401 Main Street, V6A 2TI

Grand March

for Housing

APRIL 15, 2009

carnnews@vcn.bc.ca www .carnnews.org (373 hits per day f) http://harvesters.sru.calchodarr (INDEX}

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••. and built

Community and resistance in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside

BY LIBBY DAVIES [Pub/is/ted on r·abblc.ca, 4/4/9]

So much has been written about the Downtown Eastside by the media, academics, as we ll as in­numerable studies and even internationally. Yet it remains an enigma to those on the outside looking in, often reduced to harsh one-liners and stereo-types that fail to portray the complexity, rich history and deep sense of community that exists in what is often described as Canada's poorest urban postal code.

Reading the current series in the Globe and Mail, "The Nation's Slum: Fix It," I have been both in­furiated and provoked by the articles. Like many, I balk at headlines and descriptions that portray a helpless throng in deep despair waiting to be pulled out of poverty by healthy doses of middle classness and development.

But, when you react these Globe articles more closely, it becomes clear that the underlying story, the real story, is one of community, resistance and social justice.

When l was a comm unity organi zer in the early 70s, the area was known as "Skid Road," not much differ­ent than many such inner city areas in North America It took a remarkable effort to transform "Skid Road" into a community called the Downtown Eastside. This happened because visionaries like Bruce Eriksen an unemployed local, started organizing and fighting for the right to decent housing, community space, and protection under the law and human dignity. 0~1t of the early struggles came the Downtown

Eastside Residents Association (DERA): the realiza­tion of a long journey whereby local residents assert­ed their own voices for a decent quality of life. We took on slum landlords, a city that ignored its own by-laws and demanded and got funding for new social housing and the opening of the Carnegie Libr­ary at Main and Hastings.

People in the Downtown Eastside fought back because they believed, and still do, that as a comm­unity, with roots and connections, decent housing and bas ic mnenities are nttainablc and don't have to come at the expense of evicting people because they arc poor. So what is the trouble with the Downtown Eastside?

I ........

The problem lies not with the community itself­though it is otien portrayed that way- (it knows what it needs); it is more a problem with the attitude of government -- that can't acknowledge the failure of its public policy regarding the provision of social housing, income distribution and health. Neoliberal polices of fi scal restraint, privati zation and deregu­lation have taken a huge toll in this community. While various good initiatives have been started, like the Vancouver Agreement, it has unquestionably been the loss of social housing and loss of income that is doing the neighbourhood in. The abandonment of fed eral housing programs in the 1990s still resonates in the levels of homclcssness we see today. A ncl the fact that income supports are stuck at 1994 levels means poverty is deepening and affec­ting more people. I remember the clays when local residents cou ld still afford breakfast at the Ovaltine, or buy household items at any number of local stores. That's now an impossible luxury for many residents.

Underlying this struggle is increasingly valuable real estate. The pressure for redevelopment becomes a convenient soluti on to the areas problems, thus further marginalizing the efforts of local residents to keep their own neighbourhood. No one is call ing for the status quo here. Upgraded and new housing arc badly needed-- but for whom and how much? And why is there an assumption that if you move in more middle class people, the area will "improve." Would any other neighbourhood will ingly let itself be dismantled because someone else says it will be good for them?

Much coverage has also been given to the drug crisis, providing many a sensational story, with

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numbers over the years that wou ld have you believe every single resident in the community is a drug user. Not so, of course. But more important is that the Downtown Eastside led the way in challenging current conventions on drug policy and the war on drugs by advocating for substantive changes-- like INSITE, and the need for dmg law reform. A debate that began in the "nation's slum" is gaining resonance across Canada. The Downtown Eastside is a very strong commu­

nity that has survived many attempts by others to reduce it out of existence. What the Downtown Eastside needs most of all is

what local activists like the Carnegie Community Action Project have been working for all along: recognition that this is a community, that low income residents have a right to be there and live a decent life; and not face the continual insecuri ty of poverty and lack of safe, affordable housing. This means all levels of government must do their part to ensure livable incomes; prevent the loss of low income housing; upgrade -- where feasible --and replace and develop new social housing units. The Downtown Eastside is an energetic and strong

community that has led the way on many issues and refuses to give up. It is a community of diversity; of parents and their kids; of poets and artists, where activism and hope thrive.

I hope the series in the Globe and Mail will help get us past the gruesome headlines and stereotypes to a better understanding based on the real community that is there.

Libby Davies is the Member of Pari iament Vancouver East

VANCOUVER OPERA

The Night Before the Opera

"SALOME" By Strauss

The first 75 people will receive free tickets to the final dress rehearsal of the opera.

WednesdaY, AprJI 29, 7Ptn Carnegfe Centre Theatre

Presented by Vancouver Opera's UBC Learning Exchange in collaboration with the Carnegie Centre.

News from the Library Larry Loyie

You are warmly invited to meet Cree author Larry Loyie as he reads from Goodbye Buffalo Bay. This is a true story of life in residential school ... and of moving on. Lawrence learns the power of friendship in his last

year in residential school & stands up for his beliefs. He returns home to find the traditional Cree life he loved is over, but his grandfather's gentle guidance helps him find his way. Lawrence fights a forest fire, works at a sawmill, meets his first sweetheart and fulfills his dream of living in the mountains. Wearing new ice skates bought with his hard-won wages, Lawrence discovers freedom and self-esteem. Award-winning Cree author Larry Loyie was born in

Slave Lake, Alberta. He received the 200 I Canada Post Literacy A ward for Individual Achievement (Britisll Columbia). Larry was the first First Nations writer to· win the Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children's Non-Fiction .

Goodbye Buffalo Bay is his fourth successful book. Larry Loyie is an inspiration to all of us at Carnegie. He was a Learning Centre regular when he began to write seriously. His successful writing career gives hope to budding writers, and his true and touching books help us heal, laugh and learn. New Books Tlte Harder Tltey Fall: Ce/ebritie.v Tell Their Real­Life Stories of Addiction ami Recovery, by Gary Stromberg and Jane Merrill (362.29) tells the story of actors, sports stars, politicians and others who have struggled with addiction . Read about Richard Pryor. who got tired of waking up in his car driving 90, Steve Earle strung out on cough syrup and heroin, and Alice Cooper, who became as addicted to being straight as he was to being drunk. In Robert Ballard's Guada/canal (940.54), photos, maps and descriptions recreate the World War II battles of Guadalcanal. Robert Ballard, who disco­vered the Titanic and the Bismarck, explores the naval battlefield, bringing wi th him some of the men who had served on those ships that now lay beneath

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Iron Bottom sound. Being With Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death, by .loan Hali fax ( 155.93) draws on traditional Buddhist teachings, guided meditations, and advice from dying people and caregivers. Joan Halifax's book aims to help readers contemplate death without fear, develop a commitment to helping others, and transform suffering and resistance into courage. She says, "Why wait until we are actually dying to explore what it may mean to die with awareness?" Did you know that columbine was used to inspire

love? That lavender oil has been used to kill lice and bed bugs? That strawberries are good fo r chill-blains? And that thyme is one of the key ingredients of a magical elixir that can be used to see the little people? Traditional Herbal Remedies: An ll/ustrated A-Z Guide, by Michael Howard (6 15.32) gives lots of information about historical and current uses of some popular herbs. The book includes bright hand-drawn illustrations. Light on the Water: Early Photography of Coast-al British Columbia, by Keith McLaren (97 1.1) includes more than 120 historic photographs of boats, ships and people along the coast of Bri tish Co lumbia from the late 1890s to the early 1940s. There are some incredible photos of canneries, fishing boats, and torpedoed warships, but with no photographs of f- irst Nations canoes, this seems like an incomplete collecti on.

Beth, your librarian .. H & R Block: not as dumb as they look

•• A provincial tax credit for low-income individuals = $75. Less $ 12.00 for filing taxes, then given a debit card for a bank in the amount of$63.00. If the user takes out $20.00 each time they want to use this convenient debit card to secure their money, they arc then charged $1.50 each time (bank service fees). So the amount the person receives is now less $4.50 but to add insult to injury, you cannot take out less than $20.00 on a debit card so now you have to go the fi nancial institution to take out the remain ing funds. The government just might as well send the cheque automatically to low income individuals so they can at least benefit from it and not II & R Block who makes millions from this loophole at the expense of those least able to afford it.

Submitted by AI Wilby

OLD BUM BLUES 7 Walk up to the Churchill guard: Big-ass gun Say there, that a .357 Mag you got there son? Whaddaya got? Armour-piercing shells?! oh ya well good to see you boys

are alright then they smirk at just another old Bum shuflli n' off at dawn me, I got a 12 dollar radio keeps me company at night lay in the dark listeni n' to talk shows

"Coast to Coast AM" -gives me all the news I need to know gave up women; couldn ' t drink enough got down to heroin when things got rough this ain' t no Bill of Sale I'm tryin ' to sell you if the streets don't do it the cocaine will ki ll you

Paradise

There's a place that I go Within my mi nd Where I can be alone. Escape to solitude, Retreat to sereni ty. Savour rny highs and dwe ll in my lows I call it p(lrad ise . I can. sit in silence, Peacefu lly ponder What my cmot ions mean Conquer my fears, Decipher my dreams. Discover why I arn here What comforts me About this place I go, Is what happens here

AI

Torn abuse and captivity

You are what sets me free judgment and crit ique

You fill my heart with glee dishonesty and decei t

i>lcasc come back to me con1l ict and misery

Forever wi th you I want to be

Cherie Weston

SPRING

No one will know

Sun

Planting

Rain

I

In

New

Green

Aiden

I Saw

I saw angelic babies weep weeping and crying themselves to sleep one night in the dormitory I crept to numerous beds Li' l ones I asked 'What's the matter?' "I miss my mommy and daddy - I'm hungry.

Many told me 'Billy, I need some food ' I and a friend, Georgy, got together late at night we put dummies in our beds

Writers' Jamboree 2009 We need your help! SFU Writers' Studio, Carnegie Library

& the Heart of the City Festival are planning another Writers' Jamboree this fall.

Whether you were part of the 2008 Jamboree or not, we'd love to hear your ideas for workshops, readings, one-on­one sessions and anything else you can think of! Join us to brainstorm

Saturday, April 18, 2pm Carnegie Centre Classroom 2

Time Was . . . I Remember my mother waking me the school across the street was on fire that same year the Moon Shot as I dusted off the too-big baseball pants I was ready in '69, hi tchhiked to the acid core of the psychedelic universe they locked me up fo r trying to be free - a litt le white boy hippie

cl imbed down the fire escape to raid kitchens & the orchard Then Nixon, the seventies, last stop for the freedom train, all the Marxist-Leninist garbage turned into disco hall s One night around midnight we froze in fright

I saw- we saw- figures and a strange light Georgy! What's that? I asked, this is no fun He responded tearfully, "They' re burying another one [baby]!"

I almost screamed but 'S I-ll! !' Georgy said If we're caught we' ll join the dead ones!! Today I have nightmares of that frightful night waking up sweaty, cold and in dire fright

I saw figures with shovels and fl ashlights digging a hole ncar an apple tree to bury little ones death defied by the living wi th weeping & pleas Set me free, set me free - Bi lly, Georgy, free me!

Today I still cry at night, hearing babies plea! "free me, free me or I might die!' I ' n Georgy brought the food - my dreams I can draw the truth and suffering of Indian Residential Schools

I SAW! I S/\ W! I SAW!

All my relations, William Arnold Combes

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in dancchalls where those who cou ldn' t be hip if they tri ed danced to dawn in flashy satin shirts

by the time Alistair was born my long hair gave way to punk the artist-poet slash father was born shoveling snow in patched fatigues as Jackie hit the scene: Boom! like a runaway locomotive bent on homicide and like nothing the years clicked by\ the nineties and the China White, kids had to babysit their parents as we lost all control; our soul and now the Great Reformation the Golden Age of Rebirth I look at the kids on the street and wonder if they' ll see as much in their own time as I have in mine

Cowboy I3ob

Photography by Sharon Burns

Moments of the 2009 Spring Equinox Gathering

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INDIAN RESIDENTIAl SCHOOL

For babies it was tortuous, horrifying and genocidal- there were no fools on ly fools of a thousand hea11beats would accept such murderous schools yo - preachers and nuns created bent, inhumane and twisted Rules Rules for assimilation of native babies; non-compl iants were cruelly abused

Indian Residential Schools were birthed by the British, not Canada's government just the same it was a Shame

Certainly this tactic wasn't to civilize babies but to curse 'em (no fault or blame) -Deceitfulness was their blame game so we'd lose, never to win I lome Run! Indigenous peoples, where have you been?

Many fallacies have fallen upon Indian Residential Schools- they're all lies Truths can be written on stone by those who lived it, us adult girls & guys who suffer the seven deadliest sins - no fault of our own though why is it evident each survivor fights and struggles alone?

Churches in charge of all residential schools were malignant, dishonest and cruel Nuns, priests, sisters, brothers and teachers used mouths & weapons their tortured, mangled and butchered souls must lie in pools of blood .r· thousands ki lled, others screamed with blood-curdling cries, tears a flood inundating gaps of loneliness of all stuck in an Indian Residential School.

Indian Residential Schools were neglectfully run !. By crazed priests, brothers, sisters and nuns

A domain where babies shed tears on bended knee A II were First Nations and many were Cree.

Thousands were buried in unmarked graves others fought back as did their ancestral braves Countless babies ran away, never to be found again those who were caught suffered unimaginable pain

The aftermath of all the Indian Residential Schools grown survivors are declared liars and fools who either die in suicide or live in total defiance remaining mute, afraid, living their lives in silence.

When is this cycle going to end? Truth and Reconciliation? now let's not pretend the traumas of babies have never come to an end Damn the era of the Indian Residential School.

All my relations, Will iam Arnold Combes

You want to know who I am? Who I am is an Indian. 1 arn five foot four and a halffuck all. I got a long lock of hair Since 1 had my daughter. My two boys have long hair, too. I got married, a shot gun marriage .. I was still a kid - I got married to give my daughter His last name. 1968. Sweety, I called my girl but my eX thought I said Tweety and from that day, my daughter's name was Twcety My son is a middle chi ld. He loves food. One time, my sister-out-law says to my three year old son, "I am going to take your new baby brother home wi th me" "NO - MY BABY!! lie sa id But 1 lost a baby between my daughter and my middle son I have three super papoose I am from Canada - fi·om the caribou count ry I left my out-laws behind north ofcowpie town A better life without them MreX I am strong,creative,artistic - don't get in my way I learn everyday and always take care of me first after you Time fli es when you're having fun!

From Sue Blue

The greatest show ever played in Carnegie

WOW! Harold, your brother Clarence is great. I enjoyed listening to his music and seeing him smile. It was a great time to listen a11d to notice how eveiJ'0/1<' was er!)oying themselves. The music was real~l' great. Tf/C/nks for letting me know about this some time ago. Cheers and hopl' to see you soon. Keep Smilin.'

This is an email I got from a friend who attended the concert on Saturday. If you weren't there then you missed the greatest show ever played in Carnegie. At least that's my humble opinion . My brother gave an amazing show and I think he does it regu larly. He seems to know his audience and makes it mai1datory that they enjoy themselves. They showed up precisely on time at noon on Saturday. Clarence n' Lilian n' her son n' daughter in law, sorta and later on another friend of the family. great time for a bit ora family get together. Our family had a bit of a reunion also. Our cousin Dan·in from our mother's brother, Cyril and our nephew Daryl from our sister Darleen, our niece Pamela from our deceased sister Karen. Then there were a whole bunch of friends from my years at Carnegie including one who gave me some money to buy the others a treat from the kitchen after the show was over. Clarence had a

Carnegie lunch and I had a coffee n' cake. Of course Clarence loves his coffee and he had about 4 or 5 cups. I remember him laughing and telling Lilian this is my lucky day because he had so much coffee. Then they both laughed. They enjoyed the atmosphere of the dining area and we all spent about an hour talking. It was a great time. Now I should mention the actual show. Things weren't exactly ready but as it turned out it couldn't have been better planned. As we were setting up and getting things ready. Clarence sat at the piano and gave us a little show of what he could do on the piano. When things were finally ready, I introduced Lilian who told a few stories and then she introduced Clarence. who laughed because he enjoys the limelight. Then as Lilian told lilLie stories Clarence would play an appropriate tune. They sure work well together. There was a reporter there from the CBC. Jennifer was her name and she was taping everyone who came within reach. I'm gonna email her to see when the show will be aired and you can all listen in. the show was a huge success as everyone complimented me 011 my fantastic brother, as if I had something to do with it. I think the concert was a huge SUCCESS and I'm gonna try to do it again next year when he comes in from Winnipeg to spend a few months in Victoria. Also he loves doin 'com:erts so if you know of anyone who would like to have him play let me know and I'll get the information to Lilian who handles stuff like that. They arc usually here for 4 months so it would have to be some time in the first pmt of the year. Thanks to everyone who helped. Colleen managed the DVD show. - II a I

Anti-intellectualism "One of every four American[ adians ]s believes we' ve been reincarnated; 44% believe in ghosts; 71 % in angels. Forty percent believe that God created all things in their present form sometime during the last 10,000 years. Nearly the same number (not coinci­dentally, perhaps) are functionally illiterate. Twenty percent think the sun might revolve around Earth.

Beats on BroadwaY AcouStic Qpen Stage

and Sarah Anastasia, singing, bcllydancing

Friday, Apr·ill7, 7:30pm Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House

800 East Br·oadway Info: 874-1256 ' Wherever it may have resided before, the brain of America has migrated to the region of the belt- not below it, which might at least be diverting, but only as far as the gut. From there it tylls us what's right and what's wrong, who to hate and what to believe and who to vote for."

-Mark Slouka in Harper's

Also at Mount Pleasant on Thursday night (April 16th), 8 PM: /nChoiring Minds, that intrepid east end choir, will be offering their end·of-term performance: 1/2 hour of sublime tunes, followed by munchables and community blather. Please show up just before 8!

r.r-:::, (S( -. dtes Centre for the arts \ • Creating Opportunities for

Open House the Artist in Evcrvone

Welcome to our first open house. We invite you to come to Interurban Gallery to enjoy the company of other community members, meet the creative team, learn about our upcoming programs, and contribute your ide:=ts and interests.

Come and join us in creating opportunities for the artist in everyone at the Downtown Eastside Centre for the Arts community programs launch.

Thursday, April23, 2009 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm Interurban Gallery

1 East Hastings Street 5: 30 pm to 6: 15 pm - Greet, meet, and eat 6: 15 pm to 7:00pm- Meet the creative team 7:00pm to 7:30pm- Introduction of programs 7:30pm to 8:00pm - !deasji'Oin the community

CCCA Annual General Meeting is coming!

Nominations for candidates for the positions of Carnegie Community Centre Association Board Members will be accepted at the Thursday, May 7 Board Meeting at 5:30pm in the Carnegie Theatre. as per the revision to the Voting Procedures passed at the Special General Meeting on January 8, 2009 Members who nominate must hold a membership from at least that day. <Nominees must have a 2009 membership purchased on or before April 5, 2009 to be eligible to accept nomination; in order to vote one must have a 2009 membership purchased on or before May 21, 2009.>.Voting will take place June 4 at the June Board Meeting

MONTHLY TOWN HALL MEETING Monday, 27 April, 1:00 to 3:00 Carnegie Community Centre

401 Main Street

LiSten or 'Rant Everyone is invited

Sponsored by DERA Info: 778-329-1250

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24 ARTISTS IN 24 HOURS You're invited to a celebration of creativity!! !

On April 18/19, 2009 24 artists will begin a 24 hour adventure in creating pieces of art. Working in various mediums, graduating a11ists

from the Emily Carr institute will take you through the process: from beginning to completion and create pieces of a11 that range from paintings, silk-screening to sculpture and more. Be part of the audience and watch the non-stop action, etc. with DJ's, a bar and a good time.

All items will be sold at the end of the event with silent and live auctions which will begin at 2 p.m.

24 ARTISTS IN 24 HOURS

lNTERLJRBAN GALLERY 1 E HASTINGS

April 1812:00 P.M. Aprill9 12:00 P.M. April19 AUCTION 2:00P.M

By donation with open bar, dj's and more Benefit for the Downtown Eastside Centre for The Arts

Downtown Eastside Poets!! DTES poets are invi ted to come and read your work on Sunday, April26 at 6pm at Tanglewood Bool<S, 1553 West Broadway between Granville & Fir.

Tanglewood is a used bookstore that offers a monthly poetry reading series.

(Secretly placed by unnamed members [Phoenix & Diane] ofthe Learning Centre's "Writing For Fun)

DILEl\lMANADESTAND! More gril;l" ~ ards from Hallmark & parking lots for bars drinking & driving one in 4 surviving look there's a spot now you may have seen it first go for it my car's bigger it's called a hearse, while await-ing medical attention idle Rage erupts making St Helen's look like a half-time intervention St Minus please help us why does justice have to turn dead cold before even nearing the guilty parties? maybe that 's what was being celebrated before they blame their car - now in flames time for the blame game so it was the car that was faulty?? Lots more work in distress who volunteers to clean up this mess hindsight is required so are your pliers, still no one hears anything with cars full of wires, will someone take that giant step and confess "I will! I will!" shouts someone selling hostage insurance by the hour bring along bodybags & detergents, blood & brains leave stains tough to get out let alone forget maybe one day they'll remove nightmares & regrets while awaiting media contention OH almost forgot here's some medication the help we called for was running second in this convention, you had entered the zone of no return. Turn down your nightmare so many things to forget & learn there's an honest look about you that scares the I Jell out of me Turnstyle & stay awhile, take I 2 hundred pictures & smile your DILEMMAnade stand has so many turncoats shots from Mars are faster than force-fed smiles. Turn around & hit the ground, Turncoats look & shoot both ways now they've got you diaed they turned you 111 to save their own skin (don ' t tell me this is a position you've never been in) YUCK! friends for awhile then that turnstyle turns you in is it possible you are responsible for your own nip & tuck knock knock who's there? Plan 9 the first 8 couldn ' t wait left an unknown address alas no date it's the United Children's Union of Lemonade Stands waiting their turn you selfish shallow shadow of a post-lobotomy man ... \ I still can't fathom how all this turning turns you on, transistor radium was all the rage when they took 600,000 steps backwards & created a nuclear age -ice-flavoured or solar-flared I don't think they'd notice if it was Drano they were drinking Oh those were the days that led up to the braves & cowards come forward and scream out I DON'T CARE. You may now bring in the money people & a rye & coke what no ice? I guess this global warming is your

- - - . god's warning that death can happen twice now I must turn my head no not in shame but dread there is no Kingdom to Come - what's that??? Oh cool you scraped up some ice!

Everywhere I turn I get turned back now what a surprise Jenny Craig stores in Darfur or worse it's now my turn for goodbyes.

m By ROBERT McGILLIVRAY •

a changing of the guard

taking stock and holding court, sticking to it and hanging in, going forward, standing ground, don't give an inch, put forth your best 'cause that's what cou nts; forget the negative 'n discard the rest. Continue forward, full steam ahead, carry the load, hang up your armour, like ploughshares - beaten, hammered, cast-off, gone - to see know more, feels good for sure when the road gets tough to hoe but it ain't news my I i fe's been panned by some, by others there are compelling and apt reviews but I can take it (I can dish it out too) no harm no regrets ha! maybe some on that no doubt. Like favourite movies watched over then viewed once again it can be tiring thinking always of now and then put up your dukes: No, I'm just kidding as I unload my baggage (my form of ridding). I turn off the lights sometimes but don't leave the room; you do likewise I surmise ... I presume to exhume all kinds of myths legends unobscured, clear, resil-ient.. beware of the upper middle class, intellectual political gamesmanship fi xed elect ion dates with all their false philanthropic fakery - li ke clockwork sure-as-shootin ' connect-the­dots do you care? You should beware - it's li ke I told you so they're crooks, thieves, investment bankers in a sinking sideways drift, monetary funds plundered bankrupted, busted like cupboards bare ' n empty shut for good for bad forever disintegrating ashes blown skyward into oblivion ... what's next??? New Age corrections, New Deals with No More showing off nor showing up, putting down by pulling rank, cutting out and them's-the-RULES ... to get along, to sing new songs, all rights wi th no more wrongs, moving naturally again within the flow; you' ll like that scene: to create, relate and then to ultimately accept your most exceptiona l soul-sourced dreams! ROBYN LIVINGSTONE

DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE . . YOUTH ACflVITIES

SOCIETY

541 E.Broadway

,04-151-3310

NEEDLE EXCHANGE VAN·-3 Routesa

604-6115-6561 City- Sa4Spm -llc4Spm

Overnleht-12:30nm - BzlOnm Downtown Ensfglcle - SalOplf! -I :Jon.

THIS NEWSLE'ITER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE C.A.RNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION

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

• Edito;-PauiR Taylor ·-;-over tn:l7 h~ Colleen & Sindy.- -I Collation & distribution crew: Harold, Liu Lin, Bill, Mary 1 Ann, Miriam, Rolf, Tina, Videha, Kelly, Hal, Robyn, Nick, 1

Jackie, Matthew. Lisa, Red, Pablo, Ida, Priscillia. Lisa. r - - - - - - - - ·~-- - - - •

TIM STEVENSON ·· CITY COUNCILLOR

SERVING THE COMMUNITY WITH PRIDE

QTYHAlL -453 Wur t2111 Ave. V5Y 1V4 Pltone: 7247

Jenny Wai Ching Kwan MLA Working for You

1070-1641 Commercial Dr, VSL 3 YJ Phone: 604-775-0790

you Have a Legal Probletn7 Are you Charged with a crltne7

VIsit the UBC law Clinic In the Jrd floor gallery of Carnegie Centre for free advfce & representation.

ii"C Law Students Legal Advice Program (LSLAP) Drop-In, Tuesdays, 7 - 9pm.

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CFRO 102.-7FM CO-OP RADIO

Next issue is May 1st

SUBMISSION DEADLINE

Tuesday, April 28 Free showers for homeless persons at 327 Carrall Wed 7-8:30am; Sat 7-10am; Women Only Fri 6-Spm

.-------------------1 We acknowledge that Carnegie Community Centre, and ~ this Newsletter, are occurring on Coast Salish Territory. •-------------------~

WANTED Artwork for the Carnegie Newsletter

• Small illustrations to accompany articles and poetry

• Cover art -Maximum size: 17cm(6·3/41 wide x 15cm(61 high.

• Subject matter relevant to issues pertaining to the Downtown Eastside preferred, but all work will be considered;

• Black & White printing only • Size restrictions must be considered (i.e. if

your piece is too large, it wiD be reduced and/or cropped to fit;

• All artists will receive credit for their work; • Originals will be returned to the artist after

being copied for publication; • Remuneration: Carnegie volunteer tickets.

Please make submissions to: Paul Taylor, Editor.

2009 DONATIONS: Barry M.-$150, Ubby D.-$70 Rolf A.-$50, Margaret D. ·$40, Jenny K. ·$23, Sue K.·$30, Sandy C.-$25, Christopher R.-$180 Uel L·$25, Greta P.-$25. Java B.·$75, Alayne-$25 Anonymous ·$1500 Leslie S.-$25 The Edge -$200

[This article first appeared in the November 1, 2006

Carnegie Newsletter. It has a new ending.]

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? By Rolf Auer

The title of this article is probably familiar to a lot of you, dear readers. In case it isn't, please allow me to explain: it is a Latin phrase meaning "Who will guard the guards?", and I used it because this article is about police forces which police themselves, or themselves investigate complaints against them.

To me, the idea is obviously wrongheaded, because it is too open to abu"se. What I am about to relate to you will seem to bear this out.

I' ll start w ith the 1997 APEC protest at UBC, where student protesters were pepper-sprayed in an effort to clear them out of the area where the APEC leaders were to meet.

The RCMP Complaints Comm ission began an inquiry into the incident almost a year later, in 1998. It found that the person responsible for giving the order to use pepper spray made an unfortunate decision. His decision reflected limitations of poor planning and time constraints. Here's the capper, though: in June of2002, the officer was promoted. This is a strange kind of disciplinary action to take.

On Apri14, 2005, The Vancouver Courier reported that [former] Vancouver Police Department head Jamie Graham stated that 56 complaints made by the Pivot Legal Society against the VPD were unsubstan­tiated. He called the complaints " libellous and slanderous."

Further questioned by The Courier, Graham said that Pivot was not a " credible organization." Founded in 2000 by lawyer John Richardson and Ann Livingston, then of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, Pivot Legal Society is an advocacy group for drug addicts, sex trade workers, and the homeless.

A report from October 19, 2005, from the Pivot website, is titled, "Pivot complaint forces VPD changes." It stated that the more than 50 complaints by Pivot against the VPD forced it to implement significant policy changes. These changes involved the way the VPD seizes property, and makes arrests. (One should note, however, that these changes didn't seem to matter to VPD officers seizing the

possessions of homeless people in September [2006]. One wonders if any investigation of this action will ever take place, and if so, if the result will ever amount to anything.)

Two articles in the October 5, 2006 edition of The Globe and Mail are striking in their indictment of the RCMP. These are, "Mistakes plaguing RCMP: Errors made in several high profi le cases raise questions about force's competence," by Rod Mickleburgh, and "Trust in RCMP grows weaker by the day," by columnist Gary Mason.

Both articles refer to a number of prosecution failures by the RCMP. The case of mistaken charges against Shannon Murrin in the murder case of Mindy Tran was noted. A legal technicality dismissing the case of sex charges against an RCMP officer was noted. A number of other cases were mentioned.

Perhaps the most damning was the in-custody shooting death of Ian Bush. Bush was arrested for having an open beer and giving the officer a false name. In September of2006, the RCMP decided that the rookie officer who shot Bush in the back of the head acted in self-defense. The investigation that resulted from this incident was noteworthy for taking so long and being so secretive.

Another article in the same paper was titled, "Officer abused in Ian Bush case, police body says: RCMP's investigation of constable's action took too long, {Canadian Police Association} official tells conference."

In the October 7 [2006] ed ition of The Globe and Mail, again Gary Mason takes the RCMP to task, this time for the seemingly indifferent response by the provincial government to the sex charges that were dismissed against an officer, " Many questions, few answers in RCMP case." On the same page is another article, "Mounties release internal memo: Image-boosting e-mail leaked in an effort to improve force' s tarnished reputation," by Terri Theodore. The e-mail reminds officers of their proud tradition of integrity, and their "amazing success, given the difficult challenges we all face on a daily basis." This comes just after the two prominent, previously mentioned cases, and also after the stinging judicial report slamming the RCMP for their handling of the case of Maher Arar, who, apparently on the RCMP's say-so, was deported by the US to Syria, where he was tortured as a terrorist. [Then-]Federal Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day expressed his

-v·· .. VV""" 111 Luc 1\..I . .AVI t'. However, he also said there is work left to do and changes may be needed to the laws governing RCMP officers.]

An editorial in the October I 0 [2006] issue of The Vancouver Courier stresses the need for greater civilian oversight monitoring the actions of police forces, "Cops need civi lian oversight." It conc ludes wondering if the political will exists to challenge police standard operating procedure. .

In the October I 0 [2006] issue of The Globe and Mail, an editorial, "RCMP weather report: under a perpetual cloud" reports on aforementioned cases, and concludes that the RCMP must become accountable to Canadians.

That's the key issue in this article: police accountability to the public, or rather the inexcusable lack of it.

And now to catch up to the present, April 2009: Police officers should stop investigating them­

selves, recommended a retired BC Supreme Court judge in charge of the inquiry into the death of homeless a lcoholic Frank Paul, left to freeze to death in an alley outside a Vancouver Police Department station by the VPD. ("Police failed Frank Paul , inquiry head says in report," Gerry Bellett, Vancou­ver Sun, March 12, 2009)

"Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson wants to reconsider having police investigate their fellow officers accused of a crime, following an alleged beating of a newspaper del iveryman in th~ .Lower Mainland last week." ("Police accountab1hty needs addressing, says Vancouver mayor," www.cbc.ca, January 27, 2009)

("Man shot by police used X-Acto knife to make greeting cards: family," Lori Culbert, ~ancouv.er Sun, March 26, 2009) There is apparently v1deo ev1dence being withheld by the investigating Abbotsford police. "[BC Civil Liberties Association head David] Eby noted public opinion changed in cases like Robert Dziekanski, who died after being Tasered at the Vancouver airport, and Frank Paul, who was dragged from police holding cells to an a lley wh~re he died, after videos were released." "The shootmg is being investigated by an outside agency, the Abbotsford police, but organizations like Pivot and BC Civil Liberties have long argued that an independent civilian body should be established to probe incidents involving officers."

I

CARNEGIE VILLAGE PROJECT UPDATE

We had a very successful first meeting on March 30 in the Carnegie Theatre and by the time you are reading this, we wi ll have had our 2nd meeting on April 13. We will be having regular meetings every 2"d Monday at 1-3pm, either in the Carnegie Theatre or upstairs in Classroom 2. We will be starting Saturday meetings on May 2, from 1-3 pm as well, and continuing every 2"d Saturday until June 13. See below for a schedule of meetings and locations.

We started out with a discussion of our roots, and discovered quite a magnificent range of material that we can share--- everything from our different ethnic and family roots; Irish, English, Goan, German, First Nations, Ukrainian, Canadian, Scottish; to jazz, big band and popular music of the 60's, 70's and 80's, as well as original songs expressing rootedness in home, land and country. We are learning a Ukrainian ritual blessing song, an English fo lksong, and an original song by ~arnegie Villager, Mike Richter. As part of the learnmg process, I will be offering vocal technique, and ear training exercises to develop our musical ears and singing voices. We will be continuing to gather songs from our community, and add ing these to our reper­toire. Please come and add your VOICE to the Carnegie

Village. Meeting Dates (a ll m eetings are from 1 to 3pm) Monday April 27 Classroom 2/3ra floor

' ~ Saturday, May 2 Classroom 2/3 floor Monday, May II d Carnegie Theatre Saturday, May 16 Classroom2/3r floor Monday May 25 Classroom 2/3rd floor

' rd Saturday, May 30 Classroom 2/3 floor Monday, June 8 Carnegie Theatre Saturday, June 13 Carnegie Theatre

Beverly Dobrinsky, Carnegie Artist in Residence Ca rnegievillage@gm ail. com 151 F loor Info. Desk or 604-665-2220 (messages)

For coffee as good as Carnegie's, forget Waves; Get French Press\ and $2 America no cups at

So/riJr & Sons, 247 Main Street. Used books!

'

It's "Green" rl\. J or communiry development, sustainable enterprise, -:onsultation, co-operation for the future, in the best ,.nterests of . North American integration, wcial housing, low-income, addiction, street drugs vs orescription drugs, women's issues, Aboriginal •·ights, poverry, religion, spirituality, freedom ....

All of the words and catch-phrases above (by no means an exhaustive list) mean vastly different things to different people. When such ambiguous de fi nitions are relied upon to make what one interest or political bent wants, it rankles among the many others who feel ripped off or who know that the public use of "their" words by an unsympathetic source confuses the majority.

In the com ing election, and especially in the clash over matters oflife & death - decent, affordable, safe housing; liveable welfare rates; dignity- in the Downtown Eastside, beware of slick sycophants in the throes of ecstatic rhetoric, using words and heart felt concerns of ours to spout empty promises and dead solutions to j ust appease us at best or leave us with nothing at worst.

The following piece is in the March 2009 issue of The Monitor , the ongoing publication put out by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives:

Political realities "The student of politics must be on guard against the old words, for the words persist when the reali 1 y that lay behind them has changed. It is inherent in our intellectual activity that we seek to imprison reality in our description of it. Soon, long before we realize it, it is we who become the prisoners of the description. From that point on, our ideas degenerate into a kind of folklore which we pass on to each other, fond ly thinking we are still talking of the reality around us. "Thus we talk of free enterprise, of capitalist society, of the right of free association, of parliamentary government, as though all of these words stand for the same things they formerly did. Social institutions are what they do, not necessarily what we say they do. It is the verb that matters, not the noun.

"If this is not understood, we become symbol wor­shipers. The categories that were the tools we used in our intercourse with reality become hopelessly blunted. The social and political rea li ties we are supposed to be grappling with change and reshape themselves independently of the coll ective impact of

our taeas. we oecome:: tile.:: cJcatuJt a1Ju ••u JuiJ~~..o • t111..o

partner of social realities. As we fumble with out­worn categories, our political vitali ly is sucked away and we stumble from one s ituation to another, with­out chart, without compass, and with the steering­wheel lashed to a course we are no longer following. "This is the real point of danger for a political party and for the leaders and thinkers who inspire it. For if they are out of touch with reality, the masses are not. "

-Aneurin Bevan.

The Lions Sad to see the mess in front of the Buddhist monist­

ery. The lions out front are covered with water tubes and rigs carpet the ground at the base of the lions. The debris of last night's dealing frenzy are all over. The monks cannot keep up with the daily trash.

The traffic is nonstop as the wave of addiction washes up from the street. The lost souls like beached whales lay on the s idewalks, clamouring in rock shop talk. The buying and selling of souls ...

Inside they pray; they chant and the incense burns. The monks rub their shaven heads, a clear contrast to the outside.

Still, the passers-by take t ime to drift thru the throng to touch the round stone engorged in the lion's mouth As a call for luck the faithful touch the stone, roll it around, then go over to the second one to replay the sequence. One worries that if the lions cannot protect themselves from the onslaught of the street, what little chance do we, mere mortals, have?

AI