APRIL 15, 2014

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Carnegie Community Centre in the Gallery on the 3rd floor

carnnews@shaw.ca www.carnnews.org

GI\UN CH ~ dtes Gena Thompson has been a volunteer for over a decade, contributing her skills in public speaking, talent as a singer & actress, and passion for the activities, behaviours and ideas made real through the Carnegie Association and the low-income community of the Downtown Eastside. Go well, sister.

Y£AH' BUT OUf\ PRES I DE NT.,

CENA IHoMPSoN 1 S RETIRING- AND MoVING

;o ToRoNTO. M~ '/BE S.-\E CAN HELP 1--'E LEI'FS.

NEXT £L£CTION.S FOR. 1'HE. BoAR/), ... JUN£6t-lt

HEAR Y,E HEAR YE ttMEGIE BOARD ELECl'fo

Cl ~ THURSDAY II \9 JUNE 6TH 2014 CARNEGIE THEATER @5:30PM

~OMINATIONS ARE BEING HELD:AT THE MAY 1ST BOARD meeting in ilie ilieatre

To nominate someone you must have a membership card dated no later than APRIL 1st 2014

To run for the Carnegie Board a person must: • Have a membership card dated no later than April 6th, 2014

• Be over 16

• Live or work (paid or unpaid) in the area

• Be an active member of the Centre

• Have contributed 30 hours of volunteer work to the Carnegie Community Centre or the

Associat ion in the previous year to the election

To vote at the AGM on June 6th • Your membership card should have a date no later than MAY 61

H 2014

tHE CARNEGIE NEEDS PEOPLE LIKE YOU! ! ! (returning) VERY CLOSE READING, ALOUD!

When: Every Saturday from 12:30-2:30p.m Where: Carnegie Centre's third floor classroom Facilitator: Steve Wexler What we are reading: Homer's Odyssey and Annabel Lyon's The Golden lvfean.

This group will meet every Saturday to read and dis­cuss two influential texts. Homer' s classic Greek

tragedy The Odyssey originates in the 8th century B.C.E. and follows Odysseus' struggles to return home after the Trojan War and the trials of his son Telemachus in attempting to run his father's house. The Golden Mean. by Annabel Lyon, examines/re­imagines the relationship between Alexander the Great and his teacher Aristotle. We wi ll alternate be­tween these texts each week. All read ings will be supplied on the day of the meeting and read aloud.

[Rolf Auer. natural member ofthe Downtown East­side community. community activist & quiet hero, emailed from Ottawa and asked if the Carnegie Newsletter could use an article on the Portland Hotel Society and its recent tribulations.

The Portland Hotel Society: CLASSISM REARS ITS UGlY HEAD

By Rolf Auer

The Portland Hotel Society-arguably the center­piece jewel in the golden crown of Downtown East­side social services providers- recently underwent trial-by-fire.

Its Board of Directors- led by Mark Townsend, Liz Evans, and others- was accused by the Provincial Government, BC Housing and Vancouver Coastal Health of misappropriating funds for non-business related expenses, such as trips overseas, etc. and was forced to res ign.

A new, temporary BoD has taken its place. The out­standing question is now, " What will become of the services provided by the PHS? Wil l these be termi­nated, and affected DTES residents stranded?"

Supposedly, services shouldn't be affected. This, according to incoming BoD head Faye Wrightman. ("No plans to change Portland Hotel Services, new interim board chair says," Lori Culbert, Vancouver Sun, 25 March 2014) I !owever, subsequent to the mass resigna­tion, Rich Coleman discontinued funding for the PHS laundry, cafe, and janitorial services .

Fight! Many DTES residents depend on having all the PHS services! Your neighbours, your neighbours' I children, or perhaps even you need these! Don't let them go under without making so much as a whimper.

Some background: how this ousting of key anti­poverty advocates Townsend, Evans, etc. came about has all the hallmarks of a concerted smear job. Only nine percent of the PHS budget was in question. The perspective applied by the mainstream media-that expenses incurred by Townsend etc were frivolous­is skewed, as the other 91 percent of program spend­ing was robust.

Actually, what apparently attracted the attention of Rich Coleman were (I) a recent, large PHS operating deficit & (2) the practice of certai n PHS programs of marking up bulk-purchased goods for sale to the PHS. ,

The salaries of the upper PHS administration were probably greater than usual because there were no associated benefits such as pension, vacation, etc.

In the PHS audits, the supposed abused expense called " illicit limousine usage" turns out- 90 percent of the time-to be routine usage of the PHS Needle Exchange Van. Obviously-to this writer, at least­certain opponents of Harm Reduction were hard at work concocting that smear. Which opponents?

When Tory Minister of Health Rona Ambrose was recently asked to define her party's "Harm Reduc­tion" policies, she was unable to do so. ("Canada's health minister fails to explain Ottawa's policies on harm reduction," Travis Lupick, Georgia Straight, 25 March 2014) This, despite the fact that Harm Reduction falls within the purview of her ministry. It's well-known that the Tories-led by Prime Minis­

ter Stephen Harper-are ideologically opposed to Harm Reduction strat,egies, such as those exemplified by InSite and by the SALOME initiative (Study to Assess Longer-term Opioid Mediation Effective­ness-that is, giving free heroin to whomever needs it, which has been amply demonstrated to cut costs in the long run). Hardly surprising, since time and again the Tories have shown that they favour punishment over compassion, even at the cost of saving lives.

How this political party-questionably in power as the resu lt of a legally-designated " fraudulent" federal election--came to symbolize the face of Canadians is beyond the comprehension of this writer. That this happened-without so much as a whimper from Ca­nadians-leaves this writer astonished and astounded. That this party's deeply-flawed so-called "Fair Elec­tions Act'' is about to be foisted off on Canadians and will make hundreds ofthousands of Canad ians unable to vote leaves this writer wondering what happened to Canadians' balls. Have Canadians bitten them off and thrown them at their attacker (the Tories), as legend has the beaver doing as a defense?

How much influence do the mainstream media wield

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over Canadians? How responsible are they for the apathetic and listless indifference demonstrated by Canadians in their political affairs? To list only one example. consider mainstream broad­sheet Toronto newspaper columnist Margaret Wente. Regarding the PHS story. she wrote a column titled, "The fall of the pove11y entrepreneurs:· (Globe and Mail, 25 March 2014)

Wente wrote that the PHS is" ... entirely dependent on government money." Incorrect. In 2013, its reve­nues were more than $35 .5 million. Sixty-one percent of that money came from government. (''Portland Ho­tel Society foundi ng members resign following pro­vincial government ultimatum," Travis Lupick, Georgia Straight, 19 March 2014)

Wente concludes her column by asking, "What have all these millions that we've poured into the Down­town Eastside-and the millions more to come­really bought us ... ?"

If Wente had read the comments to the previously named article, the very first one would have given her the answer: "In the short but fast paced time I 've been with the Portland I've witnessed more deaths & sicknesses tlwn I will ever be able to recount and remember. I 've watch [sic} people bleed out from stabbings, get destroyed by cars, beaten to death and overdose and die from hepatitis and aids and cancer even. Paint thinner one time. The reason I'm able (tjter all this time, able ami willing to work in this field is directly due to the support of Tom fLavio­/ettej, Kerstine [Stuerzbecherj, Liz /Evans}, and Mark [Townsend]. Everytime someone didn't cost the province millions a year in jail ami emergency room bills (been many many many a time), and every time someone got out and sober, and every time someone didn't get raped or killed or hepatitis or aids, is due directly to the actions of these imli­viduals." [italics, boldface added-R.A.] However, having fallen prey to the same classist ten­

dencies (for whatever reasons: economic, education, power, etc.) demonstrated ad nauseum by the federal Tories, Wente lacks the common man 's necessary insight, and there fore typically ignores opinions such as the preceding. This lack is standardly mistaken by the professions as a kind o f distinction which- by some strange twist of morali ty-somehow merits public praise and reward. So. resultant high-ranking columnists and j ournalists perpetuate these c lassist

attitudes, which are similarly standardly accorded C undue interest by the public and thus unfortunately/ are emulated and reflected in everyday life, often showing up as, for example. discrimination, to name only one manifestation. A friend cut to the chase: "Would such classist critics

have helped the poor as Townsend etc. did, and if so. how long would they have lasted? Will the new BoD provide the same level of advocacy that Townsend etc. did?"

CCAP activist Wendy Pedersen has noted that the new BoD is "developer friendly." Ifthe DTES's past experience with developers is any indication, this does not bode well for the continuation of services.

Mr. Hot & Delicious

and Mr. Smoothie Invite you to

Oppenheimer Park

lpm - 2pm Thursdays

STRATHCONA COMMUNITY KITCHEN'S OPEN HOUSE

DATE: Wednesday, May 7th 2014 WHERE: Preschool Room, 2nd floor,

Strathcona Community Centre WHEN Drop-in between 1 0:30AM - 1 PM

WHO: All are welcome!

WHY:

To introduce community kitchen opportunities To provide information and answer your questions

about ... Farm to Table family out-trips Homemade snack program The Backpack Community Kitchen tasting booth

Volunteer opportunities To collect your input on the future of Strathcona

community kitchens. POINTS OF INTEREST:

-Taste foods prepared by Strathcona's Community Kitchen participants

-Enter for a chance to win 4 weekly deliveries of Bread, Milk, Eggs & Butter

(when you complete a questionnaire)

Bus Attack Arrest They came at me, nozzles at the ready. I tried to

stare them down but it didn't work. l kep.t driving .. that didn't work. Soon they started spraying and my windshield filled up with white goo. I glared at them and they put fuzzy eyebrows and a beard on me. I was humiliated- and they did it all - with whipped cream!

Phoenix

__ @ __ ~--Carnegie Theatre Workshops

-Let's get together to read-

The Komagata Maru Incident

by Sharon Pollock

Saturdays--- April 19, 26 lpm -4pm

Carnegie Theatre

! Everyone reads a part; everyone welcome ! We'll present a staged reading

for the public, date tba.

Led by Teresa Vandertuin

During the summer of 1914 - 100 years ago - the Japanese ship Komagata Maru,

carrying mostly Punjab and Sikh would-be immigrants, was turned away from

Vancouver after three-months anchored in Burrard Inlet. In the mid-1970s Canadian

playwright Sharon Pollock wrote a play as an allegory and a personal dilemma to

explore history; to recognize the past, to change the future.

Vancouver Moving Theatre in partnership with Jumblies Theatre present

MAPS AND MEMORIES 4th Downtown Eastside Artsfare Institute

A three Day Intensive Course on researching and expressing community stories through oral history and mapping

Ukrainian Hall, 805 East Pender Street I June 6-8, 2014, 9:30am- 5:00pm

This three day course on community-engaged practice will explore the gathering of personal and ancestral histories and images of landscapes and waterways from False Creek to Burrard Inlet and beyond; and their application in community-engaged art making.

Join Ruth Howard (Jumblies Theatre, Toronto) with Savannah Walling (Vancouver Moving Theatre, Vancouver/Downtown Eastside) on this intensive, experiential journey of learning and art-making. Course activities will blend presentations, discussions, demonstrat ions, hands-on activities, creative explorations and take-home resources.

This course is for emerging and professional artists from all forms and traditions; practitioners from related fields (e.g. oral history, community development, etc.); peop le with some prior or current experience in community-engaged arts; people with past projects or in-process projects involving oral history, interview or mapping research; and people who can apply what they learn and share it with others through the ir practice . • Participants will deepen and expand your community arts skills and experience; learn skills to support your own oral history or map-based arts project; meet and network with like­

minded creative people; and have lots of fun!

$150. Work trade places are available for those for whom the fee is a barrier. Snacks and the makings for lunches are provided.

APPLICATION PROCESS- Limited to twenty participants, selected partly based on experience and potential to benefit, with a view to creating a compatible and diverse group, including Downtown Eastside community members. To request an application form, email or phone assistant Artsfare coordinator Kelty McKerracher at dtesartsfare@gmail.com or 778-886-8871 (messages); or visit www.vancouvermovingtheatre.com and download an application.

You can email your completed application to dtesartsfare@gmail.com, or mail in application form to the address on the application form. Application deadline: May 5, 2014 (5 pm).

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· *Why a new residents' group? It's time again for DTES residents to unite & fight!*

Some of the most powerful peoples' movements in the history of Vancouver have come out of united community act ions of low-income Downtown East­side residents. Time and again on these illegally oc­cupied Coast Salish territories, despite pressures that could have fractured us, our communities have pulled together and stood arm in arm, marching together against violence against women, with c ivil disobedi­ence for freedom from imposed overdoses and pre­ventable sickness, and in squats for the social housing we need.

The time has come again to rally together and stand united against displacement: against evictions & gov­ernment dispersal programs that threaten to scatter the most vulnerable people in our community to more hostile places. It is time to' stand together UNITED for our low-income community: for better homes, our

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space and future.

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The main threat to the low-income DTES community today is displacement by gentrification. Gentrification affects our homes by driving up rents in even the crappiest hotels. Every year hundreds of SRO hotel rooms that house people on welfare and pensions are turned into student housing. Gentrification affects

. low-income women, by forcing them to stay in abu­sive relationships to keep off the streets, and Indige­nous children by making social housing harder to get into and families harder to reunite. Even those of us who have homes in the community are feeling like we're losing home; powerful people are taking our spaces for their private needs that exclude the existing community.

For a precious couple of years it seemed DTES resi­dents again had an organization (DNC) where we could gather and unite our powerful differences and diversities to work for a better world. But over the

past year the DNC board has cancelled all their regu­lar monthly meetings. barred members who disagr<!cd with a new pro-business agenda never voted on by mcmbet:s. and sque~zed out ~he members' elect<!d rep- , resentattve to the C tty plannmg process. The 'ne\\'

DNC is not a democratic organization. Low-int:ome ~Hello potcnti~ll '])TES United' members

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DTES residents need an organ ization that represents I ' the needs of low-income Downtown Eastside resi- On the tirst Saturday of April. more than 70 DTES dents as a whole. beautiful. diverse community. Our residents and a few of their allies packed into the community has never left any one behind and we're Dodson llall to call forth a nev\ DTES organization. not about to start. The voices am,I:>S<!d together sounded loud a call to

It is time to decide together how to tight against a organiz<! collective actions for justice against gentriti-growing feeling of powerlessness and save our unique cation and other displacement pressures bearing down community. That's why we are called a meeting to 1 on our community. The old ways, and some of our old form a new DTES res idents' group. We want to be allies. are not working to detend our community part of an organization that is membership controlled, against such powerful forces that rc evicting residents with big member meetings every month that can elect jacking up rents. and harassing and breaking up our and regularly hold the leadership accountable. We precious low-income community. As DTES poet want meetings and actions where we make space for Sandy Cameron said: ··we need new maps." every voice to be heard. and every person to matter. This inaugural meeting assigned some ambitious

We are calling the DTES low-income community work for the next month to those volunteers willing to together to form a residents' protest organization to shoulder the tasks. Ad-hoc committee meetings will unite and fight and not a llow anyone in our commu- take on this work each week this month. If you are nity to have their rights and dignity violated. For inspired to tight for the social justice of our low-years our community has demanded 'nothing about us income community in the DTES and would like to without us' and lately we have found ourselves in support this COIT\Jnittee's work with your ideas and powerless consultations. With a group that believes collaboration, please join us at: and practices low-income community democracy and DTES United Ad-hoc committee meetings self-determ ination, we will cry out together : 'nothing Every Thursday in April at 5:30pm about us not BY us' as we remake our own commu- Carnegie Centre, 3rd floor nity and our own lives together. (Dinner will be provided for meeting patticpants ..

By IVAN DRURY please let us know if you need childcare or other sup­ports in order to attend the meeting)

By next month's general meeting, on the first Satur­day of May (the 3rd), the ad hoc volunteer committee wi II come up with three big proposals: l) a working constitution to guide a new organization; 2) an interim decis ion-making, membership and lead­ership structure that can he lp us work together until we can develop a more thorough, long-term structure. and; 3) to identify (from this past meeting's brainstorm session) the pillar issue around which we can unite DTES low- income communities in common struggle. These proposais will be brought back to the May

meeting, where we hope we can take the next steps of struggle, elect an interim steering committee, and get back in the streets together!

HEARING VOICES ADVOCATE

Do you hear voices? WelL you nre not alone. Ron Coleman, a mentnl health advocate fi·om Scotland. spent 6 years in psychiatric hospitals labelled a chronic schizophrenic. At a talk at Vancouver Public Library on March 27. he said he has recovered.

One of his workers on the Psych Ward offered to take him to a Hearing Voices group in Britain. Through this group he has learned to listen and talk to

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his voices, and even ask them for advice. At the talk he mentioned the case of one woman who

hadn't been able to sleep because of her voices. lie suggested she ask them to let her rest and she did. The res~Jt was _that she had the first good night's sleep she d had m a long time.

There are two Hearing Voices groups in the Van­~o:lver area, and one more possibly in the works. One ~s 111 the Grandview-Woodlands area and the other is 111 North Vancouver.

Coleman also links abuse and trauma as probable ca_uses_ of ~1is illness. lie was sexually abused by a pnest _m h1s teens a~1d then a widower at 18. Rugby wa~ h1s outlet for h1s anger until he broke his pelvis durmg a game. He then 'lost it' at work and ended up losing his job.

He went to a psychiatrist and made the mistake of tell ing him he heard voices and they told him what to do. This led to him being hospitalised. . He is now a leading trainer and well-known teacher 111 the UK's Hearing Voices movement. He has been marri~d a_lmost 14 years to his wife Karen Taylor, a psycl~1atnc nurse who works with families and friends of VOICe-hearers. You can check out their website:

www. workingforrecovery.co.uk

By Phoenix Winter

Hello From the LibrarY! Thanks to everyone who has added their colourful

two cents to our Spring Into Reading poster. Pretty soon we' ll be taking it down. but then look for our next poster celebrating Bird Week in Vancouver you'll have a chance to vote for your favourite Van­couver City bird! !I ere are a couple of great new books we ·ve added

that will be on display in the glass cabinet this week. The Gospel Side of Elvis I by Joe Moscheo

While countless books have been written about the King of Rock and Roll, in The Gospel Side of Elvis. former back-up singer Joe Moscheo covers a unique and rarely explored aspect of Elvis' musical roots. Moscheo became privy to Elvis' musical and personal life as a member of The Imperials, a southern gospel quartet who sang backup for E lvis from 1969-1971. Anecdotes and memories unique to the author allow for an incredibly personal look into Elvis' life and love for gospel music. Beyond Addiction: How science am/ kindness help people change This is a positive, hopeful, helpful--even humorous-­gui-de for helping family members and loved ones overcome addictions. Its authors draw on decades of scientific research and clinical experience, but use easy to understand exercises and examples to create an accessible and valuable resource for all. This book challenges the popular "tough love" approach. instead advocating for embracing and strengthening relation­sh ips as a way forward.

Your Carnegie Librarians, Stephanie (Branch head) and EliL.abeth

Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP)

Newsletter Read CCAP reports: http://cca vancouver.wordpress.com April 15, 2014

flpri11, 2014: Tour of Two Citi~s ~flVfln yfl,ars sinefl,!ast Wfllfarfl 'f.(aLnfl! This is No Jokfl!

On April I st. Raise the Rates organized a "Tour of Two Cities", highlighting the contrast between the rich and poor in Vancouver. The Tour was to mark 7 years since the last welfare increase. The welfare rate for a single able-bodied person has been frozen at $610 a month while the rate for a single person on disability has been frozen at $906 a month. Inflation and soaring rents means that a person on disability welfare is at least $114 a month worse off than 7 years ago. This is no joke!

The tour started outside the Carnegie Community Centre. the heart of the community with a huge range of activities including seniors programs, health advice, music, theatre, writing classes. a library, yoga and volleyball, education, conversation, friendship and good food. Lunch at Carnegie costs $2.25. Jean Swanson contrasted the treatment of rich and poor in BC today. Fraser Stuart explained what it is like on welfare , living on the able-bodied rate of $610.

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The tour set off down Hastings to go to the other side of town, the area tor the rich and powerful. The tour highlighted that BC has enough money to raise welfare, tackle poverty and provide good housing for all. Instead, the BC Government gives handouts to the rich Tackling poverty would save lives. make for a happier province and save the people of BC $4 billion a year.

"Christy Clark" marries "The Rich 1%"

Birks, the Luxury Jeweller, at 698 Hastings , was the first stop. Clearly there is plenty of money in Vancouver and Canada; Canada wide sales in 20 13 were $158,834,000. The CEO's income is well over $1 million a year.

The BC government's tax cuts between 2000 and 20 I 0 made the rich even richer. The richest I% of British Columbians received, on average, an extra $41 ,000 a year from these tax cuts! This tax cut alone is more money than the income of half of the workers in BC. The median individual income in 2011 was $26,842.

Raise the Rates performed a symbolic wedding using a $41,000 ring.

Raise the Rates next visited the Vancouver Club, where some of the rich and powerful who make the decisions in BC hang out. Dave Diewert and Harold Lavender pointed out that, to join the Club the entrance fee alone is $6,500 and in addition there are monthly dues of $213 (for a

resident of Vancouver over 45 years old). This doesn't even get you cheap food. One of the lowest cost items on the menu is soup or salad, a sandwich, and tea or coffee all of costs $24 (plus tax and service charge!). This is more than a person on welfare has for a week's food.

To mark this maniage of the rich and government, "Mr. Rich" is barredfrorn going inside the Vancouver Club

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Trish Garner from the Poverty Reduction Coalition demonstrated the inequality of wealth in BC using a rope. The richest 20% of people in BC have 75% of all the wealth while the poorest 60% share only 8% of the wealth.

Tracey Morrison highlighted that povetty is one of the biggest causes of poor health as people cannot afford a healthy diet, have stressful lives and often have inadequate housing. Poverty costs the health system of BC over $1.2 billion every year. But the rich can afford extra private health treatment. Medisys Corporate Health Services, a private health company, had sales of over $50,000,000.

One of the hardest things do to on welfare is to find decent housing, as rents soar and affordable housing is replaced by condos. At the top of Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel. 1038 Canada Place, sits Vancouver's priciest condo, sold for $25 million in June 20 13. The $25 million, apparent! y spent for only a part-time home, could build over I 00 units of good quality social housing.

Across the street is the BC Liberal's office, Waterfront Centre, 200 Burrard Street. Bill Hopwood from Raise the Rates, stated that it is political decision to subsidize the rich, which means the BC has the worst adult and child poverty in Canada. In the last 30 years. people on welfare have had a 20% cut in income, while the Premier and MLAs are 25% better off and the I 0% richest are 40% better off.

Sam Snobelen

Sam Snobelen )Ointed out that Canada is a wealthy countr~ and the Canadian Banks have plenty of money, the combined profits of the five big banks were $29 billion in 2013. The Royal Bank of Canada, Burrard & Georgia, is the most profitable, making $8.4 billion. The CEO recieived $12.6 million in compensation at the same time as firing 1.100 workers. The Canadian and US oovernments found around $140 billion b

to help out the banks during the financial ctisis of 2008-9, yet the government wi 11 not provide a national housing strategy.

By Bill Hopwood. Raise the Rates meets most Tuesdays at 12:30 pm in the Carnegie Community Cemre Association Office.

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APril

4D 3:30-5:30pm Thursday

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What does the LAP mean for the DTES?

What did we win, what did we lose?

What do we do next?

Snacks and Coffee!

VOICES AGAINST DISPLACEMENT

KAREN WARD Is SPEECH TO C~TY COUNCIL OTES LOCAL RREA PLAN, FRIDAY; MARCH 14TH

I have represented Gallery Gachet on the LAP Committee. We are an artist-run centre, specifically a centre for artists living with a mental illness. I live with a mental illness. I would not have been able to serve on the LAP as I have save for two things. First, I have stable housing and I no longer struggle to survive each day. I can see beyond my day's needs. As a result, I'm able to participate in the life of my community as I do today and as I have these past years.

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And despite the u·emendous stigma that people with mental illness face in many parts of the city, here in the DTES I feel not only tolerated or accepted, but actually respected as a person. Secondly, it is the community itself that has lifted me up and given me the ability to work on the LAP as an artist, and do my other volunteer work in the community.

For the last 2 years the LAP committee has built a plan for the DTES that we have worked very hard on to address the prevailing conditions in the neighbourhood.

Nowhere else could a committee working in collaboration with city staff go to extraordinary and thoughtful measures to ensure that no citizen is displaced from their homes, an outcome stated in the 2005 plan. Even as our property values rise exponentially - 303% as councillor Reimer noted earlier- and as development pressures turn our homes into what one realtor called this week "prime real estate'', what can be created through the provision of social housing is an opportunity for Canada's most disenfranchised citizens to live a better life and on their own terms.

I urge you to look at the At home Chez Soi project. With secure housing, it is shown, people with severe addictions, mental illness and chronic homelessness can begin to take control of their lives once they're given a home. This is the first principle: Housing First.

The fact that the human tragedy of homelessness has been normalized throughout our country and in Vancouver in particular, is an indictment of all of our values as Canadians. Property, and thus housing, is the most critical part of the DTES Local Area plan. Spending money to solve this crisis is the duty of all levels of government whether they say so or

not. The housing crisis extends not only from homelessness but from people living in dangerous and inadequate SROs who spend more than half their incomes on their rent and on their housing.

Building and maintaining social housing at social assistance rates should justly be the overarching concern of the plan. Now it is true that the shelter rate is too low. The provincial government has not increased the rate since 2007. It obviously has not kept pace with the cost of living or the real price of decent housing.

I remind Council and the gallery of the UBCM resolution U 55: Whereas the amount of support given to individuals on disability welfare and Old Age Security is inadequate to support people's basic

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human needs in terms of adequate shelter, clothing. food, and other basic necessities, based on today's cost of living. therefore be it resolved that the UBCM request the provincial government to increase the basic support allowance given to these individuals to a level that reflects the true cost of living in our country. And I would add, the basic dignity of all. The LAP's call for a 60/40 ratio of social housing to secured market rental in the Oppenheimer District has also been characterised as ghettoising. Some quick points on this. If low income people have indeed been concentrated in one area its because we have been effectively priced out of the rest of the city. Housing affordability has constantly been cited as the major challenge of Vancouver. And this plan represents the first actual attempt to deal with it.

Our values in the DTES are not mainstream and we're proud of that. We don't read a person's value by their bank account or their job. We understand that if someone lives with a mental illness or addiction, that person deserves respect. Sadly these are not, as I noted, mainstream.

We are also aware that as we work and play and live in the DTES, we are on unceded

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Coast Salish territory. Nor, sadly, is that awareness mainstream.

If Vancouver is to maintain itself as a diverse city, people with low incomes must be able to live here too. Meaningful diversity of all kinds is proper to a healthy city and a healthy city strategy. The LAP can, if implemented carefully, keep land values low in the Oppenheimer district using the 60/40 formula. The success or failure of the rest of the 30-year plan depends entirely upon it. As a plan, it bucks

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the trend of letting the market determine our homes and our future. I support that.

This is a rare opportunity for Vancouver to embrace a philosophy of planning that is inclusive of its citizenry and an attempt to improve the quality of life for Canada's most marginalized citizens. And it can be done.

NI hao! Zai Jian! By: King-mong Chan

"Ni Hao": the Mandarin pronunciation (nT hao) of the Chinese words, 1:1;~ r. , that means ''Hello!" It is also the phrase used by the developer Westbank for the 17 -sto­rey condo development on 188 Keefer St. (61 1 Main St.) to "say 'hello' to achievable Vancouver home ownership." Along with other condo developments such as 1 0-storey "Keefer Block" (189 Keefer St.), 16-storey building on 633 Main St., 9-storey "The Flats" (219 E. Georgia St.), Chinatown will soon have more than 500 condo units that are not meant to be homes for current low-income residents. In fact, in all these developments, there arc only ll welfare/ pension-rate units and II more at the BC Housing Income Limits (HILS), which is approximately $850/month rent for a bachelor suite.

"Hel lo Gentrification" would be a more apt expression to formally welcome the gentrification that has already been taking place in the neighbourhood. In case anyone missed the signs of Chinatown being gentrified- upscale bars and clubs like The Emerald on Gore St.- the various construction sites along Main St. for the new condo developments is clearly signalling massive changes ahead for Chinatown.

What about the low-income community in Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside?

Condos under construction in Chinatown

7

What are these condo developments trying to say to them? Perhaps it's . PHI : ("Goodbye" in Chinese: pronounced .. zai ji~m" in Mandarin). With the welcoming of gentrification, also comes the farewell and exclusion of the low-income community who has little to benefit from gentrification but much to lose. Unfortunately, the Local Area Plan that was recently passed will do nothing to protect Chinatown for the low­income community.

The Emerald in Chinatown

No inclusionary zoning (i.e. to require a certain percentage of social housing to be built) was put into place to slow down gentrification in the area or even to ensure higher number of social housing units are being built for low-income people who so desperately need it.

Those in the Chinese community that I've talked to are appalled at low ratio of social housing units to market units, arguing that the ratio should be at least 507r. They were ju~t as shocked when they heard what the definition of so-called "social housing" was to be because they quickly realized that most of the units would exclude them as well. Eve~ for seniors that are eligible and can apply for a rent subsidy from the provincial government (called SAFER), the rent for these units would likely be

above SAFER's maximum rent level for singles at $700, meaning they would have to pay the difference out of their already meagre incomes- if they can afford that.

Despite these challenges, there have been victories.

Just recently, advocates for the Chinese residents at the Chau Luen Tower (325 Keefer St.) fought against the landlord's application of rent increases over 40o/r and won. So that is we need to continue fighting for our low-income community­we won't be trampled on and we won't be dismisscctso ca~ily! This is not N !rt!.

dbye")! Moreover, City Council is planning to apply the City-wide definition of social housing to Chinatown, meaning that no units have to be at welfare/pension rate at all. Support for this proje t does not necessarily

imply Vancity's endo~ 1ent of the findings or contents of thi newsletter

8

\ ., \ \

Humanities 101 & Carnegie Centre presents

SP83KHR seRies

Join us every 4 ~ Wednesday of the month for stimula­ting presentations and discussions by guest speakers. The first talk of the series will be·

lnsite and Oversight: safe injection sites, prescription heroin & federal regulation

with Professor Margot Young Faculty of Law, UBC

whence you came and 6 skyscrapers for every SJ...y­train Station out go the poor in go the Ciucci purses & poodles and all. this new Vancouver & Fukmond was the real t'v1asterRace plan all along the 20 I 0 circus was up your sleeve as the tale or two atrocities began cleansing the city is just sc, bloody evil and \Hong you never cared about anything but the image and that's when all of our dominos began o swing & fall, now what we ne~d is more l.:onsistency likl! politicians showing up for \Vork on their feet not Ill a jet n~ver will everyone be happy but in a lifetime or two the history books will show ho\V close ·no' closer we can get. like leaving things alone that aren·t broken that would be good I do not expect in any lifetime all to be great. so many avoiding alertness that require alertness is this the Twilight Zone or another kind of circus sickness? Would it honestly kill anyone if we left things alone­you've got your 12 separate phone numbers per house and cars that have everything except a bathroom or a mouse if it were not for convenience I think most of you would choose a gun to get out of this inconven­ient maze of life you had such a zest for Al l before talking urinals and self-burying burials I remember waiting for new albums and magazines

Wednesday, April 23, 7- 9 PM Carnegie Theatre, 40 I Main Street

Eve1yone is welcome!

Litt l e to Celebrate

' now that was at least for me fun, now there is no wait­ing single songs down/uploaded a bacJ... issue of A/ad or National Lampoon in the mailslot was neatly fo lded but then the future came and my inner peace exploded now if mhy inner peace should take the place of all skytrains global positioning leaches as catastrophic as you seem to thinJ... we had pinball :! machines, music with it so many unfullilled dreams well everything I think of then I always try to remem-

I stand atop the remnants of the Main Street Skytrain station Broadway can now not be seen as em1h and structure-destroying machines continue to wreck the city I loved so much but that was over some time ago. Mss Redford of Alberta wants a luxury penthouse where she works.:. these privi leged govt people trip­ping around the universe ... every time I see these people I see their hands in an old woman's purse nothing to celebrate only when caught do they accept any blame, like a Toiets 'R' Us being built beside another Starbucks progress is quickly making short work out of the rest of us our losses shall be the rich people (and I use that word loosely) and their under­lings' gain Is this how it is to be for the rest of time on I this planet however much remains, every sad new

1 ber the fun,

year we endure more humi liation. rising prices and shame this year you fuck around with buspasses (Tap That!) and our methadone if satan ever gave science his sperm we'd know for sure who you really are and •

Do you remember do you care no I guess not as long as you get your share well shame and share alike we could go celebrate another something but nobody agrees on what we truly need. and that lad ies and gen­tlemen is the ending oftoday's rant I kind of hope 2 or 3 of these words are in other people's mouths but there are just way too many that can be but because or 'issues' in these days or inconvenience we realise that even the enemy like ourselves we must feed.

By ROBERT McGILLIVRAY

PS: Two animals that truly need to be extinct: The John Deere & the Finning Catapillar!

Pivot/VANDU's Challenge to Street Vending Bylaws Goes to Court Next Week

Four members of the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) arc challenging the City of Vancouver's bylaws that prohib it street vending in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Each has received a bylaw ticket and $250 fine for selling their old prop­erty such as used running shoes & books on the street. The defendants are represented by Pivot Legal Soci­ety and will be arguing that the city's bylaws are un­constitut ional since they infringe on the right to secu­rity of the person. Vancouver's bylaws prohibit the act of street vending outright, unless a person applies for a permit. which would cost more than $800 and are given primarily to food cart operators. The case will be heard at Robson Square Provincial

Coutihouse- 800 Hornby Street. Vancouver, over 3 days- Tuesday April 15 to Thursday April 17, 2014 The defendants are suppotied in their challenge by

the coordinators of the DTES Sunday Street Market which is held each week in Pigeon Park. The plain­tiffs will be testifying on the need for low-income vendors in the DTES to sell their goods to obtain in­come for food and shelter. In its recent draft Local Area Plan for the DTES. approved by Vancouver City

Council in March of this year. the city has acknowl­edged that approximately 50% of Vancouver's lowest income residents patticipate in what they call "sur­vival" activity such as panhandling, street vending, and binning.

Despite the city working with residents to set up the Sunday market in Pigeon Park, which just celebrated it's 200th market, enforcement by the VPD continues, with statistics obtained through a Freedom of Infor­mation in 20 13 revealing that between 2008 & 2012, 95% of all street vending enforcement by the police occurs within the boundaries of the DTES.

The defendants will be testifying about their experi­ences and the reasons why they vend on Tuesday, April 15th, and will be available for comment during court breaks and lunch. The case will be argued by Pivot lawyer Douglas King, who'll also be avai lable for comment during court breaks. Given the constitu­tional nature of the argument a decision by the court is not expected to be given at the end of trial, but will li kely be made at a later date.

l~t~e

DOWNTOWN

EASTSIDE APRIL 2013

*46*

FREE t>R LOW-COST GOODS ................ .1

SHELTER & HOUSING ···········-···················2 HEALTH SERVlCES ..................................... 3 COUNSELLING, SUPPORT, INFO ............ 5 LEGAL SERVlCES ..................... _ .................. 9 ADVOCACY RESOURCE LIST ................. 10 EMPLOYMENT ASSISTANCE ................ .10 lANGUAGE, LEARNING ........................... 11 SOCIAL, DROP-IN, RECREATION ........ 12 REPlACING IDENTIFICATION ............. .13 INFORMATION: Legal, General ............... .14 DTES YOUTH SERVlCES ......................... .14 OTHER SERVlCES, RECYCLING ............ 15 COMMUNITY ACI10N PROJECT ......... .16

HIV+/AJDS, Immigrant Services ................ .17 Map-18, Mental Health Consumers .......... 19

~~ CARNEGIE NEWSLETTER

665-2289

What Is The World?

Planet Earth could do well without humans, And the beaver could save the land. Then there'd be no wars and poverty, Just oceans and endless sand.

There'd be no plastics spilling out From the guts of dead fish and bird. But here we remain, in charge of things, Like dumb stampeding herd.

The beaver knows to channel out The water from the flood. And let the land regenerate From mountain down to mud.

But we are here, and here we' ll stay Until our time is done. We have no choice, but follow The ballot and the gun.

Or not?. The rebel spirit rise Within a mighty force, Withdrawing all conditions From suicidal course.

The streets are there for marching. The voice of streets, yours and mine. The paper is for writing A concise protest sign.

What is the World, if not an e-mail from Nature?

Garry Gust

Soul Cut

Short, uneven strands of hair encircled my drawn face.

Her punishment, her satisfaction.

During moments of self-loathing I viciously attack my hair,

cutting off any reminder of my femininity. My focus is on destroying any sign

of attractiveness, to punish myself by creating

that which is pitiful to the eye. I cut my hair exactly as my mother did

years ago.

Afterwards, the self hate and self anger are replaced with shame and remorse.

I avoid the mirror like the plague.

I'm feeling better today. Perhaps I'll lay these scissors down

to rest.

Angharad Giles

My Pleasant Story I went to St Paul's hospital on Feb l 0. l had pneu­

monia and was very ill. The nurses gave me oxygen and antibiotics through a tube going into my neck. I couldn't even keep food down for the first 6 days.

When that was better I went for walks every day; better to move than lay in bed all day.

The nurses and doctors were very nice. They gave me meds for back pain too. I've been in twice with pneumonia and twice this little Chinese man was there and he brought me treats. "For you, "he says. "Free, no charge!" That was so nice .. I would have paid but it made him happy too.

I was released in the first week of March and, again, they paid for a taqxi to take me home . Pastor Barry came to visit me and it was all a pleasant stay.

Marlene Wuttunee

!j[ I WER I C~ ... !:lit. j 0 [

.., !ll.!.CI.'. I Bhf HlU R

GABOR MATE MD '

In the Realm of Hungry Gho~J.........

Portland Hotel Hired a Great Doctor

A few weeks ago you couldn't miss the Portland Hotel Society's problems. A tear stained Jenny Kwan. who's the M .L.A. for the Downtown Eastside admit­ted on t.v. that she took journeys that totalled $35,000. Then Kwan paid the money back and took a leave of absence from politics. Portland Hotel Society executives Mark Townsend and Liz Evans were ousted from their jobs. All the PHS directors and management resigned as media reports hurled one complaint after another at them.

"They've wasted tens of thousands of your tax payer dollars," said one media story in effect. "They've been making unearned money on the backs ofthe poorest ofthe poor."

Yet one man was thankfully left out of the story and that was Doctor Gabor Mate, the short, intense man who worked at the Portland Hotel for many years. Doctor Mate is now close to 70 years o ld. He

servcu as the staff physician at the hotel, taking care of, and helping many substance abusers. lie helped them, treated them, and listened to their complaints and woes. And from all accounts he did a great job.

He also wrote a fine book about his time at the Portland llotel called 'In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts.' This is the fourth book that Mate has written. I've read one of his other books and both works are very good.

"Gabor is an exceptional person," says Glinda who met Mate at Kitsilano High school over 50 years ago. Glinda was also a classmate of Gabor's brother John, who is an environmental activist and a talented musician.

Mate and his family fled Hungary in 1956 after the Hungarian uprising. Mate is Jewish and his mother's parents died in the Nazi death camps. His aunt van­ished too in the midst of the Nazi occupation. I lis father was was sent to Auschwitz, the notorious Nazi death camp but survived. "After what my family's been through," John Mate told me in 1993, "being an N.D.P. candidate is no pressure at all." (I volunteered in John Mate's campaign when he ran for the N.D.P. in Vancouver-South in 1993).

Gabor Mate is an expert on stress, addiction treat­ment,childhooq development and developmental psy­chology. The Portland Hotel directors made a great choice when they chose him as the hotel's resident doctor.

Not all people admire Dr. Mate all the time. Many Vancouver Jews were angry in the late 1960's when Mate criticized Israeli treatment of the Palestinians. Mate before this had been an active Zionist. Health Canada threatened Mate with arrest when he praised the use or the Amazonian plant medicine ayahuesca. Mate claims that this medicine can help some sub­stance abusers. I haven't heard anything about this controversy lately, which is good.

Last, no one has ever accused Dr. Mate of misus­ing taxpayers' dollars. "Gabor would never do this," says Glinda. "lie is just a very honest person." In any case the Portland Hotel Society did many good things that you won't read or hear about in the media. And one of those things was hiring Dr. Gabor Mate. I do hope he's enjoying his retirement.

By Dave Jaffe

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The Portland Hotel Society

Everybody's mind made up? It's been panned as an open & shut case involving "millions of dollars'" and extravagant or gross or obscene expenditures of Your Money and the spending practices are criminal, de­serving of jail time or just hanging the buzzards ... If you believe a ll the media.

Oh I know about the '·official audit" that apparently got posted online. I've also been patt of groups regis­tered under the Society Act and have been to a lot of Annual General Meetings. At such AGMs an auditor gets up in front with the financial statements and goes over everything in general, answers questions and gives advice on achieving & maintaining fiscal health in the present And future. The most relevant point here is that s/he will explain how any sum was arrived at, since the numbers are only totals spent under a particular line item or category. "Maintenance" is all expenses for painting, fixing, replacement patts, etc; "Transport" can include gas, purchases of vehicles, repairs, insurance, and all usage. Okay, you're not stupid, but if a sum seems way out of line you can just ask, the auditor will check her or his notes and make it as plain as you want. 99 times out of I 00 there is nothing more to be said. The sums parroted again and again about the Port­

land Hotel Society are for items chosen to enrage readers and listeners. What's not said is that the fig­ures were the sum of 3 years worth of expenditures; that the annual budget for all operations - managing the Woodwards housing, the Portland Hotel itself, the new building on Cordova, lnsite, Onsite, the Drug Users Resource Centre on Cordova (including the clinic there) and many programs both inside and out­side these places - is about $35 million. This has to cover all staff, supplies, maintenance, general & spe­cial services often avai lable nowhere else and, lo & behold, the administration of same. Now if that was all everything could be tied up in a

bow and not even bothered about. But a funny thing is that most if not all of this stuff, including hous ing the hard-to-house, accommodating addictions and treat­ment, being attuned to mental health needs, even res­cuing lives has been fought for. The fight to get hous­ing for both current and ex-psychiatric patients, for people both active & inactive in their addictions or not in any 'category' but poor, marginalised or need-

ing help has been going on for decades, but organisa­tion and effort can get success.

A big deal has been made about trips to other coun­tries, about hotels, limos and vacations on the tax­payer's dime. These, for Mark Townsend. Liz Evans. Kerstine and sometimes Brian, were to international conferences on Addiction, Harm Reduction, and what's being or been tried in different countries. Sad but such events happen in places other than the Downtown Eastside. Expenses include airfare (and travel agents get the best prices they can but have to accommodate schedules), travel to and from airports and within cities (in virtually every city in Europe taxis are officially called & billed as limousines) get­ting a bunk at some hostel is not always possible so hotels are kind of necessary (and during conferences w ith up to I 0,000 participants prices rise as availabil­ity goes down), per diems include all food & bever­ages, books, even clothing, and so on. Point is little is free and walking everywhere while not eating and sleeping in the local park is just not on.

Every conference has an entry fee. Mark & Liz never paid these, which in one case was $1200 ... At 2 week-long events Liz was required to teach everyday with no compensation and having to provide every­thing the "class'' needed in terms of materials. And again the totals ranted about in the media were over 3 years .... just to get some perspective.

In the decade-long fight to get lnsite, to get anything to stop the hundreds of overdose deaths a year, a large event was set up in Toronto to coincide with the Fed­eral Health Minister's visit there. Preparation in­volved putting up 140,000 posters about harm reduc­tion and the medica l nature of a safe-injection site. To get this done the "Transport" line item had to include the subway fares for hundreds of people putting them up; Printing, likely under Administration, included the posters and all the s tuff to affix them, as well as food for the postere rs. And this was only a small part of expenses incurred that businesses certainly wouldn't donate. The fight for Insite had to involve time and expertise lor the courtroom as the federal government tried to get this stopped by a Judge's order. Lawyers cost, suits cost, doctors cost. .. and you cannot budget that money under operating the Portland Hotel.

This is the reason behind the vilification of the man­agement of PHS. Mark, Liz, Kerstine and Brian had to utilise whatever they could to carry on the fights

for everything most of us take for granted. It •vas not a matter of taking money out of maintenance to pay for political efforts to get the necessary changes in the Canadian Criminal Code; it was never a matter of duping or m isreporting on the use of government funds, but the outrage from the government came be­cause the very people they were almost forced to fund were still calling for more and embarrassing the hell out of them. Subtlety is a strong point for the PHS and various provincial government departments had to collude to figure out how to shut PHS (its Board of Directors and senior management) out.

There are SIX government departments involved in the vicious attacks. The tit le for each, to account for manpower, resources used, media plants etc. is " Reputation Enhancement" and this kind of operation includes every dirty trick in the book. Spin doctors meet over making financial matters sound and be pre­sented as sleazy and disgusting as possible; personal attacks are always tempered with laws like slander & libel but leading the public by the nose is their speci­al ity, warping legitimate stuff into revolting practices is also part & parcel of the whole plan. This stuff is used all the time for political opponents, during elec­tions etc. but is particularly noxious when focused on groups and people who have virtually no resources on the same scale with which to answer such spurious charges.

An example is when the govt investigators came to take over the management operations and had to ask where to go. The PHS has no formal office or place for an agency center- the blip about Mark & Liz get­ting rent money for their basement is because the ir home was HQ for the PHS, and it was unwieldy to use the kitchen table or the living room or one or more bedrooms for business stuff. Everything got put in the basement so they could live in their home And not have to keep kids out of drawers. A tad more -when one of the financial people was being shown how the payroll was done, he commented that "this has to be done in a week?" Kerstine said no, that part has to be done in a day. So the investigation team just hired another accountant, while the reality of doing the PHS books and financial controls was all on the plate of one person (who had no coverage even when out of the country visiting family).

These four people have gotten good at challeng ing the government and societal status quo, refusing to

shut up and accept the judgements coming down all the time about their work, the clients and residents, their personal issues with mental health and addic­tions and more. They had to be stopped and in such a way that the public will bar its teeth every time such a non-profit society is extolled as management for any project. This is essential s ince such management is called for in all new social housing And in all the ho­tels purchased over the last 5-7 years by the Province.

In this way no protest or public/civil disobedience needs to be even worried about, since only newly­minted and approved "non-profit housing societies" will be in charge anywhere.

Finally, for this piece, are the salaries of the four people in question. Early on they were advised by Jim Green and others to pay themselves what they would make if they were doing the same work in the private sector. They did not go that high. Also much of the costs for stuff that could not be justified under PHS contracts was paid for out of their salaries, as well as in lieu of benefits money that most union contracts guarantee. This alone is unheard of in the private sec­tor, where corporate expense accounts and perks cover everything. The advice had this reasoning be­hind it: If you earn 1!4 or 1/3'd of what government executives or cqrporate flunkies get, you'll get no respect. You'll get treated as high-minded half-wits, working for peanuts with no social status at all. If you have toys like their toys, if you have expenses like their expenses, you' ll at least not be dismissed out­right. There is truth in this, but it's also a bit self­serving. The hardest hit in all this appears to be Jenny K wan. There is no rationale for her, no defense or reasoning, given the professional hatchet-job done on PHS. It's like when the NDP formed government in the 90's and there were obligatory anti-NDP stories in

a ll media every day for 10 years . The media "just happened" to be on hand to film the police search of Glenn Clark's home, There is nothing, however truth­ful or factual, that could vindicate him or can now for Jenny. The public's collective mind, with quotes and 'man-an-the-street' interviews, was convinced of the nastiness of it a ll by being brought only the most ex­treme reactions. The peril of being a politician is that almost anything can be spun and warped to make one look like Hitler's right hand. For this alone, shame on Clark and her corporate

minions/bosses. The fallout of the hatchet job done on

the senior management & board of directors of the Portl.and Hotel Society will be found stinking up the publtc face of many non-profit societies in time to come, ~nd that was one of the goals undoubtedly sought m the coordinated attack. Even the lies and mis information spread by the Gastown Gazette and Roland Clarke of the Downtown Neiahbourhood clique sully the reputations of many hard-working people. Don't ~e fooled or taken in by these low peo­ple. Pray for ram to dim the blinding light of govern­ment-spun exposure. Let's have honesty.

By PAULR TAYLOR

. A b Don't Take It For Granted

) \ We all live like we got loads of time brother believe me you don ' t ' fore you know it's half-time ' fore you're even ready game's over all that 'bucket list' shit, man yo u ain't got time, never did, fool

so don't put off for manyana what you know damn well it won't wait give it up my man before it's too late

I no longer wake up knowing I'll make it to day's end, can't pretend no denyin ' l'm dyin' so my friend, this close to the end a in ' t got time to pretend

to my sons and daughters this love l send this much I carry for you a lways care for you right to the end.

AI

Newsletter Finances Near the end of20 l3 an appeal went to many people who have helped with money in the last few years. The 2014 (or-sure funds for continuing the Orrnegie Newsletter were looking awful low. As a result over 25 people came through and just over $2800 helped erase a purported $900 deficit that was looming on the horizon for the end of2013. The CCC Association had its budget workshop in

February and for the paper th is year costs are ex­pected to be $ 13,000. The Gaming Commission has given the okay to put $4000 of the total the Assoc. received for 2014 towards this "community writing program"; the CCAP pays for its monthly newsletter insert and the amount to be raised is about $5000. The Help in the Downtown Eastside free resource

guide, very useful to long-time residents, visitors, agencies and transients alike, is the Newsletter's little sister publication. Its history has been to come out twice a year, except that since 2008 it's been harder & harder to find funding. I've raised money for this separately from the Newsletter ever s ince 199 1 when the first edition was in English only and I 000 copies were made. Unfortunately the last edition was #46 APRIL 2013, and this is the longest period between updates since inception. Production run is now I I 000 , English, l ,000 French and 1,000 Spanish at a cost of $2,500.

This update is to let all contributors know where we stand right now. Ellen Woodsworth had the brilliant idea of holding a Pete Seeger celebration and making it a fundraiser for the Carnegie Newsletter. Earle Peach and the Solidarity Notes Choir agreed, but then the choir had a vote and chose to make it a fund ra iser for the No Pipeline resistance. l guess they thought that was more popular/ important. ..

The hope right now is to hold a fundraising event in mid-June for the Carnegie Newsletter, with a fervent hope that funding for Help in the Downtown Eastside will have been secured and spent by then. If anyone has ideas or an inside track on someone or group with $2500 they can' t wait to give to a worthwhile cause, keep these publications in mind.

Respectfully submitted, PauiR Taylor, volunteer edi tor.

THIS NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITRY CENTRE ASSOCIATION

Articles res present the views of individual contributors and not of the association.

WANTED: Artwork for the Carnegie Newsletter

-Small illustrations to accompany articles and poetry -Cover art: Max.size-17cm(6. ?")wide x 15cm(6")high -Subject matter pertaining to issues relevant to the

Downtown, but all work considered. -Black & White printing only. -Size restrictions apply (i.e. If your piece is too large, it will be reduced and/or cropped to fit).

-All artists will receive credit for their work. -Originals will be returned to the artist after being copied for publication.

-Remuneration: Carnegie Volunteer tickets.

DONATIONS 2014 (Money and in-kind is needed & welcome.) Sheila B.-$259 Jenny K.-$25 Elsie McG.-$150 Terry& Savannah -$100 RobertMcG.-$100 Leslie S.-$125 Laila B.-$65 Dave J.-$48 Christopher R.-$100 Anonymous ·$30

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Next issue: SUBMISSION DEADLINE

MONDAY, APRIL 28TH make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor.

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~ .... ~~ ... - -· ... Bob & Muggs -$500 Laurie R.-$75 Penny G.-$60 Yukiko T.-$20

~~~llYK .IGNORANCE and SUSTAINED FEAR

Ellen W.-$23 Eleanor B.·$60 Nathan E.-$50 Maxine B.-$20 Tom W.-$25 Michelle C.-$100 Janet W.-$100 Renee S.-$23 Barb & Mel L.-$150 Gail C.-$25 Michael C -$50 Susan S.-$50 Ron C.-$25 In memory of Sandy Cameron( Mary R) -$100 Amy V.-$20 Shyla S.-$200 Maureen D.-$50 1 Don G.-$50 BCTF -$200 Barbara M.-$150 J

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