Concerns abo

I t ' s funny how doing something r i g h t is turned around t n t o looking s l eazy . This i s t h e u s u a l l y unsuspected power of language; it i s a l s o done with numbers, s t a t i s t i c s & goss ip .

Usual ly we g e t cync i ca l when t h e a c t i o n s o r exp lana t ions a r e obvious ly t ak ing some- t h ing s l e a z y - l i k e o i l co rpo ra t ions saying gaso l ine consumption & garbage i n c i n e r a t ion arc good f o r t h e environment - & making it look a s wholesome & homey a s Mom and apple p i e .

In t h e l a s t while t h e r e has been t r o u b l e a t t h e Downtown Eas t s ide Res idents Associa- t i o n (DERA). When renewal of DERA's g r a n t by t h e C i t y o f Vancouver was before C i t y Council, it was s topped u n t i l an i n v e s t i g a - t i o n was done & a r e p o r t made t o Council.

The most s e r i o u s problem was the f a c t of 2 people, who were employees, s t e a l i n g over $20,000 from a couple o f gov ' t g r a n t s .

The handling of t h i s ma t t e r , t he f i n a n c i - a l sa feguards & systems put i n t o e f f e c t t o c o r r e c t t h i n g s , agreements reached between D E R A ' s "management", t h e "employees" fi t he CUPE union, l e g a l op in ions , & Ci ty s t a f f recommendations a l l went i n t o t h e r e p o r t .

C i t y Council accepted t h e r e p o r t , adopted t h e recommendations & approved the g ran t .

CEIC, t h e f e d e r a l department t h a t funds DEW' s job c r e a t i o n p r o j e c t (bui ld ing man- agement & maintenance t r a i n i n g ) , has given approval f o r g r a n t s t o cont inue & expand.

I f t h e s t o r y stopped here , i t would seem t h a t it was a l l j u s t a b l i p in ' h i s t o r y ' E l i f e goes on. A t t h e most r ecen t DEW gene- r a l meeting, t h e f i n d i n g s of t h e i nves t iga - t i o n were made p u b l i c & c h a n ~ e s a t DEW i n

-

t h e systems t o handle money were explained One person, Ken Lyot ie r , wasn ' t s a t i s f i e d . I mention him by name because he handed in a long l e t t e r he 'd s e n t t o a l l kinds of gov ' t people 4 p o l i c e d e p q ~ t m e n t s 4 news- papers . This was about a week ago.

He then w ~ o t e another l e t t e r , more l i k e r a n t , t h a t p a i n t s t h e e n t i r e o rgan iza t ion a s being s t a f f e d by t h e worst kind of scum on t h e f a c e of t h e earth..hammering a t a l l a s though everyone t h e r e was r i pp ing money o f f from t h e poor, bedraggled r e s i d e n t s of t h e Downtown Eas t s ide i n t h e f i n e s t t r a d i - t i o n s of died-in-the-wool socreds .

I t appears c l e a r t h a t M r . Lyot ie r won't be s a t i s f i e d u n t i l he has someone's head on a p l a t e .

This Newslet ter won't be t h e medium f o r such c r ap . A t %e same time, rumour 4 exag ge ra t i on continue s o fo l lowing a r e t h e f a c t s a s I knob them.

DERA grew in t h e l a s t 5 yea r s from about 10 s t a f f t o over 40 s t a f f ; from having no DERA-managed housing t o having Four S i s t e r Co-op ( i n t e r n a t i o n a l l y acclaimed a s one of t h e f i n e s t housing ideas i n t h e world) , T e l l i e r Tower (with i t ' s h i s t o r y 4 support 4 recogni t ion a s Seniors ' housing i n t h e a r e a ) , Pendera ( t he f i r s t new cons t ruc t ion ever t o g e t a Her i tage Award, housing s e n i o r s ) , Marie Gomez (which DERA was asked t o t ake over 5 run, doing decen t ly f o r s en io r : t h e r e ) and t h e Port land Hotel (housing f o r t h e "hard-to-house" with over 30 rooms f o r d e i n s t i t u t i o n a l i z e d mental p a t i e n t s 4 t h e added r e s p o n s i b i l i t y of t r i p l e t h e s t a f f a1 t h e o t h e r bu i ld ings ) . In t h e DERA o f f i c e , increased s t a f f worked in advocacy, CEIC job - t r a in ing , neighbourhood 4 c i v i c i s s u e s , t h e s e n i o r s ' SHIPSHAPE program (funded by l k a l t h 4 Welfare Canada) 4 i t ' s of fshoot ,

A. L. I . C . E . , t h e non-prof it gene ra l s t o r e '

a t 33 W.Cordova. The Downtown Deposit Pro- j e c t , funded by S o c i a l Se rv i ce s t o he lp people g e t 1,D. 4 s e t up bank accounts t o avoid being mugged on chdque-issue day, is a l s o a t 33 W.Cordova.

Okay. DERA grew ve ry f a s t as y e a r s of hard work pa id o f f . Ongoing advocacy f o r people on we l f a r e 4 UI meshed wi th t h e work of l and lo rd / t enan t d i s p u t e s . DERA was ins t rumenta l i n g e t t i n g h o t e l r e s i d e n t s included under t h e Res iden t i a l Tenancy Act ( r u l e s 4 r i g h t s f o r l a n d l o r d s & t e n a n t s ) .

When DERA was small (under 10 people) , it was kind of a c o l l e c t i v e . Money was an ongoing problem - t h e r e wasn't much - and paying people r e g u l a r l y was o f t e n a scxam- b le . The bookkeeping system was loose bu t i t worked. A s t h e growth occurred . .as more p r o j e c t s & funding sou rces came in . . a s the c o s t s o f a d m i n i s t r a t i o n & p a y r o l l grew the f i n a n c i a l s t r u c t u r e s weren ' t t i gh t ened o r changed. Each g r a n t would have i t ' s own , 1 accounts , many people would be s ign ing of- f i c e r s on v a r i o u s accounts & a l l was assu- med t o be i n o r d e r .

A t t h e end of 1990-1991, DERA's indepen- i dent accountant advised t h a t more h i r i n g s 1 might no t be a good idea , a s s e v e r a l g r a n t I . sources were f i n i s h i n g . The person doing 1 t h e books a t DERA claimed t o have t o l d J i m Green of a coming f i n a n c i a l crunch. Green , seemed t o s e e t h i s i n t h e same l i g h t a s many "crunches" t h a t DERA had endured i n yea r s p a s t . He'd a l s o l e f t t h e money 4 'working i t o u t ' i n t h e hands o f someone '

whom no one had any reason t o suspec t of / ' running a scam.

In October o r November ' 91 t h e cashflow was i n s e r i o u s t r o u b l e , a s o f f i c e ske f f l~ , brbo:.hgd_had t h e i r wages pa id from f e e s 4 g r a n t s (not core- funding) were i n danger of having no funds f o r t h e s e wages soon. New p r o j e c t s , l i k e t h e Por t land Hotel and t h e new o f f i c e on Granv i l l e South, were not f i n a n c i a l l y independent. I t became nec- e s s a r y t o l a y o f f 8 p o s i t i o n s .

Government-funded p r o j e c t s , l i k e T e l l i e r & Pendera, came i n t o t h e f r a y a s union/ management d i f f i c u l t i e s go t blown ou t of propor t ion . Lack o f money 4 t h e need t o , pay employees a t t h e permanent jobs l e f t

I b ~ o k k e e p e r . . ~ I ' l l g e t t o it" o r "I'm p r e t t busy but I ' l l g e t t o it" o r "a t t h e end of

( t h e year" o r something. A few, l i k e Green, had never g o t t e n t h e i r vaca t ion pay f o r thc previous y e a r & were t o l d t h a t any advancec money was being deducted from t h a t s o ' no t t o worry' . Most people s topped g e t t i n g ad- vances, no t wanting t o bu i ld up a b ig debt t h a t might l eave them wi th no pay f o r a couple of weeks ' a t t h e end of t h e yea r ' . I What f i n a l l y came ou t i n March '92 was t h a t two people with s ign ing a u t h o r i t y on a couple of f e d e r a l g r a n t s had been wri t in1 and s ign ing cheques t o each o t h e r , some- t imes 2 a day. The person i n charge of t h i ! knew e x a c t l y what t o do. I t was learned a f - t e r t h i s scam was d iscovered t h a t t h i s per - son had been f i r e d from t h e i r p rev ious job f o r e x a c t l y t h e same th ing , bu t t h a t group had been s a t i s f i e d t o j u s t g e t r i d o f t h e person without p r e s s i n g charges. Audits arc a s u r e 'way t o r o o t ou t t h i s c r ap , but a r e expensive. DERA t r a d i t i o n a l l y had "Financi- a l Statements" prepared by an accountant .

on ly t h e non-funded jobs ( o f f i c e adminis t - ration) ;ts' be l a i d o f f , bu t t h e s e jobs seemed e s s e n t i a l t o DERA. From t h e ou t s ide it looked l i k e having t o c u t ou t t h e h e a r t i n o r d e r t o keep t h e arms E l e g s working.

In January '92 t h e income t a x s t u f f was being done . . the numbers t h a t go on a per - son ' s T4 have t o be v e r i f i e d by t h e "em- ployer". The person doing t h i s found t h a t a couple of people had g o t t e n thousands of d o l l a r s more than they were supposed t o g e t , It happened by way o f "advances" on t h e i r pay. For y e a r s , i f you needed an ad- vance on your next paycheque, you could g e t one and t h e amount would then be de- duc ted , The ma jo r i t y of people working a t DERA had done t h i s from t ime t o t ime and t h e person doing t h e income tax s t u f f i n 3an . '92 s t a r t e d checking a l l employees' wages a g a i n s t what t h e y had a c t u a l l y been pa id . I t t u rned ou t t h a t about 35 people had g o t t e n advances ove r t h e p a s t year . The l a r g e s t t a t 3 1 Was j u s t under $700. A number of people had g o t t e n $100 o r $200, bu t none of t h e s e 35 had had t h e advanced amounts deducted from f u t u r e paycheques.

When v a r i o u s employees asked, dur ing t h e year , t h e y were given vague answers by t h e

- j u s t ensures t h a t funds & t h e i r use is accounted f o r (which i s t o o s i m p l i s t i c an explana t ion but I'm not an accountant) and t h e cover l e t t e r of t h e accounting f i rm says t h a t i t ' s not designed t o d i s cove r f r aud o r misappropr ia t ion) . The 2 people knew t h i s & never took t o o much a t one time, so i t would not be no t i ced .

It was. Af t e r a d e t a i l e d examination of '90- '91, t h e books f o r '89- '90 were a l s o checked. The long-time employee had been advancing himself money f o r years . The per- son who joined him i n t h i s scam discovered what he was doing soon a f t e r coming t o work a t DERA i n October '90 6 was ioon ad - vancing h e r s e l f money with him a s t h e 2nd s i g n e r on h e r cheques. In t o t a l she got ove r $9,000 between Oct. '90 4 Mar. ' 92 . Ile go t ove r $16,000 between Oct. '89 & Mar. ' 9 2 .

What's r e a l l y d i sgus t ing i s t h a t the same person who claimed t o have warned Green about t h e coming f i n a n c i a l crunch was t h e same person with h i s hand i n t h e t i l l , cont inuing t o "advance" himself money know- ing t h a t f r i e n d s E co-workers would soon be l a i d o f f .

Okay. I'm on t h e Board of D i r ec to r s of DERA. I know e x a c t l y how much t h e s e people s t o l e . I a l s o know who they a r e . ~ ~ o i i e r wants t h e i r i d e n t i t y made pub l i c & charges l a i d . So d o ' I . I t h i n k t h e one guy who has been doing t h i s f o r yea r s should spend a few of them i n a cage. Legally, making h i s ( h e r ) name p u b l i c would be s l ande r . A l eg- a l op in ion s a i d t h a t t h e loo-e system a t PERA (everi though it seems t o have been kept l oose on purpose by t h i s same man) & I t ' s u s e by 35 people would l i k e l y make a c r imina l conv ic t i on d i f f i c u l t .

I t seems t h a t t h i s 'kind of t h i n g ' happ- ens. I t seems t h a t i f you run a s leazy scam & g e t thousands (or m i l l i o n s ) you g e t a s l a p on t h e wrist; i f you hold up a 7-11 you- g e t 3-5 yea r s . . .

Anyway, because of t h i s one jackass , DERA has been 'demoted' i n t h e eyes of t h e C i ty of Vancouver, now having t o have an annual review t o ge t i t ' s g r a n t i n s t ead of once

t i o n and t h e Downtown Eas t s ide Res idents ' Associat ion Housing Soc ie ty . . . ag ree t o the fol lowing : 1. t o provide t h e C i t y of Vancouver wi th

annual audi ted f i n a n c i a l s ta tements f o r both s o c i e t i e s along wi th any management l e t t e r provided by t h e a u d i t o r ;

2. t o provide t h e C i t y of Vancouver wi th a q u a r t e r l y r epo r t on t h e implementation of i n t e r n a l f i n a n c i a l c o n t r o l s ;

3. t o immediately engage t h e s e r v i c e s of an independent a u d i t o r t o review t h e i n - t e r n a l c o n t r o l s i n p l a c e and t o make r e - commendations f o r improvement;

4 . t o cont inue t h e p o s i t i o n of accountant on a f u l l - t i m e , permanent b a s i s . F luc tua t ions i n t h e f i n a n c i a l h e a l t h of

any o rgan i sa t i on a r e normal. Real boa t s rock. When such i n s i d e t h i e v e r y occu r s the people who approve g r a n t s o r p r o j e c t s g e t p r e t t y t i g h t with t h e i r money. DERA i s noh c l ea red wi th t h e expuls ion o f t h e s e two people, bu t w i l l have t o r e b u i l d confiden- c e with funding sources .

P r in t i ng L y o t i e r ' s damning r a n t would only s e rve h i s own i n t e r e s t s i n t h i s , s o i f he i n s i s t s i n spreading h i s op in ion o f DERA i n gene ra l & J i m Green i n p a r t i c u l a r , h e ' s welcome t o s tand on some co rne r and hand out whatever he wants. I have no doubt he w i l l storm t h e next Carnegie Bd. meeting t o demand my r e s igna t ion . I t won't be t h e f i r s t t ime o r t h e l a s t . So it goes.

By PAULR TAYLOR

-

"..FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO."

F ive hundred y e a r s a f t e r t h e b i r t h of E C h r i s t , Hypathia, t h e phi losopher , teacher & p r i e s t e s s who was cus todian of t h e royal l i b r a r y i n Alexandria , Egypt, where a l l c t h e w r i t t e n information on anc i en t Egypti- an r e l i g i o n , magic & sacred sc i ence was b s to red by t h e Greeks, was t o r t u r e d & k i l l - c ed by C h r i s t i a n monks under t h e o r d e r s of j C y r i l , a bishop of Alexandria appointed by' 1

t h e pope. f I n t h e 5 t h cen tu ry A.D. C h r i s t i a n persec-

u t i o n of non-Chr is t ians , & p a r t i c u l a r l y I of i n t e l l e c t u a l women who p r a c t i c e d "pagan phi losophies , was ga in ing momentum. The

d

b r i l l i a n t & b e a u t i f u l Hypathia, daughter ' i

of t h e mathematician Theon, honoured f o r F he r s p i r i t u a l a t t a inmen t s & i n t e l l e c t u a l h a b i l i t i e s throughout a l l of Egypt, was 1 surrounded by a gang of C h r i s t i a n monks, / f dragged i n t o a church, & skinned a l i v e . . . i t h a t i s , h e r f l e s h was l i t e r a l l y scraped f from h e r body wi th charpened clam s h e l l s & he r corpse d e f i l e d , dragged o f f & burned. t

The pope 's henchmen, C y r i l & h i s monks, I 6 then succeeded i n b locking an o f f i c i a l in- t v e s t i g a t i o n i n t o h e r murder by paying o f f va r ious l o c a l bu reauc ra t s , a f t e r which t h e 1 l i b r a r y a t Alexandria was sacked & burned by C h r i s t i a n s . Thus they succeeded i n des- t roy ing a l l w r i t t e n records of Egyptian s c i ence , mathematics, phi losophy, psychol- ogy & magic developed many thousands of yea r s be fo re t h e C h r i s t i a n e r a . This happened 500 y e a r s a f t e r t h e teach-

i ngs of J e s u s , who i n s t r u c t e d fo l lower s t o \ love t h e i r enemies, e t c . I

L a t e r , i n 1882, pope Leo XI11 canonized C y r i l making him a C h r i s t i a n s a i n t - a t i t l e which he bea r s t o t h i s day. I

Hypathia 's gruesome t o r t u r e & murder, I

c a r r i e d ou t on t h e o r d e r s of t h e C h r i s t i a n " sa in t " ended t h e development & t eaching 1

of a l l p re-Chr is t ian knowledge i n Egypt, ' & ensured t h a t we would never have any d i - r e c t a c c e s s t o t h e s o p h i s t i c a t e d s p i r i t u a l s c i ences developed by our Egyptian ancest- o r s . TORA

I CELEBRATIONS!!

On J u l y l s t , whi le a few people h e r e E t h e r e were doing Canada Day s t u f f ,

g members E i n v i t e d g u e s t s of t h e Four S i s t e r s Housing Co-operative were busy c e l e b r a t i n g t h e i r 5 t h ann iversa ry .

The 153-uni t complex f i r s t opened i n May 1987. The Reno b u i l d i n g on Alexand

: e r S t r e e t opened i n March, but t h e new ; 7-s to rey h i g h r i s e (87 s u i t e s ) E 3% s t o

r e y l o w r i s e (13 s u i t e s ) weren ' t q u i t e f i n i s h e d .

A r c h i t e c t u r a l awards E i n t e r n a t i o n a l r e c o g n i t i o n a r e e x c i t i n g , but s o many documentaries G videos E t o u r s by v i s - i t i n g d i g n i t a r i e s sometimes l eave peo- p l e l i v i n g t h e r e wondering i f t h e y a r e home o r i n a v e r s i o n o f Expo. In t h e last year Four S i s t e r s was nominated f o r t h e most p r e s t i g i o u s housing award i n t h e world, one o f 5 f i n a l i s t s E t h e

1 f i r s t ever f i n a l i s t from North America I No, a l l t h i s i s n ' t crowed about a t

t h e cour tya rd barbeque..everybody know: ' 6 food i s g e t t i n g cold . I t ' s j u s t n i c e ' t o reem o f f t h e high p o i n t s now E then

On J u l y 12 th t h e S t ra thcona Community Gardens he ld i t s Annual Open House and i n v i t e d everybody from everywhere! By 2 pm t h e r e were over 100 people, some walking, some being 'gu ided ' , some j u s t having fun sp lash ing i n t h e water. Most of t h e fun- lovers were k i d s (except f o r one o ld - t imer who was a t l e a s t 30 who t r i e d t o p a s s by edging towards t h e water on h i s knees. Two 4 year -o lds s p o t t e d him r i g h t away E t h a t was a s f a r a s he g o t . )

Homemade cookies E lemonade E var ious snacks adorned a t a b l e near t h e hot- house. Bob's c h i l i was r e p o r t e d l y se rv- ed E no ambulances were heard. VIP's were in t roduced by Rosalyn Breckner a s p r e s i d e n t of t h e Gardens Soc ie ty , in- c luding Margaret M i t c h e l l , t h e NDP MP f o r Vancouver East , Libby Davies 6 Pat Wilson, COPE Counc i l lo r s a t Vancouver's C i t y H a l l , Tim Louis, Dermot Foley E J e r r y Thorpe, COPE Park Board Commiss- i o n e r s , and a couple of Master Garden- e r s from Van Dusen Gardens were a l s o p r e s e n t . Diane MacKenzie, Carneg ie ' s

Director , was introduced with an honor- ab le mention given t o her bucket of i c e f o r her f e e t . Oh yeah, Gordon Campbell was the re +oo. He's NPA, ac t ing a s t h e mayor. , .-ad==. - . y - - -

What got t he most applause was the , request before the Parks Board t o renew

the l ea se i n February f o r 10 years , in - - stead of t he usual 2 o r 3 years . There has been so much done i n t he pas t 273: - years t o show t h e inc red ib l e energy of loca l gardeners t h a t 10 years seems

when I s i t and t h i n k of you

i t ' s l i k e t a k i n g a t r i p t o t h e zoo

p l e a s u r e w i t h s e e i n g f a c e s of be ing

a homo s a p i e n

m u l t i t u d i n a l a t t i t u d e s

a n t h r o p o l o g i c a l h i s t o r i e s

p h i l o s o p h i e s w i t h a z i p

p e r s p e c t i v e s w i t h a zap

360 d e g r e e s t o every p o i n t on every c i r c l e add ing t o t h e dimension of

s e r i a l d i s s e c t ion ad i n • ’ in i tum

when I s i t and t h i n k of you

I know freedom of e x p r e s s i o n i n be ing

a homo s a p i e n "b'y?

"Last December, when t h e Min i s t ry s t opped7 . forced employment of s i n g l e p a r e n t s on wel- b a r e , I thought t h i s would be my chance t o

e t t h e degree I want. My worker t o l d me h a t t h e Min i s t ry would no t pay f o r c o l l e g e ransf e r c r e d i t cou r se s ." He t r i e d t o convince me t o t ake a course

a F i n a n c i a l Aid Worker & work my way up

SO a s u p e r v i s o r i n t h e Minis t ry!"

"I d i d n ' t want t o work i n t h e Min i s t ry . The g u i d e l i n e s a r e too r e s t r i c t i v e , workloads too g r e a t & s t a f f a r e underpaid. I t would be ve ry d i f f i c u l t t o have t o make people e x i s t Ln low w e l f a r e r a t e s . "

"My concern about t h e new change i n po l i cy SINGLE PARENTS & HANDICAPPED PEOPLE ON t h a t i t is cont ingent on funds a v a i l a b l e "

WELFARE CAN GET TMINING i r i l l o exp l a ined . "What i f Minis t ry funds

The 3-year l imit on educa t iona l & is a sing1e parent to

courses f o r s i n g l e p a r e n t s & her f u t u r e if she be guaranteed

people on we l f a r e has been removed, opening many new o p t i o n s , i nc lud ing l onge r pe r iods "Ministry of S o c i a l Se rv i ce s should do some

of c o l l e g e & u n i v e r s i t y enro l lment . "This change i n p o l i c y recognizes t h a t f o r /

t h e s e groups a minimum wage job may no t be i t r a i n i n g of cho i ce should be a v a i l a b l e t o

s u f f i c i e n t f o r them t o suppor t themselves. ' a l l Canadians. T h a t ' s what pub l i c educa t ion

This change w i l l a s s i s t them t o p r epa re Leans ! "

themselves f o r t h e i r f u t u r e , " s a i d Joan ' "Education is good, but i t i s n ' t t h e answer

Smallwood, Min i s t e r o f S o c i a l Se rv i ce s . t o unemployment," Linda Marcot te of End Leg-

"My m i n i s t r y is committed t o moving away i s l a t e d Pover ty t o l d a Community Panel on

from t h e p a t e r n a l i s t i c approach t o s o c i a l Educat ion & People w i th D i s a b i l i t i e s i n June.

programs. We're b u i l d i n g programs t h a t sup- "We s t i l l need people t o pump g a s , sew

p o r t people , n o t t r a p them in a c y c l e of 'lathes, 'lean & be cashiers'

dependence." Along w i t h t r a i n i n g , we need h igher minimum

There a r e c u r r e n t l y 64 ,125 single wages f o r jobs that are day-

f a m i l i e s on we l f a r e & 18,250 persons r e ~ e i v - ~ ~ ~ ~ ' low cost & higher

ing handicapped b e n e f i t s . "Higher minimum wages would af f e c t t he

Se rv i ce s i nc lude funding f o r v o c a t i o n a l take Canada O u t O f

t r a i n i n g , work exper ience plaaements, on- 'the added. the- j ob t r a i n i n g , s u b s i d i e s & employment (from FLAWline) programs.

"If s i n g l e p a r e n t s & handicapped people on we l f a r e propose programs t h a t would lead t o a d e f i n i t e job o r c a r e e r , they w i l l be e l i g -

I i b l e f o r t u i t i o n c o s t s & m a t e r i a l s , medica l , ; d e n t a l & daycare subs idy ," J ane Nudry of I Communications Div is ion s a i d .

" I ' m going down t o t h e Min i s t ry o f f i c e H g h t away t o apply t o go t o u n i v e r s i t y t o ge t a s o c i a l work degree," s a i d S h e r i P i r i l - 10 , s i ng l e pa ren t on we l f a r e . " I ' v e been t r y ing t o g e t t h e Min i s t ry t o suppor t me i n t h i s choice f o r a long time."

HOUSING AN INDELIBLE MEMORY

Only sad memories prevail now As my exterior

Has become extinct

Though there was a time When life itself

Was bursting at my seams 1 But now, memories

Ahbrace a chilling thought Of where I once stood 1

I

The 'needed ' feel ing !

From my interior Has been erased forever

But the warmth of good times I

And of those a little less i be housed in my indelible memory

Verna Johnst on

CARNEGIE CENTRE

I know a p l ace i n t h e c e n t r e of town Where people go t o meet new f r i e n d s The meals a r e g r e a t , t h e c o f f e e t o o I l i k e t h e p l a c e and so w i l l you

The Learning Centre i s on 3rd ' with people who c a r e about you - - C a f e t e r i a , gym, on 2nd with l o t s of room t o s i t L ibrary , t h e a t r e and games on 1 s t with a b ig i n f o desk too

Seniors a r e i n t h e basement with co f f ee , TV room, Pool room a l s o p o t t e r y , photography p l aces t o s i t and winding s t a i r s t h a t a r e f a s t e r than t h e e l e v a t o r

Come i n some time, Meet new f r i e n d s , The people r e a l 1 y c a r e Poets , musicians, ches s p l a y e r s You w i l l f i n d them t h e r e

Dreamweaver

I enjoyed reading your r e c e n t a r t i c l e on A I D S ( A I D S : What it i s & What it i s n ' t by P.Taylor) . I t i s t o t h e p o i n t , avoiding both s e n t i m e n t a l i t y & se l f - r i gh t eousnes s . I t reminded me of an e x c e l l e n t a r t i c l e I read r e c e n t l y on "BLAMING THE VICTIM". You might want t o r e p r i n t i t .

I Blaming the Victim by Susan Ince.

When Joan Borysenko h a s ' a co ld , h o s p i t a l co-workers smile & g l o a t . ''You must tve been very s t r e s s e d l a t e l y , I f t o t h e cofounder of t h e mindlbody c l i n i c i n Boston. " I f you wanted a few days o f f why d i d n ' t you j u s t t ake a vacat ion?" T e l l i n g people t h a t t hey c r e a t e t h e i r own i l l n e s s - whether mundane o r l i f e - t h r e a t e n i n g - has become s o c i a l l y acceptable . Such New Age th ink ing , which holds t h a t i n d i v i d u a l s a r e r e spons ib l e f o r t h e i r own i l l n e s s e s & can h e a l themselves by a l t e r i n g troublesome thought p a t t e r n s , has moved beyond guru-chic & i n t o modern h o s p i t a l c a r e , TV t a l k shows & mainstream b e s t - s e l l e r l is ts . ItPeople have r e a l i z e d t h a t t h e mind has an impact on t h e body, which i s a good thing" says Borysenko, au tho r o f Minding t h e Body Mendine t h e Mind. The b e n e f i t o f t h i s rea- " l i z a t i o n i s t h a t people a r e more encourag- ed t o t a k e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r maintaining t h e i r own h e a l t h 6 f i t n e s s , she says. Even high-tech medical c e n t r e s a r e t ak ing advan t age of t h e mind's h e a l i n g powers through such techniques a s biofeedback, v i s u a l i z a - t i o n & s t r e s s management. But Borysenko ob j e c t s when people t ake a ke rne l of t r u t h from t h e mindlbody philosophy, such: , a s t h e f a c t t h a t profoundly depressed people have a s l i g h t l y depressed immune system 4 may be more s u s c e p t i b l e t o c o l d s & cancer , and i n f l a t e it t o r e l i g i o u s p ropor t i ons , say- ing t h a t depressed people c r e a t e t h e i r co lds o r cancer & could hea l themselves i f on ly t hey p r a c t i c e d more p o s i t i v e thought. The danger i s t h a t , i n s t e a d of encouraging more p o s i t i v e thought , t h e New Age ph i lo s - ophy p i l e s another load on to t h e phys ica l - l y ill: New Age g u i l t .

Michigan t eache r Susan DuVall s t ruggled 9 . r i t h t h i s when she confronted b r e a s t car,- : e r a t 31. "1 bel ieved it a l l . I used t o hink i n terms of cur ing myself, saving my- , e l f , t h a t it was up t o me whether I l i v e lr d i e . But I f i n a l l y r e a l i z e d t h a t t h i s lay of th inking d i d n ' t f e e l r i g h t . I t f e l t i k e a burden, l i k e I was k i l l i n g myself kecause I wasn ' t th inking & doing every- hing r i g h t ." Five yea r s l a t e r DuVall s t i l l embraces ,evera l a s p e c t s of h o l i s t i c hea l th c a r e , 'ollowing a macrobiot ic d i e t & us ing acu- m c t u r e , herbs , meditation/visualization echniques 6 e x e r c i s e i n an e f f o r t t o bol -

i t e r he r immune system. But she no longer hinks about a s p i r i t u a l cu re o r f e e l s gu i - t y when she exper iences a phys ica l s e t - ~ a c k , ~ ~ N o w I focus on t h e q u a l i t y of l i f e I :an g ive myself. I f e e l hea l thy . Maybe I rill extend myself f o r a r e a l l y long l i f e - ime 6 maybe I won't bu t I won't f e e l l i k e

L f a i l u r e i f I d o n ' t , " she says . A death- )ed sense of de fea t i s t h e i n e v i t a b l e out - :ome of be l i ev ing i n t o t a l se l f - respons ib- ~ l i t y f o r i i l n e s s , according t o Stephen >evine i n Healing i n t o Li fe and Death. He l l so b e l i e v e s t h a t New Age th inking makes i f e more d i f f i c u l t f o r people l i v i n g with

:hronic i l l n e s s e s . " I t makes your sense of ralue go up & down with your symptoms. I t .s t h e hea l thy person, no t t h e ch ron ica l ly .ll one, who reaps t h e b e n e f i t s of t h e New

Age emphasis o? r e s p o n s i b i l i t y 1 posi t ive th ink ing , says :heri Reg i s t e r i n L iv ing with ~ h E o n i c I l l n e s s : Days of Pa t i ence and Passion."Often people a r e r e a l l y saying, 'This could nevkr happen t o me1 & 'Be pos i - t i v e so I don ' t have t o s u f f e r see ing you i n your misery.'Dana Ullman, au tho r o f - Hom- eopathy: Medicine f o r t h e 21s t Century, l a - b e l s t h e phenomenon "we1 l n e s s macho' .

Like Borysenko's co-workers, t h e h e a l t h y seem t o t ake increas ing p l e a s u r e i n po in t - ing ou t t h e s p i r i t u a l f laws of t h e ill. ' When one woman mentioned t o ano the r t h a t she had a vagina l i n f e c t i o n , h e r f r i e n d g l e e f u l l y ran t o consu l t t h e w r i t i n g o f Louise Hay, t h e r e ign ing queen of New Age hea l ing , so she could inform t h e woman she was 'doing wrong.'The home medical guide she consui ted , Heal Your Body, i s a laundr: l i s t of more than 200 phys i ca l symptoms - every th ing from acne t o AIDS, c e l l u l i t e t o cancer . Each symptom i s matched t o i t s s p i r i t u a l 'probable cause ' & with a 'new thought p a t t e r n ' t o r e p l a c e t h e o l d one t h a t ' s supposedly caus ing t h e problem. The v e r d i c t on vagina l i n f e c t i o n s ? 'Anger a t a mate. Sexual g u i l t . Punishing t h e s e l f . 'Th book's ' d i agnos i s ' no t on ly l e f t t h e woman with v a g i n i t i s , bu t with new worr ies about a previous1 y p l ea su reab le r e l a b i o n s h i p J

Pursuing Hay ' s symptom-list , it appears t h a t our bodies a r e not on ly embarrassing1 Freudian, t hey a r e wicked punmakers. Bladd e r problems sp r ing from being ' p i s s e d o f f ' p o l i o is caused by 'para lyz ing j e a l o u s y t . When addressing an a d u l t ' s t r a n s i t o r y a i l - ments, Louise Hay's s p i r i t u a l causes can seem as innocuous f, u n i v e r s a l l y a p p l i c a b l e a s newspaper horoscopes. However, i n expl - a in ing t h e d i s e a s e s of c h i l d r e n , t h e f u l l e x t e n t t o which she blames t h e v i c t im i s revea led . Bi r th d e f e c t s , she w r i t e s , a r e "karmic. You s e l e c t e d t o come t h a t way. We choose o u r pa ren t s . I t

!our L i f e topped- t h e 1988 New Age b e s t - s e l - ' l e r l i s t & was a s u r p r i s e t o p t e n e n t r y i n

I n f a n t s wi th asthma have a ' f e a r o f l i f e . Vot wanting t o be here. "'There i s no b a s i s fo r t h i s t ype of t h ink ing i n Buddhism o r m y o t h e r myst ica l r e l i g i o u s t r a d i t i o n , " says Ken Wilber, a psychologis t who has nade a s tudy of t h e r e l a t i o n s h i p between l e a l i n g f, r e l i g i o n . " I t i s a magical t h ink - ing on a 4-year-old l e v e l , a s s i l l y a s ' s t e p on a c rack , break your mother 's back' Milber is b l u n t about t h e damage New Age

:he New York Times' s e l f - h e l p l i s t i n g s : An- '

) t h e r b e s t - s e l l i n g au tho r , Bernie S e i a e l MD

' I

I

I

,

tho wrote Love, ~ i i d i c i n e & Mirac les &-the 'orthcoming Peace, Love & Healing, has mought New Age 'blaming t h e v i c t im ' t o t h e

3hilosophy has caused t h e p h y s i c a l l y ill. l e c i t e s p a i n f u l g u i l t , plummeting s e l f - e s - , teem & need le s s dea th f o r some people who , idopt a mind-only approach t o t r e a t a b l e , , i l l n e s s e s . But Louise Hay's one-to-one matchup o f sy- ,

nptoms with psychic f l aws & s p i r i t u a l magic ; m l l e t s is enormously popular . According t o

,

' ub l i she r s Weekly, h e r r e c e n t You Can Heal

led ica l mainstream. ~ f t & h e r mastectomy, i z He l l e r , a P re sby te r i an m i n i s t e r , was '

;hocked t o hea r a s e i g e l - i n s p i r e d l e c t u r e .n a hospi ta l - sponsored informat ion & supp- ,rt group. Previous s e s s i o n s had o f f e r ed ,

w a c t i c a l information on b r e a s t cancer and .reatment. A t t h e l a s t meeting t h e l eade r lescr ibed t h e "breas t cancer pe r sona l i t y ' ' & mformed t h e women t h a t t hey had c r ea t ed . h i s i l l n e s s f o r themselves i n response t o ; t r e s s . H e l l e r f e l t f u r t h e r maligned s t r e s s . He1 l e r f e 1 t f u r t h e r maligned when she read S e i g e l ' s d e s c r i p t i o n o f cancer p a t i e n t s a s d is ingenuous ly n i c e , "compul- s i v e l y proper1' hypes who "are g iv ing only i n o r d e r t o r e c e i v e . If

''Somebody po in t ing t h e f i n g e r a t you, say- ing you've caused t h i s f o r y o u r s e l f , makes you f e e l a b s o l u t e l y t e r r i b l e , " s a i d Ue l l e r & = a f t e r t h e i n i t i a l shock she argued with t h e l e a d e r . A s a m i n i s t e r H e l l e r f e e l s he r s p i r i t u a l l i f e i s i n o r d e r & says t h e f i v e yea r s be fo re she d iscovered t h e cancer were t h e happ ie s t i n h e r l i f e . "1 was t h e only one who ob jec t ed . And, o f course , i f you p r o t e s t t oo much, t hey say T e e , she r e a l l y i s under s t r e s s . "

0

Today, t 3 e way people who a r e newly d iag- nosed wi th cancer a r e bombarded with t h c New Age th ink ing o f t e n r e s u l t s i n s t r e s s phobia, a f e a r t h a t d i f f i c u l t thoughts and l i f e ' s everyday s t r e s s e s can l i t e r a l l y k i l l you. To he lp cancer s t r e s s -phob ia and such New Age g u i l t , two women wi th b r e a s t cancer - V i c t o r i a Wells 6 Treya Wilber - founded t h e Cancer Support Community i n San Franc isco , provid ing a suppor t i ve env- ironment i n which people can explore every t h ing from h o l i s t i c t o h igh- tech ways t o combat cancer . "Instead of looking a t e i t h e r / o r of chemo- therapy o r macrobio t ics , we say "Why d o n ' t you look at both?" says Wells."Then, what- eve r people b e l i e v e i n , a f t e r c o l l e c t i n g t h e informat ion , we support t h e i r choice . S p i r i t u a l l y , i n s t e a d of shoulds, blame & g u i l t , we b e l i e v e t h e r e ' s a middle ground where people can v e r y g e n t l y look a t t h e i r l i v e s E slowly change t h i n g s t h a t t hey th ink would make t h e i r l i v e s more worth-

. while ." The founder of ano the r support o rganiza-

t i o n , J a c k i e Winnow, cons ide r s New Age , g u i l t j u s t one more way t o t r a n s f e r t h e

"blame f o r being s i c h t o t h e ind iv idua l . ' ' "If we say t h a t each ind iv idua l c r e a t e s t h e i r own i l l n e s s , t h a t t a k e s t h e onus o f f t h e r e s e a r c h e r s F, t h e p o l l u t e r s , " Winnow s a y ~ . ~ ' B l a m i n g o u r s e l v e s f o r environmental- l y caused i l l n e s s e s is l i k e blaming f i s h i n Lake E r i e f o r dying,"agrees Dana Ullman Ken Wilber adds, " I f he a c c i d e n t a l l y i n - h a l e s plutonium, t h e r e ' s a 99.9% chance t h a t even Bernie S e i g e l i s going t o g e t . lung cancer . Tha t ' s no t a s p i r i t u a l lesson . . i t ' s a p r a c t i c a l f a c t . " Wilber emphasi- zes t h a t people can respond t o a c c i d e n t s & i l l n e s s e s i n p o s i t i v e ways without t ak ing t h e i l l o g i c a l l e a p of be l i ev ing t h a t t hey caused t h e i l l n e s s . "Diseases d o n ' t have t o have a mental o? s p i r i t u a l cause t o spur mental o r s p i r i t u a l a c t i o n , t h a t would be a good i d e a whether o r no t you a r e s i ck . "

Submitted by Michel le Charbonnier

PROCESS 1s ALL

Every dea th des t roys me, Every f a i l u r e ' s mine.

A l l my l i f e ' s a growing A l l my growth ' s a dying.

Space i s always with us , Time i s never s t i l l .

Come and go i s l i v i n g Am, have been, u n t i l .

0 0 0

A l l knowledge is a song.

We must s i n g searching And shout out t h e

h a l l e l u j a h s of discovery.

Swell ing t h e universe with New Triumphal

Marching songs And dance tunes

And love melodies Of ever-expanding

Awareness and Rejoicing in Life , L i f e , L i f e !

We who a r e NOT conquerors But Crea to r s

W i l l do t h i s .

We s h a l l s e t a s i d e t h e des t roye r s We s h a l l render them impotent:

Triumphing In t h e d i a l e c t i c a l negat ion Of t h e negat ive By t h e p o s i t i v e ---

Synthes iz ing LIFE

A t new l e v e l s In new spheres , - Forever we s h a l l move Singing the1 c l a sh ing harmonies

of t h e cosmos - O f t ime and space:

Alive fo reve r i n i nc reas ing knowledge In ever-renewed and ever re -def in ing

awareness.

Bea F.

DON ' T SEPARATEJ-MY -- SISTERS

We came as one that day We gathered to mourn her We kindred sisters and gentle men

Family and friends, crying softly to the winds To ask why,

Why another passing of one so young? Her spirit had been shattered,

SPLIT Strewn to different paths by a savage encounter

with a night hawk. We came together that day

To make it right To make it whole To begin the healing.

Cedar bows placed gently Wherever she had been found

We followed the scent of sweetgras.~ and sage, And the prayers of the Medicine Mother. Only the sounds of tears breaking through

the procession. What right have you to separate my sisters?

You talked of calling upon the warriors, to take control.

What of the Warrior Women? My sisters of shades, We lifegivers.

- Did you not know? We had trudged these paths before

TOO MANY TIMES. In rain and cold,in heated debate with politicians and media

WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH. Enough violence Enough beatings Enough stabbings brain tortured to inevitable death. We marched in the streets

With placards. We shouted. We screamed. NO MORE. NO MORE.

Then, we were brought together again. Some did not know her. It did not matter.

Yet we grieved for ANOTHER sister taken from us.

What right have you to coral us by our colors? I prayed you would not speak those words. What right have you to put an invisible wedge

between us? ARE YOU NOT OUR SISTER ALSO?

Dear Don Larson, 7

Thank you f o r your l e t t e r sent t o the Carnegie Newsletter Ed i to r i a l Committee G -

copied t o Joyce Preston, the Mayor, and &el f .

As you know, Don, the Carnegie Newslett- e r i s financed s o l e l y by the Carnegie Com- munity Centre Association through i t s own fundraising e f f o r t s . The City of Vancouver makes no monetary contr ibut ion whatsoever.

I assume you would not expect t h e Mayor o r Director of Social Planning o r myself t o attempt t o exerc ise any kind of ed i to r - i a l censorship over a se l f - sus ta in ing com- munity publ ica t ion. The Newsletter Commit- t e e w i l l decide what a r t i c l e s merit publ i - cat.ion without the guidance of Ci ty s t a f f o r e lec ted o f f i c i a l s .

S incere ly , Diane- MacKenzie, Director, Carnegie Community -- Centre.

/

CARNEGIE READING ROOM NEWS

The Reading Room welcomes new s t a f f member Lianne DesBrisay. Lianne rep- l a c e s Todd G n i s s i o s , who h a s gone t o . R i l e y Park f o r 1 y e a r . Lianne comes t o u s from t h e D i r e c t o r i e s Department of t h e C e n t r a l L ib ra ry and h a s worked i n s e v e r a l o t h e r VPL l o c a t i o n s . She i s looking forward t o h e r y e a r w i t h u s h e r e a t Carnegie Cen t re .

We a r e a l s o say ing thank you t o o u r o l d l i b r a r y committee members: Barb Morrison and Larry Loyier . Barb served on t h i s committee f o r 4 y e a r s and w i l l b e ve ry much missed. Her l o y a l t y and d e d i c a t i o n was v e r y important t o t h e Reading Room s t a f f . Lar ry j o i n e d last y e a r and brought h i s l i t e r a c y E w r i t - i ng i n t e r e s t s t o t h e Reading Room a c t - i v i t i e s . We wish them b o t h luck i n t h e i r new v e n t u r e s and hope t o s e e them around now and t h e n .

Our new l i b r a r y committee i n c l u d e s : S h e i l a Baxter , Wayne Kel l and , Margaret P revos t and I r e n e Schmidt. We a r e v e r y

KATHERINE I Dearest Katherine,I remember, 1 Back f o r t y years ago; I I The innocence and pleasures, While walking through t h e snow. , The meeting of a p r e t t y g i r l , I

Who smiled and sa id hel lo ; A pe r fec t day i n Paradise, Back f o r t y years ago.

Dearest Katherine, I remember, A time i n e a r l y spr ing; The ecs tasy of l iv ing , That only Love could bring. The sweet f i r e of i t s passion, Kept i t s embers i n my soul; A l l of t h i s I s t i l l remember, Back f o r t y years ago.

Now i t ' s a l l alone I wander. Upon an empty stage; Where I must watch the twi- l ight , With eyes s i f u l l of age. Left with thoughts and my emotions, For a g i r l I used t o know; For the g i r l whose name was Katherine,

)I I Back f o r t y years ago.

Michael Ja , e s McLellan 9 p l e a s e d t o have such d e d i c a t e d Down- town E a s t s i d e r e s i d e n t s , whose know12 edge w i l l h e l p u s w i t h f u t u r e p l a n s f o r t h e Reading Room. The f i r s t commi- t t e e meeting w i l l b e Tuesday, J u l y 21, a t 4 pm i n t h e A s s o c i a t i o n O f f i c e .

Eleanor

REVOLUTION

The word Revolut ion d o e s n ' t s c a r e me Revolut ion: a change and turn-around A Revo lu t ionary new change Should mean a t u r n towards t h e b e t t e r An advanced a g r i c u l t u r e - b a s e d s o c i e t y .

Greg Robinson, CEEDS

PAM FLEM l NG has uo~ked at End Legiskwd Pouerty (ELI') jw hree years. Sh i s he dim of& front line' advocaq workn' newsletter, FLAW

Irne and h travrllrd around B.C. giving workshops and organizing low

income groups. Pam IS also known ac; P.J. Flaming, poet and cultural u o r b .

Poverty issues End Leg i s l a t ed Poverty i s a c o a l i t i o n o f

28 groups i n BC working t o g e t h e r t o reduce and end poverty. We h e l p o u r members orga- n i z e low-income & unemployed people. Right now we a r e f i g h t i n g f o r a minimum wage of $9.05 an hour & f o r we l f a r e r a t e s a t t h e pover ty l i n e . And we a r e working f o r food programs i n schools i n low-income a reas .

We encourage coopera t ion & u n i t y between working & non-working people. We a s s i s t o r g a n i s a t i o n s r ep re sen t ing low- income and

1 unemployed people wi th informat ion sha r ing , j o i n t campaigns & a c t i o n s , & educat ion ab- out t h e need t o end pover ty & c r e a t e dec- e n t jobs.

We have 3 n e w s l e t t e r s , FLAWline, ACTION- LINE, & t h e ELP Newsle t te r w r i t t e n by/ for

I low-income people. We g e t g r e a t feedback from low-income people because t h e s e pub- l i c a t i o n s a r e s h o r t , easy t o r ead , & f u l l

I o f good ca r toons & a n a l y s i s . One o f ou r c o n t r i b u t o r s , S h e i l a Baxter, has w r i t t e n 2 books. One i s c a l l e d No Way t o Live: Poor

\ Women Speak Out & t h e o t h e r book i s Under t h e Viaduct: Homeless i n Beau t i fu l B.C. i n which people t e l l t h e i r own s t o r i e s . . -

ELP1s l a t e s t success is t h e "corporate agenda" workshop us ing a popular educa t ion model where p a r t i c i p a n t s read & provide answers t o t h e ques t ions . We t each o u r s e l - ve s how t o t each ou r se lves & t h a t is r e a l - l y important . We a r e no t e x p e r t s who j e t t -

matter where we are - in the downtown east side of Vancouver or in Terrace - what poor people need to know the most i s that poverty is not our fault.

ison o u r s e l v e s i n , impart ou r wonderful knowledge, 6 then leave. People g e t t o i n - t e r n a l i z e t h e message.

We a r e t r y i n g t o g e t funding t o do book- l e t s & videos about our successes & organ- i z i n g t o o l s . In t h e an t i -pove r ty movement, people come & go because we ge t r e a l jobs or .something e l s e happens 6 our e x p e r t i s e goes wi th us . We need more r e sou rces s o we can h e l p organize o t h e r groups. Low-income groups have information t h a t governments, bureaucrac ies , l e g a l s e r v i c e s , unions 6 churches need t o know t o end poverty o r t o work wi th in t h a t con tex t . So ELP people speak t o d i f f e r e n t groups o r do workshops.

I Who is poor? ' As a pa r t - t ime worker my income i s nea r

t h e pover ty l i n e & s o i s t h e income of a l l t h e s t a f f a t ELP. We have two f u l l - t i m e workers 6 two pa r t - t ime workers. Three of u s have been s i n g l e pa ren t s . We have a l l been poor f o r t h e ma jo r i t y o f ou r l i v e s . We have been homeless & two of u s , a s r e n t - e r s , l i v e i n t h e cons tan t t h r e a t of i t . We a r e not alone.

Over 56% of a l l Canadian women l i v e on low incomes, y e t 50% o f Canadian women a r e i n t h e pa id labour fo rce . One i n t h r e e fa - m i l i e s i s headed by a woman. One in f i v e Canadian c h i l d r e n i s poor 4 many a r e hung- r y . Surpr i s ing1 y, the ma jo r i t y of low-in-

come f an l i l i es work. Working poor f amil i e s make up more than h a l f of t h e pove r ty i n Canada.

Par t - t ime workers a r e f i v e t imes more l i k e l y t o be poor. Seasonal & migrant work - l i k e t r e e p l a n t i n g & f r u i t p ick ing - i n - c r e a s e s pover ty . Over 90% of jobs i n t h e Lower blainland a r e s e r v i c e s e c t o r & most jobs a r e a t t h e lower end of t h e pay s c a l e a t $6 t o $8 an hour. There a r e 246,000 people on wel fa re i n BC. Over 85,000 of them a r e c h i l d r e n . We have 34,000 s i n g l e p a r e n t s on wel fa re . I f k i d s a r e poor t h e y g e t s i c k & d i e more o f t e n than o t h e r k i d s .

Iihat i s n ' t counted i n t h e s e s t a t i s t i c s is t h e hidden economy such a s domest ic 6 sweatxhop work a s wel l a s p r o s t i t u t i o n & unpaid housework done by poor women. Many of t he se workers d o n ' t speak Engl i sh , some a r e n ' t Canadian. Most c r imes a r e cr imes of economic n e c e s s i t y & most women a r e j a i l e d f o r cr imes l i k e p r o s t i t u t i o n & s h o p l i f t i n g . Over 95% of p r i s o n e r s a r e poor & between 60 & 80% a r e n a t i v e people.

Most mental ly handicapped a r e poor . Be- cause of d e i n s t i t u t i o n a l i z a t i o n - which r e a l l y means c u t t i n g back mental h e a l t h c a r e & throwing people on t h e s t r e e t - people a r e put i n t o j a i l & even sho t and k i l l e d f o r being menta l ly i l l . Poor people inc lude t he homeless, t h e t r a n s i e n t s & people who don ' t g e t po l l ed .

Poverty i s n ' t j u s t i n Vancouver's down- town e a s t s i d e . I t i s everywhere. Even wealthy a r e a s r e n t i l l e g a l s u i t e s t o u s s o t h a t they can pay t h e i r mortgages. Poverty is o f t e n i n v i s i b l e , hidden behind c lo sed doors in t he suburbs where mothers scrimp on c l o t h e s t o feed t h e i r k i d s . I t i s i n t h e r u r a l a r e a s where t h e r e is no t enough running water o r decent sewage. I t i s on r e s e r v a t i o n s . And it i s a l l ove r Vancouver.

W h a t poor people need to k n o w low

1Vhat i s unique about poor p e o p l e ' s i n f o needs & how does t h i s apply t o l i b r a r i e s ? Poor people a r e t h e most d i s e n f r a n c h i s e d , d i spe r sed E v a r i e d group. We a r e i n almost every community. We a r e hard t o reach . bu t no ma t t e r where we a r e - i n t h e downtown e a s t s i d e of Vancouver o r i n Ter race - what poor people need t o know t h e most i s t h a t pover ty i s not ou r f a u l t . In o r d e r t o do t h i s we have t o have some a n a l y s i s of ou r

s i t u a t i o n . We have t o look a t t h e l a r g e r s o c i a l & p o l i t i c a l s t r u c t u r e . So a t ELP we ! educa te o u r s e l v e s & o t h e r groups about how economic f o r c e s work.

Our "corpora te agenda" workshop exp lo re s how l a r g e c o r p o r a t i o n s d i r e c t g o v ' t t o I maximize p r o f i t s through p o l i c i e s l i k e

I : f r e e t r a d e , p r i v a t i z a t i o n & cutbacks , and keeping wages low. When poor people under- s tand t h a t wages & wel fa r e r a t e s a r e kept low i n t e n t i o n a l l y , we do n o t f e e l l i k e it i s ou r f a u l t & we can put ou r focus ou t - ward. I t i s r e a l l y important t o have t h i s l a r g e r framework t o work w i th in when we go a f t e r our l e g a l r i g h t s .

I t i s a small i n d i v i d u a l v i c t o r y when we g e t our we l f a r e r i g h t s l i k e food vouchers , bu t it d o e s n ' t change t h e r e g u l a t i o n f o r o t h e r people . Ge t t i ne wel fa re r a t e 5 i n - c reased so t h a t people w i l l no t need food vouchers changes it f o r everybody. We have t o unders tand t h e l a r g e r con t ex t s o t h a t we can pu t ou r i n d i v i d u a l r i g h t s & o u r pover ty i n t o p e r s p e c t i v e . Then we can a c t on them.

We need t o know about d ivo rce law, c u s t - ody & f ami ly r i b h t s , f ami ly maintenance, c h i l d apprehension & k i d s ' r i g h t s . We need I

more r i g h t s f o r p r i s o n e r s 6 t h e menta l ly ill. One of t h e most important t h i n g s we need t o know i s how t h e l e g a l system works. People d o n ' t r e a l l y understand t h e cha in of command. There seems t o be a l o t o f pamphlets on t h e v a r i o u s a r e a s of law and t h a t i s wonderful. But it is not s p e c i f i c r i g h t s & g e t t i n g people aware of them t h a t i s t h e main i s s u e i n my opin ion .

Attitudes need to change I t h i n k some of t h e problems a r e a t t i t u -

d i n a l . Like c l a s s i sm . Classism i s what happens when people look down on t h o s e o f - u s who l i v e below t h e pover ty l i n e . I t i s no t always i n t e n t i o n a l o r o v e r t . I t can be r e a l l y s u b t l e l i k e t h e way a person impl- i e s t h a t you a r e subs tandard because your t e e t h a r e r o t t e n o r your k id ha s a runny nose. I t can be ve ry o v e r t - in format ion g i v e r s can be rude o r pa t ron i z ing & t r e a t u s l i k e needy c h i l d r e n .

Classism i s t h e b i g g e s t block t o commun- i c a t i n g f r e e l y 6 h o n e s t l y i n a s o c i e t y t h a t doesn ' t t r u s t poor people. A f t e r a l l , we a r e poor so t h e r e must be something I

I

j ? L ~ / & ? L * I [ S : ~ E1

D o w n t o w n E a s t s i d e / S t r a t h c o n a C o a l i t i o n 4 5 1 E a s t H a s t i n g s S t .

V a n c o u v e r , B . C . V 6 A 1 P 5

: 2 5 4 - 0 0 8 9

1. Ei % $1 - S t e p h e n G r a y

I 2 . R Z 9 %'8 9 BW%B 1

- P o m p o n i a S c h m i d t - W e i n m a n 2 5 3 - 4 6 0 8

3 - E E E at $1 - L o u D e m a r a i s - J o h n T u r v e y

4 . Rk IE j E $3 $1 - A l e x C a r l t o n

5 . E E @ - I a n M a c R a e

9C ;iS 3% I R 8 2 5 4 - 0 0 8 9 J i m m y W u 2 5 4 - 9 197 G u s t a v o C a r c u z

<& A $ T a y x J i m m y W u & 12 7; sf BUY @ @ : S t r a t h c o n a C o m m u n i t y C e n t r e g 4th - 2 5 1 - 9 4 9 6

C a r n e g i e C e n t r e 5 6 6 5 - 2 2 2 0

R a m C a m C o o p e r a t i v e C e n t r e JQ 3 2 5 1 - 2 1 4 1

a f f 1 fi 8 2 5 4 - 0 0 8 9 L a w r e n c e B a n t l e m a n

M y r t l e K o s k i e

J o e l P e t t i t

B . J . T y n e r

wrong with U S .

m e woir,a!l vo lun t ee r ing with ELP r i g h t now has been caught f o r s h o p l i f t i n g t h r e e t imes . She s h o p l i f t s t o f eed h e r son. She

f i n e d 6 ordered t o do community work. she chose ELP because she knows she i s S h o p l i f t i n g because she i s poor , no t be- cause she is bad o r a c r imina l o r p e r v e r t - ed. She wants an end t o pover ty .

.rl : . , I I

hasn't benehted us. We often distrust bureaucrats, social workers, cops, lawyers, and people who act like bureaucrats, social workers, cops, and lawyers. When poor people

t h i n k of t h e law we t h i n k of something t h a t punishes u s . I t u s u a l l y has. Low i n - come people pay f o r pove r ty wi th ou r l i v e s , with dea th , by going t o j a i l 6 with hungry k i d s . Why should we t r u s t t h e law?

Carnegie i s one of t h e most f requented l i b r a r i e s i n Vancouver. I t i s i n a dense ly populated, poor a r ea . When groups were lobbying t o g e t t h e l i b r a r y i n t h a t a r e a , t h e Non P a r t i s a n Assoc ia t ion (NPA) members of C i t y Council s a i d it would be l i k e pour- ing money down a r a t ho l e . Today 900 peop- l e a day p a s s through t h e doo r s of Carneg- i e l s l i b r a r y ! People can walk o r wheel i n - t o a l i b r a r y a few b locks from where they l i v e .

$e Carnegie Library d o e s n ' t punish peo- p l e wi th l a t e books f i n e s & i f you l o s e a book you can t r a d e i n ano the r book o r j u s t exp l a in t h a t i t ' s l o s t . They don ' t k ick people out f o r l o i t e r i n g . People read news papers , books & music s h e e t s . Carnegie i s a l s o a c u l t u r a l hub f o r t h e a r e a wi th

cheap o r f r c e food, poe t ry , t l i c a t r c G po l - i t i c a l even t s . Thc l i b r a r y i s n ' t i s o l a t e d from t h e cor~nuni ty . I t ' s i n i t ' s h e a r t .

We ask you t o t h ink about t he se i s s u e s 6 maybe t a k e guidance from low-income groups on them. Your job i s a big one - t o t r y t o convey t o poor people t h a t we a c t u a l l y have r i g h t s i n t h e eyes of t h e law.

Suggesiions for change Ilow can you minimize t h e t ens ion between

bu reauc rac i e s 6 low-income people? By be- ing f r i e n d l y , by being open, by being hum- an , by acknowledging your experience with pover ty & by l i s t e n i n g without judgement. You can be w i l l i n g t o t a k e d i r e c t i o n s from & c o n s u l t wi th low-income groups & people. You can g i v e workshops around c l a s s i s s u e s & perhaps you could sponsor ELP's corpord a t e agenda workshop. You can put t h e needs of t h e community you a r e working with f i r s t 6 base your g o a l s on those needs wi th in your p a r t i c u l a r mandate.

Go t o s p e c i f i c groups 6 ask people what t hey need. Take heed. Revise t h i n g s t h a t people don ' t unders tand o r t h i n k i s c l a s s - i s t . Use ca r toons 6 o t h e r v i s u a l a i d s t o i nc lude non-readers . Some l i b r a r i e s have f r e e c l a s s e s on gardening. But t h e r e i s no th ing on we l f a r e r i g h t s & GAIN, o r d e b t , o r l and lo rd o r t e n a n t r i g h t s . We r e a l l y have t o make pover ty v i s i b l e e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e suburbs because i t ' s more hidden t h e r e . People i n t e r n a l i z e t h e i r shame around it. We need t o make s u r e t h a t information on pove r ty i s openly a v a i l a b l e i n l i b r a r i e s .

L ibrary people can do a l o t t o g e t i n f o t o poor people. You can t r e a t poor people with d i g n i t y & r e s p e c t . You can l i s t e n without judging, speak i n p l a i n language 6 t r e a t poor people a s p e e r s , no t c l i e n t s . Se t up a s e c t i o n of low-income 6 ant i-pov- e r t y i s s u e s , perhaps a f e i e n d l y d i s p l a y i n - c lud ing ELP n e w s l e t t e r s , Carnegie newsle t - t e r s , books by o u r own people, l i k e S h e i l a Baxter.

You could have a c l i p p i n g s f i l e about pover ty i s s u e s , a ' Icorporate agenda" d i s - p lay . You could a l s o ask low-income people i n your a r e a what t hey would l i k e t o see i n t h e l i b r a r y . In t h e suburbs poor people want t o be a b l e t o acces s information without having t o ask people because they

d o n ' t want them t o know t h a t t hey a r e poor. We need f r e e p u b l i c a t i o n s , v ideos , d i s -

cuss ions & workshops. We need t u t o r i n g & s k i l l shar ing . I f you a r e going t o hold a spec i a l event , reimburse low-income people f o r ch i ldca re & bus fa re i f t hey a t t end . In- formation i n p l a i n language is r e a l l y imp- o r t a n t i n pub l i ca t i ons a s a r e s imple form- a t s & des ign using ca r toons & graph ic s . Cartoons a r e r e a l l y important f o r t h e poor because we need t o laugh. And we sometimes need t o sum up i s s u e s i n one l i t t l e v i s u a l a i d . Consult wi th low-income people about any upcoming l l b l i ca t i ons meant t o he lp low-income people. We need cheap o r f r e e photocopiers , t ypewr i t e r s , computers, f i l m & videos . We need a l o t because most ofllus don ' t have t h e s e t h i n g s a t home.

I put on a " f igh t ing poverty' ' d i s p l a y with Mayworks. I t was a l l done by our own people & included drawings, poe t ry & q u i l t work. A l i b r a r i a n from t h e Vancouver Publ- i c Library saw it & s a i d she would l i k e t o have i t i n t h e l i b r a r y . She put a l l t h e s e s cu lp tu re s & q u i l t s i n t h e f r o n t window with an a n a l y s i s of t h e i s s u e s . I t was r e a l 1 y wonderful.

So I am not j u s t t a l k i n g about p ipe dreams here. This i s p r e t t y easy t o do. You can make your l i b r a r y f e e l more l i k e a community space E have f r e e c u l t u r a l event t imes with poe t ry readings & s t o r y - t e l l i n g Having our own s t o r y - t e l l i n g confirms o u r a n a l y s i s & our f e e l i n g s about what i s go- ing on. You can have l e g a l r i g h t s informa- t i o n a t t h e same t ime.

Information i s power. '1'0 s ha re informat- ion i s t o sha re power. So t h e bes t advice we can g ive you is t h i s : I f you have s k i l l E resources - l i k e p r i n t i n g , p r e s s , mater- i a l s , e d u c a t i m , funding, s t a f f , l i b r a r i e s lawyers - t h e bes t you can poss ib ly do with them i s sha re them. Spread them a r - - ound 6 t ake d i r e c t i o n from t h e groups you want t o reach & inc lude them i n your pro- ce s s .

Of course t h e most important & obvious t h i n g t h a t can be done t o meet poor peopl- e ' s needs is t o end pover ty . And we c l e a r - l y welcome any group t h a t would l i k e t o he lp us t o do t h a t .

BIRDS LIKE ROCK AND ROLL, TOO.

Dear Paul, I am w i l l i n g t o make up s e p a r a t e book-

l e t s of s t o r i e s t o l d t o me by Seniors . The idea goes something l i k e t h i s : "Are you e l d e r l y ? Over 60? Do you wish you could t e l l your l i f e h i s t o r y o r p i eces of your s t o r y t o your grandkids , o r j u s t anyone? Want it w r i t t e n ? I f you have t h e d e s i r e t o t e l l your l i f e h i s t o r y I w i l l l i s t e n t o you & w r i t e it up f o r you. You might make n o t e s f i r s t o r come t o Carneg- i e and w e ' l l go from t h e r e . "

The above i s j u s t a sugges t ion of what I have i n mind. I'm no t s u r e how wel l i t would go over a t t h e Centre s i n c e t hey do have a wr i t fng c l a s s .

I'm a f r i e n d o f Verna Johnston. I f you th ink doing peop le ' s l i f e h i s t o r i e s would be a good i d e a you can l eave a message f o r me o r Verna wi th Gram. Gram has an i n t e r e s t i n g h i s t o r y . I would l i k e t o do h e r l i f e .

Dora Sanders

(This does sound i n t e r e s t i n g . I f any of you reading t h i s a r e game but don ' t know Gram, l eave word wi th t h e Newslet ter and we ' l l go from t h e r e , - Ed.)

I have a f r i e n d with a male p a r r o t . Mien my cons t ruc t ion worker f r i e n d goes out he s e t s h i s r ad io on a rock & r o l l s t a t i o n , with t h e volume down low. He wants t h e n i r d t o have company while he i s away.The p a r r o t loves t h e r ad io . He has become ve- r y p r o f i c i e n t a t using h i s beak t o t u rn t h e s t a t i o n d i a l t o o t h e r L-ograms of a l i k e na tu re . lie can a l s o jab h i s beak a t t h e volume d i a l , t u rn ing it op, so t h a t by t h e time my f r i e n d a r r i v e s home music i s b l a r i n g throughout t h e house. The par - r o t s i t s on one of h i s many perches i n t h e house G moves from s i d e t o s i d e i n time with t h e bea t . He a l s o t u r n s h i s head t h i s way & t h a t a s i f enjoying t h e v i b r a t i n g sounds.

The p a r r o t has been known t o i d e n t i f y people with crude names. When t h e man's ex-wife comes t o c a l l he says, "The witch i s here," ( o r worse). When one f r i e n d who i s known t o be a t a l k e r drops by p a r r o t says , "Gabby i s here." When another who d r i n k s drops i n , t h e b i r d shouts , "Boozy i s here ." There i s one f r i e n d who l i k e s t o s t o p i n t o borrow th ings & s t a y f o r meals. The b i r d c a l l s , "The p a r a s i t e i s here ," when he e n t e r s .

I f you a r e i n v i t e d t o d inner , espec t t h e p a r r o t t o be t h e r e a t t h e t a b l e with you, on h i s c h a i r perch. But i f you t e l l him t h a t he i s "a d i r t y b i rd" he w i l l f l y o f f i n t o another room & s t a y t h e r e u n t i l he f e e l s he i s forg iven . Dinner gues t s do t h a t when they have had it with t h e c rea- t u r e ' s loud, squawking c h a t t e r & i n s u l t s .

By DORA SANDERS

I'LL NEVER BE SATISFIED UNTIL I& -1

A Buggseted DECLARATION

of t h e Canadian peoples1 r i g h t t o l i f e , l i b e r t y , and t h e p u r s u i t o f happiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ------

"We hold i t t o be s e l f - ev iden t t h a t a l l people a r e c r e t e d equal ( i n t h e r i g h t t o l i f e , BF)" . . .and t h a t , i f t h e government f a i l s t o recognise t h i s i n p r a c t i c e , t h a t t h e people have t h e r i g h t and o b l i g a t i o n t o r e j e c t i t and overthrow it.

The Canadian people took t h i s thought t o hea r t i n 1990 and r e j e c t e d t h e be t ray- a l of Canada through Meech Lake, and d i d t h i s through t h e u l t i m a t e ac t i on of one man i n t he Manitoba l e g i s l a t u r e .

What d id t he man who defea ted t h e be- t r a y a l of Canada t h a t was Meech Lake use?

E l i j a h Harper d id i t with a f e a t h e r ; what do t h e r e s t o f u s need t o u se t o de- f e a t t h e new t h r e a t o f u l t i m a t e b e t r a y a l of our country and ou r l i v e s t o t h e f o r c e of des t ruc t ion on ou r con t inen t? Canadian peoples a r e peoples o f peace. E l i j a h Harper d id i t with a f e a t h e r ; can we not ge ther agenda

a l l - u s e ou r b rea th , o u r vo i ces to- t o do l ikewise and r e j e c t t h e Tory out of hand by c a l l i n g our own

democratic peoples ' c o n s t i t u e n t assembly t o d r a f t , enac t and proclaim t h e Canadian Peoples' democrat ic Cons t i t u t i on , t h e key c lause of which s h a l l be:

"WE HOLD IT TO BE SELF-EVIDENT THAT ALL PEOPLES ARE CREATED EQUAL IN THEIR HUMAN BEING AND IN THEIR RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS AND THAT : I

THIS FACT IMPLIES GOVERNMENT GUARANTEE OF THE RIGHT OF ACCESS BY EACH AND ALL TO THE MATERIALS AND TOOLS ESSENTIAL TO EACH AND EVERYONE WILLING AND ABLE TO DO SO TO MAKE A LIVING AND RAISE A FAMILY.

- A True Canadian - Elaborat ion o f suggested main c l a u s e -

Fundamental t o t h e succes s fu l func t ion ing of a democrat ic peoples ' c o n s t i t u t i o n i s t h e abso lu t e guarantee t o each and every c i t i z e n r e s i d e n t i n Canada o f unchal lenge- ab l e access t o t h e means and ins t ruments of product ion and/or d i s t r i b u t i o n on t h e b a s i s o f equal r i g h t and common need; such access may be d i r e c t (as t o an i nd iv - i dua l o r group of i n d i v i d u a l s such as a l imi t ed company, co-opera t ive o r o t h e r agreed body), bu t a t no time and on no occasion w i l l t h e u n i t c o n s t i t u t e a mono- a

poly w i th in e i t h e r an i n d u s t r y o r t e r r i - t o r y ; o r it may b e exe rc i s ed i n d i r e c t l y a s an employee of such a group o r i n d i v i - . dual , i t being understood t h a t t h e annual d i sposab le personal income o f each and every c i t i z e n s h a l l no t exceed an e s t ab - l i s h e d r e l a t i o n s h i p t o t h e minimum dispo- s a b l e income. Pover ty must be e l imina t ed

TO t h e prime Minis te r and t h e Premiers: and excess p ro f it forbidden.

I would j u s t l i k e t o say, t ake note : Bea Ferneyhough (The F i r s t Nations People have a r r ived . " There 's no more back en t r ances . We want t o be heard and t h e r e ' s a need f o r you t o hear and see us come through t h e f rontdoor .

We no longer need you t o t e l l u s what t o do. We no longer need ,you t o t ake away from US what has been ou r s from t h e begin- ning. So l i s t e n up and pay a t t en t ion . . you j u s t might l e a r n something.

The way you have been running t h i s coun- t r y has jeopardized ou r h e a l t h and well being. You've taken away o u r c h i l d r e n , o u r f i s h i n g r i g h t s (which have now been ' j u s t - i f i e d ' only bicause we never q u i t ) , our d i g n i t y and our p r ide . We a r e now us ing our Voices, which a r e being heard through- out Valleys, Communities and C i t i e s .

We've been g iven t h e r i g h t t o t a l k and it wasn't given by you but by ou r Higher Power through Ovide Mercidi.

You need not be a f r a i d , because we a r e not here t o h u r t you. We a r e here t o he lp one another , t o make our p l ace l i v e a b l e f o r everyone. A l l we ask i s f o r you t o l i s t e n .

Margaret Prevost

Dear MR. Taylor: Ju ly 6, 1992

Thank you f o r your l e t t e r of June 3rd , 1992, express ing concern t h a t t h e Standing committee on Access t o P o r t s i d e Park has not met i t s mandate t o provide an acces s - i b l e overpass t o CRAB Park. I a p p r e c i a t e your f r u s t r a t i o n which matches t h e emotion I f e l t when we had a f i n a n c i a l agreement with t h e Po r t , t h e merchants i n Gastown, BC Trans i t & t h e f ede ra l gov ' t t o not on ly provide an overpass but a l s o provide f r e e t r a n s p o r t a t i o n from t h e Downtown Eas t s ide t o P o r t s i d e Park u n t i l t h e overpass was

with r e spec t t o o t h e r p r o j e c t s f o r poss ib- l e i n c l u s i o n i n f u t u r e c a p i t a l cons t ruc t - ion programs.

Gordon Campbell, Mayor

completed. Unfor tuna te ly , Council d i d no t accept

t h e s o l u t i o n a s t h e t h r e e people from t h e T rans l a t i on : community p re sen t i n Council s a i d t h a t they 1- The Committee met f o r over 2 years G un- were a g a i n s t C a r r o l l S t r e e t , Columbia S t . being t h e i r p r e fe rence . The p r i c e t a g is now over $1 m i l l i o n , no t t h e $110,000 t h e C i t y had nego t i a t ed t o pay, & P o r t s i d e r e - mains i n a c c e s s i b l e t o some people.

However, wi th r e s p e c t , I b e l i e v e t h a t ' t h e Committee has f u l f i l l e d i ts mandate.

I t was e s t a b l i s h e d t o i n v e s t i g a t e t h e acc- e s s a l t e r n a t i v e s & recommend a p r e f e r r e d choice t o Council. I t met ex t ens ive ly with t h i s purpose, i nc lud ing meetings a t which you 6 o t h e r people from t h e neighbourhood presented a p o i n t o f view. The Committee f u l f i l l e d i t s mandate by recommending Col- umbia S t . a s t h e p r e f e r r e d l o c a t i o n f o r an overpass. However, you a r e aware t h a t an overpass p r o j e c t a t Columbia is t h e r e sp -

I ons i \b i l l t y of s e v e r a l p a r t l e s : t h e C i ty ij t h e Por t with regard t o funding & cons t r - uc t ion , and t h e CPR wi th regard t o terms of permission t o b u i l d an overpass ove r t h e r i gh t -o f -way. C i t y counci l - has never committed t o bu i ld ing t h e overpass , on ly t o t h e p r e f e r r e d l o c a t i o n . There is f u r t h - e r work underway t o develop a working cos t e s t ima te f o r an overpass . tiowever, 1- must s t r e s s t h a t t h e work o f e s t ima t ing c o s t commits n e i t h e r t h e C i t y nor t h e Port t o a c t u a l c o n s t r u c t i o n .

I a p p r e c i a t e t h a t t h e p roces s has been long E f r u s t r a t i n g . When we have o u r work- ing e s t ima te , which is expected t h i s F a l l , Council 6 t h e Po r t w i l l have t h e opportun- i t y t o a s s e s s t h e p r i o r i t y of t h i s p r o j e c t

animously recommended Columbia S t . a s t h e s i t e . Campbell & t h e Port & t h e Gastown mer chants wanted it a t C a r r a l l t o provide ac- c e s s t o t o u r i s t s i n s t ead of l oca l r e s i d e n t s . The NPA-dominated Council d i d n ' t accept t h e "solut ion", no t because 3 people from here were a g a i n s t C a r r o l l S t . , but because t he p r e f e r r e d s i t e was Columbia, t h e recommend- a t ion was Columbia. The "solut ion" d i d n ' t come from t h e Standing Committee but from Campbell & h i s back-room dea l with t h e Po r t . 2. Campbell & t h e Port thought they could

g e t p a s t c o r r e c t i n g t h e problem they 'd caused with $110,000 f o r a t o u r i s t access & not c o r r e c t t h e fundamental screw-up b u i l t i n t o t h e p a r k ' s access i n '86. 3 . lWowever" notwi ths tanding , Council s e t

up t h i s Committee t o choose t h e bes t acc- e s s f o r u s , f o r t h e e l d e r l y , d i s ab l ed , poor & young f a m i l i e s l i v i n g here . We d i d . Now he says Council "never c ~ m m i t t e d ~ ~ t o ac tu - a l l y bu i ld ing anything, j u s t *looking. Now when t h i s "es t imatew is made by more high- p r i ced c o n s u l t a n t s it w i l l j u s t be one more item with s co re s of o t h e r i tems in some f u - t u r e program. Like when Coal Harbour i s up Fr running & t h e r i c h o r t o u r i s t s want acc- e s s . The CPR & t h e Port a r e n ' t accountable t o anyone but themselves. Campbell c a n ' t s e e r e a l i t y but looks a t every th ing l i k e he is s t i l l i n school deba t ing commas. If he was t o l d s t a r v a t i o n was good f o r t h e soul , he'd t e l l you Af r i ca i s f u l l o f s a i n t s .

T h a t ' l l be twenty bucks, Gordie.

PnulR Taylor

The w h i t e European r a c e s , p a r t i c u l a r l y t h e I r i s h , S c o t t i s h , E n g l i s h , German, Ita- l i a n s , French & S p a n i s h who c o l o n i z e d N . America, b rough t w i t h them a C h r i s t i a n r e - l i g i o n t h a t had f ragmented i n t o many s e c t s w i t h o n l y one t h i n g i n common. They a l l be- l i e v e d t h a t t h e B i b l e , Old 6 New Tes tament , a s compi led , p r i n t e d & l a r g e l y d i s t r i b u t e d by Roman popes , was t h e i n f a l l i b l e word of God - i n f a c t , t h e y b e l i e v e d i t was t h e on, l y t r u e t e a c h i n g o f t h e o n l y t r u e god; a l l o t h e r gods & s p i r i t u a l t e a c h i n g s were though t t o b e e r r o r s c r e a t e d by t h e d e v i l ( i n o l d E n g l i s h , d e o - f o l , l i t e r a l l y " f a l s e god") a s decoys t o l e a d t h o s e who had f a l - l e n under t h e s p e l l o f Rome a s t r a y . Some C h r i s t i a n s s t i l l b e l i e v e t h i s , b u t

many modern C h r i s t i a n s s ense t h a t some- ' which means, l i t e r a l l y , "people of t h e thing is miss ing from t h e i r r e l i g i o n and , farms" & " ~ e o ~ l e of t h e woods". During t h e t h e y ' r e r i g h t . T h i s miss ing p i e c e , which western ' p r o g r e s s ' of C h r i s t i a n i t y , those was d e l i b e r a t e l y excluded by Rome, is t h e 'who l i v e d o u t s i d e t h e c i t i e s were persecu-

t ed f o r adher ing t o t h e gods of n a t u r e

I worshipped by them f o r thousands of y e a r s . o r i g i n a l n a t u r e worship of t h e i r a n c e s t o r s . c h r i s t i a n s who c a r e about t h e e a r t h today must k i i j t i t h e i r a n c i e n t a n c e s t r a l r o o t s f o r guidance. I n t h e s t o r y s & r i t u a l s of t h e C e l t i c

t r i b e s , t h e most a n c i e n t s p i r i t u a l teach- i ngs of t h e a n c e s t o r s of Welsh, S c o t t i s h , I r i s h & Engl i sh people , t h e name of t h e h ighes t god, symbolized by t h e energy of t h e sun, from which a l l l i f e is c r e a t e d , is "Belios". The t r a d i t i o n a l f e s t i v a l i n honour of God,

t h e Crea to r & Fa the r of a l l l i v i n g be ings , Be l io s , t h e sun , was c e l e b r a t e d on May 1 s t (May Day) , which i n former t imes was known a s "Beltain". During B e l t a i n , t h e c r e a t i v e energy of B e l i o s was symbolized by t h e r i t u a l l i g h t i n g of f i r e s , accompanied by phys i ca l p u r i f i c a t i o n i n t h e w a t e r s of s ac r ed s p r i n g s . Continuous a c t s of worship were performed by t h e people f o r 3 days. Each morning of each day on t h e lst , 2nd & 3rd of May, v i r t u a l l y t h e e n t i r e popula- t i o n of what is now known a s t h e B r i t i s h I s l e s faced e a s t towards!.sunrise, & a s t h e sun r o s e spoke t h e t r a d i t i o n a l C e l t i c g r e e t i n g t o B e l i o s , t h e sun: "Good morning & show your eye". To our C e l t i c a n c e s t o r s , Be l ios was an a l l - s e e i n g eye i n t h e c e n t r e of t h e sun - s i n c e God was conceived by '

them t o be bo th c r e a t o r & observor of h i s c r ea t i on . Be l io s was a l s o t h e god of a n c i e n t t r i b e s

i n h a b i t i n g t h e e a s t e r n Alps, a s w e l l a s I t a l y & southern France. The god Be1 o r Baal, worshipped i n some p a r t s of t h e Eas- t e r n Mediterranean, was e s s e n t i a l l y t h e same d e i t y . W e f i n d him r e f e r r e d t o i n t h e Old Testament a s a "wicked" pagan god l ea - ding t h e t r i b e s of I s r a e l a s t r a y .

I n t h a t p a r t of t h e wor ld , Be l , t h e sun f a t h e r , was opposed by Yaweh. l a t e r known a s Jehovah, whose t e a c h i n g s were spread by Rome a s t h e o l d tes tament b i b l e .

These were t h e " t r u e gods", t he a n c e s t r a l o r r o o t s p i r i t u a l concepts of t he white- skinned European r a c e s ... Yaweh, Jehovah & J e s u s were rep lacements , fo rced upon them f o r t h e most p a r t under t h e t h r e a t of vio- l e n c e & dea th . Although t h e "pagan" wor- s h i p p e r s of Be1 were adamantly opposed t o t h e hea lous , wa r l i ke Jehovah, they were drawn t o t h e g e n t l e t e ach ings of J e sus , which Rome had c l e v e r l y combined wi th t h e t e ach ings of Jehovah, a l though they were i n f a c t o p p o s i t e i n n a t u r e . . . J e s u s was t h e a l t e r n a t i v e god o f f e r e d by t h e popes of t h e Holy Roman Empire, a s a s o r t of p u b l i c r e l a t i o n s image, t o win over t hose who would n o t co-operate w i th Jehovah, who was r e f e r r e d t o by t h e Egyptians a s " the a r ro - gant god". While u s ing t h e image of J e s u s t o ga in

conve r t s , Rome cont inued t o be i n sp i r ed i n i t s p o l i t i c a l a c t i o n s by t h e f o r c e f u l v io- l e n t ph i losophys of Jehovah. I n t h e war- f a r e f o r human minds & s o u l s waged by t h e Vat ican , J e s u s was t h e b a i t & Jehovah t h e hook.

The word "Bel" means b r i g h t o r b r i l l i a n t & is found i n v a r i o u s p l a c e names ac ros s t h e B r i t i s h I s l e s & much of Europe. I t ' s a l s o a word o r component of words in many European languages. "Bella" i s a feminine form of t h i s word, which we s e e today i n t h e name of t h e p l a n t beladonna, which means " b r i l l i a n t lady". O r i g i n a l l y t h e name r e s u l t s from t h e t r a d i t i o n a l use of t h i s p l a n t by p r i e s t e s s e s of t h e C e l t i c e a r t h mother, Modron. Beladonna is a dead- l y po ison , which used i n smal l amounts ha s a n a r c o t i c & hypnogogic (vis ion-producing) e f f e c t on t h e s ense s . Th i s b r i n g s u s t o another missing p i ece

i n t h e puzz l e , because "hal lucinogenic" subs tances der ived from p l a n t s & animals

The fo l l ower s of Be1 were persecuted & ' w e r e an important element i n C e l t i c r e l i g - k i l l e d , f i r s t i n t h e e a s t by t h e fo l l ower s i ous exper ience , a s they were i n every re- of Yaweh, t hen by Roman C h r i s t i a n i t y a s i t l i g i o n , o t h e r than t h e s p e c i f i c brand of spread throughout Europe. The worshippers . C h r i s t i a n i t y approved by Rome. of Be1 were c a l l e d "pagans" & "heathens", The popes, knowing t h a t r u l e s w r i t t e n

down i n a book could never p r e v a i l a g a i n s t ' i n t h e dungeon of a c a s t l e i n t h e under-

d i r e c t v i s i o n a r y r e v e l a t i o n s of God, a v a i - ' world. l a b l e th rough n a t u r a l s u b s t a n c e s , r e p l a c e d In later Arthurian l e g e n d s it was a maj-

t h e i r own o r i g i n a l sac rament , which some o r q u e s t of t h e k n i g h t s of t h e round t a b l e h i s t o r i a n s c l a i m was t h e amani ta muscar ia seek Out & MabOn, the mushroom, w i t h t h e b read & wine used r i tu- l i g h t , from h i s underground p r i s o n . he^ a l l y by J e s u s a t t h e L a s t Supper . asked t h e s a c r e d a n i m a l s t o h e l p them l o c -

I n t h i s way t h e y s a n c t i f i e d a l c o h o l , & ' a t e him; f i r s t , a w a t e r b i r d , who l e a d s s p r e a d i t s u s e throughout t h e wor ld , bann- them a stag, l e a d s them t o an owl, i n g & s u p p r e s s i n g a l l o t h e r s u b s t a n c e s who s a y s , "When f i r s t I came h e r e , t h e

wide v a l l e y you see was a wooded g l e n b u t which were l i a b l e t o c a u s e a d i r e c t s e e i n g i n t o t h e n a t u r e of God & S p i r i t . The c a p i t a l i s t "war on drugs" we have t o -

day i s a d i r e c t c o n t i n u a t i o n of C h r i s t i a n p o l i c y s , many of which have been i n h e r i t e d by governments & law-enforcement sys tems a s C h r i s t i a n i t y spread o u t t o encompass t h e e n t i r e p l a n e t .

A s t h e "pagan" C e l t s f r a n t i c a l l y t r i e d t o p r e s e r v e t h e i r r e l i g i o u s h e r i t a g e , i t was unden iab le t h a t t h e t e a c h i n g s of J e s u s s t r u c k a f a m i l i a r chord w i t h them. It re- minded them of t h e i r own c h r f s t o s , Mabon, t h e " c h i l d of l i g h t " , who was t h e c h i l d of Modron, t h e E a r t h Mother.

A s t h e s t o r y g o e s , Mabon was born t o b e t h e s p i r i t u a l s a v i o u r of h i s p e o p l e , b u t was s t o l e n from h i s mother a t t h e a g e of 3 days & imprisoned by t h e f o r c e of da rkness

-

a r a c e of men came & r o o t e d it u p , & t h e r e grew a second wood, & t h i s wood I am i n i s t h e t h i r d , " The owl l e a d s them t o an e a g l e who l e a d s them t o a salmon, who says,"With every t i d e I go upward a long t h e r i v e r un- til I come n e a r t h e w a l l s of a g r e a t c i t y , & t h e r e I have found such wrong a s I never found elsewhere." The k n i g h t s r i d e on t h e back of t h e s a l -

mon t o t h e g r e a t c i t y & t h e r e t h e y h e a r a loud w a i l i n g & l ament ing . They c r y o u t , "Who is i t t h a t l aments i n t h i s house of s t o n e ? " & a v o i c e r e p l i e s : "It is Mabon t h e son of Modron, who is h e r e imprisoned, & no imprisonment was e v e r a s g r i e v o u s a s mine!" (from "The Mabinogion" - an a n c i e n t Welsh l egend)

TORA

' In Vancouver, The Ritual Abuse Awareness Network (TRAANS), a support group for ritual abuse survi- vors, swelled to 159 during the past year. Founder Daniela Coates says the Pacific Northwest is a favored spot for satanic activity because lon- gitudinal and latitudinal numbers are said to make a good numerologi- cal nesting place for satanic cults. ,

Many ritual abuse survivors have come from army-base areas, she says. She adds that a highly placed omcia1 in the U.S. army has publicly stated on American television that he is a member of a satanic cult - not a criminal activity in itself. He is in the army's psychological warfare division,,she says. I

Church songbird booked for warbling own h m s

SAN ANTONIO, Tex. - A. church songbird, ordered by a judge to sing with the rest of the flock or not at all, was arrest.ed during mass Sunday for singing from her own repertoire of hymns. Elojia Macias was taken to the %

Bexar County Jail and later freed on $400 US bail.

She was arrested after trying to enter the altar area at Our Lady of Sorrows Roman Catholic church, as a morning mass began, said Rev. Alexander Wangler. She sang her own songs in the sacristy as church.officials waited for police to arrive. . ,

4,;4.

DOWNTOWN STD CLINIC - Monday th rough F r i d a y , 9am - 5pm. EASTSIDE FREE,MEDICN, CLINIC - Mon, Wed, F r i d a y , 5:30-7:30pm.

YOUTH NEEDLE EXCHANGE - 221 Main; everyday 9am-5pm. ACTIVITIES Needle exchange van - on t h e street Mon-Sat even ings .

SOCIETY N.A. meets eve ry Monday n i g h t a t 223 Main S t 1 ? e t .

Out-to-Lunch Bunch m e e t s d a i l y a t 101 W.Cordova (A.A.) -- . - - - . - --- - ---

1992 DONATIONS: Cement Masons-$100 Ke i th C.-$20 P a u l a R.-$20 Nancy W.-$100 Co l l een E.-$25 Luba P.-$10 S t u a r t M.-$10 Robert -$ lo CEEDS - $50 Rotary Club of Chinatown -$767.15 Four S i s t e r s Co-op -$500 DERA -$500 Legal S e r v i c e s -$200 E t i e n n e S.-$50 F o r e s t Lawn -$25 Yvonne C.-$10 Ken -$5 Tom S. -$5 Hazel M.-$25 The Old S a i l o r -$40 C e c i l e C.-$20 Jean F.-$15 Anonymous -$I8

Deadline NEXT ISSUE

27 J u l y Monday

1111: NIWSI.E'rrER I S A PIII11.Il:ATION OF TllE CAWNECI L CIJHIIUN I 1 Y LhNl'RF. ASSIEIATION.

C l t y I n f o s t a f f can ' t accep t ~ l u n a t l o n s for t l i ls ~~cusletter, so I f you c a n help, f l n d P a u l T a y l o r and he ' l l g l v e you a recrlpt.

Thanks everyone I

'l'l~c I)owntown Eas ts i d e R e s i d e n t s ' A s s o c i a t i o n call h e l p you w i t h :

3 any w e l f a r e problenis i n [ o r ~ n a t i o n on l e g a l r i g h t s d i s p u g e s w i t h l a n d l o r d s

fi unsaFe l i v i ~ l g cor id i t i o n s 3 i i ~ c o n ~ e t a x :t ULC problems " f i ud ing I ~ o u s i n g fi open ing a bank a c c o u n t

CELEBRATION

Indian maiden Bearing water So f t f o o t s t e p s Mother Ear th Smiles

C i r c l e o f s t o n e s F i r e rages Drums bea t Eagles f l y Fa ther Sky Fee ls t h e hea t

Diane Allen

a land of milk and honey a land of no t much money

of no t much c e n t s o f d i f f r e n t nonsense

without much need of j u s t i f i c a t i o n o r de f ense

l i f e i t s e l f i t s own sense a land o f OZ i n imaginat ion poor segment of a n a t i o n l i f e , imaginat ion b e t t e r than knowledge o r money a land of m i l k and honey

Tim Kirk

I/ A PUBLIC FORUM ON CHARITY

YOU ARE INVITED

( ''\VASTE 6~ A NATION"

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12,1882 .. t -4 P.M.

AT

HERITAGE HALL HAiN AND 15th. VANCOUVER

SPONSORED BY END LEGISLATED POVERTY

THIS EVENT WILL INCLUDE:

1 - 4 P.M. EXHIBIT

PRESS CONFERENCE 1:30 INTRODUCTIONS

SKIT k45 REPORT l50 PANEL

"Poor People Speak Out O n Charities"

2:10 QUESTION & ANSWER PERIOD 2:30 CLOSING REMARKS

ENTERTAINMENT "Stone Soup" REFRESHMENTS

I I 211-456 U. BROADUAY VANCOUVER. L C .

V5Y 1R3 879-1929

Ye a r e invit ing you t o a t tend pp r 7 public

uresentat ion of a special u r o j e c t r e p o r t

p repared b y End Leaislaled Poverty.

This r e w t - e x a m i n e s Lhe feelines o f

peoulo 8ho use charit ies.

There rill b e a press conference be-

ginnine a t 1:30 p.n. in t h e form o f a panel

presenLation o r issues arising f ron t ho

repor t . A question per iod folloas.

The conference ail1 be accompanied by

entertainment. lncludind sk i t s performed

b v p roJ r c t pr r t ic lpants . and an a r t i s t i c

exhlblt, on dlsplay from I - 4 p.m., oC issues

and statements conind ou t o f t h e pro-

Jcct.

A schedule o f events is p r in ted on the

facing page. . We encouraee your participation a t

th i s event. Please confirm your at ten-

dance by calling 879-1229 by August I. 1992. Thank you.

n e e d l e s n e e d l e s everywhere on t h e s t r e e t and i n my h a i r bu t o f t h i s i cannot t a l k abou t cause wi th it i ' v e n o t had a bou t but i t s my medusa h a i r t h a t i s a lways t h e r e one a d d i c t i o n o r a n o t h e r

1 bc i t money p r i d e o r t v t h i s wi th you t h i s wi th me seems t o come w i t h each d a u g h t e r

w i t h each son o r f a t h e r mother

not t o s p i t o r look down when i s e e them on t h e ground f o r i t s t h a t medusa h a i r t h a t i s wi th u s everywhere n e e d l e s n e e d l e s a l l around i n t h e c o u n t r y and t h e town

TWILIGHTZONIA

I wanna be a s tand-up comedian

I n a South Seas i s l a n d b a r .

J u s t t o make t h e peop le l a u g h

I ' d be c u t e r t h a n a c a l f ,

And I would become a l o c a l s t a r .

I wanna be a s tand-up comedian

And be a man of g r e a t ways & means.

I ' d g e t h i g h on fame

With expens ive champagne,

And s t u f f myself w i t h p i c k l e d b e a ~ s .

I wanna be a s tand-up comedian

And pu t t h o s e h e c k l e r s on t h e r o p e s .

And I f I o n l y cou ld

I r e a l l y , r e a l l y would,

But I c a n ' t remember any jokes!

Garry Gust

n e e d l e s nccd lks everywhere on t h e s t r e e t and i n my h a i r

Tim Kirk

Dogs' urge to bark stifled by new collar, vet claims

COLLEGE STATION, T ~ X . 7-

A veterinarian has developed a dog collar he maintains can silence chronic barkers with a high-frequency beep.

"It's not an electric-shock col-'. lar; it will not hurt the dog," said Jon Hunter , a professor of veterinary physiology a t Texas A&M University.

When the dog barks, a minia- ture microphone in the collar emits a burst of high-intensity sound, startling the animal into silence. The sound is inaudible to most humans.

$1 b' EVENING SPECIALS 6:15 to 1 0 : O O prn Y

STARTING W E D N E S D A Y JULY 1, 1992 ; EVERY E V E N I N G S E S S I O N STARTS OFF A T 6:15

W I T H A R E N O WARM-UP GAME 'r E

I MONDAY

a - Secret Good Neighbour E

TUESDAY sl LI r

- Grabba Grab Bag

WEDNESDAY - Wet & Wild Wednesdays! - Two-bit Gambler Month End Speoia l Held on July 29 Two-bits for a 3up card To win a trip to Reno!

THURSDAY - Pop a Prize

FRIDAY . - Lottery Tree

SATURDAY - Let's M a k e a Deal = u >

SUNDAY s

- Now You're Cookin' LL, m. - = " O T H E R JULY ATTRACTIONS ARE: E r

';I -2 0 - July 1 - Wednesday is the Tacky Tourist Day 4 = 0

Costume Contest and Door Prizes all day!

July 29 - Introduction of the Two-bit Gambler Month End Special! Cost: Two-bits Prize: Trip for Two to Reno!

:.i - -- J

~ n t e r n a t i o n a l Space UniversiQ 7

A p r i v a t e consort ium, t h e Ontar io Pa r t - nersh ip , has submit ted a b id t o e s t a b l i s h a permanent Toronto Campus, a t York Univ- e r s i t y , f o r t h e Massachusetts-based I n t e r - na t iona l Space u n i v e r s i t y (ISU) . The b i d , &ich has a l r eady c o s t t h e province h a l f a mi l l i on d o l l a r s , i nc ludes a f u r t h e r pro- " inc ia1 commitment of $11 m i l l i o n p l u s $3.6 m i l l i o n annua l ly , & a p o t e n t i a l pled- ge of f e d e r a l matching funds.

The b id proposes t h e eventua l e s t a b l i s h - ment of t h e ISU a s a pub l i ca l l y - subs id i sed p r i v a t e u n i v e r s i t y , w i th each s t u d e n t ' s t u i t i o n i n t h e range of $25,000 annual ly . Although funding would come from s e v e r a l l e v e l s of Canadian government & would in- c lude p u b l i c r e sea rch suppor t , t h e b id an- t i c i p a t e s t h a t t h e p r i v a t e u n i v e r s i t y ' s s t uden t s would be predominantly non- Canadian.

The ISU would be governed by a p r i v a t e board of d i r e c t o r s drawn from o u t s i d e Can- ada & dominated by Americans. ISU d i r e c t o r & a d v i s o r s r ep re sen t American mult i na t ion - a1 co rpo ra t ions , & m i l i t a r y c o n t r a c t o r s i n p a r t i c u l a r . The es tab l i shment of t h e ISU in Toronto would s e t a precedent a s a fo r - eign-run p r i v a t e u n i v e r s i t y & a s a v e h i c l e f o r t h e f u r t h e r American c o r p o r a t i z a t i o n & m i l i t a r i z a t i o n of Ontar io . The only th ings exempted from t h e "unfa i r" subsidy c l auses i n t h e " f ree" t r a d e agreement a r e energy p r o j e c t s (James Bay 11) & m i l i t a r y defence spending. Moreover, t h e b i d promi- s e s t o exempt both t h e ISU & i t s employees from Canadian t a x e s , immigration & employ- ment r e g u l a t i o n s & l abour r e l a t i o n s prac- t i c e s .

The b id r e f l e c t s t h e adopt ion of an Am- e r i can - s ty l e mi l i t a ry - indus t r i a l economic s t r a t e g y f o r On ta r io . The proposed ISU e n t a i l s , t h e p r i v a t e & f o r e i g n e x p l o i t a t i o n of o u r ' p u b l i c r e sou rces & poses a t h r e a t t o t h e i n t e g r i t y of our g igher educa t iona l i n s t i t u t i o n s . Most d i s t u r b i n g is t h e f a c t t h a t i t is a supra-na t iona l e n t i t y , con- t r o l l e d by t h e US de fense i n d u s t r y & not sub jec t t o n a t i o n a l laws.

T H E SCHOLAR

THE SOPHISTICATE '

T H E SHUTTLECOCK

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT t h e Ontar io C o a l i t i o n f o r S o c i a l J u s t i c e oppose t h e proposed I n t e r n a t i o n a l Space Un ive r s i t y , u rges i ts member o r g a n i z a t i o n s t o p u b l i c l y express t h e i r oppos i t i on , & urge t h e Onta- r i o government t o withdraw i t s b i d f o r t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Space Un ive r s i t y .

Revolutions have humble

beginnings: they never start at

places like