o n , I w i l l be s a t i s f i e d . I f n o t , I w i l l t a k e t h e m a t t e r up w i t h t h e Board and s e e k a c l e a s c a p u b l i s h e d a p o l o g y from t h e E d i c o r .
.
E r i c Erickson
Eric, Another a s s u m p t i o n I h a v e i s t h a t one would l e a r n t h e f a c t s b e f o r e r e a c t i n g a s you do. A l l t h a t was l e f t o u t of t h e 1 s t l e t t e r was t h e phone number o f t h e f e d e r a l propaganda. J e a n r e s p o n d e d . . n e x t page.
Dear N e w s l e t t e r R e a d e r s , I want t o r e s p o n d t o E r i c E r i c k s o n ' s l e t t e r a b o u t t h e GST. F i r s t , i t i s r e a l l y good t h a t M r . E r i c k s o n t o o k t h e t i m e t o t h i n k about t h e impact of t h e GST and t o t r y t o c a l c u l a t e what imp a c t i t would have on him. Too o f t e n w e j u s t buy what t h e media t e l l s u s without thinking.
6%
But t h e GST i s q u i t e c o m p l i c a t e d . I n t h e s h o r t run, even w i t h t h e t a x c r e d i t , most poor p e o p l e w i l l l o s e . I n t h e l o n g r u n , a l l poor p e o p l e w i l l lose. ere's why:
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1. Rent: Your l a n d l o r d won't b e REQUIRED t o i n c r e a s e y o u r r e n t by 7%. However, y o u r l a n d l o r d ' s c o s t s w i l l go up b e c a u s e of t h e GST. ~ e ' l l have t o pay n i r e t i g e t t h e plumbing f i x e d , p a i n t , e t c . (Mind you, i n t h e Downtown E a s t s i d e t h i s d o e s n ' t happen t o o much.) A l l t h e s e c o s t s w i l l be a good e x c u s e t o r a i s e your r e n t . 2. Businessmen who have t o pay t h e F e d e r a l S a l e s Tax t h a t i s b e i n g a b o l i s h e d w i l l NOT be r e q u i r e d t o r e d u c e t h e i r p r i c e s t o p a s s on t h e s a v i n g s . They w i l l o n l y do t h i s i f t h e y a r e f e e l i n g l i k e n i c e guys. Does t h i s seem l i k e l y ?
3. M r . E r i c k s o n f o r g o t one t h i n g when h e made h i s c a l c u l a t i o n s a b o u t how much h e ' d have t o pay. Poor p e o p l e a l r e a d y g e t a t a x c r e d i t of $100, r i g h t ? So t h e $190 t h a t w e ' r e g o i n g t o g e t i s o n l y $90 more, n o t $190 more. M r . E r i c k s o n c a l c u l a t e s t h a t h e ' l l have t o pay $137.40 i n GST and w i l l g e t $190 b a c k , l e a v i n g him ahead by $52.60. Under t h e o l d s y s tem, h e ' d g e t $100 back w i t h o u t payi n g t h e e x t r a $137.40. So w i t h t h e new s y s t e m , h e pays a n e x t r a $137.40 and g e t s back o n l y $90 more. That l e a v e s him $47.40 WORSE o f f . O r i t c o u l d be a t a d l e s s worse o f f i f h e bought m a n u f a c t u r e d i t e m s t h a t i n c l u d e d t h e f e d e r a l s a l e s t a x . Accordi n g t o a s t u d y by t h e N a t i o n a l Counc i l of W e l f a r e , a s i n g l e p e r s o n who l i v e s on l e s s t h a n $12,500 a y e a r w i l l h a v e t o pay a n a v e r a g e o f $13 a y e a r more i n t a x t h a n t h e y r e c e i v e in the credit. This is i n t h e f i r s t year. The amount i n c r e a s e s s t e a d i l y after that. 4. A l l r e s t a u r a n t p u r c h a s e s w i l l b e t a x e d w i t h t h e GST. T h i s means a cup o f c o f f e e a t t h e L e n i t y . It w i l l be r e a l l y bad f o r p e o p l e who d o n ' t have cooking f a c i l i t i e s .
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5. The GST w i l l i n c r e a s e t a x e s f p r some m i d d l e c l a s s p e o p l e s o much t h a t i t w i l l push them below t h e poverty l i n e . 6. Rich p e o p l e and c o r p o r a t i o n s l i k e t h e GST b e c a u s e i t t a k e s t a x e s o f f them and p u t s t a x e s on poor and m i d d l e income p e o p l e . 7. The w o r s t t h i n g a b o u t t h e GST t a x c r e d i t is t h a t it is not f u l l y tied t o inflation. T h a t means t h a t e a c h y e a r , w h i l e t h e c o s t of l i v i n g g o e s up, t h e c r e d i t s t a y s t h e same. A s a r e s u l t , t h e t a x c r e d i t w i l l cove r l e s s and l e s s o f t h e money t h a t you h a v e t o spend o n t h e GST. The GST t a x c r e d i t w i l l be l i k e an umbrella
that shrinks i n the rain. I f the 5' government t r u l y wanted t o p r o t e c t poor p e o p l e from t h e r a v a g e s of t h i s t a x , t h e y would have i n c r e a s e d t h e c r e d i t and t i e d i t t o i n f l a t i o n . 8. End L e g i s l a t e d P o v e r t y h a s w r i t t e n t o Vander Zalm demanding t h a t h e n o t c o n f i s c a t e t h e GST t a x c r e d i t from p e o p l e on w e l f a r e . N e e d l e s s t o s a y , no r e p l y y e t . So l e t ' s keep up t h e f i g h t a g a i n s t t h i s u n f a i r tax. Sincerely, J e a n Swanson
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I S JUSTICE?
P e o p l e a l l o v e r t h e world go on S t r i k e u n t i l they g e t a f a i r s e t t l e m e n t . N a t i v e s p u t up a r o a d b l o c k i n hope o f g e t t i n g a f a i r s e t t l e m e n t on l a n d c l a i m s . I n Oka i t had been g o i n g on f o r months b u t o u r s o - c a l l e d government s e n t i n t r o o p s & guns. I n B.C. t h e p o l i c e a r e s e n t t o Duff y Lake t o b r e a k up t h e b l o c k a d e . The N a t i v e s s a i d t h e r e would b e n o v i o l e n c e , b u t I s e e t h e RCMP h a u l i n g o u r p e o p l e away and was h o r r i f i e d t o s e e one o f t h e p o l i c e s t r i k e a p r o t e s t o r . I f t h i s is not violence, I c e r t a i n l y d o n ' t want t o s e e s u c h p e o p l e i n law e n f o r c e m e n t i f t h e y c h o o s e t o get v i o l e n t . I must s a y t h a t i f a c i t i z e n h i t s a p o l i c e o f f i c e r , h e / s h e i s thrown i n j a i l f a s t e r than I can shake a l e g . 5 u t , r e v e r s e t h e o r d e r -'.a p o l i c e o f f i c e r h i ~ t i n ga c i t i z e n - and not h i n g i s done. J u s t where i s j u s t i c e ? By MARGARET PREVOST
ALONE
S q u a t t i n g on a mountain s i d e Over l o o k i n g Kamloops Watching t h e d i r t y sky D i r t y i n g d e e p e r w i t h t h e Every day "Kush Hour. " F e e l i n g l o n e r now With a f a r t h e r meaning t h a - a l o n e e v e r b e f o r e had wind w i f f s o f p o f f u t e d p u l p m i l l s m e l l s c h i l l c o l d t o t h e bone and s h i v e r Six parties ran i n the l a s t election A l l men g o t e l e c t e d n o t one woman i n t h e whole town Male d o m i n a t i o n s u b s t i t u t e s f o r democracy e l e c t women e q u a l l y t o e a c h p o s c f a l l s on d e a f e a r s of s u p p e r , blooming e x l e , g a l c o l o n i a l i s t s The promise of freedom s c o f f e d a t and r i d i c u l e d and c h a s e d from t h e town. s o much s o t h a t most p e o p l e now by-pass t h e town s i g h i n g t h e p r i c e s a r e t o o h i g h and g l a d t o go. Cold winds a r e a b l e s s i n g i n d e s i g n t o o bad t h e s t e n c h of p o l l u t i o n r u i n s i t a l l . W e need a r e v o l u t i o n i n t h i s c o u n t r y and soon. EAST
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"COME TO VOTE THE RASCALS OUT?"
The w i n t e r ' s a l m o s t h e r e a g a i n With c l o u d y s k i e s and l o t s o f r a i n Upon t h e m o u n t a h s snow i s l a y i n g The w e a t h e r ' s c o l d i s what I ' m s a y i n g The t i m e t o r e a d and l a y abed For t h o s e who h a v e a buck ahead To r e a d and s t u d y t h r o u g h t h e n i g h t s And p r e p a r e f o r summer's d e l i g h t s To k e e p a b u d g e t i s a c h o r e To make y o u r d o l l a r buy you more It i s a t r i a l t o make i t l a s t U n t i l w i n t e r h a s come and p a s s e d Make p l a n s f o r summer i n t h e s u n And work and p l a y and j u s t have f u n here's more t o l i f e t h a n j u s t t h e s t r e e t s The highway beckons you and g r e e t s The c o u n t r y w i t h t h e s m a l l t o w n ' s g r e a t s Oh s h o u l d I e v e r l i v e s o l o n g For me, my c o u n t r y ' s p u l l i s s t r o n g . Don Hodgson
Environmental Crisis E n v i r o n m e n t a l p o l l u t i o n i s one of t h e most s e r i o u s problems f a c i n g humI t ' s a term t h a t r e f e r s a n i t y today. t o a l l t h e ways p e o p l e p o l l u t e t h e i r surroundings. Most o f t h e g a s e s and p a r t i c l e s t h a t people put i n t o t h e a i r come from combustion p r o c e s s e s . The f u r n a c e s i n f a c t o r i e s , homes and o f f i c e buildings; the engines i n c a r s , a i r p l a n e s and o t h e r motor v e h i c l e s a r e t h e c h i e f s o u r c e s of p o l l u t i o n . Nearly everyone c a u s e s environmental p o l l u t i o n i n some way. For example, p e o p l e r u i n n a t u r a l b e a u t y by s c a t t e r i n g junk and l i t t e r on t h e l a n d and i n t h e water. People d i r t y t h e a i r with g a s e s and smoke, p o i s o n t h e w a t e r w i t h c h e m i c a l s and damage t h e s o i l w i t h t o o many f e r t i l i z e r s and p e s t i c i d e s . A i r , w a t e r and s o i l , a l l harmed by p o l l u t i o n , a r e necessary t o t h e surv i v a l of a l l l i v i n g t h i n g s . Badly p o l l u t e d a i r c a n c a u s e i l l n e s s and even d e a t h . Polluted water k i l l s f i s h and o t h e r m a r i n e l i f e . The p o l l u t i o n o f s o i l r e d u c e s t h e amount o f l a n d a v a i l a b l e f o r growing food. Everyone w a n t s t o r e d u c e p o l l u t i o n . The problem i s c o m p l i c a t e d b e c a u s e much p o l l u t i o n i s c a u s e d by t h i n g s t h a t b e n e f i t people. The e x h a u s t from automobiles c a i s e s a l a r g e percentage of a l l a i r p o l l u t i o n but c a r s provide t r a n s p o r t a t i o n ixro m i l l i o n s o f p e o p l e . F a c t o r i e s d i s c h a r g e much o f t h e m a t e r i a l t h a t p o l l u t e s a i r and w a t e r , however, f a c t o r i e s s u p p l y j o b s f o r p e o p l e and p r o d u c e goods t h a t p e o p l e
want. Too much f e r t i l i z e r o r p e s t i - 7 . c i d e can r u i n the s o i l , but f e r t i l i z e r and p e s t i c i d e s a r e i m p o r t a n t a i d s t o t h e growing of c r o p s . P e o p l e would have t o s t o p u s i n g many t h i n g s t h a t b e n e f i t them t o g r e a t l y r e d u c e pollution. P o l l u t i o n c a n be g r a d u a l l y reduced i n s e v e r a l ways. S c i e n t i s t s and engi n e e r s can work t o f i n d ways t o l e s s e n t h e amount of p o l l u t i o n t h a t s u c h t h i n g s a s c a r s and f a c t o r i e s c a u s e . Governments c a n p a s s and e n f o r c e laws t h a t r e q u i r e b u s i n e s s e s and i n d i v i d u a l s t o s t o p , o r c u t down on, c e r t a i n p o l l u ting activities. P e r h a p s most importa n t l y , i n d i v i d u a l s and g r o u p s of p e o p l e c a n work t o p e r s u a d e t h e i r r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s i n government t o t a k e a c t i o n toward r e d u c i n g p o l l u t i o n .
By BILL TREMBLEY
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A CBC FORUM
F o r e s t r y : The C l e a r Cut T r u t h S t u d i o 4 1 , CBC T e l e v i s i o n 700 Hamilton S t r e e t F r i d a y , November 16, 1990 Doors open a t 6:30 pm/ Free t i c k e t s i n Newsletter Office.
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Margaret M i t c h e l l v i s i t s Carnegie! M s . M i t c h e l l came on T u e s . , Nov.12. She i s now NDP L i t e r a c y C r i t i c . Marga r e t a l s o d o n a t e d $250 t o L e a r n i n g C t . ;: C.E.E.D.S.
p e o p l e w i l l b e i n Vancouver a r o u n d Nov.26 and a r e b r i n g i n g some o r g a n i c v e g i e s !
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A l l you need t o v o t e i s I D o r a l e t t e r w i t h y o u r name & a d d r e s s on i t .
SALVADORAN COFFEE KILLS: DON'T BUY THESE COFFEES call/Write Coffee Companies - Tell Them You aren't buying . . . until they stop using Salvadoran Coffee!
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COFFEE STOP FUNDING THE DEATH SQUADS
Nestle Enterprises - Nescafe, MJB, Hills Bros., Taster's Choice Consumer Affairs, 1185 Eglinton Ave.East, Don Mills, Ont. M3C 3C7
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General Foods Maxwell House, Sanka Consumer Centre, Box 1200, Don Mills, Ont. M3C 355
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Proctor & Gamble Folgers U.S. distributor: 5th & Sycamore Streets, ~incinnatti,OH 45202 NO SALVADORAN COFFEE USED HERE: Bridgehead Coffee, CRS Co-operative, Vancouver Edwards Coffee (Lucerne Foods) Nabob Coffee Murchies Coffees
Join the national boycott of Salvadoran coffee Coffee sales in the North American market furnish the largest source of currency for El Salvador, second to military and economic aid.
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Stop Salvadoran Coffee Campaign . c/o-1672 East 10th Avenue, Vancouver, B.C. V5N 1x5 Phone: 684-7342 FAX: 872-0709
EL SALVADOR SUPPORT COALITION Coffee sales in the North American market furnish the largest source of currency for El Salvador, second to US military and economic aid. lJHY BOYCOTT? Over 70,000 civilians have been murdered by death squads linked to the El Salvador government & military. Despite the appearance of democracy, El Salvador is a military dic~atorship which harshly represses human rights. The rich coffee growers of El Salvador form the backbone of the ruling ARENA party. Funding is provided by U.S. military and economic "AID" and money from Nor ~h American coffee sales. For 1989, lit, non-
*labob and Hurchies purchased Salvadoran coffee i n the past krt because of strength of boycott can't obtain i t now. Lucerne Edwards blend does not u t i l i z e Salvadoran beans .aid Conpany representative.
I Support the Salvadoran Coffee Boycott!
Name Address Phone I wish to
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P Code
volunteer receive more information
governmental Human Rights Commission (CDHES) reports that government military and police forces assassinated over 3,700 civilians - students, peasants, human rights workers, religious and trade union activists. GOALS OF THE BOYCOTT Our goal is to ensure that El Salvador coffee barons, government and military officials are aware that they do not act in secret, that Canadians know of and condemn their brutality. Second, we want to change
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t h e f o r e i g n p o l i c y of Lhe Canadian and U.S. governments t o e n s u r e t h a t a l l a i d t o E l Salvador is t i e d t o a d e m o n s t r a b l e commitment t o human rights. ORIGINS OF THE BOYCOTT The Canadian b o y c o t t was d e v e l o p e d i n r e s p o n s e t o a U.S. b o y c o t t organi z e d by t h e 60,000-member group Neighbour- to-Neighbor They c a l l e d t h e b o y c o t t i m m e d i a t e l y f o l l o w i n g t h e November, 1989 b r u t a l murder o f 6 J e s u i t p r i e s t s , t h e i r S a l v a d o r a n h o u s e k e e p e r and h e r daughter. President C r i s t i a n i admitted t h a t members of government armed f o r c e s were t h e m u r d e r e r s , b u t j u s t i c e i n E l S a l v a d o r i s owned by t h e same o f f i c i a l s t h a t have a l l o w e d t h e d e a t h squads t o o p e r a t e w i t h impunity.
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THE BOYCOTT I S WORKING
Salvadoran c o f f e e beans a r e not a v a i l a b l e on t h e \ J e s t C o a s t o f Canada o r t h e U.S. s i n c e t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Longshoremen's and W a r e h o ~ s e m e n ' ~ Union e n d o r s e d t h e b o y c o t t . T h i s Febr u a r y t h e f r e i g h t e r Ciudad d e Buenaventura carried coffee containers from San F r a n c i s c o , t o Vancouver B C , t o S e a t t l e , Los Angeles and b a c k t o E l S a l v a d o r b e c a u s e dockworkers up & down t h e c o a s t r e f u s e d t o t o u c h i t . S p e a k i n g t o t h e Canadian ILWU Conv e n t i o n r e c e n t l y , C u r t i s McClain, ILWU I n t e r n a t i o n a l o f f i c e r from San F r a n c i s c o , s a i d t h a t u n i o n r e p s from E l S a l v a d o r c o n v i n c e d him t h e c o f f e e b o y c o t t was a weapon t h a ~would p u t t h e most p r e s s u r e on c o f f e e p l a n t a t i o n owners. He s a i d t h e ILWU unders t a n d s " c l e a r l y t h a t a n i n j u r y t o one i s a n i n j u r y t o a l l , and t h a t t y p e of u n i t y i s going t o h e l p b r i n g about b e t t e r conditions f o r people i n faraway p o r t s I '
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The R e t u r n o f W e l f a r e R i g h t s
I a m a v o l u n t e e r at Carnegie Centre; I have a l s o f a r I enjoy t h i s r o l e . ways wanted t o h e l p o t h e r s b e c a u s e a l o t of p e o p l e have h e l p e d me..so p a r t o f i t i s payilrg - b a c k what v,tds @en. What I d o n ' t l i k e i s when p e o p l e I'm ~alking abuse t h e volunteers. about t h e abuse t h e k i t c h e n v o l u n t e e r s and s t a f f g e t when s e r v i n g d i n n e r . Some C a r n e g i e p a t r o n s , who come L O have d i n n e r on t h e second f l o o r , have t o remember t h a t i t ' s n o t a r e s t a u r a n t - i t ' s a c o n c e s s i o n r u n by volunt e e r s . (Most v o l u n t e e r s g e t c o f f e e t i c k e t s f o r volunteering.) That d o e s n o t g i v e you t h e r i g h t t o y e l l a t them. Each v o l u n t e e r h a s t h e i r way o f s e r v i n g , be i t from r i g h t t o l e f t I h a v e n ' t been e a t i n g o r vice versa. h e r e l a t e l y b e c a u s e of what I h e a r w h i l e I ' m h e r e . . t h e same p e o p l e a l w a y s demanding t h a t t h e y g e t t h e i r s f i r s t and a b u s i n g t h e v o l u n t e e r s . You a l s o have t o remember, when you a r e l e a v i n g , t o p l e a s e take your d i s h e s and p u t them i n t h e g r a y t r a y s . F u r t h e r m o r e , remember t h a t on weeke n d s and w e l f a r e chequeday i t ' s h a r d t o g e t enough v o l u n t e e r s s o your meal w i l l t a k e l o n g e r t o be s e r v e d , e s p e c i a l l y the dinner. Have p a t i e n c e and some r e s p e c t f o r p e o p l e , b o t h your f e l l o w d i n e r s and t h e p e o p l e s e r v i n g c he meal. Thanks f o r h e l p i n g o u t and have a n i c e day. By MARGARET PKEVO.;T
T h i s e x t r e m e l y i m p o r t a n t program w i l l s t a r t on November 2 0 t h a t 4:00 n e a r t h e p h o t o c o p y i n g room on t h e 3 r d floor. Problems w i t h MSSH have i n c r e a s e d by l e a p s and bounds and we a l s o d e a l w i t h t h e homeless on a daily basis. Rally Against Poverty i s designed f o r low income p e o p l e . P l e a s e f e e l f r e e t o come w i t h any problems concerning housing, UIC, ICBC, w e l f a r e r i g h t s and a p p e a l s , c h i l d apprehens i o n o r any o t h e r s u p p o r t you need. We w i l l s t a r t t h e m e e t i n g s w i t h a round t a b l e d i s c u s s i o n s o e v e r y o n e h a s a c h a n c e t o t a k e p a r t . The f i r s t s e s s i o n w i l l f o c u s on a p p e a l s and t r i b u n a l s . . t o h e l p p e o p l e l e a r n and know t h e i r r i g h t s . P l e a s e v o t e a g a i n s t t h e S t a n l e y Pk. r e f e r e n d u m on November 1 7 . Nancy C h e v a r i o made s u c h i r r e s p o n s i b l e s t a t e m e n t s which amounted t o b l a c k m a i l i n t h e Vanvouver Sun on Nov. 8. The e n t i r e zoo s h o u l d be c l o s e d down. I f we want t o v i s i t a zoo we can go t o C i t y H a l l . Many c i t i z e n s i n o u r c i t y a r e angry about t h e r a p e and d e s t r u c i t o n of S t a n l e y P a r k . It s h o u l d be renamed P a r k i n g Lot P a r k . There would be $40 m i l l i o n s p e n t on t h e zoo e x p a n s i o n d u r i n g t h e n e x t f i v e years. The p r i o r i t i e s a r e a l l wrong, a s t h i s money c o u l d p r o v i d e a g r e a t d e a l of a f f o r d a b l e housing and f e e d t h e hungry c h i l d r e n i n o u r I w i s h I c o u l d wave a magic city. wand and t u r n a l l t h e p o o r p e o p l e i n t o o t t e r s s o we would have d e c e n t a f f o r d a b l e housing. The P a r k Board c a n d i d a t e s s h o u l d be aware o f t h e f a c t t h a t a g r e a t number of Downtown E a s t s i d e r s a r e cont i n u o u s l y monitoring S t a n l e y Park. By IRENE SCHMIDT
BRIEF TO 11iE ROYAL COMNISSION ON HEALTH CAKE f KON End L e g i s l a t e d P o v e r t y End L e g i s l a t e d P o v e r t y i s a c o a l i t i o n o f o v e r 20 B.C. g r o u p s t h a t want g o v t s . t o r e d u c e and end p o v e r t y . We a r e 5 y e a r s o l d . Our major accomplishments h a v e been t o o r g a n i z e t h e campaign t h a t s t o p p e d a $50 w e l f a r e cutback t o s i n g l e parents a s w e l l a s t h e campaign t h a t r e s u l t e d i n t h e Vancouver, S u r r e y and V i c t o r i a s c h o o l food programs. T h i s y e a r o u r priorities are 1. Campaigning f o r h i g h e r w e l f a r e r a t e s and wages; 2. Campaigning t o s t o p f o r c e d employment o f s i n g l e p a r e n t s on welfare. We d e c i d e d t o make a pres e n t a t i o n t o t h i s Commission b e c a u s e we r e p r e s e n t t h e p e o p l e who g e t s i c k t h e most and d i e t h e e a r l i e s t poor p e o p l e . And we a r e s c a r e d . F i r s t we want t o d e a l with t h e p o l i t i c a l context of t h i s Commission and i t s recommendations. Then we w i l l address t h e recomend a t i o n s we would l i k e t o s e e you make.
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TttE POLITICAL CONTEXT We b e l i e v e t h a t o u r Canad i a n medical system i s i n g r a v e d a n g e r . T h i s is obviously n o t because t h e v a s t m a j o r i t y o f C a n a d i a n s supp o r t t h e program. I t i s because powerful f o r c e s i n t h i s country a r e slowly but s u r e l y sneaking through laws and b u d g e t s , and t r a d e d e a l s that w i l l ultimately destroy medicare. They a r e n ' t sayi n g , we want t o d e s t r o y medi c a r e . They s a y , we have t o c u t t h e d e f i c i t , we have t o become c o m p e t i t i v e , we have t o t r e a t U.S. f i r m s a s Cana d i a n o n e s . They u s e t h i s ' r h e t o r i c t o d i s g u i s e what i s r e a l l y h a p p e n i n g : t h e dest r u c t i o n of medicare. B i l l C-69, t h e F e d e r a l b i l l t o c l a w back o l d a g e p e n s i o n s and f a m i l y a l l o w ances, w i l l a l s o c u t f e d e r a l funds paid t o provinces f o r h e a l t h and e d u c a t i o n from
a b o u t $9 b i l l i o n f o r t h e 1989-1990 y e a r t o z e r o by a b o u t t h e y e a r 2004. See t h e g r a p h p u b l i s h e d by t h e Canadian C o u n c i l on S o c i a l Development. The e l i m i n a t i o n o f f e d e r a l f u n d i n g w i l l t u r n t h e Canada H e a l t h Act i n t o a w o r t h l e s s bunch o f p a p e r . The Canada H e a l t h Act g u a r a n t e e s t h e f i v e p r i n c i p l e s of m e d i c a r e : universality, portability, comprehensiveness, a c c e s s i b i l i t y and p u b l i c a d m i n i s t r a c i o n . Remember s e v e r a l y e a r s ago when B.C. h o s p i t a l s under t h e S o c r e d s c h a r ged $8 a day f o r admission? T h i s was c o n t r a r y t o t h e Cana d a H e a l t h Act b e c a u s e i t r e s t r i c t e d u n i v e r s a l i t y . So t h e t h e Feds w i t h h e l d payments t o B.C. u n t i l t h e y s t o p p e d t h i s p r a c t i c e . Imagine t h e same s i t u a t i o n i n 2004. With t h e F e d e r a l government making no payments t o t h e p r o v i n c e f o r m e d i c a l c a r e , no n a t i o n a l standard f o r universality w i l l be i n p l a c e . P e o p l e w i t h no money c o u l d b e d e n i e d entrance t o h o s p i t a l s , a s they a r e i n t h e U.S. I n a d d i t i o n , provinces w i l l use t h e eros i o n o f f e d e r a l f u n d i n g a s an e x c u s e t o c u t e v e n more prov i n c i a l health expenditures. Our p r o v i n c i a l government, i n c l u d i n g B i l l Vander Zalm & P e t e r Dueck, have a l r e a d y c a l l e d f o r a two t i e r h e a l t h s y s t e m i n B.C. They a r e cont r i b u t i n g t o t h e demand f o r t h i s s y s t e m by u n d e r f u n d i n g t h e e x i s t i n g system..so t h e r e a r e long lineups f o r heart b y p a s s s u r g e r y and o t h e r hosp i t a l c a r e . A l r e a d y i n B.C. p r i v a t i z a t i o n of food s e r v i c e s , some management serv i c e s , housekeeping s e r v i c e s , n u r s i n g homes and c l i n i c s h a s happened. Enter t h e f r e e trdde deal. T h i s d e a l g i v e s US p r o f i t c a r e companies i n v o l v e d i n b l o o d banks, h o s p i t a l s , h e a l t h c l i n i c s , l a b s , n u r s i n g homes, homes f o r t h e m e n t a l l v & nhv-
s i c a l l y d i s a b l e d , t h e RIGllT t o b i d on Canadian h e a l t h c a r e c o n t r a c t s . These companies v a l u e money. We v a l u e c a r i n g for people. Behind t h e s e f o r c e s t h a t can d e s t r o y o u r h e a l t h c a r e system a r e t h e powerful voic e s of t h e c o r p o r a t e lobby g r o u p s who c o n t i n u a l l y c a l l f o r p r i v a t i z a t i o n and s l a s h i n g s o c i a l s p e n d i n g . The B u s i n e s s C o u n c i l on N a t i o n a l I s s u e s , r e p r e s e n t i n g execut i v e s from 150 mega c o r p o r a t i o n s s a y s , "The B u s i n e s s C o u n c i l s u p p o r t s t h e government's plan t o l i m i t transf e r s t o t h e provinces under B i l l C-69." C o r p o r a t e lobby g r o u p s s u c h a s the Fraser I n s t i t u t e c a l l f o r p r i v a t i z a t i o n of h e a l t h services. WllAr WE WANT
I n t h i s c o n t e x t , i t i s extremely important t h a t t h e Royal Commission r e a f f i r m t h e g u i d i n g p r i n c i p l e s of t h e Canada H e a l t h Act: u n i v e r s a l i t y , p o r t a b i l i t y , comprehens i v e n e s s , a c c e s s i b i l i t y and public administration. You should s p e c i f i c a l l y i d e n t i f y f o r c e s t h a t w i l l undermine these principles - forces of p r i v a t i z a t i o n , underfunding, and s l a s h i n g of f e d e r a l contributions t o health care. Your recommendations s h o u l d include proper funding f o r a comprehensive h e a l t h c a r e system. We d o n ' t buy t h e i d e a , when c o r p o r a t e t a x e s a r e g e t t i n g l o w e r and l o w e r , when t h e GST i s t r a n s f e r r i n g t a x e s away from c o r p o r a t i o n s and t h e w e a l t h y , when Canada h a s one o f t h e l o w e s t r a t e s of w e a l t h t a x a t i o n i n t h e world, t h a t Canad i a n s c a n n o t a f f o r d t o fund a h e a l t h system properly. Governments s h o u l d s t o p prof i t i z i n g t h e h e a l t h c a r e system. H e a l t h n e e d s n u s t b e met by a s y s t e m t h a t c o n s i d e r s human b e i n g s , n o t t h e bottom l i n e , as f i r s t priority.
The f r e e t r a d e d e a l s h o u l d be r e p e a l e d . T h a t d e a l , p l u s prov i n c i a l p r e m i e r s l i k e o u r s who want a two t i e r s y s t e m and who believe in privatization, will i n e v i t a b l y r e s u l t i n US-style p r o f i t corporations controlli n g B.C.'s h e a l t h c a r e . The p r e c e d i n g recommendations must b e implemented j u s t t o p r e s e r v e w h a t ' s l e f t of o u r h e a l t h c a r e system. Here a r e some recommendations n e c e s s a r y t o improve i t : The b e s t way t o improve h e a l t h i n BC would b e t o end p o v e r t y . By now you have proba b l y h e a r d l o t s a b o u t t h e rel a t i o n s h i p between p o v e r t y and h e a l t h . Here i s some of t h e d a t a we have s e e n . Dr. John B l a t h e r w i c k , ~ a n c o u v e r ' s Medic a l Health Officer says t h a t poverty is t h e b e s t indicator o f poor health. The O n t a r i o Medical Association, in their brief t o the O n t a r i o S o c i a l A s s i s t a n c e Review Committee on J a n . 9 , 1987, s a i d t h a t e n d i n g income d i s p a r i t y would i n c r e a s e l i f e e x p e c t ancy more t h a n t h e p r e v e n t i o n o f a l l c a n c e r d e a t h s i n Canada. The Toronto Department o f Public Health, i n its publicat i o n THE UNEQUAL SOCIETY (Nov. 1985), s a y s t h a t people i n t h e l o w e s t income group i n Canada can expect: an i n f a n t m o r t a l i t y r a t e 1 . 9 5 t i m e s h i g h e r f o r males 1.86 x h i g h e r f o r f e m a l e s - an overall mortality rate 1.48 t i m e s h i g h e r f o r m a l e s 1.22 x h i g h e r f o r f e m a l e s t o l i v e 14 more y e a r s w i t h a d i s a b i l i t y f o r males 7.6 more y e a r s w i t h a d i s a b i l i t y f o r females I n a government p u b l i c a t i o n , ACHIEVING HEALTH FOR ALL, t h e Government of Canada r e c o g n i z e s t h a t "people's h e a l t h remains d i r e c t l y r e l a t e d t o t h e i r economic s t a t u s . " "Men i n Bangladesh, one of t h e w o r l d ' s p o o r e s t c o u n t r i e s , have a b e t t e r c h a n c e t h a n ( p o o r ) men i n Harlem o f l i v i n g p a s t t h e a g e o f 40 (Globe 6 M a i l ) . Where End L e g i s l a t e d P o v e r t y d i f f e r s from o t h e r g r o u p s i n
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responding t o t h e s e f a c t s i s t h i s . . W e t h i n k t h e answer t o t h e problem i s n o t t o k e e p endlessly c r e a t i n g poverty and t h e n t r y t o s o l v e t h e problems i t c a u s e s o r t r e a t the i l l n e s s e s i t causes, but It i s s o t o end p o v e r t y . logical. Plore poor p e o p l e g e t canc e r t h a n o t h e r p e o p l e . We know how t o end p o v e r t y . We d o n ' t know how t o e n d c a n c e r . More p o o r p e o p l e g e t h e a r t disease than others. W e know how t o end p o v e r t y . We c a n o n l y t r e a t h e a r t d i s e a s e . We d o n ' t need e x p e n s i v e r e s e a r c h t o end p o v e r t y . l i k e we do f o r c a n c e r p r e v e n t i o n and t r e a t m e n t . We know e x a c t l y how we c a n end p o v e r t y . Canada is p r o b a b l y t h e r i c h e s t c o u n t r y i n t h e world when you consider our i n c r e d i b l e land nass, our resources, our farms, o u r s m a l l p o p u l a t i o n . How c a n we s c r e w t h i n g s up s o Sad t h a t e v e n i n t h i s r i c h z o u n t r y , p e o p l e a r e d y i n g of 3overty. H e r e ' s what we need t o end p o v e r t y . We hope you w i l l help us create the political w i l l f o r t h e s e c h a n g e s . Cana d a h a s one of t h e l o w e s t r a t e s of wealth taxation i n t h e world. As a r e s u l t , t h e r i c h e s t 10% o f Canadians own over half of t h e wealth i n Canada ( 5 1 . 3 % ) . Governments s h o u l d p a s s l a w s and b u d g e t s t h a t r e d i s t r i b u t e t h i s wealth more e q u i t a b l y . Minimum wage should be increased t o a t l e a s t $7.50 a n h o u r . T h i s i s what i t would b e t o d a y i f i t was a t t h e same p e r c e n t a g e of t h e p o v e r t y l i n e a s i t was i n 1975. W e l f a r e r a t e s s h o u l d be increased t o t h e poverty l i n e . J o b s t h a t pay d e c e n t wages s h o u l d be c r e a t e d by t h e publ i c sector i f the private s e c t o r r e f u s e s t o do i t . We need r e n t c o n t r o l and p u b l i c and n o n - p r o f i t h o u s i n g . Government p o l i c i e s t h a t i n crease poverty should cease. These i n c l u d e t h e GST, U I cuts, free trade, privatizat i o n , c u t s t o s o c i a l spending and income programs.
Government p o l i c i e s s h o u l d be accompanied by a p o v e r t y impact s t u d y , l i k e e n v i r o n mental impact s t u d i e s . I f p o l i c i e s increase poverty, t h e y s h o u l d be s c r a p p e d .
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3 u r Board a l s o wanted t h e s e p o i n t s made:
1. R i g h t now t h e Canada Health Act's provisions f o r u n i v e r s a l i t y a r e being v i d l a t e d f o r p o o r p e o p l e . We a l r e a d y have a two t i e r s y s tem of m e n t a l h e a l t h . Poor p e o p l e who need c o u n s e l l i n g a r e p u t on l o n g w a i t l i s t s , o r are referred to self-help g r o u p s which, though t h e y can b e good, d o n ' t r e p l a c e p r o f e s s i o n a l h e l p when i t i s needed. 2 . Poor p e o p l e have fewer t e e t h than o t h e r people. We c a n ' t a f f o r d d e n t a l c a r e . We d o n ' t g e t o u r t e e t h f i l l e d , we g e t them p u l l e d . Goi n g t o a d e n t i s t means t a k i n g food o u t o f t h e mouths Thislis true of o u r k i d s . f o r t e n s of t h o u s a n d s of soc a l l e d e m p l o y a b l e s o n welfare a s well a s for the working poor. D e n t a l and m e n t a l h e a l t h c a r e s h o u l d be f r e e l i k e o t h e r p a r t s of t h e h e a l t h c a r e system. It is a myth t h a t p e o p l e on w e l f a r e have t h e i r h e a l t h n e e d s met by t h e system. 3. P r e s c r i p t i o n d r u g s a r e t o o expensive f o r poor people t o a f f o r d . Like o t h e r p a r t s of t h e h e a l t h c a r e system, t h e y s h o u l d b e f r e e . 4. H e a l t h c a r e i n s u r a n c e s h o u l d be f r e e l i k e i t i s i n most p r o v i n c e s . Proba b l y h u n d r e d s of t h o u s a n d s of p e o p l e i n B.C. have no h e a l t h i n s u r a n c e . Employable p e o p l e on w e l f a r e d o n ' t g e t health insurance free. 5. A d v e r t i s i n g o f booze and c i g a r e t t e s should stop. It is bad enough t h a t t h e s e a r e addictive drugs. We have been t o l d by Rick P o l l a y , a UBC e x p e r t i n c i g a r e t t e advertising, that t h i s advertising is targetted t o p e o p l e i n low-income communities.
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Likewise beer a d v e r t i s i n g i s t a r g e t t e d a t low income working men. I t i s a c r i m e hat o u r government p e r m i t s companies t o make p r o f i t s by pushing t h e s e a d d i c t i v e d r u g s and t a r g e t t i n g them t o people a l r e a d y a t r i s k . 6. P e o p l e who work i n t h e h e a l t h c a r e system should have d e c e n t pay and working conditions. I f health care i s p r i v a t i z e d , wages of work e r s w i l l f a l l and t h e y t o o w i l l be p o o r , g e t s i c k more and c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e dema n d s on t h e s y s t e m . 7. Governments s h o u l d fund s c h o o l food programs. I n Vancouver, where a gppd program i s i n p l a c e , c h i l d r e n , p a r e n t s , t e a c h e r s , administ r a t o r s and t h e S c h o o l Board a r e v e r y happy w i t h t h e r e s u l t s . The programs e n s u r e that all children get a t l e a s t one n u t r i t i o u s meal p e r d a y , and t h a t t h e y c a n a l l sit together a s equals and e a t i t . Those a r e o u r recommendations. W e hope you w i l l agr e e w i t h u s and become a strong force f o r preserving o u r h e a l t h c a r e s y s t e m and ending poverty. I f o u r h e a l t h c a r e system continues i n i t s p r e s e n t d i r e c t i o n , we and o u r c h i l d r e n and o u r f a m i l i e s w i l l b e t h e o n e s who won't b e able t o get into hogpitals when we a r e s i c k o r i n j u r e d . W e a r e a l r e a d y t h e o n e s who g e t s i c k more and d i e s o o n e r . we need s t r o n g recommendat i o n s t o keep t h i s s i t u a t i o n from g e t t i n g worse.
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lgle mother w i t h t h r e e c h il d r e n : l a d y s was h e r e f o r a l i t e r a c y cone r e n c e . Her f a r e had been p a i d . She t o l d me s h e l i v e s i n C o u n c i l Housing ( s o c i a l h o u s i n g ) . Her r e n t i s 1 2 6 pounds, a b o u t h a l f o f h e r income. T h a t c h e r , ~ n g l a n d ' sPrime M i n i s t e r , w a n t s t o s e l l p u b l i c h o u s i n g . Gladys would have t o make mortgage payments )f 400 pounds a month, p l u s t a x e s on top of t h a t . She d o e s n ' t even make t h i s much money i n a month. Another c o s t added t o e v e r y o n e i s t h e p o l l t a x - a n o t h e r 475 pounds a y e a r . (GST?) I f h e r a p a r t m e n t i s s o l d s h e w i l l have t o pay m a r k e t r e n t and w i l l become homeless. M i l l i o n s of d o l l a r s a r e b e i n g s p e n t i n England t o keep p e o p l e i n rooming h o u s e s and n o t h i n g i s b e i n g s p e n t on p u b l i c housing s h e s a i d . Also t h e p o l l t a x c o s t s more i f you l i v e i n a poor a r e a where t h e r e a r e more s o c i a l s e r v i c e s . Poor p e o p l e pay more. T h a t c h e r , Bush, Mulroney..Vanderzalm & Campbell have t h i n k i n g d i s o r d e r s . They must come from d y s f u n c t i o n a l
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JUST ANOTHER .DAY Woke up t o d a y Said t o s y s e l f I ' m n o t r i c h enough f o r a poke Walked down H a s t i n g s S t . Met a friend Hey I g o t a t o k e Buddy g a v e me Some n e r d s t o s e l l S o ' s I c o u l d make some Ploola, Dough, Hoke.
WOW! Now I g o t enough money f o r a poke. J u s t a n o t h e r day down h e r e on Hastings St., I n B e a u t i f u l B.C. Frank J o e
NIANCOUVER ,I INDIAN CENTER'S
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P . S . : I f you w a n t t o g e t o f f y o u r t r i p , c o n t a c t y o u r n e a r e s t A.A. or N.A. m e e t i n g . - a f r i e n d
The Bottom How d o you know when y o u ' r e a t t h e b o t t o m : When you d o n ' t f e e l good a b o u t y o u r s e l f You f e e l you h a v e l o s t y o u r g o o d n e s s Everyone l o v e s j u s t a l i t t l e b i t d i f f e r e n t and we m u s t f i r s t l o v e o u r s e l v e s . W e m u s t b e good t o o u r s e l v e s i n o r d e r t o be good t o e a c h o t h e r S o c i e t y h a s b r o k e n down o u t o f f r u s t r a t i o r P e o p l e knock e a c h o t h e r down Now we a r e a l l f a l l e n p e o p l e . W e have t o b u i l d each o t h e r up, a n a l y s e where w e each a r e i n o u r development. Some o f u s h a v e t o l a y a new f o u n d a t i o n The w a r o f w o r d s i s o v e r Now we m u s t b u i l d a new a t t i t u d e We must l e a r n t o l i f t e a c h o t h e r B u i l d i n g b l o c k s o f hope C o u r a g e t o a c c e p t a b u s e from o t h e r s and t u r n i t around t o l o v i n g t h o u g h t s . B e t t y J a q u e l i n e Robertson
NATIONAL A D D I C T I O N S AWARENESS WEEK Celebrate K e e p T h e C i r c l e Strong N o v e m b e r 18 - 24 T h e C i r c l e is Growing!
to spend $400,000. on campaign, partv savs
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The Non-Partisan Association plans to spend more than four times as much money as either of the other two parties in the Vancouver civic election campaign - but NPA strategists still insist times are tough for their political fund raisers. The NPA cleared $100,000 on just one fund-raising dinner in October, a $125-a-head affair for 1,400people at the Vancouver Trade and Convention Centre. The take from that d i n n e r alone is more than t h e amounts that either the Committee of Progressive Electors or the Civic New Democrats plans to spend for their respective campaigns. Orficially, the NPA is budgeting !$400,000for its campaign up to election day Nov. 17,but it won't open its I)ooks o r say precisely how t h e money will be spent. 1Jnder B.C. law, civic parties don't have to disclose any of their financial rec~rds,and there are no limits on campaign spending. COPE, which h a s b u d g e t e d $89,445 for its campaign, has made its books and list of contributors available to public scruitiny, and challenges the NPA to do the same. The Civic NDP is also budgeting about $90,000. N D P officials gave some details on how the money \iould he spent, but have not opened their books. NPA president J. Paul Shason said his group has the most money coming in because of three factors. "We have the largest membership base. the largest number of donors and the largest number of fresh
dedicated candidates," Shason said. Rut COPE treasurer Bruce Yorke has a different explanation. "It's the developers," Yorke said. "There's an obvious difference in wealth between their supporters and ours." NPA's fatter budget will allow it to wage a television and billboard media blitz - far beyond the means of either of the other parties. One billboard can cost $800, and NPA is planning to use up to 50. At a total of $40,000, that's almost as much as either COPE or the NDP have in their entire advertising budgets. One 30-second TV ad in prime time costs as much as $5,000, not counting cost of production, which can run $6,000 to $10,000. NPA will be running dozens of ads in the final two weeks. Thousands of dollars more will be spent by individual NPA candidates, who got off to a quick start with a series of TV spots in August. The spots cost the hopefuls an estimated $2,000 each for production and airtime. COPE will concentrate on producing a brochure to be mailed to every household in Vancouver. Cost for prmting and postage: $19,000. a The biggest single source o f income for COPE is from affiliates of the Vancouver and District Labor Council - up to $40,000. The NDP, which is not running a mayoral candidate, will probably get about $35,000 from the unions. "All the money is not in yet," said labor council secretary-treasurer John Fitzpatridk. "The unions have to hold meetings and get.approva1 from their memberships."
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Based on past contributions, F8zpatrick is expecting about $12,000 from the provincial Council of Car. pouters; $30.000 from various locals and the national of the Canadian Union of Public Employees; $15,000 from the Vancouver Municipal arid Regional Employees Union; and smaller amounts from the hospital workers, marineworkers, longshore workers and bakers, among others. The Civic NDP plans td divide its $90,000 budget equally between advertising and office expenses, Like COPE, the Civic NDP plans td concentrate on printed material --] brochures, lawn signs, community newspaperes. "We simply can't airord to go near TV add our radio will be minimal," said campaign manager Gerry Scott. Shason says the NPA is lowerin its sights from previous campaigns! In 1988,he said, the NPA spent closs to $500,000. "Please don't ask me to give yod details," he said. "It's part of out3 campaign strategy%We-will-use all the media possible." Told that COPE had opened its books, he replied: "That's wonderful for them." The two annual Gordon Campbell fund-raising dinners since the last election have brought in about $200,000 in profit, he said. . Who goes to the Campbell dinner? Shason says three or four companies bought entire tables - cost for each, $1,500 - but the audience1 was mainly a cross-section of the community, both individuals and businesses. At last year's dinner, Victor Li of Concord Pacific and developer Nat Bosa each had full tables. Also pres-
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ent were developers Michael CeUer, Campbellis not spending anythiog extra on his own campagn, sad 111s Andre Molnar, Jack Poole and comnlmunications assisla~ltNur~el Howard Addison; real estate agent Honey. Andrea Eng; Brian Calder, then Campbell was asked at a recent president of the Real Estate Board public meeting how much linancial of Greater Vancouver and former help he was getting from d e ~ e NPA president; and Peter Thomas, Jopers. co-founder of the Century 21 real ' His reply: "I'm not able to tell you. eslate lirm. I don't know where my contributions Shason said while this year's dincome tkom." ner was very successful, other donaScru~tinyofthe cancelied cht$ies tions and the take from smaller fund of COPE contributors shoued most raisers are less than what he had to be in the $5 to $50 range. Several hoped for. from party slalwarts were higher, "People start counting their penincluding one for $1,000 f r o m l d . nies when the media starts talking @ Harry Rankin. recession," he said. "We are hoping The first 70 cheques receiigd by to raise and spend $400,000. But right now, we're quite a bit shy of. COPE in the current campaign that. We will only spend what we1 averaged $98 each. One income item not listedp dmraise." .. ated staff Srom unions like the He said NPA has received two o VMHEU. Yorke expected COPE to three $500 cheques. "By and large, it's in the $5 to $50, benefit by about $5,000 to $6,000 frsgl this item. range. Unfortunately, too many in the $5 to $15 range." Another big source of donations is' Srom the candidates themselves. Aldermanic candidates are required to donate $5,000each and school and park board candidates $1,000, for a total of $67,000. Individual NPA candidates can! also mount individual campaigns from $500 to be spent by incumbent Ald. Gordon Price to at least $15,000 by new face Tung Chan. Chan, a bank mapager, grossed $25,000 at a fund-raising dinner last month. About 500 people attended, paying $50 n head. University of B.C. political scienARE YOU ON THE CITY VOTERS L I S T ? tist Paul Tennant said NPA has traditionally depended on big donaC a l l 873-7681 t o s e e i f you a r e . tions from a few corporations, I f n o t , you c a n s t i l l v o t e by t a k i n g ,including the old B.C. Electric back tn the 1950s. some I D w i t h y o u r name and a d d r e s s ' ~ u he t says the party has beell on i t t o y o u r p o l l i n g s t a t i o n . "modernized" by Canipbell and his, * Be a C a n a d i a n c i t i z e n circle, and the fund-raising ellbrt is * Be 1 9 y e a r s o l d o r o l d e r . more widespread. Been l i v i n g i n Vancouver 3 rnonclrs "I'm sure he would rather depend on more, but smaller, donations," WHERE DO YOU VOTE? said Tennant.
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C a l l 873-7011 f o r t h e a d d r e s s o f y o u r polling station.
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a d u l t s smoked m a r i j u a n a , which I beI knew i t l i e v e was t h e r e a l c a u s e . was i l l e g a l s o , b e f o r e I p a s s e d o u t , I remember s a y i n g "what a b o u t t h e g r a s s ? ' ' To t h i s d a y , I s t i l l do n o t f o r g i v e Dave and Bev f o r what h a s happened t o me. Although t i m e s have been rough, I have managed t o o v e r l o o k my d i s a b i l i t y and c a r r y on w i t h l i f e . It t o o k a l o n g t o a c c e p t t h e s e w h e e l s , which a r e my l e g s t o d a y . When I go c r u i s i n g p e o p l e a r e always s a y i n g "Slow down Marg!" ( E s p e c i a l l y Wayne, who I m e t a b o u t a month a g o . ) I ' m c o m f o r t a b l e a t t h e s p e e d I go. I t ' s my p a c e . I f I want t o t a l k , I ' l l p u t i t i n low g e a r s o we c a n walk tog e t h e r and t a l k . Today I l i v e i n Vancouver, which I c a l l my home. I do v o l u n t e e r work i n t h e community a s w e l l a s where I l i v e . I w o u l d n ' t do i t i f I d i d n ' t l i k e i t .
dent i n Ignes, Ontario t h a t involved 2 c a r s and f i v e p e o p l e . I n o u r c a r t h e woman s i t t i n g i n t h e She p a s s e n g e r ' s s e a t w a s h u r t badly. had f i v e broken r i b s , a broken c o l l a r bone and p e l v i s . As f o r t h e p e r s o n l a y i n g i n t h e b a c k , t h e impact s e v e r e d h e r s p i n e , l e f t a b i g lump on h e r head and f r a c t u r e d h e r jaw. She was unaware of t h i s u n t i l s h e g o t t o t h e h o s p i t a l and a t t e m p t e d t o g e t o u t of t h e g e r n i e b u t was u n a b l e t o move. The d r i v e r of t h e c a r walked i n t o t h e emergency room w i t h b r u i s e d r i b s and a b l a c k eye. I h e a r d from t h e o t h e r g e r n i e a pers o n y e l l i n g "Honey, what happened t o my f o o t ? " H e r husband w a s t r y i n g t o calm h e r down. \ h e n t h e c a r s c r a s h e d i t had mangled h e r f o o t s o bad t h a t i t had t o be amputated. I h e a r d t h i s s a y i n g on t h e boobtube: The g r i m p a r t o f t h i s s t o r y i s n o t " I f you g o t t a l i v e h e r e , you might a s t h e f a c t t h a t i t w a s snowing h e a v i l y , making t h e r o a d s v e r y s l u s h y . I t was w e l l be t h e Nayor." GO ALL THE WAY J I M GREEN! ! ! what happened b e f o r e t h e c r a s h . Both By MARGARET PREVOST
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D e m o l i t i o n of a f f o r d a b l e f a m i l y h o u s i n g L o s s of r e n c a l h o u s i n g D e s t r u c t i o n of h e r i t a g e s t r e e t s c a p e s o r s i t e s Loss of c i t y views N e i ~ h b o u r h o o d impact of t r a n s i t r o u t e s Spot r e z o n i n g s c a u s i n g n e i g h b o u r h o o d d i s r u p t i o n and S e c o n d a r y s u i t e r e v i e w f o r c e d on RS1 n e i g h b o u r h o o d s Mega h o u s e s Loss o f l a n d s c a p i n g , t r e e s and g r e e n s p a c e Vacant r e s i d e n t i a l b u i l d i n g s Unplanned r e d e v e l o p m e n t Residential r e a l escate s p e c u l a ~ i o n
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T h e s e a r e some o f t h e i s s u e s which have s o a r k e d neighbourhood a c t i o n over t h e p a s t f o u r years. They a l l p o i n t t o one i s g n i f i c a n t problem: t h e C i t y o f Vancouver i s c h a n g i n g r a p i d l y w i t h n o l e a d e r s h i p and v i s i o n . The NPA h a v e r e s o r t e d t o adhoc p l a n n i n g and p o l i t i c a l l y m o t i v a t e d t r e n d growth. They h a v e p u t che C i t y ' s r e s o u r c e s i n t o t h e mega p r o j e c t s l i k e t h e Concord P a c i f i c and M a r a t h o n ' s Coal Harbour d e v e l o p m e n t s , and i n t o t h e s u i t e program, and t h e y h a v e i g n o r e d t h e problems f a c i n g t h e n e i g h bourhoods. C o n s e q u e n t l y , t h e r e i s unp r e c e d e n t e d t u r m o i l and a n x i e t y a b o u t t h e f u t u r e i n many o n c e s t a b l e Vancouv e r neighbourhoods. T e n a n t s and low and fixed income homeowners have been a f f e c t e d most s e r i o u s l y by t h e h o u s i n g c r i s i s , which h a s become a c i t y wide problem. Rez o n i n g p u b l i c h e a r i n g s from Grandview Woodlands t o K i t s i P a n o h a v e s e e n hund r e d s of c i t i z e n s l e f t w i t h no a l t e r native but t o express t h e i r f r u s t r a t i o n a t a C i t y C o u n c i l t h a t shows no l e a d e r s h i p o r d i r e c t i o n towards respo n s i b l e , planned development. The p u b l i c p r o c e s s h a s f a l l e n a p a r t . It i s r e f l e c t e d i n a n a b s u r d committee s y s t e m a c C i t y H a l l which f u n n e l s mosc c i v i c b u s i n e s s i n t o two "mega-commnit t e e s " t h a t c a n n o t c o p e wich t h e planning c r i s i s f a c i n g Vanc.o,~\ic~~-.
A new ERA
i n Vancouver
participatory Neighbourhood
Vancouver i s a t a c r i t i c a l p o i n t . As we w i l l b e e l e c t i n g a new C i c y COUn c i l f o r t h e n e x c c h r e e y e a r s , now i s t h e cime t o e n s u r e t h a t t h e p l a n n i n g o f o u r C i c y i s ma-e c h e number o n e prioricy. It i s cime co e n s u r e t h a c t h e p e o p l e o f Vancouver h a v e a d i r e c t voice i n t h a t planning process. P a r t 11..
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The B a s i c s :
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A l l p l a n n i n g d e c i s i o n s must b e determined i n t h e p u b l i c i n c e r e s t . T::e p:blGc must b e i n c l u d e d i n a process chat establishes defined r o l e s f o r residents, developers, planning p r o f e s s i o n a l s and C i t y C o u n c i l . T h e r e must be a s t r a t e g i c , c i t y wide p l a n t h a t s e t s o u t g u i d e l i n e s and o b j e c t i v e s f o r e q u i t a b l e growth, trans i t , green space, a f f o r d a b l e housing and n e i g h b o u r h o o d p l a n n i n g . The f o l l o w i n g p r o p o s a l s a r e i d e a s t h a c a COPE m a j o r i c y on Vancouver C i t y C o u n c i l would d e v e l o p w i t h c h e n e i g h bourhoods. COPE w i l l p r o v i d e l e a d e r s h i p bu p r o p o s i n g a new a p p r o a c h t o p l a n n i n g i n Vancouver, b u t w i l l b e r e s p o n s i v e t o o t h e r v i e w s and c o n s t r u c t i v e p r o p o s a l s from t h e n e i g h b o u r -
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The Process:
1. Neighbourhood Planning Boards
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COPE proposes the establishment of elected, neighbourhood planning boards with a mandate to develop and propose neighbourhood plans and bylaws to City Council. The City would refer to the neighbourhood planning board significant applications for conditional uses and zoning changes within the area for review and a recommendation. Neighbourhood boards will be asked to set the short term and long term planning objectives, and to examine options to increase the supply of affordable housing. Each neighbourhood board would have a storefront office and the services of community development workers accountable to tHe local boards. Neighbourhood boards will be repre1 sented on a newly mandated Vancouver Planning Commission.
The Planning and Development Committee will consider and make recommendations to City Council on all planning and development matters, including: * proposals submitted by neighbourhood planning boards * proposals submitted by the Vancouver Planning Commission * proposals submitted by independent groups and individuals All meetings will be held in public and delegations will be heard.
4. A New Strategic Plan for Vancouver As a result of a process~involving a wide range of public involvement, the deliberations of neighbourhood planning boards, the Vancouver Planning Commission, the Standing Committee on Planning and Development and City Council, a city wide strategic plan to guide the growth and development of Vancouver will be developed and submitted to the electorate.
2. The Vancouver Planning Commission COPE proposes a newly mandated Vancouver Planning Commission. Constituted of neighbourhood planning board representatives, a minority of "at large" representatives, including members of the development industry. the Vancouver Planning Commission will be mandated to consider and formulate city wide objectives on matters such as equitable growth, housing, transit and neighbourhood stabilization. The Vancouver Planning Commission will be represented on a new Standing Committee of City Council on Planning and Development.
3. The Standing Committee of Council on Plannine and Develovment COPE proposes that this committee be comprised of members of Council, and representatives of the Community Planning Commission.
JIM GREEN for MAYOR
Libby Davies
Bruce Eriksen
Pat C h a u n c e y
Sue Dahlin
P a t r i c i a Wilson
M i k ~ Chrunik
Harry R n r ~ k i n
Ruth H e r m a n
Bruce Y o r k e
Dcrmott F o l c y
Tim L o c r i s
DOWNTOWN EASTS IDE YOUTH ACTIVITIES SOCIETY
685-4488 F r e e d o c t o r s on s i t e 2 2 3 Main (confidential) -
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The c o r p o r a t e agenda s a y s :
"There i s no Gordon Campbell t o a c c o u n t f o r t h e e x a g g e r a ~ i o n sand m i s t r u t h s i n mosL of t h e NPA s h i t , and s e e Campbell s h i f t g e a r s and a t t a c k COPE. H e & he NPA c o u n t on d o u b l e t a l k t o conf u s e and s c a r e p e o p l e - p e o p l e who l l a v e n ' ~ y e t t r a c e d o u r s o c i a l problems t o t h e r i c h e l i t e and t h e i r m o u t h p i e c e - Mulroney & Vander Zalm & Campbe 11.
POLITICS? The way t h e game seems t o work i s f o r t h e people w i t h t h b i g g e s t v e s t e d i n t e r e s t t o d o and s a y ,anything t o g e t elected. This gives a l l h o l d e r s o f p u b l i c o f f i c e a bad name and makes government a j o k e . Eve r y law, p o l i c y o r d e c i s i o n seems t o be i n f a v o u r o f " b u s i n e s s a s u s u a l . ' ' VANCOUVER C I V I C ELECTION - t h i s S a t u r d a y , November 1 7 t h . The N.P.A. (NON P a r t i s a n A s s o c i a t i o n / ~ o nP u b l i c A c c o u n t a b i l i t y / ~ oP r i n c i p l e s A t a l l ) candidates a r e keeping t h i s p i c t u r e o f government a l i v e and w e l l w i t h l i e s ( " t h e Downtomi E a s t s i d e a p p l a u d s t h e NPA's a f f o r d a b l e h o u s i n g p o l i c y " ) and s c a r e t a c t i c s ( " i f you d o n ' t v o t e f o r t h e zoo money, w e ' l l s h u t down t h e k i d ' s t r a i n " ) i l l u s i o n ("Communi t y News" p a p e r s , made t o l o o k l i k e a c t u a l newspapers b u t a c t u a l l y p a i d & g r o s s l y d i s t o r t e d propaganda a d s ) and f l o o d i n g t h e media w i t h i r r e l e v a n t l e x p e n s i v e con j o b s aimed r i g h t a t p e o p l e who d o n ' t know. J I M GREEN and c O P ~ / C i v i cNDP c a n d i d a t e s go t o d o z e n s o f m e e t i n g s , c a l l
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T h i s i s g o i n g t o b e l o n g and i n v o l 1'11 t r y t o l i s t what h a s been ved. h a p p e n i n g on t h e 3 l e v e l s o f p o l i t i c s i n Vancouver, B . C . & Canada. S o u r c e s o f r e f e r e n c e i n c l u d e t h e Pro-Canada Network, Maude Barlow, J e a n Swanson, o t h e r s who have s a i d o r w r i t t e n s t u f f t h a t h e l p s . I f you want more i n f o , w r i t e t o t h e Pro-Canada Network a t 251 L a u r i e r West, # 9 0 4 , Ottawa KlP5J6 and End L e g i s l a t e d P o v e r t y ( J e a n ) i s a t 211-4.56 W. Broadway, Van. V5Y 1 R 3 . DERA i s a t 9 E . H a s t i n g s , C a r n e g i e i s a t 401 Main and I ' m r i g h t h e r e ' c a u s e you c a n ' t f a l l o f f t h e f l o o r .
FEDERAL F r e e T r a d e 6 The C o r p o r a t e Agenda .................................
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m l r o n e y and h i s c r o n i e s t o l d t h e same l i e s a g a i n and a g a i n . S o c i a l Programs "We a r e g o i n g t o m a i n t a i n a l l o f o u r s o c i a l programs. " " ~ a i n t a i n " i s t h e key word h e r e . W e t a k e i t f o r g r a n t e d t h a t i t means a t t h e same l e v e l , a t l e a s t .
The Big Business-domi81ated p r e s s h a s been s a y i n g l a t e l y t h a t i t ' s " t o o e a r l y t o t e l l " how f r e e t r a d e i s a f f e c t i n g t h e Canadian economy. Unfortunately, i t ' s not too e a r l y , i t ' s t o o e a s y t o t e l l . What i s hapT h i s w i t h d r a w s f e d e r a l money from s o c i a l programs. I t a l l o w s Ottawa t o p e n i n g t o Canada i s a l l t o o c l e a r . With B r i a n Mulroney a s t h e i r p u b l i c whittle i t s contribution f o r health r e l a t i o n s o f f i c e r , t h e b i g corporac a r e , e d u c a t i o n , w e l f a r e and s o c i a l t i o n s have taken f i r m c o n t r o l of t h e s e r v i c e s down t o z e r o by 2004. government of Canada. Big- c o r p o r a Federal cash transfers to the provinces for health t i o n s and r i c h p e o p l e d o n a t e money t o and higher education, 1989190 - 200415 p o l i t i c a l p a r t i e s t h a t w i l l do a s BIIIIO~P they a r e t o l d . They u s e " p u b l i c r e s10 l a t i o n s f ' t o make e v e r y t h i n g sound b e t t e r than i t r e a l l y is. Newspapers, r a d i o and TV s t a t i o n s ARE b i g c o r p o r a t i o n s . Southam News and Thompson, between them, own 90% of Canadian newspapers. They a r e members o f c o r p o r a t e lobby g r o u p s . s2They h e l p d e c i d e which i s s u e s Canad-i a n s h e a r , r e a d and s e e . Over 160 f a c t o r i e s and b u s i n e s s e s have s h u t down, t h r o w i n g t h o u s a n d s o u t o f work, ,,, ,, ,,,, ,,,, ,/ ,,,, 2001/2 2 .0 , and have l e f t Canada f o r Mexico. If CANADA 10 new f a c t o r i e s open up h e r e , t h e The Canada A s s i s t a n c e P l a n (CAP) i s c o r p o r a t e media c h a i n s w i l l f l a u n t t h e a n a g r e e m e n t between t h e f e d e r a l govp i c t u r e s o f t h e s e 10 everywhere and , ernment and t h e p r o v i n c e s where e a c h e s p e c i a l l y before t h e next e l e c t i o n , p a y s f o r h a l f o f t h e c o s t s . It i s t h e s t a t e t h a t f r e e t r a d e has b e n e f i t t e d funding s a f e t y n e t , the only n a t i o n a l t h e whole w o r l d . program t h a t e x p l i c i t l y h e l p s f i g h t The c o r p o r a t e agenda s t a n d s f o r minp o v e r t y . CAP-funded s e r v i c e s i n c l u d e : imum government " i n t e r f e r e n c e " i n t h e * single-parent families economy and maximum freedom f o r m u l t i f: m e n t a l l y & p h y s i c a l l y d i s a b l e d 9: t h e aged n a t i o n a l c o r p o r a t i o n s . I t means t h a t C a n a d i a n s g e t t o watch a s " f r e e " t r a d e k k i d s i n c a r e , o r who need p r o t e c t i o n d i s m a n t l e s o u r i n d u s t r i e s and s u r r e n because of abuse o r n e g l e c t ;k t h e unemployed d e r s our f o r e s t s , f i s h , m i n e s , energy and w a t e r t o U.S. i n t e r e s t s . f a m i l i e s and i n d i v i d u a l s i n c r i s i s I t means t a k i n g money away from low-income w o r k e r s government programs t h a t 11elp p e o p l e b a t t e r e d women l i v e and " f r e e i n g i t up" t o b e t u r n e d income a s s i s t a n c e ( w e l f a r e ) into profits. The c o r p o r a t e agenda l a b e l s s u c h a B e f o r e t h e F e d e r a l e l e c L i o 1 1 i 1) 1985 broad a r r a y o f s e r v i c e s a s 'oad f o r f:
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b u s i n e s s ' - b e c a u s e t h e bottom l i n e isn't profits. It i s human r i g h t s . P r o f i t i s i n c r e a s e d by h a v i n g h i g h p r i c e s and low c o s t s , meaning low pay f o r workers. By c u t t i n g government s p e n d i n g on h e a l t h , e d u c a t i o n and welf a r e , more and more p e o p l e w i l l n o t be a b l e t o u s e t h e reduced s e r v i c e s . They w i l l have t o t a k e any j o b a t any wage. When B i l l C-69 was p a s s e d by t h e Tory m a j o r i t y i n t h e House o f Commons, t h e government of BC t o o k t h e f e d s t o c o u r t and won. They a r g u e d t h a t t h e p r o v i n c e had a " r e a s o n a b l e e x p e c t a t i o n " t h a t CAP f u n d i n g would c o n t i n u e a s a g r e e d t o . The f e d s a r e a p p e a l i n g t o t h e Supreme C o u r t . The c o r p o r a t e p r e s s u r e i s extreme. They want t h i s b i l l t o become law a . s . a . p. I f i t does C h i l d r e n c u t t i n g t r a n s f e r s o f money -------t o t h e p r o v i n c e s w i l l make them f r e e z e w e l f a r e r a t e s & t h e minimum wage and t h e n c u t b a c k on s c h o o l s , t e a c h e r s ' pay, food programs, c o u n s e l It w i l l make l i n g f o r abused k i d s . t h e home l i f e of t h o u s a n d s of k i d s a h o r r o r of p o v e r t y w i t h few i f any opp o r t u n i t i e s a s p a r e n t s f i n d t h e cruci a l s e r v i c e s becoming pay-as-you-go. C h i l d Care - The g r e a t C h i l d Care Pro---------gram t a l k e d a b o u t b e f o r e t h e e l e c t i o n was s h e l v e d a l m o s t a t o n c e a f t e r t h e . v o t e was c o u n t e d . Now p a r e n t s have even l e s s hope under t h e double weight of no j o b s and b e i n g f o r c e d t o t a k e any work a t any wage and no a f f o r d a b l e / a v a i l a b l e c h i l d c a r e . B i l l C-69 w i l l f k e d a b u s e , n e g l e c t and hunger f o r o u r k i d s . I t ' s t h i s k i n d of c a l l o u s t r e a t m e n t of c h i l d r e n t h a t h a s more p e o p l e c h o o s i n g n o t t o have k i d s ; immigration q u o t a s a r e r a i s e d t o keep t h e p o p u l a t i o n growing and s u b c o n s c i o u s r a c i s m d e v e l o p s . P e o p l e a s k t h e m s e l v e s why t h e y , who were b o r n h e r e , a r e v i c t i m s of government / c o r p o r a t e i n d i f f e r e n c e w h i l e f o r e i g n e r s ( s i c (same i n c o n t e x t ) ) continue t o a r r i v e .
Poor Canadians --------------
P e o p l e on w e l f a r e a r e already struggling t o s u r v i v e on i n a d e q u a t e a s s i s t a n c e . B i l l C-69 f u r t h e r r e d u c e s o u r c h a n c e s of seeing welfare r a t e s r i s e t o cover r e a l l i v i n g c o s t s . With l e s s and l e s s CAP money, p r o v i n c e s w i l l s t a r t w i t h r e s t r i c t i o n s on t h e number of p e o p l e who can g e t w e l f a r e , t h e l e n g t h of t i m e t h e y c a n g e t b e n e f i t s , and t h e t y p e of b e n e f i t s t h e y can r e c e i v e . Provinces w i l l not be t o o i n t e r e s t e d i n f i n d i n g long-term s o l u t i o n s t o give people t h e opportunity t o t r a i n f o r and g e t d e c e n t - p a y i n g j o b s . They w i l l i n s t e a d i n c r e a s e t h e p r e s s u r e on p e o p l e t o t a k e any j o b a t any wage w i t h o u t l i c e n s e d c h i l d c a r e and o t h e r k e e p i n g them i n p o v e r t y . supports B i l l C-69 goes d i r e c t l y a g a i n s t t h e b a s i c p r e m i s e of CAP:
...
11
t h e p r o v i s i o n of a d e q u a t e a s s i s t a n c e t o and i n r e s p e c t of p e r s o n s i n need and t h e p r e v e n t i o n and removal of t h e c a u s e s of p o v e r t y and dependence on ..public assistance."
E d u c a t i o n - Reduction o f f e d e r a l fund--------ing l e t s t h e provinces p o i n t t h e f i n g e r a t Ottawa w h i l e , l i k e h e r e i n BC r i g h t now ( a n d A l b e r t a , .) , h i g h e r Saskatchewan, Manitoba, e d u c a t i o n means h i g h e r t u i t i o n f e e s , more s t u d e n t s p e r t e a c h e r , c u t s i n programs and i n a d e q u a t e g r a n t s and s t u d e n t l o a n s . Soon, u n l e s s you a r e a genius r e c r u i t e d by a c o r p o r a t i o n , only s t u d e n t s with wealthy p a r e n t s w i l l be a b l e t o a f f o r d c o l l e g e and university.
..
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e 3
1 j
~ t ' si m p o s s i b l e t o p u t y o u r s e l f i n an i n s t i t u t i o n of h i g h e r l e a r n i n g on a minimum wage income. You h a v e a b e t t e r c h a n c e of g e t t i n g a d e c e n t - p a y i n g job w i t h an e d u c a t i o n , and a b e t t e r chance of s t a y i n g o u t of p o v e r t y . B i l l C-69 i s an a t t a c k on t h e q u a l i t y of C a n a d a ' s h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n and s t u d e n t s ' access t o i t . Corporations want t o c o n t r o l t h i s a c c e s s , b o t h f o r t h e enormous p r o f i t p o t e n t i a l of p r i v a t i z e d t r a i n i n g and t o make anyone w a n t i n g a h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n g e t i t from them and spend y e a r s p a y i n g i t o f f by working- f o r t h a t c o r p o r a t i o n . -
- Medicare -------- -
~
' K i l l i n g i t s o f t l y ' i s how o u r h e a l t h c a r e system is b e i n g d e s t r o y e d . A s soon a s Mulroney g o t e l e c t e d , h e changed t h e r u l e s and "block-f unded" Medicare. T h i s i s t rans f e r r i n g money t o t h e p r o v i n c e s on t h e b a s i s of p o p u l a t i o n , r a t h e r t h a n on a c t u a l u s e o r n e e d . He a l s o made c u t s a t 2% p e r y e a r . I t d o e s n ' t seem l i k e much u n t i l you r e a l i s e t h a t i n 5 y e a r s i t ' s been c u t by 10% and i n 15 y e a r s by 30%. H i s c o r p o r a t e b o s s e s want h e a l t h c a r e p r i v a t i s e d l i k e i t i s i n t h e U.S. - pay-as-you-go. Every y e a r a lower p r o p o r a t i o n o f o u r t a x e s go t o Medicare. B i l l C-69 w i l l f r e e z e f e d e r a l h e a l t h c a r e cont r i b u t i o n s , l e a d i n g t o even l o n g e r w a i t i n g l i s t s f o r s u r g e r y , fewer and fewer s p e c i a l i s t s i n needed a r e a s , men/women/children w i t h AIDS, and no new d o l l a r s f o r new, l i f e - s a v i n g m e d i c a l t e c h n i q u e s . By t h e t u r n of t h e c e n t u r y t h e f e d e r a l government w i l l b e o u t of h e a l t h c a r e and p r i v a t e business w i l l be i n t o t a l c o n t r o l .
N atives -------
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CAP t r a n s f e r payments a r e e s s e n t i a l f o r income a s s i s t a n c e and c h i l d w e l f a r e s e r v i c e s i n a l l p r o v i n c e s . With a s many a s 60% of o f f - r e s e r v e N a t i v e s r e l y i n g on p u b l i c a i d , a l a r g e number of N a t i v e c h i l d r e n " i n c a r e " , h i g h unemployment and many s i n g l e - p a r e n t f a m i l i e s headed by women, any c u t b a c k i n c r u c i a l s e r v i c e w i l l b e d i s a s t r o u s . C u t t i n g back on e d u c a t i o n money w i l l s e v e r e l y r e s t r i c t Natives' access t o higher learning a s many o f f - r e s e r v e N a t i v e s a r e n ' t e l i b i b l e f o r g r a n t s . Provinces w i l l cut f u n d i n g f o r p o s t - s e c o n d a r y programs, Native p e o p l e s 1 o n e remaining source, and even fewer N a t i v e s w i l l be a b l e t o g e t a c o l l e g e o r u n i v e r s i t y degree. Housitig ------- - Capping c o s t - s h a r i n g i s n o t a new i d e a i n h o u s i n g . Bef o r e 1986 t h e f e d e r a l s h a r e was openended and would pay f o r a f i x e d numb e r of new h o u s e s and a p a r t m e n t s f o r s o c i a l h o u s i n g . Now, however, t h e r e i s a f i x e d l i m i t t o f e d e r a l money. Unl e s s p r o v i n c e s a r e w i l l i n g t o pay more t h a n t h e y a g r e e d t o , t h e number of new s u b s i d i z e d a p a r t m e n t s & h o u s e s w i l l d r o p even more. R e n t s r i s e f a s t e r t h a n w e l f a r e payments f o r r e n t s s o p e o p l e have t o u s e food money t o keep a roof o v e r t h e i r h e a d s . The l o c k of p o v e r t y t i g h t . e n s a s 60-70% of t h e f i x e d income goes t o c o v e r t h e c o s t of h o u s i n g . A s w e l f a r e payments f a i l t o keep up w i t h c o s t of l i v i n g , governments must p r o v i d e more money f o r h o u s e h o l d s l i v i n g i n s o c i a l h o u s i n g . The money f o r p e o p l e a l r e a d y i n h o u s i n g must be t a k e n from t h e money t h a t was supposed t o go f o r new h o u s i n g . Say h e l l o t o s l e e p i n g under b r i d g e s , i n parks, i n a l l e y s , even i n dumpsters. S e n i o r s - O l d e r Canadians a r e proud ------of t h e s o c i a l programs t h e y h e l p e d s e t u p , and which h e l p p r o t e c t t h o s e who a r e p o o r , d i s a b l e d o r o l d a g a i n s t m a l n u t r i t i o n , ill h e a l t h , poor h o u s i n g and s o c i a l i s o l a t i o n . S i n c e
'
t h e t a k e o v e r by t h e C o n s e r v a t i v e s and t h e i r corporate puppetteers, federal p a r t i c i p a t i o n h a s been s t e a d i l y e r o d e d and even a b o l i s h e d i n many a r e a s . B i l l C-69 makes t h i s s t r a n g u l a t i o n f a s t e r .
Unemployment I n s u r a n c e Mulroney s a i d ( b e f o r e t h e e l e c t i o n ) t h a t t h e r e would b e no c h a n g e s . The b i l l p a s s e d t h e S e n a t e a b o u t a month ago t h a t chopped o v e r $1.5 b i l l i o n i n b e n e f i t s by l e n g t h e n i n g e n t r y r e q u i r e ments, c u t t i n g t h e d u r a t i o n of t i m e you can g e t U I and i n c r e a s i n g p e n a l t i e s t o s o - c a l l e d " q u i t t e r s " . even i f you q u i t b e c a u s e of r o t t e n working c o n d i t i o n s o r poor s a f e t y o r pay. 150,000 p e o p l e w i l l be c u t o f f and ano t h e r 600,000 w i l l s e e b e n e f i t s r e duced by up t o 1 3 weeks. T h i s i s p a r t of t h e f o u n d a t i o n o f I t h e c o r p o r a t e agenda. To t h a t m i n d s e t s h u t t i n g p l a n t s and t a k i n g o p e r a t i o n s t o Mexico, l a y i n g o f f w o r k e r s due t o n o t making '*enough" money, p a y i n g low wages f o r sweatshop working c o n d i t i o n s and s o on a r e NOT t h e c a u s e of unemployment. Unemployment i n s u r a n c e i s t h e c a u s e o f unemployment. I t makes w o r k e r s i n f l e x i b l e , meaning i f you, the corporate executive, can't get p e o p l e t o a g r e e t o work f o r n e x t t o n o t h i n g amid d a n g e r o u s ( o r j u s t bad) c o n d i t i o n s , you, t h e management h a v e t o f o r c e them by making i t a l m o s t i m p o s s i b l e f o r them t o g e t w e l f a r e and c u t t i n g U I t o t h e bone.
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Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!
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h a v e gone s o u t h , s o u t h , s o u t h . The f i r s t exodus was t o t h e s o u t h e r n U.S. where l a b o u r i s cheap (minimum wages a r e low o r n o n - e x i s t e n t ) . The new t r e n d i s f u r t h e r s o u t h t o Mexico where w o r k e r s g e t a b o u t $4 a day. Most 3 r d World s t a t e s h a v e an e l i t e i n power..power g a i n e d t h r o u g h m i l i t a r y means. T h i s i s p a i d f o r - t h e weapons and t r a i n i n g - w i t h m a s s i v e l o a n s t a k e n o u t by governments ( s i c ) from t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Monetary Fund and t h e World Bank. M u l t i n a t i o n a l s back t h i s w i t h s u p p l i e s and economic a i d t h r o u g h t h e i r h o s t governments & t h e n comes t h e IMF's " r e s t r u c t u r i n g " of t h e 3 r d w o r l d s t a t e ' s economy. Land i s s e t a s i d e f o r growing c a s h c r o p s f o r e x p o r t , s o c i a l programs a r e w i s h f u l t h i n k i n g , pay and u n i o n s a r e v i r t u a l l y i n v i s i b l e , and t h e d e b t i s e t e r n a l . Even when a p r o g r e s s i v e l e a d e r s h i p sometimes g e t s i n t o o f f i c e , l i k e S a l v a d o r e A l l e n d e i n C h i l e , Big B u s i n e s s e i t h e r c o r r u p t s t h e new o r d e r o r k i l l s the leaders. Seriously. The s o c i a l c o n s c i e n c e of C a n a d a ' s c o r p o r a t i o n s , many of which a r e now s u b s i d i a r i e s o f American companies, h a s a l l o w e d o v e r 121,000 j o b s t o b e l o s t t o "better business conditions" in other lands. S e n i o r s - P e n s i o n s a r e s e c u r i t y ; now t h e y w i l l be clawed b a c k w i t h imposed and i n c r e a s i n g income t a x e s , Another r i p - o f f happens i f a s e n i o r is t a l k e d i n t o s t a r t i n g w i t h Old Age S e c u r i t y b e n e f i t s when 60 i n s t e a d of w a i t i n g u n t i l r e a c h i n g 65. The r a t e s a r e lower and i t l o c k s t h e p e n s i o n e r i n t o t h a t r a t e . Family a l l owances a r e s u b j e c t t o t h e same clawback.
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I
I
We say NO t o the GST.. .YES to Fair Taxes! s o o d s & S e r v i c e s Tax (GST)
his scam i s t h e d i r e c t r e s u l t o f
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t h e greed of t h e m u l t i n a t i o n a l s When t h e y poured m i l l i o n s i n t o s e l l i n g ' " f r e e " t r a d e w i t h media s a t u r a t i o n ' days b e f o r e t h e f e d e r a l e l e c t i o n , one p s e u d o - p u b l i c " v o i c e " (The Canadian A l l i a n c e f o r T r a d e and Job Opportunit i e s ) answered i t s own q u e s t i o n o f "Won't Canadian b u s i n e s s lobby t o r e duce s p e n d i n g on s o c i a l and o t h e r programs?" w i t h a s i m p l e "Not a t a l l . " B a r e l y a month a f t e r t h e Tory w i n , t h e Canadian M a n u f a c t u r e r ' s A s s o c i a t i o n c a l l e d f o r a Royal Commission on s o c i a l s p e n d i n g . They want t o f i n d ways t o c u t U I and o t h e r payments. (Oh my !) F i v e d a y s l a t e r ( 2 d a y s a f t e r Xmas) b o t h t h e Canadian Chamber of Com- merce and t h e p o w e r f u l B u s i n e s s Counc i l on N a t i o n a l I s s u e s j o i n e d i n , c a l l i n g f o r $4 b i l l i o n t o b e c u t from U I p e r y e a r . Then t h e b a n k s g o t i n t o i t . The Royal Bank s a i d t h a t c u t s i n s o c i a l programs were n e c e s s a r y i n o r d e r t o p r e s e r v e them! The Bank o f Canada r e l e a s e d a s t u d y blaming unemployment i n s u r a n c e f o r unemployment, a n d c a l l e d f o r p o l i c i e s t o keep unemployment h i g h i n o r d e r t o f i g h t i n â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;&#x2122;l a t i o n . The Bank a r g u e s t h a t when unemployment f a l l s , w o r k e r s can demand and g e t h i g h e r wages. H i g h e r wages s u b t r a c t from c o r p o r a t e p r o f i t s and add t o c o r p o r a t e c o s t s . S t r i p p i n g t h e ~ a n k ' sNewspeak down t o what i t r e a l l y means i s f a s c i n a t i n g and appa l l i n g . The Bank j u s t i f i e s h i g h unemployment on t h e g r o u n d s t h a t i t k e e p s w o r k e r s ' wages down. A p p a r e n t l y t h e Bank d o e s n ' t even n o t i c e t h a t w o r k e r s w i t h low wages a r e p o o r . (Banks pay women 57% o f what t h e y pay men f o r t h e same work.) Each and e v e r y c o r p o r a t e l o b b y g r o u p ,
i
right a f t e r t h e election, joined in w i t h blood-curdling screams about t h e d e f i c i t . "It h a s t o b e b r o u g h t u n d e r c o n t r o l . . i t l s c a u s e d by ' m i s d i r e c t e d ' s o c i a l spending." "Misdirected" i s a m a t t e r of o p i n i o n , s o l e t ' s look a t t h e f a c t s and f i g u r e s :
Taxes! Individuals. Corporations. -----------I n 1950, t h e t o t a l income t a x c o l l e c t e d f rom c o r p o r a t i o n s e q u a l l e d t h a t c o l l e c t e d from i n d i v i d u a l s . I t was 501 50 and t h e c o r p o r a t i o n s were d o i n g j u s t f i n e , t h a n k you v e r y much. I n '89 i n d i v i d u a l s p a i d 88.1% o f e l l income t a x w h i l e c o r p o r a t i o n s p a i d 11.9%. A t f i r s t t h i s change was g r a d u a l b u t w i t h Mulroney i t ' s t a k e n l e a p s and bounds t o t h e p r e s e n t s t a t e . More and more money h a s b e e n t a k e n from i n d i v i d u a l s ' p o c k e t s and more and more h a s been added t o t h e c o r p o r a t e bottom l i n e . The l a s t c u t i n c o r p o r a t e t a x changed t h e r a t e from 36% t o 28%, t i e i n g i t w i t h t h e U.S. f o r t h e l o w e s t c o r p o r a t e t a x rate i n t h e i n d u s t r i a l i z e d w o r l d . (Germany's r a t e i s 56%. I n F r a n c e i t i s 42%. Denmark, 50%. A u s t r a l i a , 39%. Even M a r g a r e t T h a t c h e r c h a r g e s B r i t i s h c o r p o r a t i o n s 35%. I n J a p a n , c o r p o r a t e t a x e s make up 22.9% o f a l l t a x e s . I n Canada, t h a t f i g u r e i s a%.) Germany & J a p a n do a l l r i g h t i n t h e g l o b a l economy and t h e i r c o s t s a r e a s h i g h a s o u r s . They a r e n ' t a l l o w e d t o h a v e armed f o r c e s though. The U.S. & Canada ( a s a p o o r 2nd c o u s i n ) made s e v e r a l q u i e t d e a l s while t h e Free Trade Agreement was t h e c e n t r e of p u b l i c a t t e n t i o n . B e f o r e r e a d i n g o n , remember f o r a moment t h a t " m u l t i n a t i o n a l " p e r t a i n s t o d o i n g b u s i n e s s i n more t h a n one c o u n t r y . They go a l l o v e r t h e w o r l d demanding l o w e r wages, l o w e r t a x e s and more s u b s i d i e s . Okay..
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Defence/Arms P r o d u c t i o n - Canada and ....................... t h e US h a v e a long h i s t o r y of defence productions h a r i n g . These q u i e t d e a l s a r e p a v i n g t h e way f o r a d r a s t i c change i n a r r a n gements. They c a l l f o r e x t r a o r d i n a r y measures t o e n c o u r a g e t h e growth of a domestic defence i n d u s t r y a s a s o u r c e of h i s h t e c h n o l o g y and s p e c i a l i z e d j o b c r e a t i o n . The f i r s t r e a c t i o n t o t h i s , by like-minded c o r p o r a t i o n s , h a s been irom f o r e i g n ( s i c ) arms' m a n u f a c t u r e r s i n s e t t i n g up shop i n Canada. I n J u n e 1 9 8 7 , a l e a k e d t a s k f o r c e r e p o r t from s e n i o r o f f i c i a l s of n a t i o n a l d e f e n c e , e x t e r n a l a f f a i r s and i n t e r n a t i o n a l t r a d e revealed t h e t r u e s t o r y : T h a t Canada & t h e U.S. c r e a t e a "common d e f e n c e e c o n o n ~ i cmarket" ; Greater continental (national is f o r s m a l l minds, I g u e s s ) i n t e g r a t i o n of d e f e n c e p r o d u c t i o n and t h e expans i o n of o u r " e x i s t i n g co-operat i v e f o u n d a t ion" t o "make j o i n t i n d u s t r i a l p l a n n i n g ( p r o f i t s ) by n a t i o n a l d e f e n c e and t h e Pentagon" ( t h e b o o g i e Congressm i l i t a r y - i n d u s t r i a l complex t h a t haunt e d Vietnam war p r o t e s t o r s ) ; "The o r i e n t a t i o n of d e c i s i o n makers i n b o t h c o u n t r i e s must b e c o n t i n e n t a l r a t h e r than s t a t e - c e n t r i c . " ( T r u e t o e v e r y red-blooded c o r p o r a t e c o f f e r . ) I t went on t o recommend i n -
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corporat ing a m i l i t a r y perspective when c o n s i d e r i n g i n d u s t r i a l p l a n n i n g . Now t h i s seems t o h a v e wandered f a r away from t h e GST, b u t t h e l i e a b o u t it b e i n g " n e u t r a l " i n making more money f o r t h e government was p a r t l y t o h i d e where a l l t h e e x t r a $5.5 b i l l i o n a y e a r t h a t t h e GST w i l l make i s g o i n g t o go. The Defence White P a p e r c a l l e d f o r a s h a r p i n c r e a s e i n Canada's p a r t i c i p a t i o n i n North A m e r i c a ' s d e f e n c e . I n t h e news r e c e n t l y t h e r e was much to-do a b o u t c u t s i n m i l i t a r y s p e n d i n g . W h a t ' s a c t u a l l y happening i s t h a t t h e Canadian Armed F o r c e s a r e moving t o t h e drum o f t h e U.S. w i t h huge i n c r e a s e s i n r e s e a r c h & development s p e n d i n g ..and d e f e n c e " s t u d i e s " a r e t h e means of s t i m u l a t i n g r e g i o n a l development i n the future. (Maude Barlow d i d t h e r e s e a r c h on t h i s p a r t and, a s t h e y s a y , t h e f u t u r e is now... when Mulroney used t h e Oka c r i s i s t o punish Native Peoples f o r k i l l i n g t h e Meech Lake Accord, h e a l s o got a n o t h e r g o l d s t a r on h i s c o r p o r a t e . r e p o r t c a r d f o r showing t h e r e d n e c k s ( s i c ) t h a t t h e army i s b o t h worthy of and e a g e r t o g e t s t a t e - o f - t h e - a r t weapons s y s t e m s and t e c h n o l o g y . The deployment of t r o o p s t o t h e P e r s i a n Gulf i s s e r v i n g t h e same g o a l . ) A t t h i s s t a g e , t h e two t r a c k s - def e n c e p r o d u c t i o n and t h e f r e e t r a d e / GST - come t o g e t h e r . T h i s h a p p e n s i n two ways. F i r s t , Canada must s u p p l y a p r o p o r t i o n of o u r e n e r g y from now on t o t h e U.S., much of which w i l l f u e l t h e i r m i l i t a r y economy. Second, under t h e a g r e e m e n t , o n l y 2 a r e a s a r e exempt from t h e upcoming n e g o t i a t i o n s ( a g a i n , s i c ) on what conCANADA
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STRONGLY OPPOSE OPPOSE SUPPORT STRONGLY SUPPORT
24% 36% 33% 5% .
STATES
4% 19% 58%
15% -
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s t i t u t e s a subsidy - t h e search f o r new e n e r g y s u p p l i e s and d e f e n c e spendi n g . A s a r e s u l t , Canada w i l l b e f o r ced t o r e l y on mega-proj e c t development and d e f e n c e s p e n d i n g a s t h e o n l y means t o d i s t r i b u t e r e g i o n a l e q q a l i t y . I n s h o r t , u n l e s s i t ' s a bomb o r gun f a c t o r y , o r makes m i l i t a r y w a r e s , o r is a m a s s i v e s t r i p - m i n e o r t a r s a n d s k i n d o f p r o j e c t , new development w i l l go t o t h e l o w e s t p r i v a t e b i d d e r . . a n d t h a t w i l l b e an American company w i t h l i t t l e c o n c e r n f o r Canada's n a t u r a l r e s o u r c e s o t h e r f o r t h e i r money making potential With t h i s b i n d i n g c o l l a b o r a t i o n ( s u b s e r v i e n c e ) and U. S m i l i t a r y obs e s s i o n , how much of o u r f o r e i g n p o l i c y w i l l b e o u r s t o make? I f you a r e a s t a n d a r d model of t h e c o r p o r a t e Max Headroom, N a t i o n a l q u e s t i o n s a r e j u s t a p a i n i n t h e b u t t , even i f you come o u t of t h e American mold. A c a s e l i n p o i n t i s t h e renewed t e s t i n g of t h e C r u i s e M i s s i l e . Did we r e a l l y h a v e a c h o i c e ? Maybe a more c r u c i a l q u e s t i o n : Why i s Canada moving i n t h i s d i r e c t i o n now, when t h e S o v i e t Union i s o f f e r i n g new o p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r p e a c e and s i g n i f i c a n t arms c o n t r o l t a l k s h a v e j u s t finished? The most c y n i c a l answer i s t h a t t h e B u s i n e s s C o u n c i l on N a t i o n a l I s s u e s , composed of 150 of t h e most p o w e r f u l , i n f l u e n t i a l c o r p o r a t i o n s i n North Ame r i c a , h a s a Task F o r c e on F o r e i g n P o l i c y . The m a j o r r e p o r t from t h i s "sub-committee", of c o u r s e , c a l l s f o r more d e f e n c e s p e n d i n g . The member c o r p o r a t i o n s i n c l u d e t h e b i g g e s t d ef e n c e c o n t r a c t o r s on t h e c o n t i n e n t , & t h e i r g r e a t e s t s o u r c e of p r o f i t by f a r i s government c o n t r a c t s f o r new m i l it a r y hardware and s y s t e m s . W i t n e s s t h e P e r s i a n Gulf r i g h t now. H u s s e i n was h a v i n g a h a r d t i m e p a y i n g off h i s f o r e i g n d e b t , b r o u g h t on by t h e I r a n - I r a q war and m i l i t a r y goods. OPEC had t h i s a g r e e m e n t , l i m i t i n g how
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much o i l e a c h member c o u l d p r o d u c e b u t Saddam needed t o i n c r e a s e h i s i n come. So h e invaded Kuwait on t h e p r e t e x t o f r e c o v e r i n g " s t o l e n " o i l and a l l k i n d s of mean ' n n a s t y t h i n g s t h e scumbuckets i n c h a r g e t h e r e had done. T h i s h a s had t h e minor s i d e e f f e c t of i n c r e a s i n g t h e v a l u e of h i s and o t h e r Arab o i l r e s e r v e s . I n s t e a d of b e i n g w o r t h a p a l t r y $2.4 t r i l l i o n , t h e w o r t h o f Middle E a s t o i l h a s doubled! ( a n d i t a i n ' t c h i c k e n f e e d ) . With t h e Saudis doubling t h e i r product ion while t h e m i l i t a r y p o s t u r i n g i s going on, t h e y a r e making a t i d y e x t r a p r o f i t of $50 m i l l i o n a day. When t h e U.S. s i g n e d new c o n t r a c t s w i t h S a u d i A r a b i a f o r 10 AWAC s ~ y p l a n e s , t h e p r i c e wasn't $.55 b i l l i o n ( t h e s e t h i n g s c o s t $110 m i l l i o n e a c h ) b u t $ 5 . 5 b i l l i o n . The seeming m i s placement o f t h e d e c i m a l p o i n t h e r e j u s t g o e s t a show y a ? how much a l l t h e s u p p o r t h a r d w a r e & s o f t w a r e c o s t s when you h a v e t o g e t t h e whole shebang t o make t h e main i t e m u s e f u l . So t h e s e c o r p o r a t i o n s c a l l f o r c u t s i n s o c i a l programs t o r e d u c e t h e d e f i c i t w h i l e making s u r e t h a t t h e r e ' l l be a massive i n c r e a s e i n m i l i t a r y s p e n d i n g . . a n d t h i s k i n d of h y p o c r i c y d o e s n ' t b o t h e r them a t a l l - t h e y a r e now t h e o n e s on t h e w e l f a r e d o l e . " B r o t h e r , c a n you s p a r e a b i l l i o n ? "
Banks,insurance companies, and trust companies
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They're robbing the country blind. OKAY! F a c t s and f i g u r e s on t a x e s . . . Between 1984 & 1988 Mulroney & Wilson:
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Reduced t h e c o r p o r a t e r a t e from 36% t o 28% - a g i f t o f $7 b i l l i o n a year t o the wealthiest corporations. Reduced t h e t a x r a t e f o r t h e wealt h i e s t Canadians from 43% t o 29%, g i v i n g them a bonus of $600 m i l l i o n . Reduced t h e number of a u d i t s done on l a r g e c o r p o r a t i o n s ' t a x r e t u r n s . I n 1973, a u d i t s were c a r r i e d o u t on 7.3% o f c o r p o r a t i o n s . The Mulroney government h a s reduced t h i s t o 1.8%, even though each d o l l a r s p e n t on such a u d i t s n e t s t h e government $17 back. Changed p e r s o n a l income t a x r a t e s , r a i s i n g t a x e s f o r low income e a r n e r s by 44% and middle income e a r n e r s by 10% and l o w e r i n g t h e t a x on t h e wealt h y by 6%. ( I F you p a i d t a x e s . . ) L a s t y e a r you p a i d f e d e r a l income t a x a t t h e r a t e of 17%, 26% o r 29%, dependi n g on how much you e a r n e d . Do you want t o know t h e r a t e t h a t banks p a i d ? S i t down f o r t h i s . 2.48 p e r c e n t . T h a t ' s r i g h t . From 1980 t i 1987 t h e seven l a r g e s t Canad i a n banks made p r o f i t s o f 7.64 b i l l i o n d o l l a r s and p a i d a n a v e r a g e o f 2.48% i n t a x e s . L i f e I n s u r a n c e companies had a good time too. They made $3.08 b i l l i o n from 1980 t o 1984 and p a i d 4.3%. And t r u s t companies? They made prof i t s of $775 m i l l i o n and p a i d income t a x o f 7.6%. I n 1986 & '87 t h e s e 3 s e c t o r s o f
Canada's f i n a n c i a l i n d u s t r y made prof i t s of $54,818,000,000.00 and p a i d a t a x r a t e of 11.2%. I f t h e y had p a i d t h e 1984 c o r p o r a t e t a x r a t e of 36%, t h e government would have c o l l e c t e d a n a d d i t i o n a l $13.6 b i l l i o n . I n s t e a d of f a i r t a x e s , Mulroney i s now mouthing t h e c o r p o r a t e l i n e , sayi n g t h e r e ' s no a l t e r n a t i v e b u t t o make t h e p e o p l e u s i n g a l l t h e s o c i a l s e r v i c e s pay f o r them. The p r e s i d e n t of B e l l Telephone d o e s n ' t need t o u s e a food bank! The most b a s i c taboo i s t o s t a t e t h a t s o c i a l programs a r e made n e c e s s a r y by t h e b u s i n e s s pract i c e s of a l l t h e s e m u l t i n a t i o n a l s .
Lust Wealth, Fewer Jobs
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Most o f u s l e a r n e v e r y t h i n g we need t o know i n k i n d e r g a r t e n . ."Don1 t h i t . " "Clean up your own mess. ""Play f a i r . " And when somebody t o l d u s t o do one o f t h e s e b a s i c t h i n g s , we might have argued b u t w e knew what was r i g h t and a l m o s t always p a r t e d f r i e n d s . I f s o many p e o p l e , i n f e c t e d w i t h t h e m e n t a l d i s e a s e c a l l e d g r e e d , h a d n ' t welded t h e i r consciences shut..weren't s t o n e c o l d d e a d . . t h e f o l l o w i n g l i s t o f wond e r s & t h i n g s t o do would have been done i n t h e f i r s t p l a c e -
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P u t t h e c o r p o r a t e t a x r a t e back t o i t ' s 1986 l e v e l t o r a i s e $7 b i l l i o n C o l l e c t a r e a s o n a b l e p o r t i o n of t h e $40 b i l l i o n i n " d e f e r r e d " income t a x t h a t l a r g e c o r p o r a t i o n s have been allowed t o accumulate t o r a i s e $6 b i l l i o n Apply a Net Wealth Tax o f 3% on t h e w e a l t h i e s t 20% of Canadians ( a s seve r a l European c o u n t r i e s do) t o r a i s e ' k $3 b i l l i o n : B r i n g back t h e 34% t a x r a t e on i n come o v e r $70,000 t o r a i s e $.6 b i l l i o n
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R e s t o r e t h e t a x on l a r g e e s t a t e s and i n h e r i t a n c e s t o r a i s e $1 b i l l i o n Restore t h e c a p i t a l gains tax t o t h e 1984 l e v e l t o r a i s e $1 b i l l i o n Eliminate t a x breaks f o r corporate
mergers & r e a l e s t a t e d e v e l o p e r s $1 b i l l i o n Clamp down on t a x c h e a t e r s by i n c r e a s i n g a u d i t s of b i g c o r p o r a t i o n s $3 b i l l i o n Together t h i s adds up t o $23 b i l l i o n $ 2 b i l l i o n more t h a n t h e GST r a i s e s .
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WHAT WILL OUR SOCIETY LOOK LIKE I F T X CORPORATIONS GET THEIR WAY? I t ' s n o t j u s t a r e c e n t phenomenom R o c k f e l l e r w a s ( i s ? ) t h e main man. H e t h a t b i g b u s i n e s s i s working hand-ingot free trade going again a f t e r the hand t o c o n t r o l governments. Naming U.S. l o s t t h e i r l a s t a t t e m p t t o make t h e c a r t e l s , t o my knowledge, began t h e d e a l w i t h Canada i n 1948. with t h e B i l d e r b e r g m e e t i n g s i n t h e The main i d e a i s t o s p r e a d f r e e t r a d e fi-rst p a r t t h i s century. L e t ' s t h r o u g h o u t t h e whole world. F r e e t r a d e worry a b o u t t h e i r p r e c u r s o r s , t h e t a k e s away t h e power of e l e c t e d govMasonic Lodge and t h e P r i e u r d e S i o n ; ernments t o make c e r t a i n laws t h a t obscurity is j u s t that. would c r e a t e j o b s , r e q u i r e investment The B i l d e r b e r g m e e t i n g s s t a r t e d w i t h and keep prof i t s i n t h e h o s t c o u n t r y ..int h i s case, canada, t h e emerging businessmen t h a t had o f f i c e s i n ~ n g l a n d / E u r o p eand t h e U.S. F r e e t r a d e l e t s c o r p o r a t i o n s move a f t e r World War I ( a l a winner-takea l l o v e r t h e world demanding lower a l l ) . They h e l p e d e n g i n e e r t h e s t o c k wages, lower t a x e s and more s u b s i d i e s . market c r a s h i n 1929 b u t t h e y l o s t conI n s t e a d of i n c r e a s i n g wages and b e t t e r ~ r o ol f who e x a c t l y g o t r i c h . (John F. i n g l i v i n g s ~ a n d a r d si n o t h e r c o u n t r i e s Kennedy's f a t h e r was o n e . ) l i k e Mexico, t h e " f r e e t r a d e " w i l l ~ e t ' sjump ahead t o t h e e a r l y 7 0 ' s mean d e g r a d i n g Canadian s t a n d a r d s t o and t h e T r i l a t e r a l Commission. This compete w i t h p l a c e s l i k e Mexico. group i s composed o f a b o u t 200 of t h e C o r p o r a t i o n s keep g e t t i n g b i g g e r and heads o f t r u l y g i g a n t i c c o r p o r a t i o n s b i g g e r . They a r e g e t t i n g more and more in the US/Canada, Europe & They c o n t r o lof j o b s , wages, i n v e s t m e n t , e n g i n e e r e d t h e e l e c t i o n o f Jimmy C a r t e r the environment and all t h e t h i n g s a s P r e s i d e n t o f t h e United S t a t e s . p e o p l e need t o have a d e c e n t l i f e .
Governments a r e d o i n g what c o r p o r a t i o n s want. They a r e n o t d o i n g what t h e p e o p l e want and need. ( C l o s i n g & p r i v a t i z i n g P o s t o f f i c e s f o r example). T h i r t y y e a r s from now Canada might look l i k e t h i s . . . a h a n d f u l o f mega c o r p o r a t i o n s would c o n t r o l most of t h e economy. Wages w i l l be v e r y low f o r a t l e a s t h a l f t h e p e o p l e , who w i l l b e l i v i n g i n p o v e r t y . Old a g e p e n s i o n s w i l l be t o o low t o l i v e on. We'll have a two t i e r h e a l t h s y s t e m . . r i c h p e o p l e w i l l be a b l e t o g e t d e c e n t c a r e . . p o o r p e o p l e won't. There w i l l be v e r y few middle income people. Hundreds o f thousands o f j o b s w i l l have gone t o Mexico. Unemployment i n s u r a n c e w i l l be v i r t u a l l y gone. Poor and middle income p e o p l e w i l l pay v i r t u a l l y a l l t h e t a x e s . P e o p l e w i l l n o t be a b l e t o own homes u n l e s s t h e y i n h e r i t money. With h a l f t h e people i n pcverty, v i o l e n c e and d r u g a b u s e w i l l s k y r o c k e t . More and more money w i l l be s p e n t on P o l i c e who w j l l keep t h e poor from g e t t i n g , even demanding, t h e i r s h a r e . I n o t h e r words, Canada w i l l be l i k e a l o t o f s o - c a l l e d t h i r d world c o u n t r i e s .
A l l of t h i s t o h e r e shows t h e p l a n s of r i c h , powerful p e o p l e . . a r e l a t i v e l y s m a l l number of 'em. B u t , t o t h e h e a d s of government i n B.C. r i g h t now, t h e same agenda governs t h e i r d e c i s i o n s .
PROVINCIAL B i l l B e n n e t t dropped o u t . The l a s t t i m e h e was h e a r d of when h e g o t s l o p py and w a s charged w i t h i n s i d e r t r a d i n g on t h e s t o c k exchange. B i l l Vanderzalm, a l o n g w i t h a l l t h e o t h e r h o p e f u l s f o r B e n n e t t ' s j o b , was i n t e r v i e w e d b e f o r e t h e l e a d e r s h i p conv e n t i o n by a group of Howe S t r e e t Businessmen ( c a p i t a l 'B') t o s e e i f h e was f i t t o b e t h e i r mouthpiece. A q u i c k r e c o u n t of t h e agenda i t e m s t h a t Vanderzalm h a s g o t t e n burned by: Education --------- - F e d e r a l c u t s have been taken i n s t r i d e a s t h e S o c r e d s h a v e been i g n o r i n g e d u c a t i o n f o r about 10 y e a r s . Each y e a r government s u p p o r t l e s s e n s and s c h o o l s a r e t o l d t o g e t t h e i r own s o u r c e s v i a referendums. T h i s t r a n s l a t e s d i r e c t l y i n t o t h e well-off a r e a s having highq u a l i t y p r o g r a m s . . c h i l d r e n of w e a l t h y parents getting the best available.. s p e c i a l program money must b e begged f o r e v e r y 2 o r 3 y e a r s . . t e a c h e r ' s sala r i e s have been behind i n f l a t i o n f o r o v e r a decade and p u b l i c s c h o o l i n g i s f a s t becoming u n s u r e of any k i n d o f s t a b i l i t y . The p l a n u n f o l d i n g seems t o be t o p i t parents against teachers, a s i n c r e d i b l e a s t h a t sounds, a s t h e b l e a k p i c t u r e forming h a s s t u d e n t s ' n e e d s and o p p o r t u n i t i e s v e r s u s t e a chers' needs. T h i s allows t h e Socreds t o p o i n t t h e f i n g e r / p a s s t h e buck t o O t t a w a and f r a g m e n t s o r g a n i z e d e f f o r t s t o bring f a i r n e s s t o education.
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the election v a n d e r z a l m b r o u g h t i n B i l l s 19 & 20. w o r k e r s and t e a c h e r s h a d been g a i n i n g r i g h t s l o n g d e n i e d by c o r p o r a t e b o s s e s and t h e e x t r e m e p r e s s u r e was on t h e moment B i l l y a g r e e d t o r u n . D i c t a t e d l e g i s l a t i o n a l t e r e d hard-won r i g h t s a n d changed t h e r u l e s t o b e t o t a l l y i n f a v o u r o f t h e b u s i n e s s end o f t h i n g s . A new b u r e a u c r a c y was c r e a t e d t o h a l t t h e a c t i v i t i e s of u n i o n s t o r e a c h a t r u e c o l l e c t i v e agreement. A b o y c o t t of t h i s new s t o n e w a l l i n g scam and much media on how u n i o n s were now a t f a u l t f o r demanding t h e i r f a i r s h a r e .
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H e a l t h Care - s y s t e m a t i c u n d e r f u n d i n g ----------i s making t h e g o a l o f a two t i e r h e a l t h s y s t e m o b v i o u s . What o t h e r r e a s o n i s t h e r e f o r r e f u s i n g t oe pay f o r s u c h e s s e n t i a l s a s a d e q u a t e nursing s t a f f s a t medical f a c i l i t i e s , t o keep a l l t h e beds i n h o s p i t a l s open, t o e n s u r e t h a t emergency r e s p o n s e i s funded and s u p p l i e d w i t h good e q u i p ment and enough t r a i n e d s t a f f t o do what i s r e q u i r e d ? The d e s i r e d g o a l h e r e seems t o b e p r i v a t i z i n g a s much o f t h e health care services a s possible.. t o copy t h e U.S. and make i t pay-asyou-go. T h i s i s c o m p l e t e l y i n l i n e w i t h
t h e f e d e r a l Tory agenda o f k i l l i n g Medi c a r e by t h e t u r n of t h e c e n t u r y . S o c i a l Services/HoQsing/Funding ............................... S c o r e s of s o c i a l workers have q u i t in frustrated disgust a s the crucial s e r v i c e s a r e c u t back o r eliminated. W e l f a r e r a t e s , i n c r e a s i n g a t a b o u t 113 t h e r a t e of i n f l a t i o n , l e a v e r e c i p i e n t s w i t h incomes 50% below t h e p o v e r t y l i n e and w e l l o v e r 112 of t h a t g o i n g t o s h e l t e r . A c c o r d i n g t o Clod Richmond, when h e was t h e m i n i s t e r , " W e ( s o c r e d ) a r e p h i l o s o p h i c a l l y opposed t o s o c i a l h o u s i n g . " Richmond l e f t t h e m i n i s t r y f o r s o c i a l s e r v i c e s & housing i n a h u r r y a f t e r t h e o u t r a g e h i t t h e headl i n e s o v e r h i s 'work o r s t a r v e ' l e t t e r t o 49,000 p e o p l e . He'd a l s o c u t many s i n g l e p a r e n t s by $50 a month a f t e r dec i d i n g t h e y were a l l "employable" when t h e y o u n g e s t c h i l d was o v e r 6 months o f age. S i n c e t h e wealthy can a f f o r d t h e b e s t c h i l d c a r e , a s o c i a l program prov i d i n g t h i s e s s e n t i a l s e r v i c e was n o t a concern. Funding i s t h e c o r e i s s u e of a l l t h e d i f f i c u l t i e s . Without p r o p e r and f a i r s o c i a l programs, t h e l i v e s of hundreds of t h o u s a n d s o f p e o p l e - s i n g l e a d u l t s & families & children - a r e limited t o s u r v i v i n g . O p p o r t u n i t i e s f o r educ a t i o n , decent jobs, af f o r d a b l e housing, adequate h e a l t h c a r e a r e being channeled r e m o r s e l e s s l y t o t h o s e who c a n pay-asthey-go.
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You and your f a m i l y now pay $3,000 more i n t a x e s c o u r t e s y of t h e Vanderzalm government. User f e e s h a v e been h i k e d 784 t i m e s , i n c l u d i n g 229 b r a n d new f e e s . Medicare f e e s a r e up 48% f o r f a m i l i e s ; e x t e n d e d c a r e f o r s e n i o r s is up 27%; v o r p o r a t i o n s w e r e given $2 b i l l i o n i n t a x breaks. S c a n d a l - T h i s may l o o k s t r a n g e i n t h e ------c o n t e x t of t h e w r i t i n g , b u t n i n e c a b i n e t m i n i s t e r s were s o s l o p p y i n r u n n i n g t h e i r scams t h a t t h e y had t o r e s i g n . Vanderzalm l i e d a b o u t h i s i n t e r e s t i n a theme p a r k , b u t was o n l y caught a f t e r s e l l i n g i t . The O n t a r i o v i c t o r y f o r t h e NDP i s a t r u e i n s p i r a t i o n f o r u s and s e v e r a l of t h e o r g a n i z e r s of t h e "Down w i t h t h e P o v e r t y Premier" campaign t h e r e a r e coming t o B . C . when Vanderzalm can no l o n g e r keep postponing an e l e c t i o n .
Now we g e t down t o t h e g r a s s r o o t s . Here i n Vancouver t h e c o r p o r a t e agenda i s b e i n g implemented i n a l l a r e a s . I n t h e l a s t two y e a r s t h e h o u s i n g s i t u a t i o n h a s reached c r i s i s p r o p o r t i o n s . Well o v e r a t h o u s a n d u n i t s of d e c e n t , a f f o r d a b l e h o u s i n g h a v e b e e n demolished w i t h n o t h i n g t o r e p l a c e them. Over 800 u n i t s a r e s i t t i n g empty r i g h t now a s
t h e owners/developers wait f o r t h e i r "most p r o f i t " day. The f a c t t h a t t h e vacancy r a t e i s 0% makes t h i s c a l l o u s and c r i m i n a l t o most p e o p l e , b u t n o t t o Gordon Campbell and t h e NPA. Campbell h a s been l i e i n g t h r o u g h h i s t e e t h a t p u b l i c m e e t i n g s and d u r i n g d e b a t e s w i t h J i m Green. H e a c t u a l l y p o i n t s t o a r e c o r d t h a t i s good o n l y i n h i s h e a d , s a y i n g how g r e a t e v e r y t h i n g i s , w h i l e p e o p l e who h a v e had r e n t h i k e s of up t o 150% o r h a v e been e v i c t e d by g r e e d - d r i v e n s p e c u l a t o r s a r e s i t t i n g r i g h t i n f r o n t of him. Campbell is a f a i r r e p r e s e n t a t i v e of t h e Vancouver v e r s i o n of c o r p o r a t e p o l i c y . S t a t e m e n t s l i k e " I ' m 100% i n favour of property rights!" People.. human r i g h t s . . c o m e i n 2nd a t b e s t .
THEY "The NPA i s f o r a f f o r d a b l e h o u s i n g . " Af f o r d a b l e h a s a s l i g h t l y d i f f e r e n t meaning i f you g e t $500-$900 a month and r e n t s , i n t h e " a f f o r d a b l e " NPA s e n s e s t a r t a t $600 f o r a b a c h e l o r . " I ' m i n f a v o u r of l i m i t s on t h e 'amounts s p e n t on campaigns." A f t e r each e l e c t i o n ( ' 8 6 & '88) a motion t o m a k e t h i s law was d e f e a t e d by t h e NPA. Big c o r p o r a t i o n s a r e h i s b a c k e r s . 1 They pumped o v e r $1.5 m i l l i o n i n t o t h e '88 campaign and t h e m e g a p r o j e c t s given t h e go-ahead s i n c e have been worth b i l l i o n s t o t h e owners/develope r s . . t o t h e c o r p o r a t i o n s i n charge (of t h e NPA & Campbell). Campbell was t h e bagman/campaign manager f o r Vander Zalm, f o r g o d ' s s a k e , i n 1984. Vanderzalm i s one of t h e most d e s p i c a b l e j o k e s e v e r t o h o l d [ o f f i c e i n t h i s p r o v i n c e and Campbell , t r i e d n i g h t & day f o r months t o g e t i him e l e c t e d a s Mayor of Vancouver. Campbell w a s an e x e c u t i v e f o r Marathon ' R e a l t y , CPR's r e a l e s t a t e c a r p o r a t i o n , and Marathon happened t o g e t NPA appr o v a l f o r a $1.2 b i l l i o n mass of h i g h r i s e s and o f f i c e t o w e r s a l o n g Coal Harbour. C r i e s of o u t r a g e a t t h e elimi n a t i o n of most of t h e c i t y ' s views of t h e mountains, t h e e x t r e m e l y dense p o p u l a t i o n planned and t h e s t r a i n on s u r r o u n d i n g neighbourhoods were i r r e l e v a n t t o Campbell & t h e NPA. I mean, i t ' s Da Boss T a l k i n ' ! J u s t t o show t h a t everyone is "ons i d e " , Campbell's b r o t h e r w r o t e t h e Superman s t o r y a b o u t b i l l i o n a i r e deve l o p e r Nat Bosa, on r e c o r d s a y i n g t h a t " t h e s e bums on w e l f a r e s h o u l d n ' t g e t t o l i v e i n good a p a r t m e n t s . .'I Campbell's vis,ion of Vancouver i s t h a t i t become ( q u i c k l y ) an e x e c u t i v e c i t y . I t h i n k h e means t h a t normal people w i l l have t o l i v e somewhere e l s e o r a c c e p t paying 90% of t h e i r income on r e n t .
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The " e x e c u t i v e c i t y " i s a c o r p o r a t e i d e a l where o n l y c o r p o r a t i o n s and t h e i r t o p e x e c u t i v e s have t h e l a n d & t h e j o b s & t h e b u s i n e s s e s & t h e food s t o r e s & t h e wages hothe workers by t h e you-know-what.
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T h i s is t h e most c r u c i a l t i m e i n ~ a n c o u v e r ' sh i s t o r y . J i m Green and t h e C 0 ~ E / C i v i cNDP c a n d i d a t e s a r e human. They a r e n ' t t a l k i n g o u t bf t h e s i d e o f t h e i r mouths..they have been i n t h e b a t t l e s f o r f a i r t r e a t m e n t and making l a n d l o r d s obey t h e law. J i m and DERA have won a number of b a t t l e s w i t h d e v e l o p e r s on by-law enforcement and making many h o t e l s and rooming h o u s e s l i v a b l e . Now we a r e on t h e b r i n k of e i t h e r making Vancouver a P e o p l e F i r s t cdfimu n i t y of neighbourhoods o r b e i n g t u r n e d o v e r i n one complete package t o t h e c o r p o r a t i o n s . . a s t h e i r Canadian b a s e f o r t h e n e x t decade. I f t h e NPA g e t s i n because of b h e i r l i e i n g & s c a r e t a c t i c s & brainwashing t h e n o u r homes w i l l b e u n r e c o g n i z a b l e i n 3 y e a r s . I f t h e y ' r e n o t j u s t demol i s h e d , t h e y ' l l c e r t a i n l y b e t o o exp e n s i v e t o l i v e i n . A s t h e megaproj e c t s g a i n momentum, t h e c o s t of l i v i n g i n Vancouver w i l l j u s t b e t o o h i g h . I f you have n e v e r v o t e d b e f o r e t h e n make t h i s t h e f i r s t t i m e . I t i s n o l o n g e r okay t o s a y t h a t you f e e l somehow s u p e r i o r b e c a u s e you won't d i r t y your l i f e w i t h v o t i n g o r p o l i t i c s . It's just that a t t i t u d e that helps excuses l i k e ~ u l r o n e ~ / ~ a n d e r z a l m / Campbell g e t i n t o p u b l i c o f f i c e i n t h e f i r s t p l a c e . They count on most of
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h a v e done n o t t o v o t e . We can win Vanc o u v e r ; i f we l o s e i t t o t h e c o r p o r a t e w e l f a r e bums t h e r e w i l l b e no
b e c a u s e t h e y r e l y on p e o p l e n o t wanti n g o r c a r i n g enough t o s a y no.
"There i s n o t h i n g more d i f f i c u l t t o t a k e i n h a n d , more p e r i l o u s t o cond u c t , o r more u n c e r t a i n i n i t s succo r d e r of t h i n g s .