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OCTOBER 1, 2013
car; negi路e~ NEWSLETTER
401 Main Street Vancouver Canada V6A 2T7
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carnnews@vc n .bc .ca
(604) 665-2289
The BC government provides $610 a month in welfare to an able bodied single person who has to prove they are Iook'mg ~or work . Total Welfare 610 -425 = 185 Rent (Realistic cost of an SRO) Damage deposit 165 -20 = Book of I 0 bus tickets (Need to look for work) 144 -21 = -25 = 119 C heap Cell phone (Need to look for work) Pe rsonal hygiene, laundry, etc - 10 = 109 Left fo r food 109 $1 09/m * 12 months = $ 1308 a year $ 1308/a year I 365 days = $3 .58 a day $3.58 a day * 7 days= $ 25.09. rounded up to $26 No mo ney fo r clothes, a coffee, haircuts, o r any social life or treats.
Hungry for a Welfare Raise 2"d Annual Welfare Food Challenge, October 16th to 22"d, 2013 Raise the Rates is inviting the people of British Columbia to spend a week living only on the food they can buy fo r $26. This is the amount of money a single, able-bodied person on welfare has for food. Victoria Bull acknowledged that we were on Coast Salish Territory. She explained how, as grandmother on disability raising her granddaughter, "it is always hard to manage; there is no extra money so that the sli ghtest emergency becomes a disaster. Schools are forced to run meal programs so that the kids have enough food to be able to learn. This is a cost of poverty that our children and our schools pay." "Last year I took the Welfare Food Challenge and ran out of food", said Paul Taylor, the ED of Gordon Neighbourhood House, as he welcomed everyone to the announcement of this year's Challenge. "Charity is needed now as people are hungry, but what we really need is systematic change so that people have enough 1 healthy food. It is fitting that the Challenge starts on October 16 h, which is World Food Day." " I have researched poverty and the inadequacies of welfare; I have advocated for better welfare rates but I have never lived on welfare. So this one week of eating on $26 will shine a li ght on the reality," stated Seth Klein, Director of Centre for Policy Alternatives BC. He pointed out that "there hasn't been a raise since 2007, so people on welfare have suffered a I 0% cut in their living standards. Increases in Hydro charges wi ll add to fuel poverty." " I live on $610 a month and it is impossible. The money runs out in less than 2 weeks. Even prices in the Dollar Store are now $1.25, so they have gone up," stated Fraser Stuart a community activist. "There are 4 months a year that have 5 weeks between payments which are even worse. The system is insanity. We are forced to spend hours looking for free food and standing in line- ups, just to survive." Sarah Carten, a dietitian, stated, "I know many people grow up facing hunger; 1 was fmiune not to. I know one week is not the same as for many months or years, but already 1 am worrying about how will I survive. I am thinking of everything that I will go with out. I hope it will help me and other people to better understand the shame that in BC so many people live with food scarcity." "Both my daughter and I have special dietary needs and being on welfare we are not a lways able to get what we need which makes us ill," said Colleen Boudreau, a single mother on disabiJity. " In Alberta a person on disability gets $ 1,588, which is nearly twice the $910 we get in BC. Eve n my daughter knows no one can eat on $26 a week. I'm appalled that the government doesn't know that." "!love food and I'm aware how hard this will be. I know I will lack energy and focus to do what I need to do," stated Sam Mickelson, who works at Gordon Neighbourhood House. "This is only for one week; many people have to live week after week with a lack of food and no choice about what they eat. There is a huge social injustice in forcing people to live like this." Laura Hill, on the board of Gordon House explained that "When 1 told people about this they were shocked that welfare rates are s<;> low. Most people do not know that welfare is only $610 a month. When they find out, they are disgusted that this exists in such a rich province. Welfare rates are totally out of touch w ith the reality of what it cost to live." "We know that most people in BC want an end to poverty and real increase in welfare. In an opinion poll 75% said that welfare should be raised to cover the real cost of food and shelter," said Bill Hopwood of Raise the Rates. "BC can afford to end poverty. We can give $3 billion a year to the rich in tax cuts or to build a new bridge ; about what it would cost to end poverty. But there is not the political will to tackle povetiy which harms many people's lives and actually costs the people ofBC at least $4 bi lli on a year not to fix it."
A r least 11% of the population, and over 15% of children, in BC are food insecure. (Household Food insecurity in Canada, 2011) Contact Raise the Rates: Bill Hopwood : 604 738-1653, 778 686-5293 (cell) bill50@vcn.bc.ca Websites: www.raisetherates.org; http ://welfarefoodchallenge.org/; Facebook : https://www. facebook.com/events/635990433089949
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Nourishing the soul Sole Food Street Farms is a nonprofit, Vancouver-based social enterprise that transforms vacant urban land into street farms that grow high quality fruits and vegetables, and makes them available at farmers markets, local restaurants and retail outlets. They use a system of raised moveable planters that can be stacked on a truck with a forklift and moved. This both isolates the growing medium from contaminated urban soils, allows for production on pavement, and satisfies landowners who cannot make valuable urban land available on a long-term basis. The plantings are made at the highest density
News Frotn The Library Hello. We've just placed these and several other great new books on display for this week in the Carnegie Library. Come have a look! Elvis Presley by Bobbie Ann Mason 2013 Mason uses her experience & g ifts as a classic Southern-fiction author to write a vivid portrait of remarkable, bigger-than-life Presley in a biography that moves along like the best page-turning fiction. Unlike too many recent biographers, she has not placed Presley on a pedestal, only to knock him off. She offers insight and truth, but not at the expense of genuine respect and compassion.
Making Headlines: 100 Years of The Vancouver Sun by Shelley Falic 2013 " The Sun" is directly behind great charity work from the Sun Run to Raise a Reader. It is for reasons like these, plus its longevity, that The Sun is such a wellknown paper. Whether or not yo u enjoy reading the Sun. you'll defintitely appreciate this beautifully produced coffee tab le book, wi th amazi ng photographs throughout. There are plenty of nostalgic shots from each decade. lf you路re a local, yo u might just see yourself or someone you know in the crowd!
possible in an attempt to make maximum use of limited space. Sole Food's mission is to empower individuals with limited resources by providing jobs, agricultural training and inclusion in a supportive community of farmers and food lovers. Individuals are given basic agriculture training and are employed at the farm based on their capability. You can order Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) baskets from Sole Food Street Farms on a weekly basis. You can find more information about purchasing baskets on their website: http://solefoodfarms.com/
Bead Fantasies: Beautiful, Easy-To-Make Jewelry by Takako Sam enjima 2013 The author has spent a lifetime creating bead-works and her skill and ' eye' for beauty are carefull y rendered in this inspiring how-to-book. Although the designs within are truly elegant, she has described and illustrated the how-to with the clarity and seeming simplicity of paint-by-numbers. But, her bead-bynumbers approach will result in affordable and gorgeous jewellery.
Betting On Famine: Why the World Still Goes Hungry by Jean Ziegler 2013 Once again, the automobile and other industries that use ethanol and other bio-fuels are found to be the cause of a growing environmental miasma, in this case literally burning up food crops. Result: diminishing food reserves, starvation, death, and rising food costs for the rest of humanity. Zeigler, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, paints a bleak picture, but also knows there is an abundance of both food and farm land. She suggests ways to radicall y improve fanning and food distribution. See you soon, Stephanie (Cam egie Librarian), with thanks to Marcus for helping prepare these reviews.
lOth Annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival Wed October 23 to Sun November 3, and November 8- 10, 2013
(1-r) Sandra Pronteau, Paul Decarie, Dalannah Gail Bowen, Prisci llia Tait, Rosemary Georgeson, Isabel Ramirez. Photo: David Cooper
To celebrate the Festival's 101h Anniversary, and to honour the talen!s, wisdom and power of our home community, the 2013 theme is: "Drawing Strength from Our Roots." The Downtown Eastside is the heart of the City, the founding neighbourhood where Vancouver began, and is the home of choice for thousands of the City's residents. The Festival takes inspiration from the words of Downtown Eastside poet and activist Bud Osborn:
Our purpose is to live in community, and community is core, care for one another, care for those least able to care for themselves, care for all, care in action. An abundance ~f speciall01h anniversary events include a stage full of taiko drums, a celebration of growing up and growing older, art from Oppenheimer Park, readings from DTES writers, original music from DTES musicians, films from DTES filmmakers, a tribute to veteran tailors, the premiere of Bread and Salt, and a quest to answer "what does reconciliation mean to you?"
Watch the next Carnegie newsletter for program highlights! For m ore information contact 604-628-5672 or www.heartofthecityfestival.com The Downtown Eastside Heart of the Festival is produced by Vancouver Moving Theatre with the Carnegie Community Centre
Leaving Amidst Sorrow? Jubilation?? Good Deals?!!! Robert nefarious proprietor of the ' hood's den of intrigue & gnas hing of teeth. is departing for distant shores. Fame and fortune have lured him into the enterprise of brewing beer in Saskatchewan, so October is the last monthly for Solder & Sons, great coffee, g reat used books and curiosities at 247 Main Street. Drop in, say a fond farewell and take advantage of incredible prices as Robert divests himself of the collection. It's a SALE!
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Thur Oct 10, 1 pm
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millionaire. So did scores of others including Sergei Brin and Larry Page ofGoogle. . . As high tech facto ries blossomed 111 the area Silil;ltu 'Ciff~Jtcu con Valley's housing prices soared upwards. As "Where do I go When I've gone too far?" . . George Packer pointed out in a spring issue of 'The -Goid<n Ea,;ng c--- ~-~ New Yorker' housing prices start in the Valley at $2 Suddenly I kn~w too much, _ .:.:__:_=:~j million and up. Poor people, moderate income people without knowmg enough ..- and others like them are often homeless. There was no way back. ~ / :- . --- - ---"There are many poor people who are homeless in Fate? How chosen, if at all? ~-===:_ z=j San Francisco," an American from the Bay Area told Must make the best of it. Beckett-style,l -----! me recently. For Silicon Valley has spread northStri~e in darkness, learning to smelL wards into San Francisco proper. When I used to visit Joys I've encountered along the way my uncle and even later into the late 1970's, I used to tease me now, obscuring the forest.. stay in Single Occupancy Rooms or cheap hotels on 'The trees are calling me near', too. Market Street or the Mission area not far from downWhat do the animals know? town San Francisco. always enough. To-day many of these places are gone. In their Stephen Belkin place has come high-tech start-up places where young men and some young women work incredibly long hours, trying to become the next Steve Jobs. A few succeed and become multi-millionaires. But many In the 1960's and 70's 1 had an uncle Burnett Bolothers faiL As multi- millionaire Marc Andreesen loten who sold real estate in Sunnyvale, California, told George Packer, he gets 3000 applications a year an hours' drive or less south of San Franci sco. "l for start-up project money. And how many does he haven't made big money," he once to ld me in his fadfund? About 20. ing English accent. "But I get by." The high tech capitalists follow the road travelled My uncle was a tall, English-born man who in the by all business people. Profit is their guiding star. 1930's was an ardent Communist. But now he gave They seem to care nothing about the poor, the homelectures on the problems of communism at the ultraless, or the millions of Americans left behind by the conservative Hoover Institute of War and Peace at changing economy. Marc Zuckerberg, the founder of Stanford University. The institute was named after Facebook has some feelings for those left behind. But the very conservative president of the United States, other high-tech CEO's, as Packer tells it, don't give a Herbe1i Hoover. My uncle was now a virulent antitoot. Communist who hated the Soviet Union. He lectured "The information revolution is coming," a highto George Schulz, Ronald Reagan's Secretary of tech geek told me in the 1980's, "and nothing can stop State, Caspar Weinberger, Reagan's Secretary of Deit." True enough, but what do you say and do for the fence and other prominent neo-cons. journalists, printers and workers whose newspaper The houses in suburban Sunnyvale were nice and place of work is vanishi ng? What can you te ll the not too expensive. You could buy a nice ranch house blue collar workers whose skills are no longer needed for about $75,000. The young Steve Jobs may have in the new information economy? And what will lived nearby. If you ignored the politics ofthe happen to the homeless, the poor and the marginalneighbourhood, it was a nice place to live. ized who sleep in shelters or on the streets as ri ch But in the I 980"s thanks to Jobs and others Sit ipeople just get richer? con Valley swallowed up Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, and One thing's for sure: The answers to these quesother nearby areas. Here began the high tech revolutions won't be coming from the mouths of the new tion of the personal computer and the iPod and Jots crop of high-tech multimillionaires. They don't give a of other stuff. Jobs pioneered the use of the personal computer chip-driven damn about anybody except computer. He became a billionaire. His friend venture their companies and themselves. capitalist Marc Andreesen became a multiBy dave jaffe
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Welcome to the 'Hood Happy Valley in Kanada So folks, here we are All in the same boat again Close to the edge of the flattened Earth This mesa between mountain tops The Went we knew The Went we know now Howsoever the tone of time cometh Hard on Went's heels Bumping us, nudging us, elbowing us into the grave Changing commonplace to irony Changing 'How de do .. " to "f_ you too" Have a nice stay! 'Ve hafvays to make you obey authoritee' Do not complain For the complaint forms will be lost, stolen or strayed On Sunday we learn the lesson On Monday we forget Oh Canada, our home on native land? We human beings, homo sapiens, are like a raging virus and our host is in its death throes We to failing hands throw the torch to the fitter sharks, cockroaches, rats and paramecium Wil helmina Sick Puppies Hate makes you sick hurts you worse than your intended target takes you down a level or two till you become even worse than those you hate You only gtive power away when you hate someone the poison of hatred eats you alive a shell you become just a vessel for your limitless rage even forget why you hate the emotion blurs all the lines till you and you alone flounder in the cesspool of your negativity AI
Creator, are you listening? My heart is heavy, I stumble Please take my hand, as I walk this path I feel the morning dampness on my skin; I realize There are tears too. As the morning mist lifts, it reminds me Of the people who you have gifted me with lf only for a little while; Like the mist, they touchy me, only to go I sit and pray; an emptiness fills Creator, thank you; that mist Is your touch; for that l am humbled .The path stretches on before me, I Walk with others, alone; ~/ . May all feel that mist. ~"'路 ~ l Robert Bonner ,_~
Voices Heard Across the cafe From side to side much repetition The high vaulted ceiling obscures the words Although the spiral staircase is a great place to sing Music transcending architecture Elevating the neglected ears of the old-timer Our "Social Junk'' as the books put it. Wilhelmina H M
Trust in the Eternal Balancing Act Against all odds, against the powerful urge You just can't go around . . Murdering those who drive you to dtstractton you gotta place your trust in Nature, or the Great Spirit. God. whatever Sometimes the justice exacted surpasses what you had in mind tenfold The energy a person puts out always comes home to roost ''Karma" metes out our payback better'n you ever could Like the old saying "Sit by a river long enough and you will see those who have made themselves your enemy float by.'路 Xii Warhorse
Open letter to the DNC from 5 excluded members September 17, 20 13 To: Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Council (DNC) and the DTES Community From: The Excluded 5 - Wendy Pedersen, Herb Varley, Tami Starlight, Jean Swanson and Ivan Drury
We have been excluded! Two weeks ago, we received a letter from the current DNC Board of Directors that asks us not to attend a general meeting planned for later this month. The current Board claims we were "disruptive" at the last DNC general meeting in April. The letter requests that "you not attend our upcoming general meeting in September." To challenge this arbitrary decision we are instructed to "appeal to the Board of Directors." Like you, we have a right to attend DNC member meetings, to hear what is said about us, and to participate in decision making without special permission from the Board. The current Board has refused suggestions to deal with this situation using a neutral conflict resolution process. Under the BC Society Act, it is actually illegal for the DNC Board to prevent us from speaking to the mem bership. Members' parti cipation can only be challenged by the Board with a "special process." T he DNC's own bylaws say that members can only be excluded if they are not in good standing (caused by owing the DNC money). For other reasons, members can only be excluded with a "special resolution of the members passed at a general meeting" along with other rigorous steps (DNC bylaws, Part 2, Section I 0-13). We let the Board know we want to be on the agenda of the upcoming meeting to speak about this attempt to silence us. What happened at the last General Meeting Several people at that April meeting, includ ing the Excluded 5, raised poi nts the current Board deemed "disruptive." Discussion and motions related to these points were cut off by chai rpersons Ann Livingston, Richard Cunningham and Debbie Krull. Here are the issues that were raised: 1) Why can't members amend the agenda? For the first time ever (and contrary to common meeting practice), DNC members were not allowed any input o n the agenda for the meeting. T he Board directed the members to vote for its agenda without any opportunity to speak to it, add to it, or amend it.
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Members at the April meeting weren't given an opportunity to vote on new Board members. Under the DNC's bylaws, "If there is a Director Vacancy on the Board, the Nominating Committee shall propose a shortlist of applicants for the position to the Board at its next meeting, and the Directors shall appoint a Director to fill the vacancy from those applicants and then get their decision ratified at the next general members hip meeting" (DNC Bylaws: Part 5, Section 50). Members were not given their legal right to vote or "ratify" new Board members. 3) Why can't Board member Herb Varley report on the DTES Local Area Planning Process? Due to the dysfunctional dynamics at DNC Board meetings, Herb brought his LAPP report to the "sovereign body" (Membership) of the DNC at a general meeting. He asked the me mbership to vote on the report. Herb's m otion was shouted down by Board member Debbie Krull who repeatedly yelled: "No motions !" ln the past. Herb and other LAPP reps presented reports that were then voted on by the Membership.
The current DNC Board is out of control! I) The current DNC Board is moving away from its own Constitution and Bvlaws: The Board stopped organizing monthly General Membership Meetings so Members have lost their voice. To be truly democratic rather than just meeting the minimum requirements of the BC Society Act, the DNC had general membership meetings every month. At these meetings, members discussed critical community issues, heard reports on the organization's actions, decided on campaigns, and "worked-up" and "voted on" political positions on issues affecting their lives. 2) The current Board has so fa r held only one meeting this year. The current DNC Board has taken actions contrary to #5 of the Constitution: "We stri ve to stop gentrification and the involuntary displacement of DTES residents." It has done so without speaking to the Membership or individual DNC Members involved in these issues. a) On July 11, the current DNC Board took part in a press conference to denounce anti-gentrification activists picketing the Pidgin Restaurant. The pickets were organized by DTES residents who are a lso DNC members. b) In September, the current DNC Board invited the manager ofthe York Hotel to speak about "divisive protests" organized by DNC members. Dave Rouleau has been pushing low-income residents out of the building and increasing rents well beyond welfare rates. In addition, Rouleau recently assaulted four Downtown Eastside women involved in ftghting the evictions. c) The Board has attempted to purge its membership ofthe most ardent anti-gentrification activists, and regularly collaborates with groups that promote upscale development in the DTES. 3) Some DNC board members have attacked, smeared and undermined fellow DNC members who are longtime residents and organizers standing up against gentrification. This violates #13 of its Constitution to "honor, respect and celebrate the members of our community ... and our community's history of working for social and economic justice by continuing this work with care, love and camaraderie as our guiding principle. " They did this by: a) Meeting with the funders of the Carnegie Comm unity Action Project (CCAP) to call for an end to their funding -undermining the ability of its volunteers and staff, who are DNC Members and former Board Members, to carry â&#x20AC;˘ on their work. b) Meeting with the City to have DNC Member Ivan Drury removed from patticipation in the Local Area Planning Process. c) Working with the mainstream media, especially the Gastown Gazette, to smear DNC members connected with CCAP. d) Refusing to engage the 'Excluded 5' in a cooperative and transparent conflict resolution process launched in October 2012. For more on this see the recommendations from the membership-led committee which the current board has refused to implement. Come to the DNC General Meeting... Ask the Board why they at¡e not following the bylaws and constitution of the DNC. Vote to stop the attacks against DNC members who are anti-gentrification activists and the Excluded 5: Herb Varley, Jean Swanson, Wendy Pedersen, Ivan Drury, and Tami Starlight. Vote against any attempts to replace Herb Varley as the DNC representative to the City's Local Area Planning Process (LAPP) Committee. The Excluded 5 will be at the meeting and w ill continue to work for social justice and for the beautiful 13-point DNC constitution, with or without the DNC.
Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Council metnbers begin to challenge their current board's inaction and misrepresentation https://sites.google.com/site/originaldnc/
September 23, 2013 On Saturday September 21 more than 30 members of the DTES Neighbourhood Counci l (DNC) showed up for the formerly active group's second general meeting of the year, only to find out it had been cancelled. Most of those who showed up pulled on new "Original DNC" t-shi rts, volunteer-printed at the last minute by DNC members wanti ng to differentiate themselves from the current DNC board. Since the current board took over the DNC in December the membership has voted twice, and unanimously, for the board to prioritize healing the rifts in the DNC with a neutral third-party conflict resolution process. However, nearly ten-months later, DNC's current board has still not initiated this process. Many of the members who showed up to find the board had cancelled the meeting without notice or official notice felt it was a sign that the fractures in the organization - including a yawn between the current board and much of the general membership- was widening. At 2pm, when the meeting was supposed to begin, the 30 Original DNC members went together into the lobby of the Woodward's social housing building to have an ad-hoc meeting. Some current board members harassed the group; one current board member interrupted the group's discussion by yelling and being belligerent whi le a few others stood around and watched. When yelling failed to break up the group, the current board called the police to come and stop DNC general members from meeting. When the police arrived the group continued their discussion and the police stood back, watched, and did nothing. The Original DNC members voted on three resolutions and all passed without opposition. They decided to send these resolutions on to the current board as motions passed by the general membership. According to DNC's bylaws a meeting quorum requires 30 members present, which was slightly exceeded. The bylaws do not define legal process for cancell ing a general meeting, so in lieu of formal rules we could consider what is reasonable. The current board did not change the meeting announcement on the website, did not send a cancellation message over social media or email, and did not even put a poster cancelling the meeting on the door of the meeting venue. So, there could be a case for the gathering of 30 on Saturday September 21 to be counted as an official DNC general meeting. And even if not an official meeting, a responsible board should welcome and respect the motions coming from the group gathered that day. DNC general member Sid Tan presented the first motion, for a neutral conflict resol ution process and fair elections. Sid is a founding member of DNC, his group ACCESS: Association of Chinese Canadians for Solidarity Society, was one of three community organ izations that called for the formation of a new DTES residents organization in the fall of2009. He also sat as a board member of DNC for tv.ro years and remains a significant Downtown Eastside community and media activist. Sid's motion read: Whereas: â&#x20AC;˘ The board has been twice (at the pre-AGM in November 2012 and the general meeting Apri l 2013) directed by the membership of the DNC to organize a neutral conflict resolution process to heal the tensions between DNC
general members and the current DNC board • The board has still not convened a third-party group to carry out a neutral conflict resolution process • Nearly three-quarters of the board members elected at the AGM in December 2012 are no longer active on the board • The current board has appointed board members to replace those elected by the membership but have notallowed the membership to ratify those new board members Therefore be it resolved: That DNC set up a neutral conflict resolution process, and will not ratify new board members selected by the current board and will organize an AGM with elections to happen in November 20 13. DNC members present passed this motion unanimously. There was one recorded abstention, from a supporter wh aectared atterwards that she drd not believe she had the right to vote and therefore abstained. DNC founding member Formerly Homeless Dave presented the second motion, to affirm DNC's commitment to the community struggle against gentrification. F-H Dave got unanimous acceptance for his motion at the April DNC general meeting for the DTES Hunger Strike for social housing and against gentrification. he explained that he was surprised, in that light, to have read the current board's public statements against the anti-gentrification actions at the Pidgin and Cuchillo restaurants. F-H Dave's motion read: Whereas: • Point 5 of DNC's constitution says that: We strive to stop gentrification and the involuntary displacement of DTES residents • In January 20 I I a DNC general meeting passed a resolution calling for a moratorium on all market housing and store and restaurant development unti I we have all the housing we need so that no one has to sleep on the streets, or in shelters or SRO hotels. • At the last DNC general meeting, in April 2013, the membership passed a unanimous resolution in support of the DTES hunger strike and its demands- for social housing not condos at Sequel 138, social housing and lowincome community space not a tech-hub at the copshop, and for the city to make the DTES an anti-gentrification ·'social justice zone··. • Therefore, DNC has established strong policy against gentrification, and had organized many actions as leaders n the anti-gentrification struggle. • However, DNC members do not have a united opinion about the specific tactic of the low-income communityed anti-gentrification pickets at Pidgin and Cuchillo restaurants. And. DNC as an organization is not currently ealistically able to have an open and fair discussion about this issue. fherefore be it resolved that DNC publicly states and upholds point 5 of our constitution against gentrification .nd retracts the current board's statements against anti-gentrification pickets at DTES restaurants and speaks neiher for nor against the pickets as an organization. ' he motion passed without opposition from the DNC members present. ·ounding DNC member and long-time board member Ivan Drury moved the third and final resolution, to main~in DNC's representatives to the city's local area planning committee until the process is over. He explained that lerb Varley could not be at the ad hoc meeting because of a commitment at a Truth and Reconciliation event but · the meeting had not been cancelled he would have been there to give a report and make the motion. he motion that closed the report read: Be it resolved that DNC keep its DTES LAPP co-chair delegates the tme until the planning process is concluded. he motion passed without opposition from the DNC members present. ictoria did a formal closing and acknowledgement of the unceded Tslei l-waututh. Musqueam. and Squamish rritory the DTES is on, and Dave H and James both made closing statements as well. All three echoed the rongest sentiments in the room: the wish that DNC move on past the internal tensions and fractures that are hurtgall members and the organization, and; the desire to struggle together with bold actions to defend the commuty against all the pressures bearing down on us. As Dave H said, 'The most powerful people and corporations in :mcouver want our neighbourhood, the problems we're seeing in DNC are because of the pressure they"re putlg on us. We have to get through this and fight back!''
Free Flu Shots provided by Vancouver Coastal Health
MONDAY OCT 21st 1-3:45pm THURSDAY OCT 31st 9-12pm Carnegie Lobby-1st Floor
Health Canada's decision to provide prescription heroin will save lives September 20, 20 13 Vancouver- Today, Health Canada approved access to prescription diacetylmorphine (heroin) for at least fifteen participants exiting Vancouver's Study to Assess Long-term Opioid Maintenance Effectiveness (SALOME). This landmark decision will allow some of the most marginalized and profoundl y addicted patients- who've not responded to other treatments - to continue to receive proven treatment in a medical e nvironment. Partic ipants and advocates have been call ing on the medical community to provide an "exit strategy" fo r the 322 participants in the three-year SALOME study The study began at the end of20 11 and is enrolling patticipants on a rolling basis for one year of research The study is testing whether the opioid hydromorphone is as effective as diacetylmorphine in stabilizing the lives of long-term drug users who have not responded to other treatments, such as methadone and
abstinence-based programs. Pivot Legal Society legally represents 22 ind ividual SALOME participants and the BC Association of People on Methadone in order to advocate for their continued access to health care and the protection of human rights. Prescri ption diacetylmorph ine has been used in Europe for decades to treat people w ith severe add ictions and remove the stigma and crim inal environment surro unding drug use. Numerous studies, including the prestigious Cochrane Co llaboration, have demonstrated the effectiveness of thi s treatment in reducing the use of drugs and the ha rms associated with using illicit substances. Prescription heroin programs have been established in severa l European countries, s uch as Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. In Canada, the 2005-2008 NAOMI study confirmed the effectiveness of this treatment for people dependent on opioids in this country. "Health Canada made a wonderfu l decision today," said Pivot Health and Drug Policy Lwyer Scott Bernstein. "The decision was one based on the evidence and not ideology. It means that those SALOME participants allowed access can live safer, more stable lives. Lives free of crime and remaining under the care of doctor~, not drug dealers." Immediately after the decision by Health Canada, Mini ster of Health Rona Ambrose issued a statement decry ing the move, stating that it went contrary to the federal government's anti-drug policies. "As stated clearly by the previous federal Min ister of Health, Leona Aglukkaq, decisions about drug access should be left to the doctors, not the politicians, said Bernstein. "We're disappointed that the current Minister of Health again chooses to ignore evidence over her government's ovm ideologies about drug users." Contact: Scott Bernstein, Lawyer, Health and Drug Policy Campaign cell : 778-228-2992 scott@pivotlegal.org
A Drug Dealer Is A Rude Person by Neil Benson He mostly is always horsing around, he places his ego and pride on a pedastel and haughtily exerts his strategist will on others cruell y, and arbitrarily. He j ack's up the stake's to mark up hi s ante', he is an institutionalized criminal vying to get something for nothing. Something is the product, nothing is the bottom line a nd so is the effort. Thought may be freely expressed but an accusation may by be deleterious to his name or his reputation. Reiteration of routine teaching of lesson's by an expet1 may be useful in a particular vocation, trade, or profession. Within a time frame, manual deftness of manipulation may be noticeable after a multiplicity of doing drill's. Neil Benson
The Tao of Faith I let me belong to myself And follow the universe five steps behind. Centred. Whole. free. Calm. Happy. Sure. Stephen Belkin
Oppenlleime!" Plll'k *Otfll' Buk 11aN* Park monthly program schedules can be found at the Carnegie information desk or at Oppenheimer Park
Oppenheimer Park pop-up workshops at Carnegie Art Room Date will be announced soon! Please check community boards at Carnegie. - Glue it! Pumpkin decoration for thanksgiving with Karen Ward - Art in the City - sketch & watercolour greeting card making with Merry Meredith Save the date!
Opening Reception & Procession
THE 6TH ANNUAL OPPENHEIMER PARK COMMUNITY ART SHOW PARK-A-PALOOZA!- FUN & PLAYOpening reception: Thursday, October 24, 5pm- 9pm 5pm Procession, meet at Oppenheimer Park, 488 Powell 6pm Reception, Gallery Gachet, 88 E. Cordova In Conjunction with Heart of the City Festival Oppenheimer Park proudly presents an exhibition, Park-a-Palooza - fun & play - at Gallery Gachet. The show embodies the significance of the Park's diverse programming such as arts, recreation, cultural events and festivals. It also celebrates and explores creativity in the Oppenheimer community. Over 35 artists will be featured in the show and many of the works symbolize playful aspects of Oppenheimer Park community. Included are painting, drawing, print, sculpture, carving, mixed media and video works. In add ition, the exhib~tion will unveil Birds that Play, hundreds of birds painted through community art workshops at Gallery Gachet, Carnegie Community Centre, Evelyn Saller Centre, and Oppenheimer Park curated by Carrie Campbell .The open ing night procession leaves Oppenheimer at 5pm and is led by Brad Muirhead and the Hastings Street Band. At 6pm join Harmo ny of Nations at Gallery Gachet for a traditional welcome.
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COMMUNITY ART PROOECT \ .. .. AT OPPENHEIMER PARK
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WE WANT COMMUNITY TO DECORATE .300 BIRDS[ IF YOU HAVEN'T DECORATE.D A BIRD. PLEASE COME VISIT OPPENHEIMER PARK ON WED~ FRI & SATI
Two 8-week music workshops starting Sunday' Sept. 22!
OSTEQFJT CLASSES Tuesdays 10-llam.
I-2:30PM
Oct 1, Oct 15, Oct 22, Oct 29 in the Gymnasium.
" The Rudiments of Music: Introducing music theory & ear training" with Brian Buchanan
Movement, warm-up exercises, strengthening, stretching
3 - 4:30 PM Ensemble lmprov Workshop with Randy Doherty 3rd
Floor, Classroom II
and relaxation. Increase your mobility and ability in daily
l
life activities! (Lane Level Office) at 604-665-3005 All abilities! Everyone welcome! For additional information,
' - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - contact Mary Ellen
POOf-FUKUSIIIMA TSUNAMI DEBRIS INCLUDES EXOTIC SPECIES ARRIVING ON B. C. BEACHES
Jeez, Iwonder where that came from?
THE HYMN FACTORY Ill: Cemetery Hymn The invoices keep pulling me in the outvoices keep piling it on leaving me out and keeping me thin yet there are days when war and hate hesitate to consume another day, in my outside room I curse the light as l float into tranquil states it is more than right- oceanblueoceanview lights up my way, I shake all tension out of my head all I want is my share of space once I join the dead. Don't worry, the Ink Police imprisonment tour keeps on my toes I am always an inch further than they A scrap of humility helps the restless nights but one by two by eleventeen someone needs to stay and turn off the nites and all the smart ones carrying infrared light can be heard saying I think it/they/them/us went that way, stupid people do scary things forget about 'em it's all the other decent souls for I sing the Cemetery Hymn is accessible under my dead body except when I pretend and I'm good (bloody good!) exit stage sinister Poof!! And l am back, those future global positioning leach laws came down to destroy everything before It The Seven Wonders of the World now reside in pawnshops for a fiver you can own it, a set in a setting; I've already forgotten oceanblueoceanview from what strength shall I draw from let alone draw back? I remember every time l've been there in my spade of
hearts so many names I brush away the leaves dead flowers and such there is always that one last dragging part, years of mournings laid bare for every single human being to feel and touch what comes next no one alive knows maybe the inimitable sorrow of life lost is the way our sorrow led us before distant feelings became mankind' s crutchho ld on could this be a brand new start, expiry-dating services brought convenience to a planet that had begun to stagnate .. Earth's untrained oceanblueoceanview taught us to relax like Lucy in the sky no diamonds but hearts & souls like a Milky Way 500 we are talking 75 billion miraculous entities humming the Cemetery Hymn the living shall never ever really know all of creation waits for their share as you have yours as I have mine, there are times when I swing an idea like an axe !leave one country after another pouring in war but no one ever believes in facts, like selling whistles in prison or a cheating athlete being given all his worthless awards back oceanblueoceanview that day is coming I shall receive my share as Darwin the Apostle I glance at my timepiece one eleven a.m. know ing (finally ... I think) the old man's secret and it is fine, explanations good bad or worse will very soon not concern me six feet under and you can't even hear the footsteps of mankindness and its awkward insanity and bonus points for no more sunskinkilling cancer friendly rays, plus humiliation and worth lessness no longer exist not even nightmares can penetrate me no longer a slave yet every word you've just forgotten is a risk and then I am awake standing in OceanBlueOceanView eternity~ard waiting in the rain for the real Cemetery Hymn to hit me for I'll hum sing & scream it every dark morning and bright nite OceanBlueOceanView you are my every day. By ROB ERT McG ILLI VRAY ''The man who makes no mistakes does not usually make anything." -Edward Phelps
Mr. Frea~Show Our education comes to us thru the strangest people sometimes it takes someone who can't walk to make you really appreciate the legs you still got took someone trul y d isgusting (or so I thought) to bring it home to me what a bigot I can be oh ya we all congratulate ourselves on how cool, how chill we are but test us a little scratch the surface and all our ugly biases come thru how we talk tolerance but when we encounter someone who really tests our tolerance with behaviour & words that irritate us no end we lose that public composure and revert to seething monster we hide inside so Mr. FrGakShow thank you fo r opening up my eyes
Seems to me there seems to be more bugs than we can stand ya can't swing a dead cat without hi tting some goofy bug smack its goofy face and you can't K ill 'em (technically, that is) fast enough to keep up bugs bugs everywhere bugs up yer ass and in yer hair And in this caring concerned worlod we' re told to pity the poor bugs "they know not what they do" Oh like he ll, they get off pissing people off any attention's better than none bugs like to bug everyone under the sun if only I had a real big Gun David Greenberg
AI
The Good Old Cause and Affect After revision, fo rce of habit, emotions slighted though devastated, Am ped up as before w ith m uchness, rain o r shine I carry on prospecting, confident but not bold in power, driving force only inclination, not too arrogant just big headed, amped up much more not much less-ness. to overcome being overwhelmed. Not cruel nor uncivil, free speech gives me freedom of expression to speak, what is said is held then used to affi rm blame not innocence that is degraded and discred ited.
Idle no more is my career choice, elope w ith a professional abnormal person, eccentric crank, here today gone tomorrow, ploy dep loy employ ahoy oh boy.
I do not have twenty twenty but affected by imperfection, I envision being vision driven out, disowned, dismissed from place of trade not minding my business.
Mix it up degrade, host war, wreck homes, do the right thing, turn yourself in, do not forget a head can be lost, to have regret on the mind spooks me, a personal axiomatic thought Neil Benson
Canad ians are supposedly renowned for being polite but that's eas ily understood as a population walking on egg shells would seem from a distance to be friendly, but Canadians are simply watching as o ur inbred adm inistration continues to act without human priorities, serving up Canada and Canadians to industrial c lusters of asexuality that target humans and our planet, only capable of viciousness, corruption, greed, and othe accomodations of the narrow mind coupled with diminished levels of humanity, unless it isn't born human at all and so incapable of realizing the characteristics of being human, the diminished think, and force their thinking on others, that humans are supposed to live in hierarchies, duh and d'oh, eh.
Out of Whack
terry munroe
Life ain't fair: so what you say? so the sky's blue: nothing new you li ve then you die, not much e lse to do just seems a shame that those yo love always pass away too soon and leave behind those whose existence hardly justifi ab le in any light all the misery these bastards spread you find someone trul y worthwhile and sure as si n cancer gets in people w ho oughta live lo ng are too soon gone
Two Towns Talking One Skunk Town ln Halifax, Fredericton and StJohn's We say 路'fine, thanks'' In Vancouver, Calgary and Edmo nton We say "sti ll alive" That rough beast lurching toward its birth in Bethlehem Comes in shapes many Many hosts different colours Those riders from Away. Comi ng to a refuge near You. Coming over to your place and armed Armed and Dangerous. Know thyself, thy soul someone said Maybe Plato maybe not. A bit o' the beast in the best Vice versa and on and on Level after level Any old storm in a port A lesson learned leads p the Ladder and down the Snake And you don ' t get down off an e lephant.
Homeless in America My Sheltered Life Many venues Different and the same a tale of Changes Chances Pick a card Queen of Spades Queen of Hearts The many and varied Tales of Eve, of Margot Eve lyn, Mary Mary quite contrary My friend My enemy Myself Wishing and Dreaming Waiting for the Prince. Wilhelmina H M
Homeless and s leepless in the w<trld Nobody's child A Stranger in a Stranger Place Wilhelmina Miles
Open excavation
Many years ago I was walking past a park in East leaving you human sh it wrapped up in rags too filthy ~ Van. The construction workers had gone home and too engulfed in self-pity l 路--r .b left a large hole in the ground. I went over to investito care about the bed bugs ~ .E gate. I was looking down the hole and leaned too far bounc in' offa their dirty toques f, over - I fell in head first! I was very lucky I missed a dead sure no-one on earth ever Ask 路~ large bo uld er on the bonom. Well, there was no way what .,;;"!. suffered as much as they do makes \:.'.,. o ut; it was too deep, so I sta1ted yelling " He lp!" the whole universe revolves you ~ One nice man came along and he phoned the fire around their pathos. too bad so sad come ,~ department. They put a ladder down and I was out alive safe. (City Hall was lucky l didn't sue them.) The and not only are we called on and go next day I walked by and the hole was surrounded by to open every doo r eve ry time do it you owe them sympathy a wooden fence. Marlene Wuttunee for what? I still can't figure Jesse Michauo
Cai'ilegie~ N E W SLETTER
carnn<>w s@vcn t•c ca
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 .7")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: Carnegie Volunteer Tickets.
DONATIONS 2013: (Money is needed & welcome) Sheila B.-$100 Jenny K.-$25 Elsie McG.-$50 Terry & Savannah -$100 Robert McG.-$100 Leslie S.-$50Laila B.-$40, Dave J.-$23 · Ch'ristopher R.-$100, Anonymous -$25 ~·~-.l:,.,_-~, Bob S.-$200, Laurie R.-$70 Penny G.-$60
Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can cha nge the world. Indeed, it is t he only thing t hat ever has. -Margaret Meade
Vancouver's non-commercial, listener-s upported, community station.
Next issue: SUBMISSION DEADLINE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11TH make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor.
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WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION
October 2013
Gentle Readers
Lers call this an annual appeal, even though it's been well over a year s ince the money-crunch of2012. That one, the first so dire, was precipitated by the withholding of approval, by the BC Gaming Commission. of funding for the Carnegie Newsletter. When called directly by the curio us and concerned alike, the Public Relations Department outdid itself by saying, "We haven't cancelled anything; it's entirely up to the Carnegie Community Centre Association where they spend the money awarded to them.(!)" -Only after the Gaming Commission vo ided any possibility of spending it on "Community Communications;" perhaps in the g reat non-paper world such things as hand-held newsletters are a thing ofthe past. The obvious, to me/us here anyway. was that the decis ion-makers were acting on o r succumbing to pressures brought to bear by the forces engaged in gentrifying the neig hbourhood and driving out all the poor (read low-class) individuals calling the Downtown Eastside home. The appeal went nowhere so the application for 20 13 was re-written to high light the necessity of havi ng a forum for the w riters and poets of the 'hood ... and the GC ' graciously permitted' $4000 for th is. The cost of printing the Carnegie Nevvsletter is -$8500; the cost of volunteer tickets is- $2000; and th e petty cash for mailing. office supplies, various online fees and miscellaneous is - $1500. A total needed to function without undue constraints is about $13,000 annually. The funds raised in the Spring last year, including the one fundraising event with ente1tainment and a silent auction, brought the newsletter to about the end of 20 I 3. It is about the coming year that this letter is to address. The Newsletter is needed and valued in this community. Help in the Downtown Eastside, its little sister, is a resource guide for everyone from transients to long-time res idents. It contains a wealth of information to aid anyone in securing the basic necessities of food, clothing, shelter, medical aid and education, as well as a myriad of resources avai lable to people in different parts ofthe city. Money to pay for its printing must be raised every year, separatel y, as there is no government assistance. (Odd in itself, as staff at a number of agencies have continually lobbied to impress on their respective administrators that their jobs would be much more difficult (or could not be done) without having the latest Help booklets on hand.) In 2013 there has been one updated, revised edition, #46 APRIL 2013, and twice a year has been the best schedule to keep up with changes and with demand. There is, as yet, no money for another cd ition this year. An application has gone in to the Gaming Commission for funds in 2014, but it is a fact that$ I 3,000 will not be approved. This is where you can and hopefully will come in. Any amount is welcome and the state of many people's personal finances is a matter of concern. Ce1tainly you will ask yourself what, if anything. you can afford. All donations above $20 will get a tax-deductible receipt. Please be as generous as you can be. It is vital that the voices of the low-i ncome, marginalised, beneath (someone"s) notice individuals in the Downtown Eastside must have a non-censored forum. All aspects of our lives amid the many pressi ng issues need to see the light of day. Respectfully subm itted. PauiR Taylor, volunteer editor since 1986
The Carnegie Newsletter is published twice monthly, 23 times a year. To donate. go online to \Vww.carnnews.org or send a cheque. payable to The Carnegie Newsletter, 401 Main Street, Van6A 2T7.