Cosler to blame poor for povsq than by to end It.

By Jean Swanson [This article appears in The Monitor (June 2001)' the monthly publication of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA)]

Poverty in Canada kills more people than cancer does, according to the Ontario Medical Association, but there is a big difference between the two killers. While we don't yet know how to end cancer, we do know how to end poverty in the world, and especial- ly in Canada. 'I'hcre are plenty of resources 10 do it, and we don't need any high technology At the world level, the United Nations says it ~ o u l d take only 4% of the combined wealth of the 225 richest pople (who have about one trillion dollars' worth ofwealth) to pay for basic health care, basic education, reproductive health care, adequate food, safe water, and sanitation for all. In Canada, at the end of 1999, the federal govem-

ment projected huge budget surpluses amounting to $95.5 billion over five years. This is enough to end poverty for everyone in Canada. Using the money for that purpose would have been a great way to enter the new millennium.

Instead of erasing poverty, however, Canadian federal and provincial governments passed new "poor laws" that take us back to the begnnings of capitalism in the 16th century. On the world level, our government was worlung through the World Trade Organization to give corporations more rights and to speed up the competition for below-poverty- level wages throughout the world. Just a few months before the budget surplus ann-

ouncement, the mayor of Toronto was upset that the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP) was planning to set up a safe park for homeless people. We won't have people defecating in parks or leaving their condoms and syringes lying around, he poor- bashed on an Aug. 8 1999 radio program. Ontario Premier Mike Harris followed the mayor's

homeless-bash by introducing laws to severely restrict panhandling and outlaw squeegeeing, the often helpll practice of washing car windows at trac lights for a donation. The money that could end the suffering of homeless people and the need to panhandle and squeegee was sitting right there in the federal budget. But it wasn't being used for that. In

fact, politicians were not only bashing the poorest people, but were also making them into criminals for doing what they had to do to survive. Ontario politicians were announcing to the world, as Disraeli did in 1837, that poverty was a crime.

History was repeating itself for the rich, too. Cana- dian corporations and their lobby groups wanted tax cuts for people in the highest tax bracket, those with incomes ranging fiom about $60,000 to millions a year. Just like the elite in the 18th century, the elite in the 1990s invented a way of portraying themselv- es as better than the poor. They called people in the highest tax bracket "brains" and our "best and brightest," and claimed the so-called brains were about to "drain" out of the country because of high ta?cation. Since feudalism changed to capitalism in Europe,

the elite have defended their wealth in the midst of poverty with myths, language, and patterns of thmk- ing that justified treating Aboriginal people and women as cattle, people of colour as savages, the poor as "vicious" and lazy, and themselves as "civi- lized" and "virtu~us.'~ A huge part of justifying personal wealth is treating the people who don't have it, or the people it's taken from, as lesser human beings.

In the 1990s, as govenrments and corporations used trade deals to speed up the race to the bottom for low wages, poor-bashing, along with racism and sexism, made it seem almost natural that even more human beings had to work in "the most servile, the most sordid, and the most ignoble ofices in the communi- ty," as one of the British elite said two centuries ago. I believe the big corporations have to take a huge re- sponsibility for poor-bashing. They own the media that spread gossip and lies; that accuse people who use welfare and UI of being fraudulent. They find

the think-tanks that promote blatant, as well as more insidious, poor-bashing. They fund these think- tanks' efforts to circulate their views to politicians, government officials, and the media, as well as the public. They keep chmgng the subject f?om poverty to "incentive to work.' at low wages and part-time jobs. They want poor-bashing policies like low or no

minimum wages, welfare cuts, no government job creation, and trade deals that give corporations more rights. Politicians in power have to take responsibility, too. They bash the poar to get elected; save their political skins by calling the poor names; pass laws that deprive the poor of basic rights and needs--or keep silent when their colleagues do these things. They are working with the corporations to replace the human right to food and shelter with the inadequate provisions and unequal power relations of charity. They help corporations take advantage of the cheap labour of very poor people in this and other countries. But we can't blame the whole problem on corpora-

tions and politicians. Ncarly all of us, including people who are poor, have been programmed with almost 500 years of poor-bashing ideas and behavi- ours. It takes a conscious and continuous effort to recognize and root them out.

If we are not Aboriginal and live in North America, most of us benefit 6on1 bashing even if we're not in the corporate or political clite. We occupy land that was stolen from Aborigmal people, who were dehu- manimd to justi@ the theft. We buy coffee grown on land that people in the Third World need for food. We buy the cheap products made by exploited work- ers in other countries, and then some of us object when these workers try to move to Canada to seek the same kind of living conrlltions that we take for granted. Ending poor-baslung is a crucial part of a much larger world struggle to realize what the Universal Declaration of Human &fits proclaimed, in 1948,

as the "mherent dignity" and "the equal and malien- able rights of all members of the human family." It's a crucial part of this struggle because, like racism and sexism, poor-baslung is used to just@ the 3 inequality. "Our system is really okay," our programming tells

us. "It's those lazy, alcoholic poor people with too many cluldren who have to change their behaviour to get out of poverty." Or, ''it doesn't cost as much to live in a poor countr)., therefore it's all right that the people there get below-poverty-level wages." Or, "People of colour are better at doing that kind of st& than people here, therefore their low wages are acceptable." In reality, there is no justltication for treatmg some

groups of people as needing or deservmg less than others.

Ending p o o r - b a s h is an essential part of the struggle for justice because poor -bash insidiously drives working people to demand the klnds of policies that cheapen their own paid work. "Those people on welfare have to be fwced to work at any job so I won't have to support them with my taxes," says the programming. "Welfare rates should be too low to live on so the people who get it will be forced to take any low-wage job." In fact, welfare programs can help protect the wages and workmg codtions of worlung people only when they provide adequate benefits, don't force the unemployed to take degrading jobs or workfare jobs, and treat recipients with dignity.

Endmg poor-bashing is also critical in the struggle for a just world because, like racism and sexism, it conceals who really has power. If we don't see who is powehl and how they use their power to create wealth alongside poverty, we can't very well work

effectively for more equality. While our country is ruled by an elite. we still have

a vote that we can, theoretically, use to get politici- ans who will do what we want. But if voters get focused on the poor as simply bad individuals who cause their own poverty, on immigrants of colour whom they accuse of "taking all the jobs," or Abori- ginal people whom they see as wanting too much land, then they won't see how the elite is working to enrich itself. They won't see how laws and practices like low minimum wages, tax reductions for the rich, welfare cuts, interest rate policies, refusal to settle Aboriginal land claims, and free trade agreements are what really cause poverty and economic insecur- ity-not the groups of people they've learned to blame.

Will we ever end or even reduce poor-bashing and achieve the ideals of the Universal Declaration of Human kghts'? I think we can be cautiously hopeful Some of the building blocks of a huge movement for justice are coming into place. One positive sign is that more and more people are talking about poor- bashing. It's been named. As people who are poor learn to identify poor-bashing, they are losing their fear of speaking out against it, and refising to accept

LUCKY NIGHT I'm standing on the street comer

Dressed to kill Waiting.

Waiting for my next trick. 1 flash my seductive looks

As cars go by. I can play the game so easily

A van pulls up. I'm excited.

Because finally a car stops. Eagerly I rush the car

So no one else can yet my moncy. He seems alright as we chive away.

We park. We crawl to the back of his van

Next thing 1 see hint holding some sort of club - He tells me 'I'm not paying you.

A girl just ripped me off ' Just my luck.

it. While there is still a lot to leam about poor- bashing, more and n~ore Canadians are now working to stop it.

An understanding of poor-bashing, racism and sex- ism can help unite Canadians with others concerned about the environment. pcace, workers' rights, and social and economic justice into a huge solidarity movement. Eventually, we tvill build a world in which everyone's needs are met, and in which the systems and structures we set up are bascd on coop- eration and human caring, not on competition and greed.

(Jean Sumson h m worked as (in (cmtt-poverty activist f ir 25 years. A former president ofthe National Anti-Poverty Organization, she co-chnired the H.(' . Action Netnrmt in itsjghl ngainst free trade. hbr the past 15 years, she has worke(l,fi,r the coalition Lnd I,egislatecl l'over~y. 7his article wm excerptedfrm her new hook. "Poor-Bashing: The Politics of Exclusion, " plrhlisheti hv Between 7'he Lines. It sells for $24.95 a cop-v and is m~ailahle at most bookstores. It's o rfynomic and thorough indictment r?f('mtltlo :s oppression ofthe poor, m d is highly recommended 6-v the CCI'A.)

I think OH GOD I'm gonna gct killed or beaten Danm that fucking bitch. I'm gonna got that bitch.

Shc just jeopardi~cd my life God I'm gonna kill her.

1 don't blanie her in a ~ v i ~ ~ .

1 mean who wants some fucking jerk Fucliing you.

But it's a living. I'm scared now.

How am 1 gonna get guy to lose the club "Okay buddy take it easy. It's not my fault

she ripped you off' But you're gonna have to wear a condom.''

He kicks me out of his van and says. "l'm not driving you anyw3here Bitch!"

My Lucky Night

Message from President

Another \,car gone - the CCCA AGM meeting went \sell I would lihe to congratulate the newly elected

President

Vice-president

Treasurer

Secretary

Member @ Large

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member

Board Member * .

Margaret Prevost

Muggs Sigurgeirson

Jeff Sommers

Peter Fairchild

Chris Laird

Alicia Mercurio

Eva Britt

James Pau

Gerald Wells

Ken Carmody

Lorelei Hawkins

Mike McCormack

Paul Taylor

R.H. Barr

Scott Hamel

200 1 12 CCCA Board. Also recogruzing the three board members who didn't nm for re-election, Luka. Irene and Ruth. - Thanks for the many years of dedicated work as Board members.

I would like welcome Ken Carmody. R.H. Barr and Gerald Wells to the board. I look fomard to working with these three members as \\ell as with the remain- ing board.

Become board members - the following is a requirement.

o Treat people with respect

o Attend board rneetingslnorlishops

o Contribute time at selected Committees

Committee's are as follo~vs-

Community Relations deals with issues in the Donntown Eastsidc

Education deals with outreach ~ncludmg the WISH progam from the Un~tcd Church - resumes, upgrading. story telllng and much more. as well as educational programs

Library meets to discuss stafling. and books like the First Nations. Spanish and children collection

Oppenh~emer creates programs for those n ho use the park for sports. communlt> ments and some outlngs Also dunng the summer the Parh h~rcs summer students

All Programs that happen at Camcgie Centre are discussed at the Program Committee.

Finance is where moneJms are discussed for all programs in Carncgic Centre - we also support some groups ivho bring proposals. that include the Camegic and Downtown Eastside Members

At the Volunteer meeting we discuss the structure of thc Centre. which is run by \.oluntecrs and supervised b!. StafT

Also included is the Street Program, which is a sub comniittee of Community Relations and the CCC Seniors.

All conlmittec meetings are open to the members. one should have a membership card in order to vote at the committee meetings andlor to make a motion. All programs require you have a membership - and the out trips require you to be an active volunteer at Camegie Centre. However, it is fair to all inenlbcrs to be considerate during these out trips, which means you can not always go on every Camegie trip. (Most out trips are limited.) Ifyou have any questions please feel frec to talk to any board nleinber about the Camcgie Community Ccntrc Association. One can lcave a message at thc front desk for an). of the board members.

All CCCA Board meetings arc held on the first Thursday of each month { (I! 7 PM SHARP Committee meetings are listed on bulletin boards located on every floor.

Thanks for your support Margaret Prevost

In the way of ... I'm told I'm in the Ma?. of progress I'm told I'm in the \\a\, oS tourlsts To kccp out of the \\.a?, of shoppcrs To stay awa?. from our public parks Keep on' keep olT the cit!.'s grass and to mind my on11 business - such that it is To not talk to the Cruise Ship-pers 'We don't want to upset the big tippers!" To blend out ofthc sccnc.. not assertive To stay in in\, placc -the do\\nto\vn castsidc and not venture to Shaughness\. or the seaside Bcttcr y t . flop in my room CG ma? be lose m\ kc\ s.. . I say to them 1'111 part ofthc public. Furthcnnorc I'm a shopper too - MI-time. )car round - not a 111.-b1.-nightcr. pa$ng sales tax. GST and no duly frec. BJ, the \\a?, I'm also an a i d tourist. bus s tr ik or no but 1 Just can't alTord to ride at the best of timcs. 1 don't tip big. iSat all. or flash plastic cards. but 1'11 still be hcrc long after the tourists sail awa? This is m? city too. so mind j ~ t r oun busincss - ( k t ofm?. case. I'm not going a\va\ Don't gi\c inc orders because I'm telling \.our cro\\d to r c l a ~

Reach for the stars!

The Downtown Eastside will be going to the moon and beyond on Wednesday, July 1 I . That's the day that all neighborhood residents are invited to a free astronomy extravaganza at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre at Kits Point. There will even be free round-trip transportation - not a space ship, but an old-fashioned Vancouver Trolley - to get everyone there. The event will include full-motion simulator rides

through a comet storm, tours of the planetarium and hands-on contact with moon rocks.The idea is to make science experiences more accessible to all citizens. "Learning about space doesn't have to be a luxury

restricted to a privileged few," says UBC astrono- mer Jamie Matthews. "lt should be open to everyone who wants to expand their own horizons."

The event, which is co-sponsored by UBC and the Space Centre, runs from 7 to 10 pm. You can show up anytime. The trolleys will be leaving on a shuttle basis every 15 minutes from the comer of Cordova and Gore, starting at 6 pm, and retumirlg to the same spot between 9 and 10 pm. Just chmb aboard, no ID or proof of residence required. If you want to get there on your own, the Space

Centre is at 1 100 Chestnut, near the other end of Burrard Bridge. It's in the Vancouver Centennial Museum - that's the one with the big metal crab in front. For more info, call 738-7827, ext. 249.

Coupla' Croakers

Murray kcpt me pain free risked his ass for my ago? From bcginn~ng to the end Hc \+as a friend The price of new teeth was a certain a~cct ion for opium Lost m?. virginit?. 'n IcR town wired Hit the big city -all that glorious China White Six months later I 'm on my knecs I cold-turkqed before I started stealing Lost evep~h ing So. Methadone. the control t h q have - Like doin. time on the street, still safely on a leash - Phaarmaprison - chemical bars on yer shades - Adilman means well. tight-asscd control freak You'll meet hinl in the bucket.

Sis \cars of pa!ing these croakers' bills, not to mention the pain. Finallj io figurcd it out: pound of yanja don't need no doctor. Heal >crsclf.

Al

Screaming Eagle Men on the mountains are Always the generals with The view of the big picture Men in the tit!. most times Corporals and Sergeants Working hard at their dcshs Danny got to the mountain Captain of His Majestq.'s Spacc Ship. Planet Earth The kid on the D ~ r t Bike WAS ONLY SIXTEEN His father had a love for Making money and drinking Dam!, had love for the land And Dreams kcpt him aliw Evepone knew the battles Hc fought were in the city With a Cocaine Addiction Lost. the troph), came off The wall in the old out housc Back up when Danny made His commitment to Rcco~on,

The kid on the dirt bike is now A hippy and turned twenty h .0

Now happy tearing up ground The establishment never non.

Daniel Rajala

Memorial Telephone Pole

DCY died in m?. alle? Flowers appear dailq. Only 10. ivhat did he knon Ne\er tasted lifc. reall)..

All daq I fash~oncd a fct~sh turquoise ncchlacc Just no\\ 1 smoked. praqcd. offered tobacco Dw. 1 nc\ cr h e w q OLI

If 5 ou'd onlq ha\ c hno\fn how man? people lo\cd ?ou Walh the road to the Spmt World In peace De/ - 1'11 meet 3ou there. Ma! be ha\e a smohc togcthcr Somcdaq

Al

To Mavor Philip Owen: Hysteria whipped two times a month. Scenario - A C O L I ~ I C of days ago a nlan who'd bcen

"We're talking less than drinking rubbing alcohol found his \va\ into submission six per cent of the total into the 10bb~ of 111, building. \there he fell on thc me recent news ofan S ~ M : monthly events that collld lloor.1 phoned an akbulancc. Two para~nedics came.

be held there." group receiving city permis- examined him and dcenwd hc should go to a dctos House. who is also presi- sion to open a dyngeon dent of Diversity Hall. says treatment centre. Ho\tc\,cr, the>. infonned me that

i6'~astowfis. the it's become "convoluted" be- they'd have to wait I % hours. in the lobby jvith the result of "some cause of his cross relation- lllan. for Q O ~ C ~ wagon as oni\, 2 scrw the Mounl one getting their ship between the two clubs. Pleasant ncighbourhood. Whcn it finally arrived I wires crossed". says Club Infer- Diversity Hall received ap- asked the oficcr \vhy thc paramedics couldn't h a ~ c no president prova1 May 9 by the city's taken the nian to dctos. Shc said. "It's not their job." ~ o u g House. of variance for a devel- Recommendation - Rctvritc Job descriptions for

I opment application for the House. oth- paranicdics to include authorit!, erwise known boarded-up building a t 62 E.

cordova, and has come un- to take people \vith an alcohol problem to dctos. or as Dragon in the s&M scene, says Club der fire recently because of call SAFE RIDE immcdiatek to do so.

ferno will only be one of the the inclusion of a locked Benefits - Saves the additional expense of a police customers using the facili- area for S&M play that wagon. and ma> prevent olticcrs with man! more ties of Diversity Hall. Like says willbeunaccessi- serious calls from just dropping a drunh pcrson On any other assembly hall, it ble other users. thc street a fen blochs from thc point of pick-up. "We're doing the neigh- will cater to weddings and ,urbood a favour by clean- - I t \vould avoid hwing an ambulance and para- bar mitzvahs and the like ing it up, making it nledics tied up for 1 % hours but also have a special area lookgoodandbring- - Reduces thc health risk. pain and humiliation 10 set aside for kinky events ing good trade to persons in nced of dctos trcatnicnl. The Editor, West Ender: the area."

With duc rcspcct. A hearty thank you is in ordcr to Doug House. a.li.a. Anita Stc\.cns

Dragon, Presidcnt of Club Inferno for his vision and bcncvolcncc in saving the Downtown Eastsidc from the scourge of vitalit?. and civility \vhich has rccent- Iy begun to threaten the status quo down here. Whcn he says he's doing us a favour by sctting his slap- happy cohorts loose among us (In Thc City. Junc 14 ) J can only assume this is the sanic "favour" bestow- ed upon us by countless pawm and second hand shops, 24 hour grocery stores that sell nlost every- thing but groceries, and raucous night clubs whose patrons arribc in stretch li~nos and Icaw in police wagons. Arc we blessed or what'? Don't let the hysterical critics grind you down Doug. Don't let ~ h c parents at the da3;arc across the street deceive you into thinking we nced more dctox. jobs. a livable inconic or housing that isn't one notch above a dog kennel. We obviously need a wedding and bar mit~vah hail urgently sincc we havcn't hosted cither for maybe 50 years or morc. Welcome to the 'hood Depravity Hall.

Ian MacRac, President, Downtown Eastsidc Residents' Association.

Community ... The Dountotm Eastside is regularly put down.

vilified, made to sound like a festering sore that has to be cut open and cleaned up with the most drastic measures possible.

It is one of the most djnamic communities

an?where. Last issue. and at odd intervals, you can find a list of organisations. agencies, community groups and facilities. In your own life you havc nccds - minimum necessities of food, clothing. shelter, tncdical aid and education. If you have dificultj. meeting these needs, it's natural to join with or at least seek out someone else or even a goup of others who can help focus on mahing not only the immediate possible but the fi~ture better.

The inltncdiatc in this ncighbourhood is not unique, but the awareness of so much and the conscious efforts to deal with it certainly secms to be. Poverty - Jean Swanson's article and book are the result of years of being up-close-and-persona1 with the attitudes and policies and laws that perpetuate pove*. Being poor underlies so much of living and cxpctiencc. colours so many judgments. We point fingers at each other and those who profit from this bickering provide ample opportunities for us to feel a sense of failure and need to blame somebody or something. ** The upside has advocates, poverty law and anti-poverty coalitions.. . Housing - homelessness is not just somebody else's problcm, and the concerns havc been worked on continuousl?~. Progress is made with social housing, co-ops, decent and affordable residences and the establishment of nlaintenancc standards. Ongoing strife from landlords who run flophouses, who keep lowering the Ic\d of squalor that people will endure with self-serving justifications based on the poor- bashing that Jean so condemns - gives a net loss of rooms through conversion to backpacker hostels and tourist usc. and a cning need for standards of management. ** The upside has a communih housing plan. the securing of public and private fimds, renovating and building ivhat ,ou'd live in. Alcohol & Drugs - These arc often used to justitj

descriptions of the Downtown Eastside as a toilet It could have something to do with the fact that when- ever some expert or corporate interest wants a result, the?. do a study or get numbers from this area. Lo and behold, there are 80% of the city's licensed 9 liquor scats within four blocks of here; the largest open-air drug market in North America, over 2000 deaths from overdose in the last 8 years.. . and then the hype goes to "7000 drug addicts in the DE" but the population is 8- 10 thousand souls.. . . Under this, and inextricably linked to substance abuse, is the killing being made by the suppliers. The economic impact of hundreds of millions of dollars made on these things and into whose pockets it goes might have something to do with the apparent lack of common sense in dealing with dependencies. Tlllnli lauyers, doctors, international corporations *+ The upside has the Four Pillar Approach ~ncluhng Pre- vention. Treatment. Harm Reduction and Enforce- ment. Economics is inextncablv linhed to addict~on

as it is to dealing and banhs Opportunity - What does this mean'? This is where laughter and ideas and crcativity begin.

This piece began with the hope that it wouldn't be just another opinion, but hope abounds when stuff going on runs into the forces that I gave 2 stars to - ** . Working for social justice and a sentient peace brings every individual and the groups, agencies, organisations they affiliate with up against the wall of 'the way things are" again and again. Sitting and ranting and raving over the injustice and war-heads of those responsible secms futile, but if (when) i t leads to engagement - in protest, in work~ng on an alternative or even a totally different approach to that driven by base greed or lust for power - then the crcativity and ideas and laughter grow.

Most recently, happening soon - sidewalk mosaics, Eastsidc Sports, Woodwards, hard targeting, Clothes Encounters, h v e Gauche, Oppenheimer park in the sumner, Health Fairs, Call n' Post, Bridge Housing & the Women's Centre, Listening Post, Metropole, 40 W. & 40 E.Hastings, United We Can rcqclmg

and bike repair and cleaning, DERA's Public Lcgal Education, Eastside Pnde Banners, Sheway's new home, Native Health, Roosevelt and Pender detox and sobering and Community Health Clinics, CATS and the Child & Youth Strategy, DESmedia9s videos and collectivity shared with Gallery Gachet's co-op, Dugout and the faith community standing tall, opera and a Camegie choir, the CD gets rave reviews, DE theatre with Margaret's Museum and pulpit drug stuff, admission policy, constitutional change, Beat the Heat, safety and Safety and SAFETY for all wtule change seems to drag its heels.. .

. . .and again this isn't even the tip. There may soon be a Downtowns Eastside Arts Council, there's nccd for more work and more commitment on all the social issues. Pick up a papcr and see what is affect- ing others' lives and what's not there We have problems.. look at Africa. Look anywhere.. best to look everywhere and do what you can here.

By PAULR TAYLOR

- --

Feel Like Dancing

DJ-MIX DANCE

Friday, July 6, 7-10 pm Carnegie Theatre. 401 Main

Refreshments

Victoria: B.C. New Democrats are bringing forward tough laws to stop members of the Vander~alm gov- ernment from using their public office to help their private friends, says NDP leader Mike Harcourt.

Harcourt says the Ncw Democrats' "good government" laws being introduced this week would provide open government, police cabinet ministers' use of public money, and hclp put an end to the string of Socrcd scandals that have plagued B.C. during Bill Vanderzalm's term in ofice. "British Columbians have had enough of the Vanderzalm

government's special deals and closed go~wnment." "It's time cabinet ministers were madc to usc thcir public office and the taxpayers. money honcstl?,. openl 1.. "Laws like these could have prcvcntcd the string of Socrcd scandals we have seen over the past four years -from the Knight St. Pub lies to the Bill Reid lottery scam to Carol Gram and her secret flight logs (and Peter Ducck and the Deputy Minister of Hcalth resigning over expcnscs.. . )

Harcourt says the New Democrats 'good govemnient' legislation would:

establish tough new conflict-of-interest laivs; stop the resale of BC lottery tickets ~vhich has been linked to organized crime; provide truly open government b?. establishing freedom of infomiation for British Columbians to government documents and records: require TV coverage of the Legislature debates and proceedings: I lower the provincial voting age to 18. Other Icgislativc action would be taken to: I guarantee fair and open public bidding process on all governmcnt projects; stop political abuse and mishandling of lottery funds; requirc full disclosure of campaign contributions; require the release of air log rccords for govemnient aircraft.

"New Democrats are laying out the ground rules for how politicians must handle taxpayer monq. government pro.jects and thc public trust." said Harcourt. "We're ready to providc British Columbians with a government they can trust - a government that represents evenone. not just the never-ending line up of Bill Vanderzalm's political friends." 1/7/90

(Deja \ u - This was in the July 1. 1990 Newsletter. Campbell is going with the same thing

and will blame the NDP for 'forcing" his hand. 0)

Hon. Gordon Canipbell Prcmicr British Columbia Provincial Parliament Building Parliament Buildmg Victoria. BC VXV 1x4

OPEN LETTER

Dear Prcmicr Campbell,

Undoubtedly you have many pressing priorities and programs you wish to advance as you undertake the mandate and responsibilities of >sour ncw go\cm- ment. As 1 . o ~ considcr the various initiatives of lour govcmn~cnt, I tvould ask you to plcasc. urgentl?.. review thc crisis of illicit drugs usc in the Dwntown Eastsidc.

You arc probably awarc of thc work that has bccn undcnvay. all Icvcls of povcmmcnt through the Vancouvcr Agrwmcnt. Malsor Owen's Frame~vork for Action. and the Vancouver Richmond Health Board.Thcrc has bccn an enormous effort to develop a comprchensivc strateg?., based on the Four Pillar Approach and progress has bccn madc. Local rcsidcnts havc painstakingly tvorkcd to develop undcrstanding. and a conscnsus in responding to this crisis. But thcrc is still much to bc donc - and tragicall> - the number of prcvcntablc deaths, from ovcrdoses. lack of health care. treatment and social exclusion arc still tahing an awful toll in the conmlunit>.. Many pcwplc haw askcd me. "What tvill Mr. Campbell do'? Will he ignorc thc Downto~n Eastsidc and the crisis that is impacting drug uscrs and non drug users alike?"

So. 1 respectfully ask \,ou - what is your position on this urgcnt mattcr? I believe it is vital that you communicate. at thc carlicst possiblc opportunih. your government's intentions.

Will ?.our govcrnmcnt continue to support the Vancouver Agrccment? Will your go\~emmcnt support the nlcasurcs outlined in Mayor Owen's Report. including safe injection sites and heroin maintcnance'! And most importantly, is your govcrnmcnl prcparcd to commit the ncccssary resources for prcvcntion. acccssiblc treatment. harm reduction and social supports.

In a nutshell. arc >.ou conlnlittcd to making this a priority, or .... ?

I cannot cmphasizc enough how strongly I f ~ l on this issue. 1 bclicvc I havc madc propcss at the federal level in prcssing the federal government to understand and act - although the , too, necd to do much morc. I have also becn vcn, supportive of'thc Cih of Vancouvcr's efforts and thc work of the Vancouver Richmond Hcalth Board. Thcrc is a gca t fear that all this will come to a

screeching halt if your government either ignores thc situation or drastically suitchcs direction.

1 hope you will considcr thcsc conlnlcnts and understand they are given honestly and opcnly and respond in a likc manner.

Yours sinccrcl? . Libby Davies, MP Vancout cr East

RESEARCH SUMMARY Safer injection rooms ( SIRS)-also rcfcrrcd to

as drug consumption roonis. lcgal shooting gallcrics. and health rooms-are legally sanctioned and super- vised facilities dcsigncd to rcduce the hcalth and public order problenis associated with illcgal inject- ion dnlg use. These facilities now opcratc in appros- iniately a do/.cn Europcan cities, and are expcctcd to open clsc\vhcrc in coniing years. In iiiosl sites. SIRS arc classilicd as nlcdical establishmcnts to pro\ idc lcgal protection to s t a r and clients and allo\v niorc clTcctive regulation of the pmgranls."

SIRS typicall?. provide stcrile injcction cquipmcnt. information about drugs and hcalth carc, and acccss to mcdical staK Sonic oKcr counseling. hjgicnic and other scrviccs of LISC to impovcrishcd and itincr- ant indi\.iduals. Most prohibit thc sale or purchase of illcgal drugs. Many progranis rcquirc identification cards. Some restrict access to local residents and apply othcr admission criteria.

Evaluations of SIRS generally find thciii successful in rcducing injection-rclatcd r i sk and hanns. includ- ing bcin damagc, ovcrdosc. and transmission ofdis- ease. Thc). also appear to bc successful in reducing public-order problcnis associated with illicit drug use, including improper syringe disposal a id public drug use. Local rcsistancc to thc cstablishmcnt of SIRS onen fades oncc cornmunit>. and busincss conccms arc tahcn into account.

This suniniary of preliminary rcscarch csaniincs results of SIRS in Gcmian>~. S\vit~crland. and the Ncthcrlands.

By 1998, legal SIRS had been established in three European countries.

Five SIRS opcratc in FranLfurt. Gcniiany, the first of which of icially opcncd in 1904; others are in Hamburg, Hannover, Brenicn, and Bonn. Thirtccn SIRs opcratc in the Swiss citics of Zurich, Bern, and Basel, where the first onc opcncd in 1986. SIRS opcratc in the Dutch citics of Rotterdam. Arnhan. Maastricht. Venlo, and Apeldoorn; Amsterdam. which closcd down poorly managed SIRS in thc 1970s, is currently considcriug thcir re-devcloonient.

SIRS help providers contact a hard-to-reach population.

Ninct~ -live pcrccnt of SIR clients in Franhfu? arc infcctcd \vitli hcpat~tis C. 25% nith HIV- Scvcnt?,-sis pcrccnt ofclicnts at Paulus Kcrk. a church-bascd SIR in Rotterdam. usc both hcroin and cocainc; nearly 5 0 pcrccnt arc not of Dutch origin and 40 pcrccnt arc honiclcss.' 00% come L

to participate in othcr acti\ itics and seniccs. SIRS in all thrcc countrics attract client; abo\c the avcragc age of local drug in.icctors.-

SIRS can alleviate health problen~s related to injecting drugs.

A I096 ct aluation of 3 SIRS in Bascl rcportcd that SIRS pro\ ~dcd h j gtcn~c and controlled abno- sphcrcs and acccss to prman and cmcrgcnc? nicdlcal carc *"" Staff bclmcd SIRS rcduccd thc numbcr of o\ crdoscs, although no data \\crc a\a~lablc In Bcm. SIR staffhclpcd d n ~ g I I ~ J C C ~ O ~ S

s\\ilch from 2-rn1llll1tcr to I -n i~ l l~ l~ tc r s) rmgcs. poss~bl) dccrcasmg r~shs of d~scasc transnilsslon and \ c ~ n damagc Cl~ents In S \ \~ s s SlRs report ~nlcct~ng drugs morc saki? and engagmg 111

unsafc scu lcss oncn Thcrc hakc bccn no dcaths In S\clss SIRS to date " S~nce SIRS ucrc cstablrshcd 111 Arnhcni, SIR cl~cnts tahc I&cr health r d s lb

O\crdoscs arc \ c n rarc In Franhfurt SIRS coniparcd to on thc strccts Thosc that do occur are I0 t~mcs lcss Ithcl! to rcqum a hosp~tal sta? than o\ crdoscs occurring on thc strcct '" NO o\ cr- doscs In Gcrnian SlRs hakc bccn fatal to datc Ow-dosc fatalitics in Fradfurt dccl~ncd from 117 III 1001 to 26 In 1097. \\Iillc rcnlalnlng stead? ~n thc rcst of Ccnaan? Accordtng to autops? rcsults, HIV among drug uscrs 111

Franhfurl dccl~ncd fro111 03-05 pcrccnt In I985 to 12- 15 pcrccnt In 1901 'Thcsc rcsults arc attr~butcd to Frankfurt's lntcgratcd hanil rcduct~on stratcg) :?. wh~ch ~ncludcs SIRS and a artct? of other lo\\ -th~cshold drug scr\ ~ccs

SIRS can lessen nuisances and risks of public drug use.

Since SIRs ncrc cstablishcd in Arnhcni. ~ubl ic drug use has dccli~ied.?~ F c w r discarded slnngcs arc Ibund on strccts in S\\.iss citics \kith SIRS." Thc numbcr of public drug uscrs in Frankfurt dccrcascd froni an cstimatcd XOO indi\tduals in I00 I - 1 002 to 1 50 in 1903 and neighborhood conlplaints about drug usc dl-oppcd signilicantl?

Legal proceedings ~n\,olving drug users dropped Sol~tice 20 percent from 1095 to 1906. Attributed to Franhfurt's integrated h a m reduction strategy: greeting the world as it turns most fornls of drugrelated criminality also dec- on h i s solstice day lincd:. Cases of street robben dcclincd from 1.70 1 in 100 1 to 1.407 in 1907: cases of car to love one another break-ins declined from 28.672 in 1991 to 19,403 as much as I love in 1907: general hcroin offenses declined from I . I 0 0 in 190 1 to 03 1 in 1997; and cases of heroin is not Happiness contagious trallicking dcclincd from 12 1 1 in 9 1 to 220 in '97

stillborn for lovc Data on the clTects of SIRS are scarce. Nonetheless. died for nobody's sins

researchers ha1.c found SIRS to be an effective com- ponent of nlunicipal drug strategies that include lo1v- tried & tried & tried again threshold seniccs such as needle exchange and to find the love that is in all of us various forms of niaintenance and treatnlent for drug bqond the pain of living abuse. In certain locations and under certain circum- stances. SIRS may be an effecti\.e \\.a\. to contact suck on that Harp some of the most marginalixd drug users and reduce the harm of their drug use on individual and und continuously crying cornmunit?. health and public order. hand can be a trap For li~rther infonnation on this topic, contact grab some find a way to release the paln Phillip 0. Cofin. Research Associate find that flame of loving life The Lindcsmith Center

\ and sing that sow

The Lindcsmith Center Office of Legal Affairs Bruce 1:than A Nnclelrnann, Director *brahamson, l)lrcctor .- . - -

400 West 50th Street 109s Market Street. S ~ t c 505 Learning Centre Ncv York. NewYork 100 10 Son I:ronclsco, c,+, 94 103 TCI: (21 2) 548-0695 ~ ~ 1 : (415) 554-1000 Every Wednesday at I 1 am we have a reading circle

a : (2 12) 548-1670 I . (41s) 554-1980 i n the Leaning Centre on the 31d floor. Email l indesmith~~sorumy.org tlc-~,lap~sorosny,erg

The Lindesmith Centcr-West Marsha Huscnhaum. Director lt,, I,\\. ,\\, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ t h . ~ ) ~ ~ 2233 Lomhard Street

Haaw )nu seen the movie but never read the bob" During July we will bc reading and watching "Rain

Man" The novel was written by Leonore Fleischer and the film stars Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman.

S:ln Francisco, California 94123 i Watch for show times! I el (415) 921-4987 Come to listen, look and enjoy. 1 (415) 921-I912 E-mail: marsharose~a,aol.com r

Facilitated by Bud Osborn Tuesdays, 4:30 to 6 pm

Gathering Place - 609 Helnlcken r_

Hey, man ... It's the

Donohue Hike to Minnekahada and Pitt River

Friday, July 6, from 9am to 4pm

This is a strenuous hike. Register ahead of time in the 3rd floor office.

7

Shoulders and back: militan press and lat pull-doun Arms: triceps extension and biceps curl Trunk: back extension and abdominal curls

We'll assume you want to design a time-efficient program to develop general muscular fitness. 1. Strength train two to three days each week While training more frequently may bring larger strength gains, the additional improvement is relatively small for the average exerciser who wishes to improve overall fitness. In addition, long-term adherence is lower with more frequent training. Strength training two to three days each wcek allows about 48 hours of recovery time betwcen workouts, which is important for muscular growth and strength development. You may want to train more frequent- ly if you arc lifting relatively light weights each session and enjoy the social atmosphere at the gym. 2. Working upper body one workout and lower body the next would require more frequent (four to six times each week) training sessions and is not necessary. This is your choice and depends on the number of days you can commit to working out. Many body builders and serious weight lifters who include several exercises for each muscle group use this routine. 3. Perform two to three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions of each exercise to the point of muscular fatigue. This type of high-intensity training has been shown to produce the most rapid gain in muscular strength and size. If you are short on time, perform one set of each exercise that is maximally fatiguing. One sct of 8 to 12 repetitions improves strength and incrcascs muscle size almost as effectively as 2 to 3 sets. Progressively increasing the weight you liA for each

set will provide a good warm-up, but it is not necessary if you are concerned about time. 4. Perform a minimum of 8-10 separate exercises that train the major muscle groups of the body. Ernphasix multi-joint exercises. Include some free- weight exercises to help improve balance and coordination. Achieve muscular balance in each session by including both pushing and pulling types of exercise to train opposing muscle groups (biceps vs. triceps, for instance). Here is an example: * Legs: leg press and leg curl

Chest and back: bench press and seated row

BUT FOR THE GRACE OF GOD

When 1 was growing up. the Camegie Libran- Isas where the action ivas .... the streets always crowded as they are today. 1 took out my first books in the winter of 1930. Zane G r q .... James Oliver Cuwood.. and yes, Horatio Algcr. I bccamc a friend of Major Matthews who ran the Museum upstairs where they kept the Mummy from Ancient Egjpt Major Matthews gave me good advice ..." Never pigeon hole people.. .Don't givc out labels like 'winner or loser'. bright or dumb, saint or sinner.. .Labels back-firc. Remember but for the Grace of God, a label could be on you..:sissy, mother's bo].' or worse ,. .. '.P,K' for preacher's kid.

Sam Roddan

DOWNTOWN STD CLINIC - 2 19 Main; Monday-Friday, IOam - 6pm EASTSIDE NEEDLE EXCHANGE - 221 Main; 8:3Oam8prn every day YOUTH NEEDLE EXCHANGE VAN - 3 Routts ACflVlTIES SOCIETY

City - 5:45 pm - 1 l:4S pm Overnight - 12:30 am - 8:30 am

Downtown E ~ ~ ~ t s i d c - S:3Opm - 1:30am

2001 DONATIONS Libby D.-$69 Sam R.430 Nancy W.44 Eve E . 4 4 Margamt D.430 Shyamala G.42 Pam C.420 Val A.S20 Wm B420 Harold D.420 Pam-% Mary C-$30 Rolf A.-$75 Bruce J.434 Peggy -$45 Kettle 420 Sonya S.-S 120 BCTF-$9 Nancy H . 4 1 9 Bill G.4130 Wes K-$14 DEY AS41 SO Raycam-$70 LSS-$230 John S-$34 Paddy 460 Sarah E.420 Rockingguys -$30 Anonymous 4173 Tbc Edge 4200 Celeste W.422

THE NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE- - - CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION.

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

Submission Deadline I lor next issue , I I Thursday, July 12

Welfare problems 0 Landlord disputts

Housing problems 0 Unsak living conditions,

DERA has been serving the Downtown Eastsidefor 2 8 years! I

Hon. John Baird, Ministcr Ministry of Community & Social Services 6th Floor, Hepburn Block 80 Grosvenor Street Toronto. ON M7A 1 E9 Dear Minister:

Many members of your govenunent have gonc to great lengths recently to extol the virtues of public accountability, including introducing some tough mcasures to hold organizations such as hospitals and univcrsitics to account for their actions. Unfortunate- ly your government, and your Ministry specifically. has chosen not to hold itself up to the same standard of public accountability.

Owr the last six years, your governnicnt has instituted many "refonns" to Ontario's system of social services. Those changes havc been very far-reaching, including cuts to social assistance. introducing Ontario Works (workfare). creating the Ontario Disability Support Program, clawing back the National Child Tax Benefit from those on social assistance and contracting Andersen Consulting, now Accenture, to establish a consolidated vcrifica- tion system. When questioncd about the effective- ness of your refonns or whether they are meeting the real needs of the people they are meant to serve, your government has frequently preferred to quote numbers and make unfair comparisons to policies in other provinces. You have made it a monthly public relations ploy to announce with great fanfare the number of people leaving social assistance - without explaining where those pcople have gone d e r leaving the system - in order to make the claim that your reforms are working. You have frequently compared thc amount of assistance sonieone living on ODSP is receiving to similar amounts in other provinces, where the costs of living are typic- ally much lower than in Ontario. Right now, there is no proof. no accountability and no responsibility in the system. Empty claims by govenunent memb- ers that Ontario Works has been a 'success'continue to ring hollow in the ears of those who work with and advocate for the poor.

Minister. I would suggest that the time for empty reassurances is over and the time for greater public accountability in social policy is upon us. If your government feels so strongly that your social reforms are working, I suggest that you immediately agrce to conduct a social audit of your Ontario

Works program and other social policies. As Opposition Critic for >.our Ministy. 1 first made this call in March of this year and I reitcratc i t toda!.. A social audit lvould bc like a financial audit except

it would bc far more encompassing; it would focus on a broader range of indicators to cvaluatc actual social and economic outcomes and \vould work toward continuous policy improvements. In csscncc social auditing is about finding out what's working. why and for whom. For any social audit to bc huly nleaningful, !.our government would havc to appoint comniunity rcprescntativcs and staheholders to help sct thc indicators to measure and report back the results of their audit to the public.

Social objectivcs should be the basis for policy formulation and should be the priman. critcna for policy evaluation. Social auditing is a proccss through which the effects of policy and othcr social conditions on pcoplc are analyxcd. I t goes beyond traditional accounting methods which focus on financial costs and benefits and mahcs gowrnment accountable for instituting polic?. that meets thc needs of thc public. Many jurisdictions outside Ontario make it law to conduct social audits aficr extcnsive social rcfornis have bccn conducted. I would suggest that it is clearly time for Ontario to conduct a social audit as well. If you are truly interested in public accountability. I

wholeheartedly ask you to agrcc kvith mc and plcdgc to conduct a meaningful and full social audit of !-our government's Ontario Works program and other social policies with the help of community stakehol- ders. I look fonvard to hearing from you and I thank you in advance for this considcration.

Michacl Gravclle, M. P.P. Thunder Bay-Superior North Liberal Critic for Conununit?~ & Social Scn ices

'Greaseballs' is what \ve useta call 'em 'Hoods', the boogie nwn. wannabe heavies.. . Get their ass kicked for 15 years or so

in and out of the slam they've spent all their fear and pain locked up

like rabid dogs Paying hcac~ . niurdcrous dues.

. . .sounds like a real riot

Day 4 %I Spirit patch me through to Chief Red Cloud - Sioux thru and t h Kept the US murderers at bay for over a decade Red Cloud never lost He even went to Washington. telling the whites "Leave us be."

The rest is histop. Whose version 1 . o ~ choose to swallow up to 1ou I lean toward "Buq my Heart. . ." Custcr Ivas probably the most self-centered. egotistical bastard ever - He had it coming.. looked good on him

White Crow

So now I'm asking Spirit for per cent of Rcd Cloud's stones. strength, tenacity Red Cloud was a tornado in a body. I'm either dying or being reborn.. Rcd Cloud I need your help Day 5 ton~orrow shit's hitting the fan

time to do or die.

I'm alonc. nobody hears me I'm alone, nobody cares

I'm alonc. can nobody help me I'm alone, I'm alone. I'm all alonc.

Can 1 . o ~ take a walk in the real world, Instead of walking in your world.

I am worthy (I h o p ) of salvation I have more Spirit than those white drugs I am at war I am a warrior

What is love?

Is love happiness'' Is it being with your mate'?

What is love'? Is i t whcn you arc onl!. with onc'?

Is it supposed to be jol,'? What isn't love'?

The more be hurts me, The more he loves me.

The physical abuse, the verbal'bull shit And for someone 1 ike me. Q walking in my world. When there is none, Mj. world is lonely.

Is this love over So when you tr) living alone like me, 1s i t supposed to hurt

Do you know 1 ou are not going to like it. When the hurt stops, is it over'? But it is the way it has to be, This is my question to self,

Alone. alone. alone. What is love.

Ilrh 7i)irgk I)eh 7brrgh

Cycles and Circles

Here I sit alone on my bed Watching to see if the sky will twn red

Am 1 alone, do 1 have any Giends, Will they be here to support me,

Until the bitter end Will I break the cycle that circles around me,

Will the day come when 1 will be free These are the worries that haunt me,

While I sit here on my bed.

1)eb 7iW$

'I would like to have the purpose of being free'

"Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, to all the people you can, in all the places you can, for as long as ever you can." - ideation of spirituality. The power in this can conquer fear; it can make action and words bring positive, progress- ive social change. When you decide to be honest with yourself, your conscience learns to discrimin- ate. Actions & words agree. .are clear, strong and true. Language, spoken or not, communicates if your thinking is clear, but used badly ideas degenerate into so much crud.* (*crud is a synonym for the word used to describe the product of a bull's bowel movement) = static arguments; they make you want to scream. Witness statements that all humanity is to blame for the Nazi atrocities. "We let it happen!" Classroom acaderniks, non-consciously, allow sacred logic & reasoning to say Native Peoples 'let' the non-natives take their lands, kill them, rape forests, pollute the environment, distribute blankets saturated with smallpox ... The people of Canada let the "Free" Trade scam come into effect - it's obviously our fault that jobs are being lost, that pov- erty is growing by leaps and bounds, that people arc sleeping in the streets, that violence and crime and drugs are everywhere. It's all our fault. .it's always the victim's fault for not being on the other side. Anyone on welfare is obviously there because they've chosen to be.. . To keep anger under control is sometimes harder,

especially with someone who has been in the Down- town Eastside for awhile, working with people here

and interacting with us socially.. Maybe you think all the fights that people have with welfare, all the agony of trying to find shelter (dare I say it - a home?) if you are single with a child, all the writing and meetings and events and demonstrations that arc happening EVERY DAY.. .is all this just made up, just fiction'?!

You can bury yourself in the Ancient Greeks, in references to philosophers and books and you can stay blind to what's all around you. You can refer to Shamans as "those who are adept at entering auto-hypnotic trances" (such a cute scientific throwaway) and continuc to believe that everything, all social issucs like racism, sexism, poverty, homelessness are subject to miraculous resolution through the scientific method of debate.

Sonic advocate alienation as the means to getting an objective overview and I agree. But here's the crux: all spiritual progess and social change is consequent upon a personal commitment. The aboriginal worldview mahes the spiritual and social aspects of being inalienable. You cannot disregard Infinity, you can only assume that ignoring universal law somehow excepts you from its consequences. It's this that has given us the matcrialism. the injus- tice and the attempted murder of Spirituality that is choking humanity.

When was the last time you heard the word "scandal"'? Struggle is the essence of life. You cannot claim to be alivc and part of life by closing yourself off from living.

By PAULR TAYLOR

Strathcona Garden is celebrating SWEET 16

JOIN us on July 8th 2001

10:OO am - 2:00 pm 700 Prior @ Hawks

Cottonwood is also apart of the community garden See the ecologically sensitive

Garden House herb garden - espalier orchard - marsh area

Featuring - bee hives VanDusen Master Gardeners (will answer question at both sights) For more information you can contact: M u g s @ 253-4718 Joan @ 253-3384

VOICCMAIL AND MAILROX

NLW SUBSCRIPTION PRICE LIST

VOICEMAIL: $ 3 . 5 0 1 ~ 0 ~ ~ ~ $ 1 2.OOIFOUR MONTHS ' $30/ONE YEAR

MAILBOXES : $4.00 PER MONTH

PRINTING SERVICES FULL COLOUR

AND BLACK AND WHITE

PHOTOCOPIES

COMING SOON! FREE INTERNET

ACCESS

CALL 'N POST BUSINESS HOURS

VonW 930 to 6 0 0

Tusday 930 lo 6 0 0

Sunday C L O ~ E D

SISTERS RESIST!!

Join the Breaking the Silence Campaign to EMA

Educate, Mobilize, Activate

Every Thursday afternoon l:00 to 3:OOpm

Carnegie Centre, 3rd Floor Sisters Resist 1s N ~ I . Y C N S . Y I O ~ I LIC~IOI? p u j )

by, for atld about wometl in the 1)owtltowtl I.~astside.

July 5%: Making Rage Posters July 12% Women Resisting Worldwide .hdv 1 9 ~ : Witw ('hutt: the movie

L.

For more info, call Breaking the Silence at 682-8319, box 8319

" STEWARDSHIP Stewardsiup means responding to, and caring for,

the earth and its many peoples. It begins with life to life meeting, and meeting is initiated by dialogue. Who calls? The beggar in the street? The tree outside your window? To respond to the greeting of another is to recogruze that your right for yourself is your responsibility to the one who cones toward you.

Rachel Carson, author of Silent Sgrim. wrote her last book, The Sense Of Wonder, when she was dying of cancer. Her question was, "What if I knew 1 would never see this again?" her eyes were opened, and she beheld the beauty of the universe. In a book entitled The Guardian Of The Word.

Camara Laye, an &can writer, quotes the philosopher Karl Jaspers who talks of Van Gogh's paintings. "It seems to me that some secret spring of life is opened to us for a moment, as if the depths hidden in every existence were unveiled right before our eyes," Jaspers says of Van Gogh's work.

Camara Laye then goes on to say that in the Afncan experience "that secret s p r q of life is open. not for a moment, but constantly.' But the Europeans came, and the vision faded. "That is why

held in common with all creatures." Things are many in what thcy are, but they are one In that they are, or as Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce says, "Thc earth and myself arc of one mind."

The experience of the sacred is the foundation of stewardship. The dynamic of the sacred. and certainly not the dynamic of accumulation, is behind the covenant of the Israelites moving from the desert to the promised land. And when the covenant was broken, the prophets came. Without the dimension of the sacred, we end up with the global new world order of the Bush family and &ends. That's suicide. as the film Baraka demonstrates with vivid images of displaced peoples in stifling cities and tcrribing pollution. "How can the sacred dimension of existence be .

rediscovered?'Mircea Eliade asked. Rachel Carson responded to that question by living another - "What if I knew 1 would never see this again?" Others nurture the sacred through contemplation, ritual, or political action. When asked what his people taught their children In the old days, Chicf Standing Bear of the Lakota replied. "Our children were taught ... to look when there was apparently nothing to see, and to listen intently when all

the Black Continent is groping in the dark," Laye writes. "it is a continent in quest of a vanishing spirituality ."

Scott Momoday of the K~owa nation, and author of House Made Of Dawn. has written of the theft of the sacred, and has called this theft "a subtle holocaust, and it is ongoing." (The Man Made of Words) He adds that white people, too, s&er fiom a theft of the sacred, and he says, "all of us need to restore the sacred to our children." The sacred - "that which is saturated with being",

as Mireea Eliade says. "A rose is a rose is a rose," Gertrude Stein says. "The great shining of the world's inwardness," the Jewish Hasidic tradition says, and Meister Eckart in the Christian mystical tradition says, "My being, which is more inward, is

Brewster, who is a forester, ecologist, and worker with the Sierra Legal Defence Fund. She received the top score on exams held by the Association of B.C. Professional Foresters. Because of that achievement, she delivered the valedictory address to the 53rd annual meeting of the Association of B.C. Professional Foresters in February, 2001. In her spccch she said that foresters must be stewards of the land, and that they are part of a new conservation movement that is sweeping the planet. "Forestry.. . is no longer about the extraction of trees and their conversion to wood products,'' she said. "It's as much or more about the conservation of ecosystems and the equitable sharing of all forest resources so that we live in a more just world."

By SANDY CAMERON