November 1, 2011, carnegie newsletter

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401 Main Street, Vancouve r

f.

(Stereo-) typical west ender

why not?!

[Gentrifuckation: with 'business is business' being used as a shoddy shield against decency, honesty, the whole truth about market sleaze and social justice. Robert Wilson, Marc Williams, Steven Lippman .. all guilty of crimes against our community.

Far from remorse or recompense, the last 2 use public forums to lie and slander any of us who expose their activities. Ed.]

First Robert Wilson, now Steven Lippman VANCOUVER, UNCEDED COAST SALISH TERRITORIES: On Wednesday October 19th at 10am Downtown Eastside (DTES) groups and residents of the York Rooms hotel gathered in front of the York Rooms hotel at 259 Powell out of concern that their housing is at risk since it has been recently bought by notorious SRO hotel "upscaler" landlord Steven Lippman. The event was opened by Aboriginal Front Door elder and Kwakwaka'wakw Chief Kelvin Bee who acknowledged the Unceded territory of the Tsleii-Waututh, Musqueum and Squamish nations and asked for protection for vulnerable tenants in the York Rooms and the community fighting for its survival against market development.

In the past few years Steven Lippman has bought as many as seven hotels in the DTES and has upscaled the rents in most of them way above what low-income residents can afford. DTES Neighbourhood Council (DNC) board member Ivan Drury explains, "Witlh city support Steven Lippman has threatened more than 300 units of low-income housing by upscaling them for students and young workers.The new social housing units that the government was celebrating during homelessness action week are just backfilling the hole made in the low-income housing stock by gentrifiers like Lippman.

The number of units lost to this upscaling is almost exactly the same number of units that the city and province have bragged that tlhey have built."

Roger Hadder has only lived in the York Rooms for a couple of months but has spent most of the last nine years outside. "I lived homeless on the streets for seven years. Even tlhough they're not great, we really need these hotel rooms to rent at welfare prices," Hadder said, pointing out the need for SRO hotels as transition places for people on the street, "Witlhout a room in a hotel at welfare rate I'd still be on the street today."

Damien Dubois, who has lived at the York for four years argued for rent controls and for a bylaw that holds SRO hotels at welfare and pension rate, "We need these hotels but they have to be at welfare shelter rate. At the York I'm paying $50 out of my support cheque for a tiny room. That just leaves me with $150 to live on for the month," he said. "The only way it would be worse is if there was no welfare at all.'

Herb Varley, a Nuu-chah-nulth youth who has lived in the York Rooms for the last year said, "I don't have an issue with the city trying to set aside rooms for students, but it shouldn't be done at the expense of the people who already live here.

We live in these rooms because we need these rooms."

HJerb And York Manager Raphael SanMartin, who was fired and evicted from the York immediately after Lippman took possession of the building, explained, "Before I took over management of the building it was one of the toughest buildings in the neighbourhood, it was run by drug dealers. But I cleaned it up and now it's a safe building. It's not in good shape but at least it's safe," he said. "Why would the new owner want to get rid of me? I'm worried about my tenants. A lot of them have mental illnesses and need help.'

The DNC will support tenants' demand to owner lower rents to $375 a month and fix up the building for existing tenants.

And together they are calling on the City of Vancouver and the Province of BC to: CITY: Buy the York Rooms. Removing the York Rooms from the market housing stock is the only way to protect tlhe lowincome rooms there and it is not too late for the city to act.

CITY: Close the loopholes in the SRA bylaw to protect the low-income housing stock by adding to the definition of SRO Hotel "conversion": Raising rents above welfare and pension rent rates; PROVINCE: Implement effective rent controls in the SROs to stop evictions and the emptying and upscaling of buildings by investors; PROVINCE: Fully fund the HEAT shelters immediately. The "Homelessness Action Week" announcement of 300 units of new social housing does not fill the need for shelter beds.

Steven Lippman's real estate investments alone have stolen almost as much low-income housing as has been built.

Carnegie Community Action Project coordinator Jean Swanson called for the city to put the action back in Homelessness Action Week and make affordable housing the most important issue of the civic election campaign. "What did we get out of

Homelessness Action Week?" she asked. 'Are-announcement of housing at the Remand Centre with only 24 units at welfare rate; A photo-op for the city and province at 1005 Station Street, a building cancelled in 2001; An announcement from the Province that they will not fund 4 of the HEAT shelters; and Kerry Jang's embarrassing statement that the city (delete: he) is so close to ending homelessness he 'can taste it.' We still have about 700 people living in DTES shelters every night who desperately need homes, and that does not count people living on the street."

'The DNC has a five year plan to end homelessness in Vancouver and we have given it to the city for free," said Drury: "Buy ten sites in the DTES for housing a year for five years and replace the SRO hotels as housing. Let them be temporary accommodations for people coming off the street or arriving in town. And do it now."

The tenants of the York and their supporters closed by calling on the city and the province to develop the tools necessary to protect low-income housing by immediately amending the SRA bylaw and the Residential Tenancy Act. As Drury said, 'We need the city to buy the York to save the low-income rooms here and now. Otherwise they will be lost, and it will be the city's fault. " ' Jean--Backgrounder: Why Steven Lippman's purchase of the York Rooms worries us ... *The American hotel (37 rooms): Lippman bought the empty American hotel and converted it into rooms for young workers and students with rents that start around $650. He got the city's blessing to bypass the SRA anti-conversion bylaw by promising council that 6 rooms would rent at $400 for 10 yrs. *The Lotus hotel (11 0 rooms): Lippman bought the Lotus earlier this year. In a survey CCAP conducted in the early summer a low-income Aboriginal resident was told there were no rooms available, and that rents began at $800 a month. A student-appearing white volunteer spoke to the same manager minutes later and was told he could move in on the first of the month. For him rent was quoted as $675 a month. This discriminatory renting practice was confirmed in a phone conversation between a CCAP employee and Steven Lippman on Tuesday October 4th. When asked how much a room in the Lotus would cost Lippman said, "It depends what you look like." And about the rumours that he had paid low-income residents a thousand dollars to move out of the Lotus he said, 'I have never personally paid anyone to move out." But he did not deny instructing his managers to pay residents one thousand dollars to move out. Instead, he scoffed and said, 'That's not eviction. They are making a free choice to go." *The Golden Crown hotel (28 rooms): According to news reports, residents of the Golden Crown hotel were illegally evicted and coerced or tricked into signing a statement agreeing to leave the building in September 2009. Steven Lippman

and Christian Williams bought the building, empty, two weeks later. Williams claimed in the media that they had been "lied to" by the former owner who claimed the building was already empty. But on October 4th Lippman only repeated, "I have never personally evicted anyone." Regardless, a news report now puts rent at the Golden Crown in the $650 to $825 range. *York Rooms (34 rooms): Steven Lippman fired and evicted the long- time residential manager immediately upon purchasing the York Rooms. And he also immediately got a construction crew to strip the ground floor storefront and basement and got an architect to draw up plans for a high-end restaurant and bar. Could upscaling and high rents for the upstairs rooms be far behind? In a phone conversation with a DNC organizer Steven Lippman said he would "charge whatever rents the market will bear.''

The DNC also believes that Lippman may also own Alexander Court with 59 rooms, and the Picadilly hotel with 45 rooms.

The Pi cad illy is still closed and the Alexander Court, after a suspicious fire, raised rents well above welfare rate. (*NOTE: The previous posting ofthis included the "London Hotel" as one of Steven Lippman 's buildings, on lease to Atira. We have since learned that, while a magazine article named him as the "resurrector" of the London, the pn'mary owner is another man. And there is good news: Atira Property Management has a 15 year, not 5 year lease. That means /ow-income housing at the London should be guaranteed until 2024. We have updated the totals we calculated below.)

The DNC believes that Steven Lippman owns a total of 313 SRO hotel rooms that used to, or temporarily, rent to lowincome people. These rooms have been upscaled or likely will be upscaled from low-income to student or young worker housing. While no one denies that students and young workers need housing in one of the most unaffordable cities in the world, we believe that this housing should not come at the expense of people who are a step away from homelessness.

During Homelessness Action Week 2011 the City of Vancouver and BC Housing cheered their accomplishment in building 388 units of low-income affordable supportive housing. Compared to the loss of 3131ow-income affordable SRO units at the hands of Lippman alone, this surplus of two lonely units is hardly something to cheer. Add to that the other units lost to student and young worker "upscale" conversions and, in overall low-income affordable housing, our city is not keeping its head above water.

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SELECTED FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS Tuesday November 1 to Sunday November

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WORKSHOPS - Free Tues Nov 1 • Origami, 11am DTES Neighbourhood House, 573 E. Hastings • Origami, 2:30pm Aboriginal Front Door, 384 Main Wed Nov 2 • Vertical Gardens, 11am DTES Neighbourhood House, 573 E. Hastings • Origami, 2pm EWMA Art Studio (women only), 54 E. Cordova • DTES Hip Hop, 4pm W2 Media Cafe, 111 W. Hastings Thurs Nov 3 • Dream Catchers, 2pm EWMA Art Studio (women only), 54 E. Cordova • Food Storage, 7pm Strathcona Community Centre, 601 Keefer Sat Nov 5 • Get Animated (for kids), 2pm W2 Media Cafe, 111 W. Hastings TUESDAY November 1 • Day of the Dead celebration -Oppenheimer Park, 2pm-4pm for music & stories. Free WEDNESDAY November 2 • Seance with Zombie Artists & Gentri-F**kation Tour presented by the STOP PANTAGES CONDOS coalition. The satiric talk show starts at llam in the Carnegie Theatre, then travels outside led by notorious stooge Ratzo Rizzo . Also Sun Nov 6. Free • Snowy Owl Drummers led by Dalannah Gail Bowen leave Pigeon Park at 12:30pm and travel in the neighbourhood, with songs and drum. Also Thurs Nov 4 and Fri Nov 5. Free • Barrio Flamenco: Flamenco for the People will be in the Carnegie Theatre, 7pm. Free THURSDAY November 3 • A Keeper of Memories, digital stories with Adrienne Macallum and Bob Currie at 1pm in the Carnegie 3rd floor learning Centre. Free • Storyweaving Project- Script Reading, new script on inner city Aboriginal experience, w/Sam George, Stephen lytton, Kat Norris, Priscillia Tait, Herb Varley & Muriei"X" Williams at 2pm, Aboriginal Friendship Centre 1607 E. Hastings, Theatre Room. Free • Chindi Nation, Chindi Revolution- clothing show by artisan Karenza T. Wall and long table dinner, 6pm at W2 Media Cafe, 111 W. Hastings. Sliding scale for dinner $3-20

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Storyweaving Project: Marge C. White, Muriel Williams, Priscillia Tait, Kat Norris

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(David Coope r photo )

FRIDAY November 4 • Open House Vancouver Police Museum, 240 E. Cordova- everyone welcome, 9amSpm, today is free admission .

• Elvis Is In The Building- an evening with Morris Bates, retired Elvis impersonator, and Velvis, an Elvis Tribute Artist, in the Carnegie Theatre, 7pm. Sure to be surprises. Free SATURDAY November 5 • Vancouver's DTES Outdoor Murals- a walking tour with Richard Tetrault and Jerry Whitehead, meet in the front lobby of Carnegie. Pay what you can • Accordion to Immigrants- a concert of songs about immigration performed by members of the Squeezebox Circle in the Carnegie Theatre at 1:30pm. Free • Vancouver 125 Poetry Conference DTES Roundtable- join DTES poets, Vancouver' s outgoing Poet Laureate Brad Cran, and Strathcona resident and poet Fred Wah who share their experience of the Conference, 3:30pm in the Carnegie Theat re. Free • Diane Wood and a host of DTES poets speak out at the DTES Poetry Night 7pm in t he Carnegie Theatre . Free SUNDAY November 6 • Russell Shumsky, Bud Kurz, Kathleen Nisbet and dance caller Marlin Prowell lead us in the foot stomping Community Dance end to the festival at the Ukrainian Hall, 805 E. Pender, 7:30pm. Pay what you can. (Sorry- wheel cha ir access unavai lable.)

Presented by Vancouver Moving Theat re with t he Carnegie Community Centre & the Association of United Ukrainian Cana dians, working with over 40 community partners.

WANTED: MORE WESTERNS Want to help us choose?

Hit the trail to ABC Book & Comic Emporium, Broadway & Granville. No sidearms or whiskey!

Meet Tuesday Nov 1 at 3pm in tbe library.

News From -the LibrarY Playbook for Progressives: 16 Qualities oftlte Successful Organizer, by Eric Mann (322.4 M28p), cofounder of the Bus Riders Union. He distils lessons learned from his 40-year organizing life, as well as from organizers in fields as diverse as civil rights, labour, and the environmental movement. An organizing manifesto for the twenty-first century, the book is divided into the 12 roles of the successful organizer (eg agitator, fund-rai ser. group builder), and the 16 qualities of the successful organizer (good listener, relentless, tactically agile). Mike Davis calls it: "an Art of War for organizers around the world ."

A trio of books about gardening this month, but don ' t look to these titles if you want to make your dahlias last longer. ...

Drugs in Pots: Over 40 !tome-made remedies for everyday ailments, by Anne Mcintyre (635.7 M 15d) contains step-by-step recipes for everything from creams to compresses. The herbs in this book treat symptoms of conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome, poor memory, fevers, and warts, and the book also contains a directory of common herbs and their therapeutic uses.

In Radical Gardening: Politics, Idealism & R ebellion in tlte Garden (635 M 153r), George McKay questions the idea of gardening as suburban, a leisure activity, a television makeover opporiunity. From window box to veggie box, from political plot to

flower power, this book uncovers and celebrates moments, movements, and gestures of a people's approach to gardens and gardening.

Searching for the freshest fruits and vegetab les to add to your diet? The Everything Guide to Foraging (581.63 S56e) helps you find them close to your front door - in fields. forests and scrubland. From clover and cat1ails to milkweed and mustard, this book will teach you how to collect and prepare some of the most common and delicious wild plants in North America.

Other books this week include: Rebel Buddha: A Guide to a Revolution of Mimi, by Dzogchen Ponlop (293.34 D99r) Train Your Braiu to Get Happy: The Simple Program Tflat Primes Your Gray Cells for Joy, Optimism and Serenity (612.82 A88t) /low tlte Hippies Saved Physics: Science, Counterculture, and tlte Quantum Revival, by David Kaiser (530.92 K 13h) Toxic Beauty: How Cosmetics and Personal-Care Products Endanger Your Health ... And Wltat You Can Do About It, by Samuel S. Epstein (646. 7) Beth, your librarian Back in the Day

White punks on dope, way back usta be a black flag we WO["( now we don't recognise ~~~~~m~~:~::::路:路i?. the punk at the door ain't the same people anym -=":=-t~~~ wish'd i was but i ain't sure Me i'm old school ain't no bodys fool usta be of the same mind treated people, women real now these fools today make me spit and walk awa) ya know this new crew don't know what to do forgive me if i pass this new crew ain't got the class Back in the day we knew better, had our own ways now i look; don't look too cool nothing left of the old school AI

What's the Hope in Shadows calendar?

It features photographs of the community

taken during the Downtown Eastside photography contest last June.

SELL THE CALENDAR! Are you interested in earn ing money selling the 2012 Hope in Shadows ca lendar? This opportunity is open to everyone.

No experience necessary!

Next Free Calendar Sales Training Sessions Tuesday, Nov 1, 3:30p.m. Gathering Place, 609 Helmcken St. Thursday, Nov 3, 1:30 p.m. Bosman Hotel (Sosman resode nts have priority)

Come to a straight-forward training session and get sales tips from an experienced Hope in Shadows seller. You' ll receive a license to sell the calendar on the streets of Vancouver and one free $20 calendar to start you off.

Tuesday, Nov 8, 1 p.m. LifeSki lls, 41 2 East Cordova

With your license you will be able to purchase calendars for $10 and sell th em for $20.

HOPE IN SHADOWS

For more information call 604-255-9701

Portraits of our Community

Monday, Nov 14, 1 p.m. LifeSkills, 412 East Cordova Tuesday, Nov 22, 1 p.m. LifeSkills, 412 East Cordova Monday, Nov 28, 1 p.m. LifeSkills, 412 East Cordova

T hey closed it because Native People needed carebecause ofT.B. (to ugh break .. ha!)

Had a job afte r I quit school - as we were taught a lot at residential schools- cooking, lau ndry work .. cleanu p of all s ituations. I enjoyed some acq uaintances & the principal baptized me as a baby - so I was happy.

I'm now 80 years old and happy.

C hris

An Open Letter To friends of ours!!

Have known Vancouver since 1939- had to pass here for Vancouver Island Natives then. Had to attend Indian Residential School for perhaps nine months of the year. Attended Alberni Residential School started at Coquahala 1938.

Advertising Rates (Prices are per issue

Business Card:

Carnegie~ NEWSLETTER

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[w x b) Yz page (17cm x lOcm) $55 [w x h} 1 page (17cm x 21cm) $100 Ads may be submitted by band or email to carnnews@shaw.ca

1. Volunteer Committee Meeting Wednesday, November 9, I pm Classroom II. Volunteer of the Month is chosen by those at the meeting (not stafO ALL VOLUNTEERS WELCOME! Your voice is needed and appreciated.

2. Volunteer Dinner - Wednesday, November Defending the DTES by any Legal and Moral 16, 4:30pm Sharp. Let staff serve you for a change! . means Necessary Part VIII If you have 12 volunteer hours in this month, please pick up your dinner ticket from the 3rd Floor Volun*The End of Charity, And the beginning of Love: The Evoteer Program Office : 3. CAMP HOMEWOOD-WINTER RETREAT ,' lution of the Revolution begins .. *Decolonizing Our Minds, Heart, and Spirit: Vancouver, November 14 - 18, 20 I I (Monday through Friday) North America and the World Volunteer Program I Seniors Program Camp "Those who make peaceful protest impossible, make Two years have gone by since the last round-up on violent protest inevitable"-- John F. Kennedy Quadra Island. We are thrilled once again to be going to the exotic shores of Gowlland Harbour on Qua- _ { I am going to open up a HEAT Shelter on Nov 16 {the dra Island. The list of attendees are displayed on the Day Sir John A Macdonald and the canadian state hung 151 and 2"d floors. Pick up your list of what to bring if , Louis David Riel) read about it towards the end of the you are unsure of'-what to bring". Please check in • document.)

1 on time on the morning of Monday, November 14 " , As you read this the world continues to teeter-totter on the 8am sharp! Bus loaded & leaving Carnegie 8:45am brink of economic collapse. 1am going to speak some truth : here, to "the Man" who is deaf to the Peoples. I fire this missive from my tent as the indignant one. Fasten your Sandy from Oppenheimer Park, John from Security seat belts because this article is going to be a fast & bumpy and Colleen from the Volunteer Program will be your ride. The following is my perspective and my perspective fearless leaders for the week. alone, although i know that i am not alone. I was at the Again, thank you every one for taking care of things Occupy Vancouver Movement at the Art gallery on Oct 22, back home to enable those who are on vacation to be when controversy reigned over its foundation. there with a clear conscience. We are all very appreIt was over the placing of the acknowledgement that the ciative of you.

Let us be lovely, and let us be kind. Let us be silly • Vancouver "Occupation' was on unceded Coast Salish territories{Nations are also not named). It was agreed that all(/free. It won't make usfamous, it won't make it was to be placed first at the Oct 8 General Assembly at us rich, but dammit how happy we'll be! the Woodwards Atrium. However, they said it was a human 4. Volunteers of the Month for September: , error that it was placed in the third paragraph and also Mike Waffle, Computer Lab read out loud that way for every GA since.

Pat Mah, Kitchen Prep and all around helper Apology, accepted however, i was there the next night and 5. At the 8-ball Tournament (Grand " reopening'' of it was like Groundhog Day. Carnegie, Oct 14) the winners: The exact same "error" occurred. Also, a native elder was I st Prize Jerry Humphrey, 2nd Prize AI Homenchuk greatly disrespected and a few people from our community 3rd Prize Mo Blixt. walked away, myself included. The problem is this "error"

LIFE IS LIFE ~fiGHT fOR IT

t

{which cannot be now called an error) still occurs and has not even been chanqed on the "official" Occupy Vancouver

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website as of Oct 28. This is not a simple matter but a heart. The light that is within humanity is nearly extinfoundational one. One could contrast this with the DTES guished. If we cannot collectively reignite this light, which Neighbourhood Council Constitution for example. will be a Protean effort, the human species will go extinct.

Robert Desjarlait (Red Lake Ojibwe Nation) writes "Then Now, Queen Christy Clark and Prince Rich "Uranium' Coleman have cruelly refused to open low-barrier winter there is the matter of decolonization. The question is: the decolonization of what, of whom? How can decolonization HEAT shelters this year and Environment canada predicts be a part of the process if the occupiers are occupying the coldest winter in 20 years. I refuse to let even one peroccupied land? son die a preventable death this winter. So, on November The dominance of a white majority involved with the OWS 16, 3:30pm, i will pitch my tent at Crab park- known in Squamish as Luk'luk'i, meaning Grove of Sacred Trees movement explains why decolonization isn't included in the proposed list of demands issued. Oct 28-- 20 demands are (and by the Sacred Waters of Burrard Inlet). The exact site given, the words decolonization, first nations, tribes are is of a historical Squamish village. non-existent- I ask how can those who ask for Justice, And i myself on permanent disability am suppose to be on Equality and Love do so on the backs of the most abused the highest priority for BC Housing but i haven't gotten my and oppressed? h.d.) housing yet-i will not make it through another winter-i'm tired. I know i will not be alone-we have a Rock Memorial Now, the way i see it is, the Occupy Movement is the best friend the "System" aka "the Man" has. They are in fact to our Murdered and Missing Women there and i know they will stand with me, with us. giving wise dispensation to the 'Man". You could even say that they are the children, the progeny of "the Man". Even I don't have a criminal record . So "the man" will have to criminalize me .. To law enforcement, and penultimately, the literally, if you think that the Baby Boomer generation of the Sixties who "fought the Man" now are for the most part the military i say-why don't you do to me what you did to richest, most powerful generation in history with $Trillions them, and to Harriet Nahanee, to Frank Paul ...lf you jail me in wealth. They have become "the Man' and in their ranks I'll be back, if you beat me, I'll be back, if you put me in an are PM Stephen Harper, Barack Obama, Bill Gates, Bill insane asylum, I'll be back, if you kill me-i still will not shatand Hillary Clinton, George W Bush, etc ter, I'll be back ...

But "the Man', like his father before him Zeus, and his These are my list of demands: father before him Cronus, will eat his children. He will crack 1. That Queen Christy Clark and Housing, Energy and skulls. He becomes Vader, and he will fight his children.

Mines Prince Rich "Uranium路 Coleman immediately open "The Man', has become Wendigo(Cannibal), Goliath and emergency HEAT shelters for the People Rabid. I recommend we show "the man" mercy' 2. That Gregor Robertson and Vision Vancouver commit to euthanasia is the best option. moratorium on new condos in the Downtown Eastside just I believe that we can be Allies with the Occupy Movement, as Ellen Woodsworth and COPE has promised or is COPE a junior partner? in the same way Tecumseh was allies with pre-confederate canada in the War of 1812. ~ 3. That Gregor Robertson and Vision Vancouver commit to Now, central bankers, billionaires, even the Vatican & the or better what Ellen Woodsworth and COPE has promised Pope have given the Occupy Movement their blessings. the Downtown Eastside for socially affordable housing.

This movement is if you will, the death spiral-cry of 'the 4. That Queen Christy Clark and Housing, Energy & Mines man路 And once they find out "the man" bleeds and cannot Prince Rich "Uranium路 Coleman or Adrian Dix commit to heal himself, it is game over. rejecting the Enbridge Northern Gateway Tarsands PipeThe true benefactor and defender of the Realm of Caesar line and the Kinder-Morgan Trans Mountain Tar Sands recently bared its beastly head--the Vatican. Pope BenePipeline expansion (more super oil tankers) for Burrard dict xvi came out for the first time in history to propose deInlet, Vancouver Now, you can scrap all these demands for one: tailed solutions to the world economic crisis. His proposal is the height of corruption, abuse, tyranny, and evil. A New Place Love, Compassion, Justice and Freedom at the cen World Central Bank and a coordinating global world politi. tre of economy, society, and civilization cal authority. The Big Daddy, the Mother of all central Love homeless dave and Anonymous Zero banks and political Authorities-the ultimate Abomination.

1homelessdave@qmail.com The crisis the human species face is not ultimately a crisis p.s. Thanks for everything Paul; think this is my last article. of economics or even morality. It is a crisis of the human

Vancouver~--~~

Votes

CANDIDATES MEETINGS

DTES All Candidates: Friday, Nov 4, 5- 6:30pm 390 Main Street (entrance on Hastings)

November 19 2011 AnumberofcandidatesforCityCouncil,invited, your chance t~ choose.Monday Nov 7' 7pm in the Carnegie Theatre.

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It's

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Mayor 110 Councillors I 7 Park Commissioners

asdul&ll.IrYir&f5 I GcH2jta' e'an

Thin Edge of the Wedge

All starts with a sense of complete self-righteousness An old man in the comer- crippl ed and cramped Foreigner- better off somewhere else!?

Constant stream of angst-ridden in vective Jumpstarts my morning I must escape Odours unwashed assaults my nose Spews into my dreaming ' Startling me into consciousness -an unwelcome state My heart beats like a frighte ned bird I once held My breath catches The moan of pain somehow neutralised by the anger the indignity, the bondage, I feel no sympathy - scaring myself or what I suppose is myself It is bard to be gracious in a dungeon, a trap .. an endless purgatory Yet the sm ile flashed at me the first day as he sped by in his wheelchair The staff respond with more morphine Disruption of the sterile quiet the only sin I sleep again, wake, eat, walk painfully to the bathroom and the comfort of privacy & hot wate Loneliness- I use the telephone .. watch o ld movies weep for no apparent reason Some kind of love - paid care- nine to five Monday to Friday.

My welfare at its core.

Still I am unsatisfied- and there is no fast-track Words bursting in: Wake Up time for your meds ..

Wilhelmina

Today !lost myself in the place of emptiness and blame.

My fears grow bigger and my hope begins to fade.

Lost in a sense of disbelief; no turning back, no life to save.

I thought you'd take me to a safe place; Somewhere free of burden and pain.

But all you gave me were regrets and shame.

What I did for you, I swore I never would, But you convinced me I had to.

Your manipulation stole my life, barely leaving me with a breath.

How many time 1 put my life on the line for you; How many times I cried because of you.

You took my family, my friends and my freedom.

When I tried to fight back, you kicked me down.

Repeatedly beating me ti ll I stopped fighting; Till you hypnotized me into believing you're helping. !How did I not see it? How did you fool me?

I feel so stupid and you feed off of it.

Why should I take the blame for what you did to me ..

For what you made me feel comfortable doing.

But now I see through you, now I have the power.

You many not fear me, but you are threatened by my will to out you.

For once I can stand to my feet and kick you down.

The problem doesn't have the power.

Now it's the one striving for survival.

Today I am living.

Not surviving.

Shannon Blanthorne

Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) Newsletter IRead CCAP reports at: ccapvancouver.wordpress.com

November 1, 20111

Which municipal party will ACT NOW TO SAVE LOW-INCOME HOUSING?

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DTES Neighbourhood Council statement for the 2011 Civic Election The Downtown Eastside low-income SAVE THIS LOW-INCOME HOUSING: community is losing housing through Buy the York, Palace, and 1) holes in city bylaws and the Residential Wonder hotels to remove them from Tenancy Act. SRO Hotel rooms that the real estate market have historically rented to low-income 2) Commit to buying 10 sites in the people are being rented for way more DTES dedicated for social housing a than welfare rates to students and year for five years young workers who can no longer afford 1 bedroom apartments. The real 3) Reform the SRA bylaw to define estate market is an unsafe space for 'conversion' as raising rents above low-income housing. welfare I pension rate

Today the York Rooms, Wonder Rooms, and Palace Hotel are in danger of being lost to this real estate monster and being upscaled to student and young worker housing. The DTES Neighbourhood Council is sending a message to any prospective investor buyers of the Palace and Wonder and to the new owner of the York Rooms: If you buy these buildings you will not empty the quietly. We will not allow one single illegal eviction from these buildings.

4) Work for effective rent controls that stop evictions for rent increases and protect the low-income housing stock with an immediate rent freeze.

We call on the city to step in and: 1

DTES residents, get involved in making a plan for your neighbourhood!

November 2011 As some of you may know, DTES residents are starting to get involved in the city's upcoming DTES Local Area Planning

Process. Please read on to learn more about this plan below, talk to us about getting involved and watch out for posters advertising the first meeting about it.

What is the DTES Local Area Planning Process?

In a motion dated January 20, 2011, city council made the DTES Neighbourhood Council (DNC) and Building Community Society (BCS) co-chairs of a Local Area Planning (LAP) Process for the DTES. 2

Most city plans are made by city staff that consult with the public, developers or whoever else they see as-important. Then staff bring a draft plan to city hall where it

is debated by city council.

The DTES planning process will be different. City staff will work in partnership with a "community committee" that will be formed of residents, business reps and others to help write the plan.

This group will have a bit more power than an advisory group because they will be involved in all stages. Disagreements about the final draft will be noted, the committee will sign off on the draft plan

and then it goes to city council for their vote. City council could change it.

Who will be on the LAP committee?

Council's motion stated that BCS and DNC can form the committee. So far, BCS and DNC agreed on about 24 seats. About half of the seats will be held by reps of resident and peer-driven low-income groups.

Others will represent agencies, business associations and cultural groups. Another 6 seats will be open to application from residents. The co-chairs will make sure that 50% of the committee members are women and 50% people of colour and/or Aboriginal people.

especially those most often ignored.

But, it is not possible to reflect the total diversity of expertise and opinions. There will be many opportt,mities for residents to participate in shaping the plan such as regular public meetings and subcommittees. This might help fill some of the gaps.

Why was DNC chosen as the co-chair?

The DNC is building off the work done by the Carnegie Action Project (CCAP). In May 2009 CCAP organized a resolution endorsed by 4 7 groups calling for a Local Area Planning Process because condos were overwhelming the area and because these groups wanted a safe, affordable and What will the LAP committee do? healthy low-income neighbourhood. In The committee will meet regularly, work Fall2010, many of these groups organized with city staff, form sub-committees and to stop the up-zoning of Chinatown and get lots of feedback from "the community." other parts of the DTES until a plan was Ideally it will find out 1) what is working made. Because of this pressure, City and not working in the DTES, 2) ways to council asked BCS and DNC to "accelerate speed up good things and slow down other and enhance" a Local Area Plan. things that are negatively affecting the lives Unfortunately, council also "accelerated" of low-income people and 3) what should condos by giving incentives to developers. be in the plan. City council also wants Why was BCS chosen as a co-chair? the committee to develop a strategy to BCS is chaired by former Mayor and implement the city's 2005 DTES Housing Plan. This could be a challenge as there Premier Mike Harcourt. This group is are good things and bad things in this plan made up of mostly ex-senior city planners and people tied to real estate development. depending on your point of view or your BCS lobbied for a local area plan in 2009 class position. as well. They also asked council to hold Can this LAP committee speak for the off on incentives for market development whole community? in Chinatown until a plan was made No. We are striving to create a diverse although some of their members spoke in committee which will include many voices, favour of towers independently. Likely

3

council chose this group to "balance" the DNC.

What are DNC and CCAP's shared goals with the LAP Process?

One goal is to ensure those who have the least amount of power and the most to lose as the DTES gentrifies, have a strong voice and help create this plan. Another goal is win support for measures to stop gentrification. We also hope to get many people working on concrete actions that deal with the systemic roots of violence against women, poverty and homelessness that directly affect low-income residents and Aboriginal people so harshly here now.

Will my participation in this process mean that I can't organize direct actions?

Rents are going up in the hotels and we're getting pushed out!

4

No. So far, the city has not agreed to hold off on market development or on other actions that harm the community like ticketing people for poverty crimes like vending, while the plan is underway.

We must continue to advocate for social justice, through a diversity of tactics, including demonstrations and negotiations, while we find ways to keep the good things about the low-income community and to improve the lives of those who are most vulnerable to displacement.

What are the rul.es for the process?

Terms of Reference are like rules for the LAP Process to operate by. The DNC, with CCAP's support, worked for about 8 months to come to an agreement with BCS and the city on the rules. DNC signed

these terms of reference along with BCS and the city manager in September 2011.

Pick up a copy of the Terms of Reference in the CCAP office (Carnegie Centre, 2nd floor).

What could go wrong? What could go right?

This could be an opportunity for lowincome people, especially women, people of colour and the Aboriginal community (on whose unceded land the DTES is located) to take up space with their visions for the community. It could stall or stop condo development with by-law and zoning amendments; buy us more time to build low-income housing; be a good process for community organizing; help us get more allies; and, help us set a new standard for strengthening the power that low-income "residents" and Aboriginal people, rather than just agency managers and businesses, have over their own neighbourhood.

But, it's important to be aware of what could go wrong with the LAP Process, so we can try to avoid these pitfalls. Some of these pitfalls could be: the LAP will fail to stop or slow gentrification; our work will be used to give politicians a good image; more gentrification projects like Woodwards will happen with token benefits for low-income residents; and, committee reps may be blamed if the work goes badly.

..,.,....,. .... "'

fully participating in the LAP process. We are working to ensure the voices of lowincome and oppressed communities are fully heard and that our needs and concerns are reflected in a new DTES plan.

How can I get involved?

Are you a resident who has a lot of "insider knowledge" about your community? Are you a resident leader in the community?

Wendy from CCAP is also the main organizer for the LAPP with DNC. Call Wendy at 604-839-0379 and leave your contact info. She'll keep you plugged in. Also watch for posters and flyers that advertise meetings. - Wendy P.

Despite these potential risks, the DNC is

5

York Rooms tenants speak out: Close the loopholes in the housing laws and SAVE OUR HOMES

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R~1 Herb Varley, Nuu-chah-nulth York resident

On Wednesday October 19th at lOam Downtown Eastside (DTES) groups and residents of the York Rooms hotel gathered in front of the York Rooms hotel at 259 Powell out of concern that their housing is at risk since is has been recently bought by notorious SRO hotel "upscaler" landlord Steven Lippman. The event was opened by Aboriginal Front Door elder and Kwakwaka'wakw Chief Kelvin Bee who acknowledged the Unceded territory of the Tsleil-Waututh, Musqueum, and Squamish nations and asked for protection for vulnerable tenants in the York Rooms and the community fighting for its survival against market development.

In the past few years Steven Lippman has bought as many as seven hotels in the DTES and has upscaled the rents in most of them way above what low-income residents can afford. DTES Neighbourhood Council (DNC) board member Ivan 6

Drury explains, "With city support Steven Lippman has threatened more than 300 units of low-income housing by upscaling them for students and young workers. The new social housing units that the government was celebrating during homelessness action week are just backfilling the hole made in the low-income housing stock by gentrifiers like Lippman. The number of units lost to this upscaling is almost exactly the same number of units that the city and province have bragged that they have built."

Roger Hadder has only lived in the York Rooms for a few months but has spent most of the last nine years on the streets.

"I lived homeless outside for seven years.

Even though they're not great, we really need these hotel rooms to rent at welfare prices," Hadder said, pointing out the need for SRO hotels as transition places for people on the street, "If I couldn't get a

Martin, former York building manager

room in a hotel at welfare rate I'd still be on the street today."

month and fix up the building for existing tenants . And together they are calling on the City of Vancouver and the Province of BCto:

Damien Dubois, who has lived at the York for four years argued for rent controls CITY: Buy the York Rooms. Removing and for a bylaw that holds SRO hotels at the York Rooms from the market housing welfare and pension rate, "We need these hotels but they have to be at welfare shelstock is the only way to protect the lowter rate. At the York I'm paying $50 out of income rooms there and it is not too late my support cheque for a tiny room. That for the city to act. just leaves me with $150 to live on for the CITY: Close the loopholes in the SRA month," he said. "The only way it would be bylaw to protect the low-income housing worse is if there was no welfare at aU." stock by adding to the definition of SRO Herb Varley, a Nuu-chah-nulth youth who Hotel "conversion": Raising rents above has lived in the York Rooms for the last welfare and pension rent rates; year said, "I don't have an issue with the PROVINCE: Implement effective rent city trying to set aside rooms for students, controls in the SROs to stop evictions and but they shouldn't do it at the expense of the emptying and upscaling of buildings by the people who already live here. We live investors; in these rooms because we need these PROVINCE: Fully fund the HEAT rooms." shelters immediately. The "Homelessness And York Manager Raphael SanMartin, Action Week" announcement of 300 units who was fired and evicted from the York of new social housing does not fill the need immediately after Lippman took possession for shelter beds. Steven Lippman's real of the building, explained, "Before I took over management of the building it was one of the toughest buildings in the neighbourhood, it was run by drug dealers. But I cleaned it up and now it's a safe building. It's not in good shape but at least it's safe," he said. "Why would the new owner want to get rid of me? I'm worried about my tenants. A lot of them have mental illnesses and need help."

The DNC will support tenants' demand to owner lower rents to $375 a

7

estate investments alone have stolen almost as much low-income housing as has been built.

Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) coordinator Jean Swanson called for the city to put the action back in Homelessness Action Week and make affordable housing the most important issue of the civic election campaign. "What did we get out of Homelessness Action Week?" she asked. "Are-announcement of housing at the Remand Centre with only 24 units at welfare rate; A photo-op for the city and province at 1005 Station Street, a building cancelle4 in 200 1; An announcement from the Province that they will not fund 4 of the HEAT shelters; and Kerry Jang's embarrassing statement that the city is so close to ending homelessness he 'can taste it.' We still have about 700 people living in DTES shelters every night who desperately need

homes, and that doesn't count people living on the street."

"The DNC has a five year plan to end homelessness in Vancouver and we have given it to the city for free," said Drury: "Buy ten sites in the DTES for housing a year for five years and replace the SRO hotels as housing. Let them be temporary accommodations for people coming off the street or arriving in town. And do it now."

The tenants of the York and their supporters closed by calling on the city and the province to develop the tools necessary to protect low-income housing by immediately amending the SRA bylaw and the Residential Tenancy Act. As Drury said, "We need the city to buy the York to save the low-income rooms here and now. Otherwise they will be lost, and it will be the city's fault." ""Ivan D.

Some websites to look at http://ccapvancouver.wordpress.com/ Virtually everything we're up to at CCAP gets posted on this blog. Click on the reports tab to read CCAP's reports. http://vancouver.mediacoop.ca This site is going to be regularly updated with information about the DTES LAPP, especially once the committee gets going. http:l/dnchome.wordpress.com/ See the DNC website for updates on the shelter closures and, in the right column of the site, a calendar of events, actions, and meetings that you can download month by month.

do~~c~~~P~~ity's

Support for this project endorsement of the 8 findings or contents of this newsletter

What's happening at Oppenheimer Park

Pacific Bluegrass & Heritage Society Bluegrass jam! A variety of bands playing bluegrass,folk and country music.

"At Our Kitchen Table" Work Shop Series in partnership with the Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood House : -Wednesday, Nov. 2, 11am -1pm: Vertical Gardening Workshop, Location: DTES NH -Wednesday, Nov. 2, 1-3pm: Right to food Zine Writing workshop, Location: Opp Pk. -Friday, Nov. 4, 11-lpm: Community Kitchen, Location: DTES Neighbourhood House -Friday, Nov 4, 1-3pm: Food Jeopardy, Location: DTES NH -Wednesday, Nov. 9, 11 -1pm: Blender Nutrition workshop, Location: Oppenheimer Park

Join the Park on Thursday @ 2:30pm for

KARAOKE

Wednesday, November 9th, 7 PM Carnegie Theatre

I

BEING HEARD (A WORKSHOP ABOUT COMMUNICATION)

If you want to learn to design your own Web S ite come to the park on Fridays @ II am for

"WEB SITE DEVELOPMENT"

T he intention of this workshop is to offer downtown eastside community members an opportunity, whether it is for personal communication or public speaking, to understand commu nication skills.

We will discuss personal communication, ways to improve how yo u say what you saw as well as participat ion in practical exercises to experience speak

. . . . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - • ing in a different way.

Hatha Yoga Will be moving from Oppenheimer Park to the Carnegie gym for the winter Thursdays@ llam

Workshop dates are: November 14, 21, 28 10 am- 12:30 pm, Carnegie Theatre Sign up for this workshop begins November 1, 2011 at the Program Office on the 3rd Floor of Carnegie.

The workshop will be led by Dalannah Gail Bowen and is limited to I 5 people.

This isn't raving lunacy- II NO ABUSE OF POWER WILL PROSPER I strongly agree with this wisdom, even when the corruption and greed at the base of much suffering seem to be running rampant. When lives are at risk and the pain and debilitation of those affected mean so little to companies/governments/societies who are profiting, you and I have to stand up.

Cell phone towers and other boosters of electro-mag netic waves aren't obvious but are seriously unhealthy to people living too close and, in the case of tenants of Tellier Tower with a bunch on our roof and the health of many already compromised, it accumulates and makes us worse off.

The pat phrases, like ' it's not enough to cause harm ' or the pats on the head and "nothing to worry about" can be like smoke 'n mirrors. Actual testing and documenting of physical deterioration give scary and fatalistic answers. It was not until every other possibility was ruled out that many of us realised how the electrical environment was much more dangerous than we were led to believe. With no choice, no shielding & no treatment for the increasingly serious illnesses exacerbated by proximity to the boosters of electromagnetic frequencies, we started recording every anomalous degeneration of health, physical and mental. In fact the debilitation has increased in many to a level that rendered some incapable of doing what was necessary to prevent further harm.

At first, complaints to staff were ignored but going to companies and governments ourselves got nothing ;;~nvw;;~v .

It's important to note that the illnesses people were already suffering from were aggravated under the towers. "Oh, she already had heart trouble" .. "Oh, he already had lung trouble" .. "Wow, her mental condi-

tion has really gone downhill. .. '' But the small things give us all pause: a healthy cat is gotten, starts having nosebleeds and dies in about 4 months because, as a veterinary doctor said, "her organs just shut down!?!"

This is what is happening to people: -increased pressure in your head causes headaches, migraines are frequent in those never havi ng had one; -energy drains, res istance drops .. dizzy, disoriented; -stomach cramps, nausea, ear aches, nosebleeds, the throat feels stripped and mercury-filled teeth ache; -anxiety, panic attacks, nervous exhaustion, immune defences fall away, hard to focus-think-function; -insomnia or too much sleep, pacing, breathing gets difficult, loss of appetite, ski n clammy/sweaty/bruised -animals' fur matts & health deteriorates rapidly ...

The UBC technologists said that the "4G" signal is boosted when it rains; we found that out the hard way but it was good to hear these things as confirmation of what we're experiencing.

Information provided by Kim

Recent articles include a report in Common Ground (Oct '11 ). The New Agora, The Courier, CKNW &CBC.

ALL TIMES EASTERN Like saying you forgave at the office or are putting a family from Zambia through college, excuses make your world turn or beating the shit out of a bus driver whose life has forever changed for the worse while the culprits have to write a letter of apology while spouting shite about knowing wrong from right oh yeah they have learned WHAT? not to get caught.. tell it to the next li fe they destroy in whole or in part ... screw Beyond Scared Straight they should be chained to a lamppost at Main & Hastings with "I have cash and drugs" spray-painted over their faces and chest let the defence rest as they are torn apart, now we'll know Discipline and Intimidation arealmost as neat as finding a new-born stuffed in a garbage can life (and death) really can begin at the Hop this is in no way an average day in the DTESThe streets have that booze & urine smell as another victim gambles his life into an early graveyard with s idelines and seating right by that Loved Ones marker as people scream and cry s ide-by-side; now this chain of events happens everywhere misery and distress need no fixed address in one way or another we are each other's s lave yet w hen iu doubt just shout anarchy is sel{control! Anarchy isn't who you know.

Crusty Clark the Clown has to go.

Enough whining about one night's riot; the Owners who kept people working when even Alzheimer's Anonymous knew there would be a Riot win or loss I feel very sorry for everyone who had to go through Hell because of a Selfishist boss. Everyone knew the plan wasted by noon then pull out this neat 15-pack o boozecans - the entire world shall know, like a radical Islamic Insurgents after-dinner party where the host is on a hoist above a lovely warm totally boiling vat of water good times for those dumb & blind. Hey Vancouver you are now known around the globe & being a big-time player London & Paris will have to wait 'til later Rule Of Thumb means ALL TIMES EASTERN .. like a brand new Barbie with Burka intact soon to be charcoal now that's a fact remember ALL TIMES EASTERN, like if driving away from the scene of a crime were an Olympic sport this city would most definitely win Gold.

Evil & Hate are powerful things and if bottled could outsell water, Pepsi & Coke like a Lee Afarvin Garden City set to explode what a pity there'd be really pretty black flowers growing in the sky, look at this picture of peace I'm the shadow on the left with cement playgrounds painted green so many phones let alone phone numbers of the extremely obscene ... the Fountain of Optimism got 600,000 litres of raw sewage while everyone screams and points out that it's not their mess ALL TIMES EASTERN as easy as shotgun-shooting chickens in a barrel ALL TIMES EASTERN the days of Timex Swatch Gregorian Calendars counting off as you march 1, 2, 3, 4 all is forgotten when the second-hand falls to the floor 5, 6, 7, 8 we must remain silent or the Selfishists will scream Fumigate!! don't know about you but I'm getting late so much later than you could ever think still ALL TIMES EASTERN you can drop me off as close to Nowhere as possible cuz ALL TIMES EASTERN to the future l raise my fist and throw my glasses into the fireplace and plttt they no longer exist Your future is nothing more than an overclogged waterlogged full to the brim with grim now one man's toilet is another's bouquet of roses, now grief certificates are for real call yourself a Rioter and get 50 bucks that's 50 bucks less you have to steal - if it seems too good to be true then the joke can quickly become y-o-u so think .. don't suppose I must find my own time like an artist's rendering of a monster beckoning and surprise it is dressed in hu-

man clothes; to end what I' ve begun Clifford Monster Olsen and Moammar Gadhafi have had their play times cut to none and if Gust if) there is a real SatanGodlceCream family remind them day t_ Jay how your hell really goes 'n remember ALL TIMtS EASTERN.

By ROBERT McGILLIVRAY

Headlines Theatre explores the mystery of

"Us and Them" Grassroots. Interactive. Physical Theatre.

"Us and Them"- a fun, moving, and gutsy exploration of six people's lives intersecting at the wall of healing after the hockey riot: how do we understand ourselves and how do we create divisions between ourselves and others?

The answers are up to the audience, who after seeing the play unfold on its own, watch it again, this time with the agency to stop the play and enter the stage and replace a character with whom they identify and change the way the story unfolds. The theatre becomes a creative rehearsal for transforming the world.

Oct 21- Nov 12,2011 The Cultch, 1895 Venables St, Vancouver (Wheelchair accessible venue) Live, Interactive, Global webcast: Nov 12 All shows at 8pm (2pm Matinee: Nov 2) Tickets: 604-251-1363 or http://tickets.thecultch.com/ Regular: $20 +venue service charge $3.36 Student/Senior: $15 +venue service charge $3.36 Matinee/Preview: $10 + venue service charge $3.36 Free vouchers available for low-income individuals for show dates: Wed Nov 2nd, Thurs Nov 3rd, Fri Nov 4th (all shows at 8pm) arrive 15 minutes in advance. LIMITED AMOUNT AVAILABLE. TO CLAIM YOUR TICKET PLEASE CALL HEADLINES THEATRE #604.871.0508

A Very Suspicious Death Who took the life of writer and poet William Combes Who wanted to bring his life, family and friends to ruin?

Does it have something to do with his story of the Queen ' Bout ten kids of Residential School after her vis it no longer seen?

It's true this info was posted April 10 on David Icke's webs ite And seems a botnet took it down almost the very same night Not shortly thereafter came the loss of a Co-op Rad io show in July T hey 'conveniently removed ' host Kevin Annett, set up on some big lie Now it was planned in a year hence an international tribunal would begin While these troubl ed times drifted by- soon long cold winter settled in More than half those months passed and William did video-testimony T his interview concerning missin' children told as at a court it'd hopefully be On the matter of 'crimes of church and state' was a date in September' 11 to arrive But how odd unusual circumstances and sudden illness he'd not survive A n unexpected and snowy February day his weary spirit lifted up away O ur grief, shock and sadness at action by doctors left us in dismay We ll, in such mourning were we all - those who knew him cried in disbelief Someone so dear had been stolen and just exactly who was that th ief?

Then to yet further stop the eventual sharing of his video in England Ask why from that place was Kevin, the tribunal secretary, permanently banned.

The death seemed deliberate, quick, and like others not easily explained As t appears, once again , the enemies of truth played a lethal inside game?

To the loving memory of William Arnold Combes (1952-201 1) May

A Very Suspicious Death appeared in the October 15 edition, then the author told me that two whole lines were missing.

It's here now in its entirety, and I apologise to May.

She was born in the setting sun Some say she possesses the devils tongue I long to see a day of ease A day your tongue will tease and will please Ah but it's a day with tease but no please Do you think we can do a lifetime of ease With a heart that is filled up and squeeze Now look and see how your dragon hides on your tongue Will it allow us some time for some tease and some fun Or will it come racing out and bum out your lungs I am finished now you say how?

Lease me don't tease me god please help me now I have nothing to give but a good rag and bone Please help me oh help me god please bring me home

KEH

My darkest days were stormy nights in the cold lost in strife Murder of my soul Suicide of my brain Ki ll ing the smoke yet stop killing the pain Never to be normal but who's to say except someone 's journal of a '路perfect" day Individual normali ty it's different every which way My own definition is to decay because it's the only one thing we all do in time so let's dance and sing a rhyme for we w ill all die Stephanie S

Bessie it's a misconception who understands do we ever really know? things have different meanings some words do too it depends on who you're asking it's more complex than don't or do it's not a yes-or-no question it's a feeling from within you how will we know what we're feeling you can't unless you do do you understand me now?

I'm not sure you do Understanding is a misconception I guess my point is proved.

Stephanie S

Tire me out with buckets and mops Wear me down with sponges and rags Tire me out with carpets and floors Wear me down with windows and doors Tire me out with brushes and brooms Wear me down with polish and wax Tire me out with carry and fold Wear me down with dirty and cold Tire me out with closets and beds Wear me down with toilets and tubs Keep my voice at yesm'm and dumb Keep my heart at buried and numb

STONES JUST STONES

Anonymous

Sun was born by the setting sun She has the devil' s tongue She lives to see the day with ease Do you really want to tease

Payday Payday's over, playday's done you been robbed didn't take no gun gave it up gave it away cheque is gone didn't take but 2 days Gang man all in black bet your ass ain't gettin it back back to the hirise back in surrey back to where there's no worry you might be broke

Then please then please Do you they do as they please Look how easily the dragon took your place Fill mine with another's disgrace Carnegie Newsletter You're finished now, I said how Leave me, God, please leave me alone Today we are always hoping and praying- for safe salvation.

Ah alone, just all alone Things get worse but we cope.

I have nothing but a rag and bone At least there is no starvation.

MJM We are safe here .. some strive but for many- we are sti ll alive At least weather's been OK No storms or too much snow Not too much rain either Don't see no rainbow!! you might be sorry We, some have dwellings you might be hurtin' for Where we still can cope another toke We can share what we have brother you are broke and keep smiling, and hope and that ain't no joke For better days without too much strife ya buddy you need that toke The Lord is here with us but buddy So we are happy and alive. you are the joke AI God Speed To All Don+ Chris

MONDAY 14 November 2011 7:30- 9pm, Carnegie HalJ CITY OPERA VANCOUVER: 'How to make an opera'

The Beggar's Garden wins 2011 City of Vancouver Book Award

This is a story about remorse and recovery. It is a battle, at Fallujah and New York in 2004, and in the human heart for years thereafter. It is a new opera.

For ninety minutes, you are invited to see and hear how it is done. To meet with writer Heather Raffo, composer Tobin Stokes, and director John Wright.

To talk with Sergeant Christian Ellis, USMC (ret' d) whose life inspired us. To hear singers from City Opera present excerpts from this extraordinary chamber opera.

Its sub text is PTSD (Post T raumatic Stress Disorder).

This parallels the lives ofmany of our friends in the DTES. Its meaning is already familiar, but its setting is rare and powerful.

City Opera Vancouver received a $250,000 commissioning grant from the Annenberg Foundation of Los Angeles to create this new piece. On Monday November 14, you will see the first-ever preview of a story in music about some of us-- meant for all of us.

COMMUNITY ARTS COUNCIL OF VANCOUVER Mayor and Council City of Vancouver Dear Mayor Robertson and Councillors: Re: Development of the Pantages Properties

Michael Christie, author of The Beggar 's Garden. a collection of short stories set in Vancouver' s Downtown Eastside, has won the 20 I l City of Vancouver Book Award.

Mayor Gregor Robertson presented the $2,000 award to Michael Christie during a Vancouver City Council meeting today.

An independent jury selected The Beggar 's Garden (HarperCollins Canada) for its compelling selection of well-crafted shot1 stories. The jury thought that it was an exciting debut that presented a sens itive and playful portrayal of those working and inhabiting this part of Vancouver. Beautifully written, the book humanized the neighbourhood.

Author Michael Christie is a former profess ional skateboarder who has also worked as an outreach worker for the homeless and the mentally ill in the Downto\.vn Eastside. He currently lives in Thunder Bay, Ontario with his wife and son.

Anne Hopkinson

~ --~

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The Community Arts Council has for some time supported the efforts of the Pantages Theatre Arts Society and others to restore the theatre and to add nonmarket housing to these properties in the 100 block East Hastings Street. It is too late to save th theatre but the vision remains: to have a facility for arts and culture and thereby honour and renew the heritage of arts, cultural and enter tainment on this block; and to provide badly needed housing.

The CACV is extensively involved in the Downtown Eastside in supporting local organizations and residents in community arts programs. These include opportunities for local voices to express their experiences and dreams for the future, for building bridges amongst groups within the community and with the city as a whole. It is encouraging that additional non-market housing is coming on-line and that a local area planning program is planned for the Downtown Eastside. However the issues facing the community and in particular those who are most marginalized remain extraordinary. They require extraordinary responses with vision and with actions to match. Low income residents and the DTES as a whole remain at risk of losing what they have and the community they have. We have learned that key to the health of this community and for the health of Vancouver as a whole is to place the first priority on housing for those who are most marginalized and most at risk. The second priority is to support people through the local area planning program to ensure that the neighbourhoods of the Downtown Eastside retain a sense of 'home' in the future and not only a place to live. Community arts and culture have a strong role to play here.

Like many of the community, faith, health and social service, education and arts organizations who oppose the current proposal for the Pantages site, the Community Arts Council of Vancouver is very concerned that low income residents of the Downtown Eastside remain at risk of losing what they have and the strong sense of community they built over many decades. In our view, the creativity and compassion of the area's low income community is why the Downtown Eastside is truly the Heart of our City and a cornerstone of our heritage assets and cultural identity. (original signed and sent via postal mail) Nathan Edelson, Vice-President and Dara Culhane, Board Member

.

CarREilegieC NEWSLETTER --~~~-----------

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

- Margaret Meade

------ ~

401 Mai.ll Street. Vancouver 604.665.2289

THIS NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION Articles represent the views of individual contributors and not of the Association.

WANTED Artwork for the Carnegie Newsletter *Small illustrations to accompany articles and poetry; *Cover art -Max.size: 17cm(6 W)widex15cm(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 ;opied for publication; •Remuneration : Carnegie Volunteer Tickets.

Please make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor.

We acknowledge that the Carnegie Community Centre, and this Newsletter, are occurring on Coast Salish Territory.

Next Issue SUBMISSION DEADLINE: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 1·oth 2011 DONATIONS: Libby D.-$50, Margaret 0.-$50, Rolf A.-$50, Brian H.-$100, CEEDS -$100, Barry M.-$150, Leslie S.-$50, Savannah WITerry H -$200, Jenny K.-$25, Barbara M.-$200 Vancouver Moving Theatre -$300., The Edge -$200, X' -$52, Wilhelmina M.-$25, Sheila B.-$100, Christopher R.-$175 Michael C.·$50, 0, Bonnie F.-$100, CUPE 15 -$1450, W2-$100 Rhizome_~!!.;f~_t.,

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GET CLEAN Shower Up at the Lord's Rain 327 Carrall St, just off Pigeon Park HOT SHOWERS. (towel, soap, shampoo (the works) & coffee) Monday, 7-10am, (Ladies only!)

7am Tuesday, Wednesday.& Saturday

FREE DENTAL HELP 455 E Hastings: Monday & Friday, 9:30-12:30

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WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTON • • • • • •

AIDS POVERTY HOMELESSNESS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN TOTALITARIAN CAPITALISM IGNORANCE and SUSTAINED FEAR

poets since t he machine [and today's unknown yet vibrant poets sounding nell bells of hope during exposure ... l christopher smart praying on his knees against it with ecstatic poems in the streets of london dyi ng confi ned in a madhouse & james clarence ma ngan's life of poems starv ing to death in dublin his sou l lost in S iberia & thomas beddoes' lov ing phantoms of natura l real ity dancing with death poisoning h imself with curare & tho mas chatteron 's transm ig ration into a med ieval poet against the路 revo lutio n poison ing himse lf in a London slum at 18 & william cowper's spirit split o ff from wi ldlife & threatened with wo rk gone crazy and self-muti Ia ted & john clare's ancient communal fields enclosed by greed spending his time wandering & remembering in poems each disappeared leaf & bird nfit for the agricul tura l revo lution a locked-up mental case fo r 40 years & william blake impoverished & arrested fo r prop hetic treason writing poem s of life's ho liness dictated by his dead brother & gerard de nerval's apocaly ptic eccentric ities & li fe of char ity in a political priso n & hanged himself in a sk id row alley & frederich holder in's warnings agains t the horrors of hubris & self-cen teredness wand ering in rags a v is io nary like j ohn on patm os losing hi s own identity complete ly whe n j a iled for protesting assaults on the sp irit & edgar a ll an poe's prayers to the "heart divine" against "th e demo n of the engine " us ing the soul's stark terror & hoax ing the pub lic to jolt them awake poe dy ing pen niless in a g utter-delirium & vachellindsay's thousands of vagabond miles proc laiming with poems th e gospe l of beauty his ho pes s mashed & dri ven mad he drank lyso l & emile ne lligan's mus ical v is ions of sacred communities free of materia l so rcery demo lished in the streets of b us iness & s ilenced for 4 decades in an asy lum in quebec & d ino campana the italian tram p who pi lgri mages to the old monastery o f s t. franc is writing o rphic songs with no way to live them locked up in a nuthouse fo rever & hart crane's call aga inst mo ns trous sc ience his poems a spir itual-primitive-bridge pronounced a failure w ho jumped s hip d isappearing into the blue d epths of the gulf of mex ico & georg trakl a medic in the first world war overwhelmed by ev il metals & mass murder h id ing himself in the woods and overdos ing on morph ine & ivar gurn ey who fought in the trenches attacked by diabo lical electrica l rays begging the police for a g un to s hoo t himse lf locked-up for crazy fo r years & v ladimir mayakovsk i's co mmuni st-futurist-a lienated spirit crushed by contradictions of poetry becoming propaganda killed himself playing russ ian roulette & anton in artaud's h iroshima prophec ies & plague predictions & poetic revelations of a theatre of blood e lectro-s hocked & locked-up in france & lorca the spanis h fo lk poet was shot by spanish fascists & roque da lton the sa lvadorean rebe l poet was shot by jealous salvado rean lefti sts & ja mes agee like isaiah in a la bama reverin g the li ving of wh ite s laves trashed by the mac hine his ep ic poem ig nored exp lod ing his own heart in the backseat of a taxicab in new yo rk & weldo n kees' autotramp ing j azz poet rev iling the new abstracted rea lity vanished off the golden gate bridge & cesar vallej o a hungry india n dy ing in the ra in in paris locked-up in a peruv ian jail on suspic ion of arson w ith hi s poems of "a rmed suffer ing" & da ily bread & cesar pavese's poems of a s piritual meaning in the earth & in outcast people was jailed & exi led for anti- fascist activ ities ki lli ng himself in a room ing house in 1950 & jean-joseph rabearivelo a b lack madagascar dream poet co lonized & swallowing cyan ide & santoka a sake zen beggar w ith a suic ide family wa lking to all the shr ines of compassion in japan in & out

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of drunken jails & nervous breakdowns with his poems of love for each wild-growing weed & joe hill a wobbly joan of arc sing ing revolutionary poems killed by a firing squad in utah & louis riel a mystical metis poet leading an armed revolution on horseback in north america- hanged & the crazy-dogs-wishing-to-die crow indians of montana preferring to live with ancestral spirits than in a desacralized world sang poemsongs & died attacking their enemies violent reactions .. violent feelings .. violent death wild attempts to escape, to break free, to make a difference even living on nothing trapped in a horror show leading to today's molecular psychology's mathematical elimination of feeling behaviour's already modified to keep up morale & prevent feeling as deeply an these poets who recognized evil & opposed it with their blood & breath & poems & prayers & visions & songs & curses of love & hate & now the machine's created the psychotic poets- the poets who change peoples' lives the lone assassins & serial killers who write poems of revenge with anyone's blood like carl panzram & son of sam & john hinkley junior but today just to live another day is to make with poisoned blood & breath a poem for life & today

in the birthplace of the machine england's prime minister equates accumulating wealth with the principles of christianity & in north america a benign new-age nazi epidemic is out of control never before have poets had to endure so much shame so much misery & extermination or been so ignored & mocked

Never before have poets had so much blood on their own hands this piece of paper is laced with dyoxin & symbolizes deforestation & a poetry reading is made possible only because oftechniquds of destruction a building- the laws & bylaws & politicians & construction companies & kickbacks & pollutions & electricity & food businesses & refrigeration & coffee & styrofoam cups of chlorofluorocarbons killing the owne & the tables & chairs & paint & microphones & recording equipment & transportation systems & the pamphlets & ink & posters & coffee creamers & white sugar conspiracies & advertising companies & all the money & banks to finance it all & the typewriters & word processors & carbon pencils & sweatshop clothing manufacturers & plumbing & welfare & news media & food banks & arts councils & publishing industries & housing & tobacco & andrew carnegie & the stolen lands & the police & the military & security keeping out disruptive people & the meetings & how much of all this is made in foreign countries by slaves & skilled workers & unions & non-unions & agencies of all kinds & the universities & educational systems & the creation of the city itself & the transnationals organizing all this production- the production of a poetry reading & the poets who have no answers & must face such personal hopelessness because no poet can live outside this system & no poet is not of the system & created by the system of all of the techniques of all of the people in the massive effort & obedience & conformity that goes into producing a poem on a printed page or a poet reading his poems aloud in a building in a city- the poets participating in a process that renders poetry meaningless entertainment or academic scared bullshit & the poets since the machine can only bear witness to the ever-increasing crimes that they have to answer for simply picking up a pen Bud Osborn

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