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NOVEMBER 15, 2015
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"This (BifNaked's piece, a few pages in) is online at the Straight; doubtful that it'll be in hardcopy. "Poor-bashing: The Politics of Exclusion" by Jean Swanson is by far the best work on this & is required reading in Social Work courses in several Canadian universities. The vicious stupidity behind most racism & bigotry, and certainly behind the classist rants Bif quotes from her online venues, is perpetuated by willful blindness. A "welfare cheat" (statistically 3% of recipients) is somehow a thousand times more despicable than a corporate "welfare bum" (tax cheaters are statistically 22.7%, whereas those avoiding taxes through various schemes are in the overwhelming majority). It's small comfort that more and more people may have to experience living hand-to-mouth firsthand'' It's not abherrent, this anger that Jim has centred the cover's cartoon around. Frustration, worry, rage & finding it harder to adapt to what there is to adapt to, it all feeds our behaviour toward each other. Banksters are well-insulated, having learned well the protective covering of relative anonymity. Run-of-the-mill politicians, those easy to classify (even stereotype) as 'crooks', 'bought & paid for' & mouthing bafflegab while applauding legislation that just screws people, seem to be at every level of whichever government is running the show. An ongoing effort to educate such misfits on the reality of poor (or non-existent) housing, the ridiculous misery perpetuated by static assistance rates, the stupidity oftrashing the environment for 'economic freedom' or s ending billions on war as schools are shut down & only wealthy kids get higher education & the best healthcare is diminished by exorbitant drug costs and ... Tora wrote once "Why can't they ever get it right?!?" My question is: "What is the long-term plan?" The growing frustration & anger are products of this system but such can't be un-expected; the homelessness, drug addiction, property crimes & aggressive behaviours towards people cannot be a surprise to the powers-that-be; even mass demonstrations against austerity measures imposed by banksters, movements like Occupy Wall Street & the growing militancy of Aboriginal.Peoples and the extreme brutality of dogmatic fanatics must
have been seen coming. In the US the militarization of all levels of police was predictable; the actions of Pivot described in the following article show quiote clearly that Canadian law enforcement is not only prone for extra-legal tactics but is actively covering such up. So what's my point - we can't expect governing bodies to suddenly 'get it.' We can continue educating ourselves on the real reasons why such things alluded to above keep happening, but don't play into "their" hands. With the massive expansion in prisons & camps being prepared for dissenters, making everything we do a crime is coming - starting with it being a crime to be poor. Be careful.
-
ByPAULR
TAYLOR
Is this Stingray in use? The Vancouver Police Department has refused to disclose documents, or even acknowledge the potential existence of, a highly controversial surveillance device known as the StingRay. Pivot Legal Society filed a freedom of information (For) request for t~e VPD to release any documents or communications pertaining to the purchase of the device and whether the VPD has been using it. The VPD denied the request on the basis that its release would "harm the effectiveness of investigative techniques and procedures currently used, or likely to be used, in law enforcement." The VPD would also "neither confirm nor deny the existence of records." Commonly referred to as the stingray, the device can simulate cell phone towers in order to trick nearby mobile phones into connecting to them and revealing the phones' locations. Large groups of people can be monitored and their mobile phone's incoming & outgoing calls recorded ..The surveillance device is also capable of intercepting the content of voice and text communications. "Citizens have a right to know whether or not local police forces are engaging in mass surveillance, and disclosure of the existence and use of this device is vital in ensuring that individual Charter rights are protected," says Douglas King, the lawyer with Pivot Legal Society who filed the For request. "The use of this device on people-or groups of people without
judicial authority represents a massive breach of the public trust." "We simply have to assume that refusing to disclose whether these spying devices are being used means "Yes they are." This information denial is effectively a denial of answers to the critically important questions that follow: how they are being used & with what degree of compliance with citizens' Charter rights," said Micheal Vonn, Policy Director of BC Civil Liberties Association. "It is totally unacceptable that the VPD are not willing to be accountable for the use of such devices and the rights violations that are likely to flow from their use." The use ofthe surveillance device by police departments in Canada has not been confirmed; however, the device has been in use in various jurisdictions in the United States and put into use by police only upon agreeing to a non-disclosure agreement that prohibits a department even acknowledging its existence. This has proved problematic when evidence obtained from the use of the device is then brought before the courts, but details of the device cannot be released. "Stingray devices are designed to spy on everyone in a given area, and their use would clearly contravene the Charter," said David Christopher, communications manager for OpenMedia. "We all have a basic right tolive our lives without fear of being watched by our own government, and this development reinforces the need for a comprehensive overhaul of pr ivacy safeguards." Pivot Legal Society has sent in an appeal to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner (OIPC) appealing the decision of the VPD to withhold the documents. Earlier this year, in a similar decision, the Oll'C ruled that the Ministry of Justice had to reveal the brand name of forensic surveillance software it used during an investigation, stating that release of such information to the public could not reasonably be expected to cause specific harm. About Pivot Legal Society Pivot Legal Society is a leading Canadian human rights organization that uses the law to address root causes of poverty & social exclusion in Canada. Pivot's work includes challenging laws and policies that force people to the margins of society and keep them there. Since 2002 Pivot has won major victories for sex workers' rights, police accountability, affordable housing, and health and drug policy.
West Vanc()uverV()psUand
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Conducted by Tak Maeda
Carnegie Theatre Thuffiday,Nove~ber19~ 7:15 - 8:15 PM Join this 30+ year old community band/or a holiday musical evening with a selection 0/ marches, melodies and other popular music!
Accidental Jazz l3and A spectacular evening of Big Band Swing/ Basso Nova and Funk
CClrnellie Centre Theatre
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Welfare Food Challenge reveals classism in Vancouver Welfare sucks. Don't misunderstand, it is wonderful that this type offunding is available to help people. Of course and I am grateful for social assistance in this society. But it sucks to have to be on it, at alI, never mind at the current rates which are actualIy far below the poverty line. I had to utilize welfare myself, as a young person, when my first band, Gorilla GorilIa, relocated to Vancouver armed with our skateboards, our demo tape, and our dreams. Welfare enabled me to find housing and secure employment. Within just a couple months, I started to work, my life progressed, and I was able to discontinue social assistance. The rest, as they say, is history. But, what ifI didn't find my dishwashingjob? Or what if I was unable to work, say, if I had a seizure disorder, or if I were in a car accident? Or what if 1 was in a domestic ab~se situation where my leg was broken and I could not look for a job for a few weeks? What ifI had small children and no childcare? What ifI had debilitating depression and could not access care or mental health support? Or what if no one would hire me? Those are only a few examples. There are as many reasons for a person needing support as there are people on assistance. In British Columbia, that means hundreds of thousands of people on temporary assistance, disability assistance, or who are waiting to qualify. To receive welfare in B.C., a person really has to be virtually destitute, and that is the truth. The Welfare Food Challenge aims to demonstrate the reality ofliving on the amount an individual receives:
$610 for one month. Let that sink in. For.The. Month. This is supposed to cover everything, including: housing, food, personal hygiene, clothing, household supplies, and, as they are required to look for work, transit, and a cell phone-yes, a cell phone; it's 2015 and there are no payphones, remember? Are you still with me? While you consider your own mortgage or rent and sip coffee in one of Vancouver's latest cool boulangeries & continue reading this (that I am deeply grateful for, so thank you for staying with me) here is a real teeth-kicker: The City of Vancouver found that the average rent of an SRO (which stands for "single-room occupancy") is now $450.00 a month. To give you more perspective: the provincial government's shelter allowance portion of welfare is just $375.00 a month.The reality is, if you or I or our mothers were on welfare right now in B.C., we could not afford shelter. Really. Then, with the remainder, there's damage deposit (approximately $20 for an SRO), bus tickets ($21), the cheapest cell phone one can find that still works ($25), and personal hygiene and laundry ($10). It totals at about $526.00.This leaves just $84.00 for food for a month. Ladies, gentlemen, and everyone, that is about $21 per week. Thus, Welfare F.ood ChaIIenge participants live on only the food they can purchase with $21 for a week. Last year, I tried to be a pragmatic vegan eater, and purchased a bag of brown rice, two cans of no-name chickpeas, seven bananas, seven zucchinis, two heads of lettuce, one bag of spinach, and one container of cherry tomat~~s. I ran out of bananas by the third day, zucchini by the fifth day, and by the last day I was constipated-from aII the rice, something I don't normalIy eat, having actually been a raw-food vegan for almost 10 of my 20 years as a vegan-and had a migraine. This year, I chose basically the same things (because my eating has not deviated) with the exception of the rice (constipating) and lettuce (too expensive). I replaced these items with four eggplants, which I could quarter and eat with my nightly chickpeas-andzucchini combo. The bananas and spinach were for my morning smoothies. As in previous years, I ran out of food, again leaving me with half a banana and a quarter cup of chickpeas for my last two days. Brutal. This year, still on cancer medication (which I could not afford on welfare as myparticular care is no
longer covered by MSP-long story) and in full menopause since I was 37, my emotional state .urned to complete garbage. 1 found myself bit teary and overwhelmed at the slightest of things, all of the time. 1 felt lousy, to say the least. And very hungry for things I took for granted, like apples, celery, juices, and coffee. If my digestive tract, dopamine and serotonin depletion, and headaches were not bad enough, the sudden onslaught of derogatory messages on my social media pages was. It was astonishing to read all the messages dismissing, degrading, and downright bashing poor people. Of course, there were also many positive messages. But why do haters feel the need to yell their abuse? My heart broke. I was devastated. Not for what they were saying to me. (Things like "Shut the fuck up and Go back to your tour bus, Whore.", "Why don't you give them your millions, you loser has-been cunt.", or my favourite, "You should have died of cancer, one less person to be a bleeding heart for all the junkies and hookers on the street." , to cite just a few examples.) It was thehundreds of comments about poverty and the poor that made me cry. Literally. "They are all lazy, getting a handout from my tax money!," read one. "Why should I give them any handouts? They just spend money on cigarettes and alcohol," a mother of two wrote. Or, as one man said; "I work hard for my money. They are lazy." Or, "They get too much from the Government, already. Get a fuckingjob!" t was a glimpse into what this society, what our society, believes about poor people. I was shocked. In fact, the more questions I asked, the more I discovered that people generally are classist and racist. Last year, I even had a total falling out with a long-time friend upon discovering they were secretly classist and bigoted and resented my involvement with the Welfare Food Challenge. She believed the dumbest shit, and was unmoved by my efforts to dispel myths. Some of those misconceptions include: People on welfare are lazy. (Not true.) *It is easy to get welfare (Not true. It is difficult for most people to qualify.) *People can access food banks easily. (Not true for everyone.) *Homeless people are all drunks or drug addicts. (Not true.) I had to stand up and speak up about this. I could not sit by and let people talk badly about the
.5 blameless people I knew and shame them for being on welfare. The fact is that most people on welfare have a serious disability due to an illness or an accident, or they are fleeing abusive situations or are suffering long-term unemployment. People are on welfare due to misfortune. And misfortune can strike almost any one of us. I had to try to change people's minds. What is a person supposed to do? I have a big mouth. Not just according to my late father, a dentist, either. It's actually my job. Joining the Welfare Food Challenge again this year is something I was looking forward to. I planned my travel schedule around it. Is it a publicity stunt? Not for me, of course. But hopefully it draws attention to the hundreds of thousands of British Columbians living well below the poverty line, trying to survive on welfare. Along with hundreds of other Welfare Food Challenge participants, I am indeed trying to raise awareness about the plight of our poor, to promote understanding, and to educate the public to dispel the myths about welfare and welfare recipients. The idea is to encourage change and to try to get the attention of those with power to make those changes: your provincial government. As a society, we are judged on how we treat animals, the poor and the sick, and our seniors. And we should be. Blaming poor folks is not the way to express the need for change. Really, fault lies with the government, which should be ashamed for imposing such poverty on people who through misfortune are unable to have a job. Spread the word. Speak up for others and join me in writing letters and signing petitions to your government. Please go to www.raisetherates.org and be the change.
BifNaked is a recording artist and writer who participated in this year's Welfare Food Challenge.
Welfare Food Challenge Ends People Hungry for Change "It's important that we keep talking about [raising welfare rates] and get louder and louder." That is what singer BifNaked told a well-attended news conference in Vancouver on the last day of the 4th Annual Welfare Food Challenge. The Challenge is sponsored by Raise the Rates, a coalition that wants government to raise welfare rates to $1,500 from $610 a month for a single person. BC welfare rates have been frozen for over 8 years. Nearly 200 Challenge takers in BC ate for a week on only what they could buy for $21, the amount a person on welfare would have left from their $610 for food, after paying for other essentials. Naked talked about the stigma of being on welfare, which she saw in comments made on social media. "Stigma. It's almost like a caste system. These wonderful, amazing, loving people [on welfare] ... shouldn't have to identify as being dismissed and shunned," she said. "So many people are suffering illness from going without food," Joanne Shaw said at the news conference. "We have to increase the rates." BC Government Employees' Union President Stephanie Smith said she took the Challenge because "1 hear from our members [who work in the welfare system] about their challenges and difficulties trying to provide supports and resources. It's time to raise the rates and the minimum wage to $15 an hour." "Tomorrow is the end for me but not for the other 177 ,000 people," said Cherie Devisser, one of many Vancity employees taking the Challenge. Doing the Challenge meant "living on the outskirts of a normal life," she added. Going to sleep was the only way MP Jenny Kwan could deal with the headaches and hunger of not hav- . ing enough to eat while she did the Challenge. "The smell of food made me shake. You are not a participant in life, just an observer." Kwan said the only thing that kept her going was "knowing that this is the last day. But 175,000 people [on social assistance in BC] don't see the end." "There's a growing movement to deal with issues of social assistance," noted Harold Lavender, a man who has lived on disability. :'Not having enough money is hard on people who feel isolated."
Melanie Mark, the NDP candidate in Vancouver Mount Pleasant tried the Challenge with her 2 daughters. Her daughters didn't complete the Challenge. "1 wonder if Christy Clark would send her kids to school or bed hungry? It's a child protection and a human rights issue." Hospital Employees Union President Victor Elkins is a foster parent. Most issues for the children "come from the poverty they live under," he said. "If we raise the rates many kids could stay with their parents." Elkins said he ~an out offood the previous day. "We need a huge increase in welfare," Bill Hopwood, the Raise the Rates organizer, told the group. Welfare should be at the poverty line, about $1,500 a month. With a $15 an hour minimum wage and building social housing a lot of jobs could be created. The richest 1% in BC have had tax breaks, worth on average, $41,000 a year - more than most workers earn in a year," said Hopwood. As Naked said, "Put, pressure on the government ... This is growing. We'll be stronger next year."
NEWS FROM OPPENHEIMER PARK HOURS:
Monday to Sunday, 9:15am - 5:00pm
OPPEN ARTS STUDIO WORKSHOP -THURSDAYS, 10:30AM - lPM This month 'we are exploring stone powder clay! Join Kay to make your own creations with this easy-towork-with medium.
P.W.A (PARK WITH ATTITUDE) PARK'S lllP HOP PROGRAM* -SUNDA VS, 2PM - 4PM *This program contains coarse language. Participant discretion is advised.
COMMUNITY ART PROJECT WALL HANGING -MONDAYS, 2PM - 4PM Come out and be part ofthe Community Art Project and express yourself on a square. Everyone is welcome!
BOARD GAMES -TUESDA VS, 2PM - 4PM Chess, monopoly, crib ... Join us to play different kinds of board games in our cozy activity room with a cup of hot chocolate.
A Huge THANK YOU to Everyone Involved in the 12th annual Downtown This year's festival
featured
Eastside Heart of the City Festival!
hundreds
of local residents
hopes, dreams and issues of our community.
and artists telling
It is a privilege
the stories,
and an honour
to work
with you all. Thanks to audience partners,
funding
volunteers,
members, partners,
work teams, and friends for
your participation festival.
community
supporters,
in another
extraordinary
The Festival is strong because of
the web of relationships, partnerships
collaborations
we have created
Next year, the
is'' Annual
and
together.
DTES Heart of
the City Festival will run Wed Oct 26 to Sun Nov 6, 2016. If you have a project program
idea to contribute
next year's festival,
or a
or suggest for
give us a call, 604-628-
5672, or talk with Rika 604-665-3003.
And there's still more! FESTIVAL WRAP! Saturday November 21, Ipm - 4pm Carnegie Theatre, 401 Main Free Now that we've caught up on our sleep and put everything to bed, this is an opportunity to say thank you! Artists, audience members, crew, staff, volunteers, community partners, fellow organizers - there are so many of us who put on the Festival in one capacity or another and we want to get as many of us in the Theatre as we can and say "That's a wrap! Another Festival under our belts and wasn't it fun!" Join us for music, videos, photographs, entertainment, conversations and ideas for future festivals, refreshments and more! Count yourself invited; see you there!
7
from "the Library To some he is the Patron Saint of Libraries, to others a robber baron full of contradictions, either way Andrew Camegie's philanthropy helped build the original Vancouver library which is now our home - the Carnegie Centre. On Wednesday November 25th (Carnegie's I 80th "birthday") we'll share some cake around 11am, so do stop by and pick up some good books and movies in his honour! We are also hoping our library patrons (that means you!) will provide us some feedback about the new collection layout, since new shelves were installed. We are still open to ideas, especially the Chinese collection which will be receiving another shipment of new books soon! Pick-up a survey today! November is also National Novel Writing Month (A.K.A. "NaNoWriMo")! Get inspired to write (and read) with these books: Novel Writing (2015) by Romesh Gunesekera - This guide book is loaded with advice from award-winning writers like Phi lip Pullman, Jeanette Winterson, Anita Desai, and more. They speak on overcoming writer's block, editing, and finding an agent and publisher.
Book in a Month: the fool-proof system for writing a novel in 30 days (2015) by Victoria Lynn Schmidt. If you work well with a deadline, here's your book to get you going! Schmidt will help you set goals, manage time and gauge your writing progress.
Where I'm Reading From: the changing world of books (2015) by Tim Parks. Parks asks some poignant questions like why do we need fiction, and who has the right to determine award-winning books? Parks speculates about the future of the novel in a global system with all its pressures. The Little Paris Bookshop (2015) by Nina George. For a more comforting perspective on the future of books, this novel features "Monsieur Perdu" who manages to find the perfect book for his customers to heal their hearts and souls, and then goes on a journey himself to the south of France. Your Librarian, Natalie I am contacting you because I am a board member of Columbia Performing Arts Society (~.bccpas.org). We are a non profit society with a mandate to promote the performing arts & artists throughout British Columbia. On Feb 15th from 2-4pm our society is holding an open house at the Columbia Theatre in
New Westminster (see attachment) for artists of all art forms to come and discuss "The State ofthe Arts" to help understand the concerns and obstacles the artists are facing in the province. If you are a performing artist, please come and join us in a open discussion on th state of the arts in Metre Vancouver, network and share your views, questions and possible solutions. If you know of any Vancouver musicians please take a moment and forward this on to them. Please understand that this is not a solicitation for anything other than finding ways to open more venue and introduce more people of British Columbia to the many talented artists that live and work right beside \ Thank you for listening, Jayleen Stonehouse
jayleen@telus.net
Lost and Found downtown & downtrodden, lost, wiped out & totalled physically; upstairs mentally drained, unfocused eyes & blurred vision; hungry, cold & wet, walking where I don't know yet. Haven't decided where to crash .. where to hang my sodden hat. Maybe I'll hit the trash bin circuit first & dig up some food scraps or a couple of shots of coffee in a wilted, discarded cup - might be enuffto keep me movin' for a few more blocks of desolationWhat's the, difference between here & there maybe I'll come across one or two half-smoked butts to toss into my tobacco pouch. Good as gold! I scored some socks at the local Mission but they won't do me much good unless I can snag a pair of half-decent sneakers that don't leak like a sieve. & what the heck, I can't worry about that right now I've got enough problems stacking up as it is, one thing after another, more bad than good & that's a fact. Hour upon hour time drags on with endless heartache, bitter memories of past battered, broken homes dysfunctional family matters and won & lost fortunes how's that for a laundry list of distress, misery & pain to carry around as excess baggage I can't unload or even put down - it's fused to mind, body & soul. Ijust don't seem to care anymore, about anything or anybody for that matter. gotta lotta plans ahead for myself, that's for sure, & I ain't no quitter, never have been & never will be. I'll never give up & my luck's gotta change. You know the deal, right: What goes around comes around. I know. It sounds like an old hat cliche but we all just gotta hang on. I need to believe in something no matter how far out or crazy it sounds. Something to keep me going, keep me moving in the right direction; motivation to keep putting one exhausted fo t in front of the other to who knows where? Maybe the 'promised land' -whatever- at this stage of the game I'm ready for anything and to face it head on with determination & ferocity! That's just the way it's gotta be for me. Maybe I've lost my way, dazed & confused, but there's a damn good I was sent down here to help realise, placed on this Earth because I'm somebody. I'm an important & unique person, just like anyubody around here on the face of on the face of on the face of the Earth. I have value & am bestowed with pure purpose and an amazing though still unknown contribution to make. I will leave this planet a better place than it was when I found it. I ain't going anywhere! ROBYN L1VINGSTONE.
,TIlE SADISTS MANAGING TRANSLINK . They just completed this muti-million dollar renovation of the Skytrain station at Science World. You exit the bus on Main St. & it's a half blk. walk to the up escalator. Up on the platform, all there is for seating is I little bench seating 2 people -- & this with an aging population. Exiting the train on the platform. it's a half a blk. walk to the down escalator, and it's almost a blk. walk to get back on Main St. - this is called "reverse engineering." A lot of the drivers look & act like they're on parole - maybe they're out-sourcing the drivers. They're doing everything possible to degrade bus service on Hastings St. There's a continual barrage of 1 lane closures, detours and route changes. The service is slower and the buses fun in convoys. I've seen a 4 bus convoy on Hastings where the 1 st 2 buses stop and take on passengers on what are already overly full buses -- while the 2 buses trailing them follow along without stopping, & they're nearly empty. The buses are equipped with heaters but on rainy cool days, they're never turned on. They've turned bus riding into a stressful experience. Harper's Fairy
Carnegie Classics Concert Mozart Beethoven Schumann Geronimo Mendoza - oboe Johanna Hauser - clarinet Gwen Seaton - bassoon Richard Mingus -french horn Monica Pfau - piano
Cclrnel!ie Centre Theatre Wednesda,,~~()~~ti~ 1-~pm
How I got a "substantial sum" from my ex-landlord I used to live at the Clifton Hotel on Granville Street. In March this year, the Clifton became known as the building with the highest number of bylaw infractions of any rental property in Vancouver, including a number of safety code violations, such as emergency exit blockages and a faulty alarm system. The evictions started in the summer of 20 14 and by February 2015 I was the only tenant left. I used to w~rk for the landlord, which might be why he didn't evict me along with everyone else. I tried to pay my rent every month for almost a year and a half but they refused to accept it. The landlord maybe thought that if he refused to accept my rent cheques, my tenancy would automatically end. He clearly wanted to get rid of me too. In March, the landlord gave me a squatter notice which claimed I was illegally living in the building, However, by then I had met Wendy (Pedersen) who works for the SRO collaborative. When she saw the squatter notice she said that it was illegal and that we should fight it. We decided to file a Residential Tenancy Branch complaint and eventually won a court or?~~. The .court order forced the landlord to keep the utilities going in the building so I could continue to live there. However, on May 20 the landlord brought police to the building i~ an attempt to kick me out, claiming that I was an Illegal squatter. When I introduced mysel.f and showed them my tenancy papers, the VPD quickly realized that I was not a squatter and that it was i~ fact t.he landlord's actions that were illegal. D~spIte h.avll1g a legal right to the suite, the sergeant said he still couldn't let me stay there because the building was not deemed.safe. I eventually moved out of the Clifton and won a
symbolic order of possession through the RTB, which basically proved that my tenancy was legal. However by then the landlord had taken the doors off and disabled the fire alarms. At this point, the city intervened and said the building is condemned & you can't live there. While I couldn't move back to the building, the order of possession allowed me to claim compensation for everything the landlord had put me through. United Church advocate Danielle Sabelli and Wendy helped me to file for compensation with the Residential Tenancy Branch (RTB). At the RTB hearing the landlord came with a very high profile lawyer but still lost because of the overwhelming evidence in my favour. The arbitrator advised the owner to make a settlement, and the landlord eventually offered me a lump sum of money and said they wouldn't pursue the outstanding rent. In return, I just have to give up my order of possession. I can't say how much I won because of confidentiality, but it was a substantial amount. This victory is largely thanks to Wendy - she was very instrumental. She filled the gap and filed the paperwork at the right time and that helped me to win. Even Danielle, even in front of the lawyer, she didn't back down. She was very professional and not scared. She stood the ground and asked for compensation for the damages. My advice to tenants is don't give up, Keep taking the right steps and eventually you can win if you are fighting for your rights. There is lots of help, just ask and you will get it. I feel so grateful I want to pay it forward so I'm doing some advocacy on my own and I'm helping the SRO Collaborative of course. By Mohammad
Vallayati
The courage and bravery of our war heroes ought not to be forgotten. Their service and sacrifice will be honoured on this special day dedicated to them. Maria Teixeira, Balance is key to well being. -When the mind, body and soul are not in balance, people become ill-equipped to face challenges in their lives. We need to face personal battles in a positive way with faith, love and confidence in ourselves. Maria Teixeira
Red Letter FILM
Bonjour!
Bonjour!
Do you know of a francophone who is having trouble flnding affordable housing in the Vancouver area? Or they have to put up with extremely unhealthy living conditions? Or they are at risk of losing their housing? If so, please pass on this information to them.
Vous avez de la difficulte it trouver un logement? Ou vous vivez dans un logement miteux, aux conditions insalubres? Ou vous etes it risque de perdre votre logement? C'est le temps de parler!
Red Letter Films is producing a documentary series on the lack of affordable housing and homelessness throughout Canada. This series will be broadcast on French CBC and Newsworld (Radio-Canada and RDI). We are looking for French-speaking people living in Metro Vancouver who are willing to share their experiences and stories. Come meet us, Monday, November 23, at 1pm, at the Carnegie Centre in the Association Office (401 Main St., 2nd floor, first door to the left). Space is limited. If you have questions about this proj ect, or you prefer to speak to us in private, please contact us at the following: 778.680.6404 LCE2015@hotmail.com Thank you! We look forward to meeting you, Vincent et Linda
Red Letter Films produit une serie documentaire sur le manque de logements abordables et I'itinerance a travers le Canada. Cette serie sera diffusee sur les ondes de Radio-Canada et de RDI. Nous sommes a la recherche de francophones dans le grand Vancouver qui veulent partager leur experience et leur histoire. Venez nous rencontrer le lundi 23 novembre it 13 h au centre Camegie (401 Main, coin Hastings), au Association Office (2e etage, premiere porte a gauche). L'espace est limite. Si vous avez des questions sur ce projet, ou si vous preferez nous parler en prive, appelez-nous ou envoyez-nous un courriel au : 778.680.6404 LCE2015@hotmail.com Merci et au plaisir de vous rencontrer, Vincent et Linda
The Smallest Violin Here we sit, almost 36 million Canadians changing channels as often as the face that people see then think of that second-largest country on Earth just above the United States, shall our War Chest be increasing in exponentially obese size? there are evils others than war that makes our mortal coil want to curl up with a piece of rope (sort of an art-form in disguise) Does your god have a Plan B for those who may die too soon or too late before the curtain comes down the smallest violin shall play its songs ... Expectations were high how unfortunate it took an eternity for the emotionally challenged to notice & rejoice at what is going on suddenly our backs were up against the fast forward wall of time, like awards for the best-dressed victims of a natural disaster the pluck of another violin string startles the heart as your pulse grows faster you realise there's always a worst time always a worsetime, the Minister of Inspirational
Figures slips while walking to the microphone trying in vain to figure out exactly who these figures are let. alone if they're here or at home avoiding that instrument of torture called a telephone, Some of us seem to have been hand-picked & as if in a cold war theatre story are simply made to jump when other people no better than ourselves tell us what we can & cannot do negitoritive drag that theory to the dump like a solo artist I bother no one leave me alone, like a dreadfuller brush man he works by himself & has learnt the meaning of these words now greed & vanity are but two the other levels of Dante's Hell he has seen almost daily to not would be absurd personally regret apathy & solitude have built so many of us into what we do & are today, regret & selfishness rage across thy oceans & its oily shores like recalling products from a broken home ridicule & hate come from the mighty sky as once again namecalling pours is there a humane digital life-turns-intodeath delay, like a doctor inje3ctable & mister high we forget all these problems like we are bulletproof from any harm falling upon us from the sky even our vision of hell is rather decent if you want nothing from the truth, Blood cascades like a vinyard's finest wine you think all the odds will forever & a day be on your side this thing time can be contaminated like this so-called fresh air from the ground or the tallest structure's roof you feel a need to be where the power is or at least where it was ooops! -another string snaps- Do you really want to know I know I need to know because answers create riots & we can't have that can we now ? like being in oharge of public relations for this planet we call Earth real intelligent life will laugh before telling you what 7.5 billion souls are truly worth as that single violinist begins to bow, From the bottoms of our rubbish-filled oceans we shall hold back a tear for it is not us do I cry someone or thing has to wax & clean what we've miscreated let the absolutist play his violin as the totality of our nature can't even fathom such intelligence exists that will honestly try to this I take off my debtworn hat & bow to a Herculean effort anyhow ... any day now. By ROBERT McGILLIVRA Y
"The difference between perseverance & obstinacy is that perseverance means a strong will and obstinacy means a strong won't." -Lord Dundee
Right to Remain Artist Team talk and 'Pie Chats' Saturday, November 28, 2pm Nikkei National Museum & Cultural Centre (NNMCC) 6688 Southoaks Crescent, Burnaby https://www.facebook.com/events/904274386327516/ www.revitalizingjapantown.ca • centre.nikkeiplace.org/revitalizi~-japar'ltown The Revitalizing Japantown? exhibition at the Nikkei National Museum looks at the waves of dispossession in the DTES from historical times through to the present. It connects Indigenous and Japanese Canadian history with contemporary experiences. The Seeing the Whole Picture project is a digital photo essay about the Downtown Eastside, created by a group of residents of the area to help paint a fuller picture of their community today. Artists, collaborators, DTES residents and organizers from these two projects will be present t01Jiscuss history, art, community, human rights and other topics on a one-on-one basis. This is a chance to enjoy a delicious piece of pie and some fascinating dialogue.
Jump on the bus to the Museum! Free transportation to the Museum - the bus will leave from: • in front of Carnegie Centre at 1 pm • Oppenheimer Park at Dunlevy & Cordova at 1:15 pm The bus will leave the Museum at 5pm to return to the Park. For those with mobility needs, please contact right. to.remain.project@gmail.com or 604.725.6054.
WNikkei national museum & cultural centre
Remembrance Day 2015 My day starts as usual with a little murder. Hold on now, let me explain: I live in an old roach-ridden hotel on Kingsway Last year it was a refuge from the merciless heatthe punishing pollution Something changed Spiders visited me - little ones - no annoyance Then came newborn teeny tiny cockroaches -in a few weeks I had larger ones: one, cricket-size, tried to get into the freezer.. -some apple sauce had fermented... . Upon moving the fridge I startled a large rat, It darted toward an opening left by a careless electrician At 74 this rat was the first I'd encountered indoors! I had saved the life of a cute brown country rat once A savage cat had him traumatized .. was waiting for him to run was waiting to play was waiting to torture Cats are similar to humans in this respect Other creatures only kill to defend or forfood The cat was bold & not afraid of me at all.. Kept returning even after a good kick ... So getting back to the "social housing rat & spiders (grasshopper?) & roaches I cleaned; I swept; I mopped; I sprayed & stepped on numerous ones The Raid sprays just made the roaches crazy They spun around like breakdancers Now I am an ecof~inist in a building of mysognyistic males. T.V. is their main occupation, and playing pool I am outnumbered by many times tables I have had break-ins I have had theft of my interesting t-shirts My radio station is moved from my favourite when I return My complaints go unaddressed J get sexual jokes & laughter from the new mgr So: do I give in; do I move; Can I move??? Dear Readers - I welcome all suggestions. Please leave me a message at Carnegie: 604-665-2220 Thank you. Willie Mary Miles
" Spills and scratches" Shelters are just boxes full of people nobody wanted, Midnight blackout drunks piss in hallways that are haunted, Backyard flowers cry neglected in dusty windows, Weathered peeling porches give away old rusty widows, Overflowing ashtrays tipped on carpets shades of sadness, Needles litter bathroom floors with the residues of madness Listerine John and clorazipan Kate, ' Died under a disability cheque's emotional weight, Wolves in sheep's clothing hand out styrofoam soup to noisy lines of loathing Latex gloves to disinfect damnation, And the sorrow of the lost under hyper-inflation, You won't see their faces on the news at five, Maybe in the yellow-pages if they make it out alive, Those who should not have been but were The faceless pain of an unwanted Novemb'er, Dirty alleys, the colour of depression, And the ghosts that ache in them, Crying out to apathetic and yawning ocean, Sure hope must be somewhere beyond the rim of the dawn - Tyler Dunlop
Ode to the Good Farmers 'The farmer is like a force of nature Subject to the same cycles and laws Up before the sun begins Its track across the sky In harmony with the moons cosmic pull Wise in the ways of working With the elements Earth >air >fire> water And the turning of the seasons That signals the tasks at hand. The good farmer is patient Rooted in the work that brings Each tiny seed planted with care To vibrant lush life And when the time comes Brings the vegetables And fruits of loving labour To the market For our nourishment and delight Delanye
Theatre for Living is looking for workshop participants! All cast AND participants will be paid a living wage. No acting experience necessary. FREEDOM is a theatre project about finding solutions to a world transformed by the desire for economic growth, at the expense of human and environmental rights. What have we lost as a society, as we've turned towards pursuing economic freedom instead of human and environmental rights? "There is one and only one social responsibility of business - to use its resources & engage in activities to increase its profits" - Milton Friedman Economic freedom appears to have become more important than human and environmental rights; than freedom of speech; than affordable housing; than higher education. Has our role as responsible citizens in Canada become to maximize profits for anonymous shareholders at the expense of nurturing our families, communities and the environment? What have we lost from this? What has happened to our world? Have you experienced some of the changes in this shift towards economic freedom? ... we'relooking for workshop participants! If your answer to the question is "yes", (at either personal, family or professional levels) - that you have experienced loss within this new Economic Freedom paradigm that has affected the environment, freedom of speech, and other human rights issues - then you have knowledge and a perspective that is valuable to this theatre production. Having living knowledge of the issue is an essential criteria for participation; having acting experience is not. We need a diversity of perspectives to enrich this work. Please keep in mind, you will not be required to make personal experiences as part of the public performance - we want lived experiences to bring expertise into the room to create the play, but the play that will be created will be a fiction. . We want to collaborate with individuals who have lived experiences in this shift towards economic freedom, to join us in creating our next main stage' production: FREEDOM. All cast and workshop participants are paid. How to Apply: If you are interested in helping create the play and being a cast member, please indicate that you are available to do so. This is full-time work, (Feb 23 to April 16), 5 & sometimes 6 days a week. A day-to-day schedule is TBA. We want real diversity in the group, so please tell us who you are and WHY you want to be part of this project, and HOW it is relevant to you, in CONCRETE ways, specifically through your own life experiences. This information will be kept confidential. Be sure to let us know how we can find you again (emaifphone number.rnailing address and/or a secondary contact person) PLEASE SEND APPLlCA TIONS TO info@theatreforliving.com For more information please visit: http://www.theatreforliving.com/present_work/freedom/freedom_index.html All participants are paid a Living wage for their participation in the project, and no acting experience is necessaryonly lived experiences in the issues. 604.871.0508 is my office line.
(;ar'negie C -I~~WSLETTER 401 Main Street, Vancouver
V6A 217 604-665.2289
THIS NEWSLETIER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION Articles represent the views of individual contributors and not of the Association. WANTEO Artwork for the Carnegie Newsletter • • • • • • • • • •
Small illustrations to accompany articles and poetry. Cover art - Max size: 17cm(6 %')wide x 15cm(6')high. Subject matter pertaining to issues relevant to the Downtown Eastside, but all work considered. Black & White printing only., Size restrictions apply (i.e. if your piece is too large, it will be reduced and/or cropped to fit). All artists will receive credit for their work. Originals will be returned to the artist after being copied for publication. Remuneration: Camegie Volunteer Tickets Please make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor. The editor can edit for clarity, format & brevity, but not at the expense of the writer's message.
;:';'<~e;a~:~~o~l~d~~~h~t C~r~e~ie ~~;:~~~i~:C~~~;e, and ;: this Newsletter, are occurring on Coast Salish Territory.
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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -MargaretMeade
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER' 27TH Next issue: SUBMISSION DEADLINE
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCfIOI' • AIDS •
POVERTY
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HOMELESSNESS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ~OmGINAl GENOCIDE 'TOTAlITARIAN CAPITALISM IGNORANCE and SUSTAINEDFEAR
• DONATIONS 2015
Terry & Savannah -$150 Michele C.-$100 Or Kevin -$50 """.........,'-.I'ID' ~~~....-~ Leslie 5.-$175 Bob & Muggs -$100 Leslie K -$50· Catherine C.-$100 Glenn 8.-$200 Sheila B.~$150 Vancouver Moving Theatre -$450 Pat 0.$50 ~ Harold & Sharron 0.-$1Oiil' Michael C.-$100 Eleanor B.-$25 Elaine & Oavid -$40 Ruth McG -$50 Margaret M.-$50 Jacqueline L -$75 Christopher R.-$100 10a.SfM Jenny K -$100 Robert McG.-$110 ) Penny C.-$50 in memory of Miriam Stuart Vancouver's Skateboarders -$50 'Wilhelmina M.-$77 ; .•.\. non-commercial, \ .; Jackie W.-$50 George H.$110 Ruth L.-$100 . • 0listener supported Barry M.-$250 Anonymous -$130 community station, In Memory of Harold David - Will/Sharon C.-$50 "Barbara M.-$200 Gina F.-$100 ·Lori /Borys -$100 "Catherine 8.-$50 Yukiko T.-$50 taylor s.-$20 'Solidarity Notes Labour Choir -$25 "Kevin & Richard 0.-$100 CHIPS -$500 '\ 'Radiation Therapy Clerks -$40 Jacki S.-$15 'Roger C.-$100 Oenise 0.-$60 Lydia McK.-$100 Kelly F.-$50 in memory of Bud Os born Catherine H.-$50 Laila B.-$50 Aideen McK.-$10 Aide~ S.-$25 Yasushi K.-$50+ Jay H.-$)OO Mike J-$1750 Linda 0.-$25 S & J T.-$50
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