Concerns abo
I t ' s funny how doing something r i g h t i s t u r n e d around t n t o l o o k i n g s l e a z y . T h i s i s t h e u s u a l l y u n s u s p e c t e d power o f language; it i s a l s o done with numbers, s t a t i s t i c s & gossip. U s u a l l y we g e t c y n c i c a l when t h e a c t i o n s o r e x p l a n a t i o n s a r e o b v i o u s l y t a k i n g somet h i n g s l e a z y - l i k e o i l c o r p o r a t i o n s saying g a s o l i n e consumption & g a r b a g e i n c i n e r a t ion a r c good f o r t h e environment - & making i t look a s wholesome & homey a s Mom and a p p l e pie. In t h e l a s t w h i l e t h e r e h a s been t r o u b l e a t t h e Downtown E a s t s i d e R e s i d e n t s Associat i o n (DERA). When renewal of DERA's g r a n t by t h e C i t y o f Vancouver was b e f o r e C i t y Council, i t was s t o p p e d u n t i l an i n v e s t i g a t i o n was done & a r e p o r t made t o Council.
The most s e r i o u s problem was t h e f a c t of 2 p e o p l e , who were employees, s t e a l i n g o v e r $20,000 from a c o u p l e o f g o v ' t g r a n t s . The h a n d l i n g o f t h i s m a t t e r , t h e f i n a n c i a l s a f e g u a r d s & systems p u t i n t o e f f e c t t o c o r r e c t t h i n g s , agreements reached between D E R A ' s "management", t h e "employees" fi t h e CUPE union, l e g a l o p i n i o n s , & C i t y s t a f f recommendations a l l went i n t o t h e r e p o r t . C i t y Council a c c e p t e d t h e r e p o r t , adopted t h e recommendations & approved t h e g r a n t . CEIC, t h e f e d e r a l department t h a t funds DEW' s job c r e a t i o n p r o j e c t ( b u i l d i n g management & maintenance t r a i n i n g ) , has g i v e n approval f o r g r a n t s t o c o n t i n u e & expand. I f t h e s t o r y stopped h e r e , i t would seem t h a t i t was a l l j u s t a b l i p i n ' h i s t o r y ' E l i f e goes on. A t t h e most r e c e n t DEW gener a l meeting, t h e f i n d i n g s of t h e i n v e s t i g a t i o n were made p u b l i c & c h a n ~ e sa t DEW i n