JUNE 15, 2012

........ a r En tiegie ~ NEWSLETTER carnnews@vcnbc.ca

F Featunng:

Fraser Union

Dalannah G3il Bowen

Solidarity Notes Choir

Carneg:e Street Band

Spoken Word with Bud Osborn

and others

Sunday, June 17th, 2012 at 7:30pm {doors at 7)

St. James Community Square, lOth & Trutch, Kitsilano (one block south of Broadway between Blenheim and Balaclava bus stops)

The Carnegie Newsletter: A Space for People to Speak Out

Literacy Roundtable Newsletter (June/July 2012) ~

PaulR Taylor, volunteer editor of the Carnegie Newsletter

In February 2012, the volunteer editor of the Carne­gie Newsletter, PauiR Taylor, notified the Downtown Eastside community that the Gaming Commission had rejected the Community Communications com­ponent of the yearly application for refunding. For the past two decades, the printing costs of the newsletter have been mainly covered by these funds, with some individual donations. Its sister publication "Help in the Downtown Eastside" (printed twice a year until 20 I 1) has been paid for with funds raised separately for its 21-year existence. This article is based on an interview with Paul in May 2012.

Can you share a bit about the history of the Camegie Newsletter?

The Carnegie Newsletter got started on August 15, 1986. Its predecessor was the Carnegie Crescent, which had died out because there were too many edi­tors at the helm.

In the case of the Carnegie Newsletter, Alan Met­trick [here on a Ul-Top-Up] was the editor for the first 7 issues. His UI ran out and he left, and a few who had contributed thought that this wasn't that

hard. The early issues were being produced on a typewriter and, having learned to type in high school I stepped into the role of editor.

The Carnegie Newsletter has been a space for peo­ple in the Downtown Eastside to write about politics and issues that are relevant to them. It raises what can't be ignored and allows people to speak out. It shines a light on everything we are not being told in the mainstream media. Over the years, submissions have challenged the notion that it's poor people's fault that they're poor, highlighted how legislation keeps people poor, and raised alarm bells about the hundreds of murdered and missing women in the DTES. The Carnegie Newsletter also hasn't shied away from discussing issues such as the shortage of affordable housing, homelessness, drugs, sex, free trade, gentrification, marginalization, safety on the streets, kids at risk, and needle exchanges. The Carnegie Newsletter turned 25 last year. It is

published on the I st and 15th of every month. Typi­cally each issue is 16 to 28 pages and 1200 printed copies are distributed to readers throughout the Downtown Eastside. Copies also go to City Hall, UBC, SFU, VCC, VPL, VANDU and mental health services I drop-ins. On average, there have been 23 issues each year.

Who is involved in the getting the Carnegie Newsletter out?

There have been over a thousand volunteers over 25 years who have worked on the Carnegie Newsletter, some contributing their time for just one issue while others have been involved on almost every issue.

l volunteer as the ed ifor, and various people have come and gone in working with me on the layout. Most volunteers help in the assembly of the newslet­ter. Often they are retirees who have worked in the DTES communities, but some people just come and ask "Can I help?" One of our volunteers worked for 30 years in a printshop in China; she could put to­gether the newsletter faster than anyone. There's this energetic banter that goes on back and forth between volunteers while assembling the newsletter. There are also volunteers who deliver the newsletters to loca­tions around the community (and to the places abbre­viated earlier). As for submissions, people sometimes write their

poems or thoughts on napkins and s lide them under

the door. Others might come to the office and say " I'm a poet. Here's my latest." Poets/writers like Bud Osborn and Sheila Baxter began their publishing ca­reers in the paper. Sandy Cameron, a well-known his­torian of the DTES, contributed to the Carnegie Newsletter for over 20 years.

What is the impact -short term and long term­of the government's decision to cut the funding for the Carnegie Newsletter?

The short term impact is that we've had to put an appeal out to readers to help us find funds to continue publishing. The problem is that most of our readers don't have extra money. Various people who have jobs (and several who don't) have sent money. ln general, the response has been good, but people are waiting for something or someone to make a higher financial contribution. T here has been the suggestion of charging 25 cents for each newsletter. But then we would have to keep track of quarters. And the idea is that the Carnegie Newsletter should not cost you to use it.

The long term impact is that if the newsletter dies, it would be a blow to the community. For people who have their work published in the newsletter, it im­proves their self-esteem and confidence to see what they have written in print. People's faces beam. It may be that they haven't written anything in their life. Sometimes they ask for 15 copies to send back home to their family. To the government, it's just a newsletter, of the same genus as in-house, online newsletters with schedules and announcements for content. But this Newsletter is something much different.

Where to from here?

There is a Crude Cash Concert fundraiser on Sunday, June 17 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at St. James Community Square (3214 West I Oth Ave). There will be music and entertainment and a si lent auction of artwork by First Nations artist Gamet Tobacco. Top price tickets are $100 with a s liding scale of what people can af­ford [basically choose your own price!]. We're aim­ing to raise up to $10,000. After the fundraiser, we'll re-evaluate where we're at. The hope is that a larger permanent funder will be located soon. We also plan to re-apply to the Gaming Commission again in No­vember.

What motivates you? 3 Volunteering is not a big deal for me. If you believe

in something, you do it. One of my best memories of working on the Carnegie Newsletter was this guy who was learning how to read and write. He wrote out 4 lines and submitted it to be published. It was full of spelling mistakes, but what this guy wrote was genu­ine. And he didn't g ive a damn what people thought. He got something down on paper that made sense to him and it was printed without correcting or editing. He was astonished. Now that's really something.

To learn more, contact Paul at carnnews @shaw.ca . "The Heart of the Community: The Best of the Carne­gie Newsletter" can be found at the Carnegie Library. Archives of the Carnegie Newsletter are posted at http://carnegie. vcn.bc.calnewsletter ·

Hi Friends, Carnegie Community Centre has lost much of its

funding for its newsletter. Carnegie Centre is consid­ered the "living room" of the Downtown Eastside.

l recently received a call from Paul Taylor, Editor of the Carnegie Newsletter asking if I could help raise funds so that they can continue to publish their vital , informative and entertaining newsletter in its tradi­tional twice a month schedule. To that end, I have organized a benefit for the newsletter that will be an evening of great entertainment and be a lot of fun.

Performing will be: FRASER UNION, a talented and longtime favourite Vancouver Folk group; CARNEGIE STREET BAND, comprised of Carne­gie users who will give us Beats from the Street; SOLIDARITY NOTES, Vancouver's Labour Choir extraordinaire; DALANNAH GAIL BOWEN, one of Vancouver's top Blues, Gospel, and Rhythm and Blues singers. In addition, a number of great WRITERS from Car­negie will be reading their poems and other works. This includes BUD OSBORN, considered the Poet Laureate of the Downtown Eastside The evening will be held on Sunday, June 17 at St.

James Community Square (32 14 W I oth ave) at 7:30 Tickets are $ 100 and are t<Lx deductible and for each

ticket bought, a ticket will be given free to volunteers of the Carnegie newsletter and to other residents of the Downtown Easts ide.

I hope you will consider purchasing a ticket for this important event. We want to ass ist the Carnegie Newsletter.

If you would like to attend, but can't afford this price, please feel free to come and pay as you can. Everyone is welcome and no one will be turned away . lf you can' t attend, but want to contribute anyway, 1

would be delighted. You can a lways donate any sum no matter how sma ll or how large. Your donation will be used to not only help raise funds for the newsletter, but also to enable a Downtown Eastside resident to attend th is great concert.

Cheques can be made out to Carnegie Community Centre Association and can be mailed to me at: Mel Lehan 283 1 W 3'd Ave Vancouver, BC V6N 1 K8

It wil l be greatly appreciated if you can forward this to your friends and your lists.

Thanks. Mel

CARNEG IE VILLAGE CHOIR+ Special Guests SAA HilL THUT/Gerry Oldman GATHERING PLACE CHOIR

In CONCERT JUNE 29 3 PM Carneg ie Theatre

Dear friends,

Hello, people of our society & espec ially to our local people of so-called skid-row.

Sincerely- I've known skid row (Powell & Main) since 1939- a few of us came from Fraser Valley to attend to a moved situation. Native people have tu­berculosis etc. and my school was turned into a hospi­tal for TB. My school became Alberni Valley.

Beneficially we went ; got taught much which helps us in livelihood. Every year it's beneficial for me to have an X-ray. Now all's well that ends well.

Sincerely, Chris Wallace

Parents and grandparents tell Dix: "We're not begging, just asking for justice"

Raise welfare rates to a liveable level, build social housing that people on welfare and basic old age pen­sion can afford, and stop clawing back .I 00% of earnings and child s upport payments. That's what nine parents and one grandparent on income assis­tance told NDP Leader Adrian Dix and MLA Jenny Kwan today at Strathcona Community Centre.

In short and eloquent speeches the nine women and one man told Dix and Kwan what it is like living on welfare for them and their children: "There is no such thing as s itting around. We forage

every day," said Stacey Bonenfant. "Before we had social housing I had to take $150 out of my food money for rent," explained Colleen Boud­reau. "If government built enough social housing people would have more for what they need."

"Stress [from not having enough money to feed her child] makes my disability worse," said another mo­ther who gets disability ass istance. She added, "I am constantly judged & poor-bashed by the Ministry." "Sometimes children say they don't want snacks just

because they don't want their parents to go without," said another parent on disability. "Because I don't have enough money I could never take them to Sci­ence World, Play land, or the Aquarium. It's even hard to go on picnics. It makes us feel like we are . less than others even though we're trying our best."

The European Union Defined:

A means by which the wealthy elite of France, Germany, and England could suck the lifeblood out of smaller nations.

For centuries, Greece was doing fine on its own. Then it joined the EU, and within a few years hundreds of thousands of Greeks were, and still are, suffering.

The European Union is a conspiracy of "One-Per­Centers" who feel the need to increase their wealth, and shrink the middle class into a population of serfs. Slaves who are paid just barely enough money to eat and house themselves.

Over the past winter, the leaders of the Occupy Movement have been 'gotten to' by the conspirators, and the movement has now lost its steam.

The power of the conspirators is reinforced by those of you in the upper middle class who lack interest in socio/economics and social justice.

You are too comfortable to believe that your grand­children will ever be in the paid slaves majority of the world's population.

It's sad to know that the only thing standing between the masses and the above scenario, is a small group of Hackers.

Garry Gust ...,.-,-:~ .x-ec~- ~~,-'"":1:_:-a_~~

After all the speeches and requests for the NDP to commit to raising welfare and building social hous­ing, Dix said, "There will be a plan and you will

~Written Between the repulsed

see it before the election." "Housing is a key part of it," he said. All of the points raised by the parents are "under con

sideration by us," Dix added. A single parent with one child who is expected to

look for work gets $945.58 per month on income as­sistance. A single parent on disability with one child gets $1242.08.

The parent and grandparent group is also trying to arrange a meeting with Lberal Minister Stephanie Cadieux. Contacts: Jean Swanson: 604 729 2380;

Stacey Bonenfant: 604 441 5744; Colleen Boudreau: 778 329 2294

· Raindrops Time elapses

Humans lapse

Seconds slap into minutes Slapshot into hours

Crapshoot into days Map out into years

Time indifferent as erosion It just happens

No deity winds this Cosmic clock

Addiction is like the holocaust gas chambers multitude of thousands millions plagued with major infestation worms in the brain eating away at your mind, sicker sicker to the point you're a corpse and rot, die slowly, pain is your ultimate goal, loneliness

• Only by living well do we seems so isolated Wind it up ourselves stop listening to the

John Doug las lies Nora Kay

US Trade Agreement Leak Reveals 'Radical New Powers' for Multinational Corporations Obama administration agrees to deal that contra­dicts domestic agenda - Common Dreams staff The release today of a confidential document from ongoing US trade negotiations with eight Pacific na­tions-- known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) -- reveals that provisions included in the trade agree­ment would drastically undermine Obama's proposed domestic agenda and give unprecented political au­thority to multinational corporations. The TPP negotiations have gone on for two years between the Obama administration and several Pa­cific nations under conditions of'extreme secrecy' without press, public or policymaker oversight, says Public Citizen who posted the leaked docu­ment on their website today. " The top U.S . trade official effectively has said that the administration must keep TPP secret because otherwise it won't be able to shove this deal past the public and Congress," said Lori Wallach, direc­tor of Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch. "The top U.S. trade official effectively has said that the administration must keep TPP secret because otherwise it won't be able to shove this deal past the public and Congress"

-Lori Wallach Public Citizen' s G lobal Trade Watch

The leaked document, according to the Huffington Post, reveals 'extreme provis ions' that have been agreed upon in secret negotiations that ''bestow radical new political powers upon multinational corporations" in global trade and contradict key promises made to the US public about such deals. According to Public Citizen, the leaked text now confirms that the terms of the TPP would:

*Limit how U.S. federal and s tate officials could regulate foreign firms operating within U.S. boundaries, with requirements to provide them greater rights than domestic firms;

*Extend the incentives for U.S. firms to offshore investment and jobs to lower-wage countries;

*Establish a two-track legal system that gives for­eign firms new rights to skirt U.S. courts and laws, directly sue the U.S. government before foreign tribunals and demand compensation for financial ,

health, environmenta l, land use and other laws they claim undermine their TPP privileges; and

*Allow foreign firms to demand compensation for the costs of complying with U.S. fi nancial or envi­ronmental regulations that apply equally to domes­tic and foreign firms. "The airing of this one TPP chapter," said Wallach, ."which greatly favors foreign corporations over domestic businesses and the public interest and exposes us to significant financial liabilities, shows that the whole draft text must be re leased immedi­ately so it can be reviewed and debated. Absent that, these negotiations must be ended now."

,

The sky-licking greed of humans makes this a reality. It keeps people out standing to breathe, to limit self with no thought of 'asking friends ove(. and almost impossible to share space. This could well start here if/when Vancouver becomes the developers wet dream: an Executive City. (Workers housing.}

7 of 'housing' now open in Japan, at

first for overnight when caught working too late; now renting for up to $700 a month! A bit less high than wide, each looks aBout-a ~g. The lack of affordable rooms (sounds familiar} has students & working singles making 'homes.'

This collage can give any number of reasons to think- class consciousness is knowing which side of the fence you are on. ''Anyone can be rich" is myth, the Big Lie on steroids.

Our Right to Food For much of my life I've been having conversations about our right to food. Over the last year many of those con­versations have been with my friends and neighbours in the Downtown Eastside, while others have been with a number of people who are becoming more and more concerned about the proliferation of a two-tier food system in British Columbia and beyond. Currently those of us that are materially poor are finding it increasingly difficult to access healthy, local and organic foods- which we all recognize as having positive effects on our health.

Do we reallv have a right to food? For most of my discussions this seems to be a question for many. In response I choose not to negotiate or con­vince others of deservedness to food. In fact I find it appall ing to have to do so- we live in a country, and in the case of British Columbia a province, that produces more than enough food for all our neighbours to enjoy. The unfortunate reality is that almost one million Canadian families are food insecure each year. This is a situation that is only getting worse as we see a growing number of working fam ilies becoming food insecure and dependent on charity to get through the month. My preference in this discourse is to anchor my thinking with the international right to food framework that has

existed for over thirty years in Canada and beyond. In 1976 as a part of the Universal Declaration of I Iuman Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights was ratified, which speak to out Can­ada's right to food obligations. It is important to be clear that right to food does not mean that the government is responsible for handing out free food, but instead it is obligated to create and support an environment that enables people to feed themselves. Despite having s igned the international covenant many years ago, a growing number of Canadians are food insecure. How can this be?

What can be done to make right to food a reality? Issues of food insecurity need to be addressed broadly and collectively with the input of a variety of stakeholders (including those with lived experience of food insecurity). in a process that is based on a realistic and honest un­derstanding of the political factors that impede our right to food. These factors include low wages/incomes, a lack of affordable housing, the need for affordable child-care, the dominance of charity as the major societal response to food insecurity and the recognition of an often unspoken distrust of the poor that exists in the minds of many. In short, lack of access to food is largely a societal construct and can be improved through the actions of a willing society. A poverty reduction strategy for British Columbia (one of on ly two provinces that do not currently sup­port one) is what many of us recognize as being a mechanism to address the growing imbalance.

To look at the s ituation in more detail we must understand the impact of low wages/incomes. Without the enact­ment of a livable wage policy, more and more working individuals have to rely on food banks--this is clearly not a solution to food insecurity. The foods that are available at food banks are often Eurocentric, which is a huge chal­lenge to many low-income Chinese elders in the Downtown Eastside, and certainly does not support positive health outcomes. These foods are often high in sugar, sodium, overly packaged and laden with preservatives. Of­ten in more traditional food banks they are also the food that people with more resources chose not to eat or that have been sitting in their cupboards for months I years before they choose to take it to the Food bank. With that said, I think it is important to note that food banks are important and should be viewed as an emergency resource that are a part of a continuum of supports and not a regular part of the monthly plight of people with low-incomes to access food. Food banks positioned in this way is unsustainable and one that does not work to address the sys­temic issues of poverty. With a ll that! 've said above it is also exciting to see a growing number of food banks coming to the table as part­ners and allies in the movement towards universal access to healthy food. It is becoming increasingly common to hear the dedicated folks who work and volunteer at food banks supporting and participating in the call for things like a livable wage policy- which would give families the opportunity to make their own food choices and ulti-

Carnegie Community Centre Association (CCCA) Board of Directors: 2012-2013 President: Gena Thompson Ava Eder Ludvik Skalicky Vice-President: Phoenix Winter Ernie Harris Margaret Teng Treasurer: Pat McSherry Fraser Stuart Marvin Dennis Secretary: Adrienne Macallum James Pau Paul Taylor Member-at-Large: Priscillia Tait Lisa David

mately reducing or eliminating dependence on food banks. These days at some food banks that recognize the chal­lenges of the traditional model are frankly asserting that food banks are not solutions to hunger and need not be positioned as such. A growing number offood banks are becoming important allies in the fight to increase access to our right to food. At the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society they have been animating community kitchens in many of the single room occupancy units (SROs)/hotels in the Downtown Eastside through the Downtown Eastside Community Kitchen Program. This too is a model that many of the more progressive food banks are be­ginning to use as ways to introduce people with limited storage to healthy and fresh foods and the benefits of pre paring that food with their friends and neigbours.

Another significant hurdle to having everyone enjoying their right to food is around the welfare rates in British Columbia. They are arbitrari ly set and have no connection to the cost of living. The focus of welfare seems to be an attempt to keep people alive who are not working - not an attempt to support people as they transition to em­ployment. The challenge here is that inflation has deeply eroded any chance of welfare helping people to live healthy lives. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives research points to a 36% decrease of value of a welfare cheque as a result of inflation in the last twenty years, The maximum that an individual on welfare in British Columbia can receive is $6 1 0/month (with $375. of that

going directly to the landlord by way of rent). If we pretend that someone can access a place to live for $375/month in a city like Vancouver, then this leaves just over $7.50/day for that individual to maintain their hy­giene, seek employment, access public transportation and of course secure and consume food that will allow for good health. Instead those on inadequate welfare try to access their right to food by engaging in dangerous and unsafe survival work- binning, survival sex work and selling drugs. These activities put people in constant risk of danger, and ultimately are more expensive for society to address retroactively through increased medical and po­licing costs. There are several other problems associated with welfare and welfare rates, which could certainly be the basis of an entire novel, but I will stop here.

Another key systemic hurdle to enjoying right to food is the lack of affordable housing and affordable chi ldcare­or at the very least strategies to address these issues. This reality of this means that parents/caregivers are forced to choose between work and staying at home to care for their children. The loss here is not only the lost income that the caregiver could have received, but also the loss on increasing experience and seniority. A lack of affordable housing, which is a growing concern in cities like Vancouver, particularly for those who are homeless, recipients of welfare or disability "supports," This often forces people to have to choose between housing and eating. The UN Special Rapporteur on Right to Food suggests that these are key pieces of addressing food security and that it is incumbent on the Canadian government to live up to its international right to food obligations by paying greater attention to these key issues.

The longer we neglect to pay attention to the systemic issues and continue to funnel the resources that can be used for that into charitable efforts, the inequity becomes more entrenched and more difficult to address. We need ac­tion now - it is important to the health of our friends and neighbours who aren't able to secure the food that they need to keep them alive and healthy. There are some incredible advocacy groups and campaigns that are hard at work in British Columbia that you can support and get involved with that are working to challenge the systemic issues that get in the way of our right to food. Together we can demand better and we must!

By Paul M. Taylor

Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP)

Newsletter Read CCAP reports: htt June 15, 2012

New changes to welfare ... Some good, some bad, none nearly enough After no increase in welfare rates for over five years, the BC government announced 28 changes to welfare policy last week. Unfortunately, none of them were rate increases and we still have to keep the pressure up.

are expected to work. The new rule doesn't go into effect until October 1 though.

A lot of the other changes eliminate some rules that were hair-tearingly frustrating such as not

or not allowing children whose parents were on Hardship to get any dental care. These ridiculous rules will be ended in October.

A single person can now have up to $2000 in assets, up from $759, and a

allowing families on family can have assets The best change is ~ worth up to $4000,

~~~o;~~:r~e~~~ , -XQP 1-:J:--,-. w are expected , AU .. to work to WJW

~ NOtl! criminalized. Right now BC is the only province that doesn't have an earnings exemption for people who

hardship to keep their child benefits or lump sum Family Benefits refunds ,

which is also higher than before. This (Cont'd on page 2)

l

means if you are thinking you might have to go on welfare, be sure to apply before you are completely broke. People on disability can now have up to $5000 in assets and couples and families on disability can have up to $10,000.

People on disability will be able to keep $800 a month of what they earn, up from $500. But this affects only about five percent of people who get these benefits.

On the bad side there is a lot of rhetoric about making people look for work. By October you will have to look for work for five weeks after you apply for welfare, not three as you do now. And if you have an immediate need for food, shelter or urgent medical attention when you apply, you can get hardship, not welfare. Hardship doesn't provide as many benefits and you might have to pay it back.

Back on the good side, the government will end the time limits for being on welfare (two years in a five year period). But they say there will be "intensified work-search requirements." This could mean people will be harassed unmercifully to find jobs which may not exist.

It all adds up to: we have a lot more work to do to pressure both the Liberals and the NDP to raise welfare rates, to say nothing of building more social housing that people on welfare can afford. Be sure to come to the Cost of Poverty forum on June 26th to learn how to argue effectively for government policies of raising the welfare rates and ending poverty. See the flyer on the back page. ~ J .S.

Some websites to look at http://ccapvancouver.wordpress.com/ Virtually everything we're up to at CCAP gets posted on this blog. Click on the reports tab to read CCAP's reports.

http://dtesnotfordevelopers.wordpress.com Website for the Downtown Eastside Not for Developers Coalition and the campaign to stop the Sequel 138 condos on the 1 00-block

http://raisetherates.org/ See the Raise the Rates website for updates on the campaign to raise welfare and basic wages in BC and the fight for justice, not charity!

Van city vancouver foundation

Support for this project does not necessarily imply Van city or Vancouver 2 Foundation's endorsement of the findings or contents of this newsletter

Parents and grandparents tell Dix: "We're not begging,

just asking for justice" Raise welfare rates to a Liveable level,

build social housing that people on welfare and basic old age pension can afford, and stop clawing back 100% of earnings and child support payments. That's what nine parents and one grandparent on income assistance told NDP Leader Adrian Dix and MLA Jenny Kwan at Strathcona Community Centre on June 5th.

In short and eloquent speeches the nine women and one man told Dix and K wan what it is like living on welfare for them and their children:

"There is no such thing as sitting around. We forage every day," said Stacey Bonenfant.

"Before we had social housing I had to take $150 out of my food money for rent," explained Colleen Boudreau. "If government built enough social housing people would have more for what they need."

"Stress [from not having enough money to feed her child] makes my disability worse," said another mother who gets disability

assistance. She added, "I am constantly judged and poor-bashed by the Ministry."

"Sometimes children say they don't want snacks just because they don't want their parents to go without," said another parent on disability. "Because I don't have

enough money I could never take them to Science World, Playland, or the Aquarium. It's even hard to go on picnics. It makes us feel like we are less than others even though we're trying our best."

After all the speeches and requests for the NDP to commit to raising welfare

and building social housing, Dix said, "There will be a plan and you will see it before the election."

"Housing is a key part of it," he said.

All of the points raised by the parents are "under consideration by us," Dix added.

A single parent with one child who is expected to look for work gets $945.58 per month on income assistance. A single parent on disability with one child gets $1242.08.

The parent and grandparent group is also trying to arrange a meeting with Liberal Minister Stephanie Cadieux. ~ J.S.

3

Photo essay from the DTES Not for Developers' June 2nd 2012

Pantages paint-in, pancakes, and petting zoo protest for the people

4

-... __ ......... --.

.. Diane as "Sq rat" invites the crowd to her petting zoo

100% social housing"

Lippman's out ... but are the Wonder Rooms & Palace Hotel safe and secure housing yet?

The Wonder Rooms and Palace hotels had their day in court again on Wednesday June 13th. A court-ordered sale was supposed to approve or refuse a bid to buy the buildings by notorious gentrifier Stephen Lippman. But on Tuesday, less than 24 hour before the court date, Lippman's offer stalled, and then failed. The Wonder and Palace hotels have been saved from the clutches of an investor who has a record of raising rents and bringing in a higher income group of renters ... but the 72 rooms are not safe, healthy, or secure yet.

This past Friday CCAP discovered that notorious SRO hotel investor Stephen Lippman had made the leading bid in the court ordered sale of the Wonder and Palace hotels. CCAP, DNC, V ANDU and allies flew into emergency action when they discovered that the sale would be confirmed before a supreme-court judge on Wednesday June 13.

On Monday they held a picket line in front of Lippman's private West Vancouver mansion and set up a protest camp down the street. Lippman's business partner Jeffrey Howes complained that protesting in front of his "private home is inappropriate." One of his neighbours even swore at one of the children colouring Lippman's driveway with chalk. Tami Starlight, DNC president, responded, "They' re confused. Lippman is the one displacing people from their homes. We are just visiting West Vancouver to let his community know what he has been doing in the DTES."

6

The protester set up a camp, strung up information signs, distributed pamphlets and held discussions with Lippman's neighbours. Greg Williams, one of the campers in the green space steps from Lippman's place, said, "No matter what happens we feel like we have won something important if Lippman doesn't take over these two hotels. I met a lot of his neighbours and most of them don't know him at all. Maybe his lack of relationships with his neighbours explains why he's such a bad neighbour in the DTES."

Palace Hotel tenants at BC Housinf!

On Tuesday more than 50 residents marched to BC Housing to stop the gentrification of 72 low-income housing units in the targeted hotels. As the crowd rallied and chanted for social housing outside three Palace hotel residents met with Dale McMann, a member of the BC Housing executive board. Lome, who has lived in the Palace for 5 years said, "My room is lousy but if llose it I'll be on the

street." And Linda, a recent resident who doesn't want to lose the room she settled into after being homeless, said, "We get treated like dirt by these big landlords, that's why we need BC Housing to help. Please save our homes." McMann promised to look into acquiring the buildings and the residents left, pledging to return if BC Housing continues to do nothing.

Finally, on Wednesday morning a group of DTES residents gathered at Supreme Court for a confusing verdict.

Lippman's offer to buy the buildings is off. But someone else, a mysterious company, bought the mortgage. It means that George Wolsey is still the owner. It means the future ofthe 72low-income affordable hotel rooms and the people who live in them hinge on a secret arrangement between Wolsey- the subject of tens of RTB complaints and hundreds of

city bylaw violation notices - and a company willing to break bread with him: "Laurelwood and Southwood Ventures."

Wonder and Palace residents deserve healthy, safe and secure housing, not tenancy on a Monopoly board. To get it, BC Housing should buy the buildings and the city should finally enforce their laws and collect the bylaw violation fines Wolsey owes them.

7

Canada: national food strategy can eradi­cate hunger amidst plenty- UN rights expert

"Canada has long been seen as a land of plenty. Yet today one in ten families with a child under six is un-able to meet their daily food needs. These rates of food insecurity are unacceptable, and it is time for C~nada_ t~ adopt a national right to food strategy," said Oltvter De Schutter, the UN Special Rapporteur on the right to food, on the last day of his official visit to the country.* "What I've seen in Canada is a system that presents barriers for the poor to access nutritious diets and that tolerates increased inequalities between rich and poor, and Aboriginal non-Aboriginal peoples. Canada is much admired for its achievements in the area of hu­man rights, which it has championed for many years. But hunger & access to adequate diets, too, are human rights issues-- and here much remains to be done."

The UN human rights expert was nonetheless confi­dent that the country could move towards establishing food systems that deliver adequate and affordable diets for all, and called upon the Canadian govern­ment to convene a national food conference that would clarify the allocation of responsibilities be­tween the federal level, the provinces and territories. "All political parties have expressed support for the establishment of a national food policy, and the en­gagement of citizens through food policy councils across the country is truly impressive. But in order to address them, Canada must first recognize the reality of the challenges it faces," he stated.

Three areas of concern were highlighted that should be addressed in a national food strategy. First, a large number of Canadians are too poor to afford adequate diets. "800,000 households are food insecure in Can­ada. This is a rich country, but it fails to adapt the levels of social assistance benefits and its minimum wage to the rising costs of basic necessities includina , t:>

food and housing. Food banks that depend on charity are not a solution : they are a symptom of failing so­cial safety nets that the Government must address." Second, more than one in four Canadian adults are obese, and almost two thirds of the population is overweight or obese, costing at least 5 billion Cana­dian dollars annually in health care costs and in lost productivity. "This is also a result of poverty: ade­quate diets have become too expensive for poor Ca­nadians, and it is precisely these people who have to

pay the most when they live in food deserts and de­pend on convenience stores that charge higher prices than the main retailers." Third, the situation of Aboriginal peoples raises spe­cific concerns. Referring to the situation of fly-in communities in Manitoba and reserves in Alberta that he visited during the mission, De Schutter called for a refonn of the Nutrition North Canada program that subsidizes retailers to serve remote communities. He also called for a structural approach to tackling the socio-economic and cultural barriers to opportunities for those living on reserves that result in their not en­joying fully their right to adequate food. He also re­gretted that neither the federal Government nor the provinces consider that they have a responsibility to support off-reserve Aboriginal peoples in overcoming the structural discrimination they face.

De Schutter was encouraged by a number of local and provincial initiatives that seek to rebuild local food systems, and to ensure adequate incomes to farmers while at the same time ensuring consumers' access to fresh and nutritious foods. He noted, how­ever, that these initiatives were not sufficiently sup­ported at federal level, and that they were currently under threat. "School breakfast and lunch programs still depend on local initiatives in the absence of a national policy in this regard," he said.

The Special Rapporteur will present his final report to a forthcoming session of the Human Rights Coun­-cil in 2013. Olivier De Schutter was appointed the Special Rap­porteur on the right to food in May 2008 by the United Nations Human Rights Council. He is inde­pendent from any government or organization.

Harper of course dismissed this out-of-hand, even going so far as to say such findings reduced the credi­bility of the United Nations(!) It 's like anything to do with climate change: Harper shut down a 25-year old independent (i.e. with un-appointed staff) network I foundation whose specific purpose was to mon itor and report on the environmentally questionable acts & proposals/projects in Canada. No more funding. This response mirrors the massive 'streamlining' of

our system of checks & balances in tenns of unfet­tered industry and its subsequent environmental im­pacts. Prisons are his solution to needed housing.

PRT

(CJ ~ *** '@******* ~ ~ ~ *******\§'***

News From -the Library

New books In her latest travelogue, Clle Guevara and the

Mountain of Silver: By bicycle and train through South A merica (918), author Anne Mustoe follows in the same bike-tracks you ng Che took some 55 years before. Anne's capti vat ing story is steeped in the hi s­tory, politics and breathtaking landscape of South America. An enchanting read for those seeking his­tory, humour, and adventure! Creative Recovery: A Complete A ddiction Treatment Program That Uses Your Natural Creativity (362 .29) offers a complete addiction recovery program specifi­cally designed for writers, artists, musicians, and crea­tors in every fi eld. Full of explanations and exercises, this book presents ways to use your own innate crea­tive abilities in service of your recovery and at each stage of the recovery process. Authors Eric Maisel and Susan Raeburn present a practical, useful guide to help you live a fu lly creative and addiction-free life. A Room in the City (362.5) represents the culmina­

tion of Gabor Gasztonyi's five-year project of photo­graphing the residents of the Cobalt, Balmoral, Re­gent, and Sunrise Hote ls in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Gabor worked closely with DTES residents, presenting them in private moments, with respect and dignity--in their rooms and on the streets--as they wish to be seen. Poems and diary entries from Gabor further add to his photographic journey.

In The Hidden R eality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos (530.12) author Brian Green, one of A merica's foremost physicist and sci­ence writers, explores the mam moth question--Is ours the only universe? The book investigates the poten­tial for "multiverses," or parallel worlds, explaining how we can use math and science to learn about these multiverses.

Carnegie Library Card Survey Tell us about how you use your library card by filling in a quick survey. We're going to use this information

to help improve our service here . We'lf also pass on what you tell us to library staff w ho are looking at introducing a Carnegie-type card for the whole c ity.

Stop by the library anytime Monday-Sunday of this week, June 13-1 9, and pick up a survey at the desk. We will also have a table in the cafeteria this Friday, June 17 from 12- 1. T hanks in advance for your help! Elizabeth (your student librarian at Carnegie over the next few months--come say hi!)

Megan, your librarian

YWCA \ "anr·o un · r l'u iJit< Library

METRO VANCOUVER

OPEN HOUSES Wednesday, June 20 (4 to 7 pm)

Saturday, June 23 (11 am to 2 pm) DUNLEVY SNACK BAR I 433 Dunlevy Avenue

y

1 2,000 sf. full -service Library branch

Vibrant children's area to host programs for children & families

Distinct space for neighbourhood teens

Meeting room space for Library & community programs

Access to computers and computer learning

Opportunities for adult literacy & ESL

Lots of books, DVDs, newspapers & other materials

Collections of Chinese language & Aboriginal materials

Read ing, studying & group work spaces

.)

Safe, affordable housing for single mothers & their children

Rents based on income

Fourteen 2 & 3 bedroom apartment units

On-site support staff

Communi ty fami ly program space, such as:

Medical services by visiting medical professionals

Employment services

Aboriginal Infant Development Program (AIDP)

Parenting & single moms' support groups

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Program

... :

2::5 ---- ...

De1ayed by p r o g r e 5 5

Hello Miss opportunity .. I take my coffee bleak that is just my way, where will you be when the poor get cut down like dead trees Atrocity Exhibition designer body bags and other cute things will be on display, s idewalk blankets with curbside pillows for us poor people to snuggle down, like the playhouse for the criminally insane where after thought is underway invitees are making for a very under the city ground, lining up for their piece of the street they trade their dignity for somewhere to sleep it could be worse the selfish keep repeating bullcrap like we do the truth, 3rd world conditions I've stopped counting the peti­tions no one laughs it could mean their ass these peo­ple are sick of being so beaten white & black is now Black and blue, this sh ine-on you call progress de­stroys the soul of both young but mostly the older as we all shall be soon have you noticed the moon now drips red, the new order says "clasp your hands be­hind your head" and rest assured .. what percentage of life do you want dead, every vacant s ight is created by exceptionally vacant minds the D.T.E.S. has rats the size of pigs guess it takes one to know another of its

kind why give our earth a bad name what you have nothing to say how you've used up every book for its words and more, so many sardine canned heating vents on wheels passing you by yet the Hastings pov­erty and misery tour is nothing but glade grave fresh­eners for sewers pay your fare sit down shut up and enjoy this tour yes nothing ever makes sense tor those masses you forget daily only because their poor, so many twist endings jockeying for position our dear leader lip-synchs to all oppositions look you [sicko­pinko-commie-social justice ratfucks] some people do wake up on the wrong side of the street you' re the evil that pushes people skills on folks that never got taught they jus t got caught, if your brain was planted in someone's garden would it produce fresh fruit or blackened milk cartons not a chance of it growing a single common sense thought, like releasing people with a hundred charges for more what the RCM P's 300 new m 163 mega guns are for are you planning some surprise party for a ghetto soon to be full of metal soon to be obliterated by the blue boys your guest of horror which is you, if you really want a show your brain tree has produced a corpse tlower check it out they exist but have only one day's supply of power unfortunately the selfish the proud yet thank your pseudonym only the few my eternal reward is their termination now tell me does hell give out trans­fers too? I seem to be on the top I 0 most wanted of the obsolete shut down my pens my li fe and my points of view I've I ived in burned out houses aban­doned buildings so what about you, rich people who earn it hey cool but if you're the s lumlord who ripped off I'll use my "friends" as tools don't you ever in my existence compare me to you, reno-evictions are no better than loansharking predictions who gets to live and to die which by the way you have no say yet you bum promises every minute why don't you go and lose your gun, somewhere there is a kid who has that stupid ----gun will it be suicide an accident" we was only having fun" have that cop go to the parents and try to explain their child is dead there is nothing funny about ineptitude may your God have mercy for all who cou ld end like this one, this transit of Venus will make the red sun black in I 05 years it will come back Will that line up still be as long as my moon is red? If my moon becomes our future food bank even those who guzzle Listerine will know exactly who to un­thank those who left of us will track you down ... maybe tonite By ROBERT McGILLIVRAY

Karen Jamieson Free Dance Workshops June I- July 13

Carnegie & SFU Woodwards Come to both each week!

! } ;(

Every Friday at Carnegie Community Centre Gym 3:30 -5:30 June I, 8, 15, 22, 29; July 6, 13

Every Wednesday at Audain Gallery SFU Woodwards 3:30 -5:30 149 West Hastings Street -Entrance from the street

June 6, 13, 20, 27; July 4, II

Free and open to all res idents of the DTES of all levels of experience, studying the basic elements of

dance through rhythm and improvisation

All are welcome! Come and discover the joy of dance!

Please see Rika Uto in the Carnegie Program office for more information Karen Jam ieson Dance at 604.687.6675 -kjdance.office@telus.net -www.kjdance.ca

~------------------------------ keep dreaming

Hope Floats over East Vancouver

, This cloudy-spring morning Wind kissing clouds away A lone Canada Goose Signatures across the sky.

As my social-poetic life Becomes more & more like A Hugh Grant s lapstick Romantic comedy

Hope (in Jarsee: "omeed-var") Rings round this lucky bird

Actors and Performers from the Carnegie Theatre Workshop

present

a Play Reading: -we've read 7 plays/short play

collections this spring­help us choose which to read

for our finale -

Wed June 20, 6pm Following the volunteer dinner

Carnegie Theatre Open to Public audience

Like an aura of Demi-destiny "Show thou Carnegie work shop Players"

As I plait this living breathing poem These rainforest skys become clear l be rid of all inner fears

Single bird, s ingle tear

John Douglas

sometimes, wholesome sometimes raunchy rocky rolling with the punches takes work, pat ience longing, forgiving, virtue moral, quirks, learning lessons, getting to know urself, through the eyes of others is not so easy take what you want leave the rest, taking giving, receiving, accepting crying, laughing, sacrifice along the way you stop and reflect SMILE keep dreaming never gtve up

Nora Kay

carDegieC NEWSLETTER

401 Main Street, Vancouver 604.665..2289

THIS NEWSLETIER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION

Articles represent the views of individual contributors and not of the Association.

. . "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,

committed citizens can change the world. lndeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

- Margaret Meade

WANTED We acknowledge that the Carnegie Community Centre, and

thiS Newsletter, are occurring an Coast Salis·h Territory.

Artwork for the Carnegie Newsletter *Small illustrations to accompany artides and poeby; *Cover art -Max.size: 17cm(6 }4")widex15cm(6jhigh *Subject matter pertaining to issues relevant to the

Downtown Eastside but all work considered; *Black & White printing only; *Size resbictions apply (i.e. If your piece is too large it wil be reduced andlor cropped to fit *All cr1ists will receive credit for their work; *Originals will be returned to the artist after being

copied for publication; *Remuneration: Carnegie Volunteer Tickets. Please make S'-;lbmissions to Paul Taylor, Editor.

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

FREE DENTAL HELP 455 'E Hastings: Monday & Friday, 9:30-12:30 Call 604-254-9900 for information. Cleaning only at VCC is $35. Info: 604-443-8499

FREE LEGAL ADVICE Law Students Legal Advice Program All cases checked with lawyers; confidential. Monday 1 0-4pm, Tuesday 2-8pm !.

Thursday 1 0-4pm. Art Gallery, on Carnegie's 3•d floor, 401 Main. Call UBC for info: 604-822-5791

•

Nen Issue SUBMISSION DEADLINE:

. TUESDAY JUNE 26TH 2012 DONATIONS Margeret D-$40, libby D-$75, Jenny K-$25, Sheila 8-$100 Harold D-$100, Leslie S-$150, Bake Sale at BC Cancer-$405 Christopher R-$150, Phoenix W-$60, Wilhelmina M- $20, Patrick F-$10, CUPE 15-$1000, Robert M-~. Bob S-$200 Megan L-$40, LV -$10, Vancouver Moving Theatre-$150 Michael C-$50, Michelle C-$20, Glenn B-$100, Shyla 5-$75 Naomi N-$20, Peak House -$40, Sonia M-$25, Lou -$5 Sharon/Henry/Patty/Mike/Hui Zhen/Bijan -$25, Elsie M-$100 Literacy Roundtable -$1000, Sue K-$40, Anonymous $40 Solder and Sons Cafe -$50 Marsha D -To the memory of Sandy Cameron -$50 Lazara Press - To the memory of Richards -$100

camnews@;>haw.ca www.camnews.om hllp:Jkameqie. vcn.bc.calnewsletter h!tp:Jiharvesters.sfu.calchodarr

Jenny Wai Ching Kwan MLA WORKING FOR YOU

1070-1641 Commercial Dr. V5L3Y3 604-775-0790

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

• AIDS

POVERTY

• HOMELESSNESS

• VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

• TOTALITARIAN CAPITALISM

• IGNORANCE and SUSTAINED FEAR

Whatever you say it's all about you; about dancin' , trickin' n treatin' .. also some quite nasty tweekin'. It's all in the game concerning life on the street where people can get happy yet homeless and sometimes quite battered & beat. Yet again, "who the hell cares?" what's goin' on in your about all the thievery, strife and tension, and you go on with your from early ev­enings to fast nights, hardly ever asleep - to rest weary head on a soft pillow aching bones maybe a real bed. Those days seem long past, many moons back when you had pleasant dreams -and wished a regal princess to become, to reign beloved-a fantasy over & yet real. You'd be dressed in translucent white, a maiden of dignity, benevolent, uncritical yet always honestly right. .. you can put yourself back there in a blink of an eye when things get too rough, too hectically rest­less, not unlike a 'natural' high .. When you really want out of the business, out of the danger, chemicals, from the crime and dirt to your world of sweet secrets, released from the hurt and free from the pain What good is a life without goals, aspirations to have in the clouds, what an exh ilarating sensation that as of this day you are sorely and mythically weighted down with a crown of thorns .. unfairly so. In point of fact it should be a gl ittering, sparkling tiara resting softly upon your shimmering auburn hair.. though not to be in this particular space & time. You deserve this (&every) accolade as much as ever for never giving up on your dreams, surviving, facing down tremendous obstacles, trials & tribulations .. you rate the best of everything laid at your feet Know and fear not, as all is not lost. If not here on the face of Mother Earth, then in eternity where every­thing will be pure and perfect, as you wish, because your wishes will always be forever, my command. You can count on this. Until then please be strong­sleep tight, pleasant dreams - Princess.

ROBYN LIVINGSTONE.

Big Lake Small World

Day breaks at the big lake Women return from the hunt Bearing food. Some prey still warm and sticky with blood.

Air is chilly just now before dawn The season late this year Giving rise to much speculation and

ritual sacrifice To known and unknown beings of mystery

and magic Voodoo, religion

Cross, star and crescent moon Coyote, Raven, Thunderbird.

Now in June suddenness blooms lushly Strangely on this petite planet Sun sparkles dazzling our eyes, enchanting our Visions Silver cufflinks in the basket by the parkbench Turquoise and aquamarine.

Bare feet on the cool damp lawns Communion Howling and hooting at the sky Naked now On the altar The knife glints We drink.

And are carried back, carried forward The crack in the cosmos enough to slither through Once more.

Wilhelmina

The VCN help desk has moved to 704-333 Terminal Ave. It is one block east of the Main Street SkyTrain Station. The VCN office is in the south-east corner of the suite. We will be open Monday to Friday from lOam to 4pm. VCN will have one public access computer available

outside our office. The Senior Centre will have 4 computers available on the west side of the room. The 411 Seniors Centre is moving as well.

'How little we really own, Tom. when you consider all there is to own.'

Dakota tribal wisdom says that when you discover you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount. However, we often try other strategies with dead horses -

1. Get a bigger whip. 2. Change riders. 3. Saying ''This is the way we've always ridden this horse." 4 . Appointing a committee to study the horse. 5. Arranging to visit other sites to see how they ride dead horses. 6. Lowering the standards for riding horses. 7. Appointing a Focus Group to revive the dead horse. 8. Creating a trianing session to increase our riding ability. 9. Comparing the state of dead horses in today's environment. 10. Declaring that "This horse is not dead." 11 . Blaming the horse's parents . 12. Harnessing several dead horses together to increase the horses' performance. 13. Declaring that "No horse is too dead to beat." 14. Providing additional ftmding to increase the horse's performance. 15. Doing a study to see if contractors can ride the horse cheaper. 16. Procuring a COTS dead horse. 17. Declaring the horse is "better, faster and cheaper" dead. 18. Fanning a quality circle to fmd uses for dead horses. T9. Revisiting the perfonnance requirements for horses . 20. Saying·tbat the horse was procured with cost as an independent variable. 21 . Closing the horse farm on which it was born. 22. Promoting the dead horse to a supervisory position.

*found on the floor .. ·email from Ziff eng in CalgG/y'

(Dead horses: -Non-treatment, jail cell harm reduction. -Criminalising poverty. -Prostitution and dmg abuse as a direct result of slack upbringing. -Cowboy policing .. e.g. vacuum cleaner approach (i .e.Gastown hypocrits)