June 15, 2001, carnegie newsletter

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NEWSLETTER@ 4 0 1 M a i n S t . , V a n c o u v e r , BC V 6 A 2 T 7

JUNE 15,2001 Email: carnnews@direct.ca

alit,on of people with Ihsabilities; Camepie Community Action Project, Cttmepie Community Centre Association; Camepic Community Centre; Catholic Charities; Co-op Radio: Coast Foundation; Communitv Care Teams; Communitv I lealth Coalition; Crabtree Comer; Iloor 1s ()pen; 1)owntown l(ast Education Centre; 1)owntowvn llastside Conmunity I l&th Clinic: I)(>wntownEastside Handicapped Association; 1)owntown Eastside Mental I lealth Network; Ihnntown IJastside Residents ~ ~ ~ ~ i a 1)owntown t i o n ; Eastside Seniors Centre; I)ownto\vn 17nstsidc Women's Centre; I)o\mtown IIastside Youth Activities Society; lkake Street Clinic; Ihgout; Elders' Nctwork; End 1.epislated Po\~crtv;livelpe Saller Centre: l;irst I Jnitcd; Four Comers Community Savings; Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement; (inthering Place: tlelping Spirit I d g e ; Kate \300th 1louse; Kettle Friendship Society; I,a I3oussole; Legal Services Society; I,i\ing Room: 1,cx)kout; Mam&IIastings Community 1)cvclopment Society; Mental Patients Association; Mission Possible; Native I .laison Socicty; Necdlc I ;\;change; Nciphhc>urhtwd1 klpcrs' Project; Ncighbourhcxd Safety Ofice; P.R.I.I).l<.;I'owcll I'lacc: Pmstitution Altcmatives Counselling & liducation; Kapc Relief; RayC'am Co-op Centre; Salvation Army Crosswalk 62 I i a r h u r 1,ight; Sheway; Strathconn Cornmunity Ccntre, Strathcom Community Gardens Strathcona Mental Ilealth Team; Street Onentation Services; Street Youth Services; 'l'cnnnts' Kights Action Coalition; Tradeworks; Triage; llnion (iospel Mission; Ilnited We Can. Vnncollver /\borjginnl Centre Stxiety; Vancouver h a Network of Ihup IJsers; Vancouver Native I Iealth Society; Vancouvcr Native I [(>using; Ventwe; Victim's Services; Watsri Alcohol & l h p Stratem; W.I.S.1I. Women Against Violencc Against Women:Working W(~men'sIhop-In; Youth Action Coalition; Youth 1leto.u; (and apologies to those missed)... it's a start.

* Rhetoric gets to ya, but the dogma of dcvclopnicnt and the dogma of dispersal is all about being judgnienlal.

Dogma is bad theory, presented as truth.

PRT

Downtown Eastside Classics Summer Concert Series presents

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ADAPT Aboriginal Diabetes Awareness Program a n d Teaching

Pacific Piano Trio

Do you want to know more about diabetes?

Do you know someone who has diabetes?

In a n exclusive return engagement, playing works by

ADAPT provides information on "Nutrition; *Activity/Exercise; *Blood Glucose Monitoring; *FoottEyeCare; a n d more..

Mozart, Telemann and Beethoven

Sunday, June 17, @ 4 gm In the Carnegie theatre, 401 Main

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449 East Hastines 254-9949

PETITION TO END THE PUBLIC TRANSIT STRIKE We, the undersigned, wish to express our dismay, anger and frustration at the lack of progress in the current transit dispute. This dispute is causing the greatest hardship to the most vulnerable members of our society - low-income people who ire totally dependent on the transit system.

People who rely on the Food Bank are going hungry. People are foregoing food to pay for taxicabs so they don't lose their jobs. Many have already lost their jobs because they are unable to get to work. Seniors and the disabled have become isolated and imprisoned in their own homes. People who require medical care can't get to medical appointments. Parents can't get their children to daycare or school. Students have had to drop out of school. Community organizations are canceling much needed programs because the volunteers they rely on have no means of transportation.

We say enough is enough. We demand that TranLink stop their misguided attempts to privatize and reduce our public transit system. We demand that the TransLink Board take action to negotiate an end to the transit strike immediately. ***Copies of this petition are here, there and cvcqwhcre. Find one and sign it!

Boycott the Empress!

L/!rq I,oncnr

The Emprcss used to be one of the best-run hotels in the Donntown Eastsidc. Since .John Ahn bought it a couple of ?ears ago thc conditions there havc deteriorated bad]!,. In 1999. DERA helped Empress tcnants fight illegal rent increases, reduced housekeeping service and inadequate heating. Even though those tenants won their cases, John Ahn has

3 cont~nuedto \lolate thc r~ghtsof other tenants It's o\er a !car later and John Ahn 1s st111runnmg thc Enlpress In a shabb! manner He cont~nuesto Turn OFF THE HEAT durmg most of the nlnter ILLEGALLY LVICT tenants Open tenants' ma11 Charge ILLEGAL GUEST FEES ILLEGALLY lock tenants out of thew room IGNORE bad]\ nccdcd REPAIRS

Afler two years of struggling \v~lhthe management of the Enlpress Hotel. members of the Downtown Eastsidc conimunity arc banding together to demand an end to the numerous violations oftcnants r~ghts DERA is calling on members ofthe cornmunit\ to support the tenants of the Emprcss rooms b: bo\cotting the Eniprcss Bar until the hotcl's rooms arc in accordance with provincial law and tit!, b\.-law On April 20 a group of rcs~dentslaunched the bo\.cott b ~bringing . our message d~rectl!, to the ouners. One of the oicners. SUIT Ahn. rcspondcd to l h ~ s nlessagc by throxving a glass at one of the res~dcnts and hurling obscenities at the others Suc.'s vrolcnt and abusive behavior is clcar evidence of her contempt for the tcnants and the people of t h ~ s conmunit?.. The police ha\ c been contacted regarding this umvarranted assault to see if charges can be laid against her.

We havc tried talking to John Ahn. We have tr~ed going to arbitration. We hake tried going to thc C'lt!

The Ahn's have ignored all of thcsc efforts. The bo\.cott is designed to pressure John Ahn to become compliant with residential tcnanc? legislation and city bylaws. We arc convinced that economlc pressure is the only way to n d i e the A h ' s clean up thcir act.

Our communih~cannot alTord to lose an\ more atrordable housing. The Empress is not the firs1 hotel that John Ahn has run into the ground. llc ruined the Marr and the Austin; no\\ many Lmprcss tcnants arc afraid he kvill ruin their home too Let John Ahn know that slum landlords arm-! welcome in our community. Don-t let him take monc?. out of the cornmunit\, and put noth~ngback in. You can help Save The Empress b? choosmg to go to my othcr bar until he chooses to l~stcn I*This article appears in the DERA Ncvslcttcr

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Thank you for the honour of allowing me to serve you again. Together we will continue to fight for equality and justice.

Constituency Oficc: 1070-164 1 Conuucrcial Drive Vancouvcr AC VSL 3Y3 Phonc: 253-7905

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M A I L 8OXES AND PRINTIN0 SERVICES

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Email: jcnn! .k\van.oflicc~~,lcg.bc~ca

humanities storefront june schedule June 20 ... aaron doqle, dcpt of sociolo@. Carleton universit~~.. "crinic, thc mcdia, and the public" junc 2 7... rob van\qmbcrghe, post-doctoral fcllow at the sustainable dc\dopment rcscarch institute.. social sustainability: short Icg of the sustainability stool.. free university wcdncsdajs iu! 7pm 40w. hastings

Libby Davies, MP for Vancouver East. invites you to a forum on

PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION

Monday, June 25,7pm-9pm Mount Pleasant Neighbourhood House 800 East Broadway (at Prince Albert)

Special Guests Lorne Nystrom - MP for Regina-Qu'Appcllc 'NDP Critic for Electoral Reform' Joy MacPhail - MLA for Vancouver-Hastings David Cadman - President. SPEC: Chair, COPE Co-chair, BC Environmental Net Your feedback and participation arc \vclcomc!

For more details. contact 775-5800

VOICEMAIL $3 50IMONTH $1 2 OO/FOUR MONTHS $30/0NE YEAR MAILBOXES $4 00 PER MONTH

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Editor 1 would likc to cornmend Jean S\vanson for hcr book Poor-Bashinp: The Politics of Exclusion.

Jean tells it likc it is.

Govemnlents at all levels screanl even: day about "that" - Main and Hastings - but don't secm to find solutions. It docsn't affect them politically. Big business spends big moncy to get their hacks elcctcd.

Poor-bashing by thosc who have ever).thing is ludicrous.

1 challenge politicians from all levels to come to the Do\snto\\n Eastside and suwivc for a month.

Emcv Barnes tried once years ago and he couldn't malic it; fcllow MLAs just laughed at him. Gordon Campbell will do nothing for the poor. Hc and his rich fricnds will ride to obscene wealth on the backs of the poor.

"Don't mourn. Organi~c.'.

If you \van[ to talk, leavc a number at Camegic's front desk and 1'11 call ?.ou.

Gael Marriottc

Report to Mayor and Council Re: Carnegie Admissions Policies Recently there have been news reports about the adntissions policies and practices of Camegie Coninmimity Centre. A complaint has been initiated with the BC Human Rights Conunission by John Turvey, Director of the Downtown Eastside Youth Activities Society (DEYAS). The charge is that we do not admit drug addicts. which could be construed as discrimination. The allegation is not true. We do have a policy of not admitting people who are visibly under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

On May 19th the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users (VANDU) staged a demonstration in front of the Centre. VANDU is opposing the Carnegie policy that prevents entry of persons witnessed purchasing drugs. It is alleged that we are acting beyond our jurisdiction. There are also allegations of a r b i t r q actions by security stafTin determining who is admitted to the Centre. Finally. VANDU would like to hold their monthly membership meetings at Carnegie. However, as VANDU meetings understandably - include people who are visibly under the influence of drugs or alcohol, this has not been possible.

The Carnegie admission policies are like those at other similar public facilities, including the Gathering Place and the Evelqne Sallcr Centre. If anything, Carnegie may be more lenient in what we accept outside our entrance. We have argued (with police support) against closing down the large, open dnig market at Main and Hastings until proper, 24 hour scrvices are in place. However, the presence of the market has necessitated the policy of not admitting a person who was ~vitnessedjust purchasing a drug.

Experience tells us that people will try to come in to the Centre to take their drugs afler a purchase.

Carnegie's recently adopted mission statement emphasizes that the Centre is to be a safe and - a refuge Gom welconiing place for the co~nn~unity the unhealthy street scene and poor living conditions for too many local residents. A place that is free of drugs, and of people with drug-induced behaviours, is a pre-requisite for this to be realized.

In March Carnegie established a committee to review its admissions policies and practices. The membership includes board, volunteers, staff, and conmnmuriity representatives. including VANDU. A

survey about the admissions policies is being 5 conducted inside the building. out on the corner. and in the community. A town hail fortun is planned It is expected that a report with reconmmendations nrll be going to the Carnegie Board at the end of the sunmier.

VANDU is impatient uith the time the process IS taking. and is concerned that its concerns \srll not be addressed. In the meantime. however, informal discussions continue as well as the formal mectmgs.

We appear to have general agreement that pcoplc who are visibly under the influence of alcohol or drugs not be admitted. We are continuing discussions about the "seen buling" rule. and about Carncgie sen.& as a VANDU meeting place.

So far. 1 have been inleniewed by a representative of the BC Human kghts Commission. It is not !,ct knobbn if the Commission kvill take up the question There is also the possibility of a court challcngc.

On other matters Carnegie and VANDU contlnue to work together in support of the Downtonn Eastside Health and Safety Plan and the 4 Pillars Framewok. The Camegie Strect Program and VANDU work closel! together in the provwon of information and referral and other activities for addicts in thc Main and Hastings drug market Michael Clague, Director, Carnegie Centre

Genome Riff (Tag a cat's tail) A cold. grim hranny accrues. clans glearnmg trampling a cure Gods tremble A cosy. glib tomorrowism ascends. clogging general thoughtfulness. A cat's got tongue - at cause God tumbles.

As clandestine grow-ops take awa! concern, gcntl! tenderl\.. a cheshire's grin t\\inkles Aocbwtt Cogtfa GsctaicggtahcgtT Stephen B c l h

Humanities 101 Application forms and Information Sessions:

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- Thursday, July 5, at 1:00 pm

Free Lawyer's Assistance

Carnenie Communitv Centre 40 1 Main Street, Vancouver - Friday, July 6, at 10:30 am The Gatherinrr Place 609 Helmcken Street, Vancouver - Saturday, July 7, at 2:00 pm Humanities Storefront 179 East Hastings Street, Vancouver

You qualify if you cannot afford a l a w ~ c and r you cannot obtain legal Aid. Latlyers d not appear in court but assist you in court preparation.

i b

initial half-hour appointnlent with lawyer follow-up appointment with lawyer 'r step by step ad\ ice on resolution

At Carnegie on Thursdays.

Call 665-2274 or drop in to the Program Of$ce to make an appointment.

Free Legal Advice UBC Law Students Legal Advice Program Small Claims 1 Consumer 1 W.C.B. 1 E.I.1 Debts Criminal 1 Employment 1 WillsiYrEstates l Social Assistance I Landlord-Tenant 1 Human Rights

Monda -Friday, 10-4, Drop-in

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3' floor, Carnegie, 401 Main

This Side of Nowhere

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Out of the blue and into the stewing chaos of the rat race on overdrive Trouble is brewing, yet hopc is renewing Yeh! we ain't going nowhere yet we have arrived!

Don't throw us a bone 'cause this is our home Not no one gonna pick it up So just step aside and leave us our pride Go do your conimute to wherever W e l l always get by.. we'll always survive So don't heap your &miltiind pity on us We don't need your sly smiles; stares that beguile We arc the n~astcrsof our universe. lf you think you-ve won a battle, you're definitely gonna lose the war so get ol'fyour high horse.. come out of your ivory tower.. step to the earth and smell the roses - walk midst our free and tolerant world see how "the other half' renl1.v lives..

Robyn

This is my own sundance to wrestle G-ec a 20d time from the stranglehold of opium

1 7 days of victory in Round 1 breakdown - the-white-coated doc hooked me on methadone (it's junk without the kick) a drug more addictive yet no effect except to marry your croaker the clinic, the drugstore: free only in price.. . otherwise ball 'n chain as bad as the H Today I must rehse the offer it is only the first day of hopping - someday I shall soar I want to fly..chained I cannot 1 beg you Great Spirit - help me say NO Al

PRIDE Training Centre CLOSING JULY 271h . . .coming off nlethadone is like sitting beside a

drunken foreign housewife \vho rides from St. JohnqsNfld to Souke BC telling you ever), detail of 40 years of bad nlarriage beatings and terror.

Garlic. wine, garlic, cramped seats. as the tvhole world reeks of grapes. You're lefl hanging. \vondering if murder or suicide is in order and you arc only 50 niilcs from Toronto Al Loewen...

C O R N E R E D ByMf&uBa&Mn

"In a further effort to increase prflts, control costs and satisfy shareholdbrs, we've decided to steal stuff."

Porridge Prayer No.3 (Praise Allah) I'm fighting the Devil, Found Two Haven't been cut yet except the 75 kg mirror that came crashing/slicing a 5"long 2"deep gash into the lucky a n that had the huge abscess.. .

I walked out with I/S new blood but I'm still standin Then the fire Then getting ripped off by some little shithead when I tried to buy some relief from the pain Ripped off again, in pain,,

The PRlDE Training Centre. which has sened 7 residents of Vancouver's downtown eastsidc for five years, will be closing its doors on Jul). 27Ih. 200 1 The closure is due to funding gaps. specific all^ a lack of long-ten core funding.

Since January, an average of over t\vo thousand people per month have accessed senices at the centre. The centre has provided emplo~~ment resources such as resume preparation, use of phones. copier and fax, and a free walk-in computer lab ~ i t h high-speed internet access. IBM Canada and Industr?; Canada's Urban Community Access Program provided the computers in the lab.

"We thanh the Ministq. of Social Development and Economic Security, and Human Resources Development Canada for their support over the years." said centre General Manager Sylvia Opsdal-Hunt. "We also want to thank IBM for their generous donation of computers for public access. We provide essential services to the community, but attempts to find core funding for what we do have failed."

'We still hope to find a home for the resources wc provide. but as our current project fimding winds dolm, we tvill not have the resources to continue the search for a new home and staff wages. At this point we are looking to the community for support. and hopefully these much-needed resources wilt find a home and fhding."

PRIDE will continue to offer resources to the public until July 27Ih, and all current programs will be completed. For more infonnation, contact the ccntre through the contact information supplied below 110-425 Carrall Street, Van. V6B 6E3 Fx:604-069-9593

Ph: 604-685-1 288

Emuil:infWpride-trainin~m

Another fire below me last night The Rip off Morphine Bo? s brother threatened me, every lous). junkie in town seeins to be "like that" with the HK who wouldn't spit across the street if there wasn't lotsa cash in it.. they c a d ? come on

I'm coming crashing oJTmethadonc Not playing by their endless rules Bring on thc sickness. I've died so many times I just want to be resurrected again Walk the Beau@. try.

A Locwen

super-star, super-cool self conscious he's been this way before a kind of affect leak it to the press the story can be bought in his own words he's big business he h o w s the program he's one of them sincere. fairly intelligent well meaning inan will the whole thing topple'? put yourself in his shoes is he guilty'? only the devil can guide you charles fortin

Safe Injection Sites

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Kyle Rae, a Toronto City Councillor, says that Toronto will have to follow other major cities in providing safe injection sites for drug users. The war on drugs doesn't work, and Toronto Police Chief Julian Fantino has said. "Fighting drugs is like digging a hole in the Sahara Desert."

In England, the police leave safe injection sites free of surveillance, and any registered addict is efTcctively licensed to carry narcotics for personal use.

Amsterdani police are iiiore hands-on, providing clean syringes on an exchange basis. Australia recently opened its first site in Sydney. Safe Injection sites have been credited with rcmoving users from public view and undermining the street- related drug trade.

Councillor Kyle Rae has been talking about safe injection sites ever since he visited Frankfwt.

Germany, in 1993. but with Vancouver, Victoria and Montreal also considering official sites. right-wing think tanks arc learning to like the idea, too. in an editorial (Map 310 1 ). The Economist said.

"America's war on drugs is a disaster," and it argued

wasting away the days 1 better live it up it doesn't mean anything LO me wrong or right love is lost it's a lot like fate it's a trail of tears then 1 don't want to h o w it's not possible to shine how about you4? is there one more angel? don't start I'll be laughing in the basement looking for poison charles fortin that drugs should be decriminalized.

Superintendent Robert Lesser, the oficer in charge ot the RCMP's drug enforcement branch, stated in a speech (IMayIOl) that Canadian cities should consider providing users with safe places to shoot cocainc and heroin. Stopping short of identifying locations, he said Canada is already host to a nwribcr of unoflicial safe injection sites, and that police are looking the other way.

In 1999, health Canada cstimated that half of all new H1V infections since 1906 have been attributed to IV drug use. Raft Jurgens. executive director of the Lega I Network, said, "Across Canada we've seen studies showing that HIV infection rates can double or triple within very short periods of time ...In Europe they've seen that safe injection sites are not only good for public health and injection drug users, but have a positive ripple effect for people living in those areas in ternis of commerce.'.

Councillor Kyle Rae said, '(Toronto City) Council won't do anything until police tell them that they've given up. That's what happened in Frankfurt. It was the police department that said, 'We cant deal with this any longer. We need a different way of doing this.'

Vern Smith - a short version of the article "Shooting Up Safely", in Eve, May 24, 2001, http://www.eye.net

Carefullv cut out this sauare sheet of paDer usina scissors -

Folding rules: Fold your " frog egg " paper in half along the

vertical centre line, so that the " letters "are now on both sides. Then

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Open up !

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unfold. All other letters fold, but do not unfold.

Crease each fold using your finger nail. Press down on back end of frog, sliding your finger back, and he

will jump ! Can you

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The Pen is mightier than the sword Kindness disarms fierceness It takes more muscles to fiown than to smile To learn is wiser than to pretend Love triumphs over hate Co-operation masters competition Rehabilitation overcomes punishment Humility reigns over pride and so goes with cowage Discover love in reality.

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compiled by Andy K.

Sarti Walk! to

Metrotown Loop Trees..ponds..malls.. graves..books..co-ops.. pigs in space Tuesdav, June 19.9am - 4 ~ r n Register ahead in 3rdd floor office

DERA Advocacy Service

Public Legal Education Workshops

DERA Advocacy Service (DAS) offers public workshops to community groups on legal issues of importance to people living on low incomes or livrng in poverty. The workshops are h d e d by the Law Foundation of British Columbia. If your group can benefit from more than one workshop, DAS is prepared to do a series of workshops for your group.

Workshops are offered on the following legal issues: Tenants Rights: your rights under the Residential Tenancy Act (RTA) who is covered under th RTA illegal evictions - what is the proper form privacy and quiet enjoyment repairs - what is reasonable wear and tear what is an emergency repair locks and access- when can you change your locks; what is your landlord's obligation moving in and moving out - how to protect yourself harassment - where to go for help rent increases - what is the proper form; under what circumstances can your landlord increase your rent ~ e n a n~greements c~ - should you have one 10. Arbitration hearings - what you need to know . . .And other Residential Tenancy issues.

BC Benefits. Income Assistance: 1. application process early intervention and prevention orientation, consent fonn, application and inquiry meeting 2. eligibility

3. benefits: incentive benefits. hardship benefits, crisis bencfits, back to work benefits and other lncomc Assistance bencfits 1 4. earnings and asset exemptions 5. Employment Insurance transition pcriod and hardship benefits 6. appeals 7. status levels of eligibility.

8. temporality excused for medical reasons, seniors benefit, medical only. disability level I and I1 9. lost or stolen funds 10. overpayment and fraud, how does this affect future benefits . . .and other BC Benefits Income Assistance issues.

BC Benefits Disability Level I and 11 applications: 1. who qualifies, definition of disability 2. what is involved in the application process: physician support finding an assessor criteria (need for assistance and "extcnsive" extra costs, length of disability) obtaining idomlation required to complete a successful application 3. appeal process 4. working with your advocate 5. doing it on your own

In addition, beginning in August, OAS Public Legal Education will offer workshops on(We1fare) kghts, Tenants kghts, Disability Benefits Applications, Representation Agreement Completion and Seniors Benefits.

If you are interested in booking DAS workshops, telephone Elaine Mari at 682-093 1 or email emari(cldera.bc.ca.1 look forward to speaking with you soon about scheduling.

DERA ADVOCACY SERVICE DAS will bring workshops to your organization or group frcc of charge.

We will present two-hour to one-day workshops to your staff, members, patrons, clients or residents.

We will forward notices to community groups regarding these worlishops.

BEAT THE HEAT - July 2oth2001 The Downtown Eastside1 Strathcona area of ~ancouver-isa community plagued by many overwhelming issues. All too often the media only focuses on the negative without recognizing the ability of this communih to meet the challenges that those living in poverty must face.

We are organizing the 2ndAnnual Beat the Heat, an event that is about the people in the Downtown Eastside & Strathcona. This event will celebrate the community's diversity and the strength that is drawn from it. It will provide a venue for recognizing the effort of all residents and cornmunity agencies to make this a vital neighbourhood.

Last >.earin the spirit of community celebration and building bridges, a network of community agencies and residents organized a unique event that brought together members of the Vancouver Police Department & residents of the Downtown Eastside & Strathcona: Beat the Heat. Held in Strathcona Park, Beat the Heat provided our community with a celebration for everyone. It was a chance to build stronger relationshipsbetween all residents and to promote better relations with the police in our neighbourhood.

We focused on increasing respect & understanding between Vancouver Police W k e r s and drug users through a friendly baseball game. At the sanie time we invited seniors' groups, day care providers, youth service groups and residents at large to be a part of the day. With over 1000 residents of the Downtown Eastside & Strathcona attending, we had a highly successhl event. We provided a fiee meal for those who attended, entertainment and children's activities. The highlight: the baseball game between Vancouver Police Department Officers & current or former drug users who live in the Downtown E a s t s i d c the Street vs the Heat Special guest participants at Beat the Heat included Police Complaints Commissioner Don Momson (Scorekeeper), Chief Coroner Lany Campbell (Umpire), Deputy Chief Constable Gary Greer (member of "The Heal'' Team) & Mayor Philip Owen.

Beat the Heat brought everyone together.

There are many ways to participate in this unique event- there will be something for everyone! ( 'hildren 's ( h m e s K- Activities Picnic fir 1000 people ('ommttnir?,Baseball Totrrncrmenr with the highlight: 7he Street vs 'Ihe Heat Seniors ' Activi ties hirce Pninr~ng Local Entertainment We need your help to make this year's Beat the Heat another success. As an entirely free communlty celebration, we need financial & in-kind donations to make this a day to remember. Ttus is our day to show the rest of Vancouver what a vibrant and dynamic communlty the Downtown Eastside & Strathcona really is.

You can become involved. We are looking for contributions to help us acquire: Prizes R- Balloons for ('hildren; 7cam T-shirts for 7he Street dl- 7he Heat; T-shirt.~forvolunteer.^ Food for 1000 People Prizesfor Basehall Tournrrment I'articipanls; Baseball Equipment Tents. k h l e s , ('hairs and much, much more...

There are a number of sponsorship options available to let Vancouver know that you care about bu~ldmg bridges in our community. Call us today and find the option that 1s best for you. Contact Deb Meams or Kate Hodgson at the Downtown Eastside Neighbourhood Safety Ofice: 687-1 772 or emad debmeamsh!telus.net Charitable tax receipts are available.

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STD CLINIC - 219 Mah; Mooday-Friday, loam 6pm DOWNTOWN NEEDLE EXCHANGE 22 1 Main; 8:30am8pm mery day EASTSIDE NEEDLE EXCHANGE VAN 3 Routes YOUTH City - 5:45 pm - 1l:4S pm ACTIVITIES Overdght 12:30 am - 8:30 am SOCIETY Downtown Eastside 5:30pm- l:30am

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2001 DONATIONS Libby D.-$69 Sam R.-$30 Nancy W.-$4 Eve E.-$4 Margaret D.-$30 Shyamala G.-$2 Pam C.420 Val A.$20 Wm B-$20 Harold D.-$20 P a m 4 6 Mary C-$30 Rolf A.475 Bruce 5.434 Peggy 44.5 Kettle -$20 Sonya S.-$120 BCTF-$9 Nancy H.-$19Bill G.-$130 Wes K.-$14 DEYAS-$150 RayCam-$70 LSS-$230 John S-$34 Paddy -$60 Sarah E.420 Rockingguys -$30 Anonymous 4173 The Edge -$200 Celeste W.-$22

lliE NEWSLElTER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNECIE COMMUNlTY CENTRE ASSOCUTION Afllclcr repmeat the v k w s of contrlbuton and a d of the h r o c l a t h .

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Subrnission Deadline Icr next issue , Thursday, June 28

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Downtown Eastaide Residents' Associntion

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can help you with.

Welfare problems Landlord disputes Housing problems Unsak living conditions,

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We offer many services as well including a

. 'FREE PHONE and VOICE MAIL for $3.00

Come to the DERA ofiice at 425 Camll Street or phone us at 682-0931 11

DERA has been serving the Downtown Eastside for 28 vearsl

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FREE PHONES Name

Notes

Address

City Hall Crabtree Corner Crosswalk DEYAS Needle Exchange Evelyne Saller Centre DERA The Gathering Place Lookout Tradeworks Triage Vancouver Native Health Women's Center Y.A.C.

453 10 1 140 223 320 425 609 348 800 707 44 1 44 324

W. 12th Ave. E. Cordova St. W. Hastings Main St. Alexander St. Carrall St. Helmcken Alexander St. E. Cordova St. Powell St. E. Hastings St. E. Cordova St. E. Hastings St.

Education Committee Meeting Tuesday, June 26,4 p.m., Classroom 11

=. words on a dumpster in the downtown eastside %

Bindivcrs/skidsflow lifes: To live in this deluu bin with a view Fill out "An Intent to Rent" form, May be a wailing list For this luxurious binicondo, With a primo bin diving route Docsn't include Daiqland crates (furniture) Or breakfast in bed (pizza crusts) Must have previous garbage bidcardboard box refcrcnccs (garbage man, or Lysol gangsters)

- Smoky Devil

Women only to FAW or Work related only Staff discretion I to 2:30pm & 7 to 9pm

Women only 14-24 years old only

Carnegie Security They work 365 days a year. They're the individuals

'who keep our Centre safe and keep us out of harms way. Many of our staff experience abuse in one way or another while performing their duties. This necds to stop.

Just recently a group of pcople protested at the foot of Carnegie steps. They demanded changes to our admission policy and questioned our barring policy.

Most people who are barred know they need to talk with our security staffperson John Ferguson in order to work out a solution.

For the past few months the director, Michael, and few board members have been working with comm unity groups and members on revising the admission policy.

Since the beginning Camcgie Centre has alwa1.s been alcohol and drug fiee. Also, violence has never been accepted here or by other organizations. We intend to keep Carnegie a safe place, where people can come to get away from the turmoil of addiction and the madmss in their hotels, rooming houses andlor the bar scene.

As a member and President of Carnegie Centre I would like to thank all sccurity statffor a job well done. Keep up the good work.

Margaret

Everyone Welcome to a

Drum Dedication Ceremony for two drums two pipe carriers Tipi will be raised

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Leonard Crow Dog's Cracker All I h o w is I'm smart enough to know that I know nothing all my knowledge crumbs on the cake of life Michael Hill, a cracker from Texas ends up a nlcdicine man's friend Leonard Crow Dog reconimends his book Time to fornet color..Tin~eto seek Spirit a white boy from Texas, a la\bycr a one-time drunk druggic turned around to the Red Road Lucky man had / found a way out of the everyday hell I know nothing that much I've figured out In my heart I'm searching If Crow Dog can accept a white . . .

Honkics aren't the only racists We are all of a piece We arc all of a peace we arc all One Walk with your true heart You won't get lost anymore

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Ijunnock, soup dt heveruges served

Tuesday, .June 26,12 noon Oppenheimer Park

Carneqie Community Centre Cultural Sharing Program -

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URBAN ABORIGINAL ISSUES FORUM Libby Davies, M P for Vancouver East, invites \.ou.

Friday, June 22: loam - 12 noon Aboriginal Friendship Centre 1607 E.Hastings Street (at Commercial)

Special Guests Fay Blaney. Aboriginal Women's Action Network Scott Clark. United Native Nations Blair Harvey. Vancouvcr Aboriginal Council

Your feedback and sharing are welcome!

Refreshments sewed.

For more details. contact 775-5800

Dan Feeney, Expertise, and Political Judgmenl In his article "Downtown Eastside pro fornla' Ij/O 1) Dan Feeney warns us of thc dangcr of experts n.ho come to tell us what's good for us. and he is dismaycd "that the idea of expertise is so ingrained as to be indistinguishable from, say. breathing." Dan is right. In our fragmented world of specialists, expertise has become too closcl>~associated with power and control.

"We are managed, not governed," Ursula Franklin said. Experts presume to know what is best for us.

They measure us with their slide rules, and turn us (( 'nrnegie Nc~detter.

April

into numbers. True. mathemadcs is the language of technolorn and business. but it is not the language of human beings trying lo make sense of their experience.

Managerial elites manage us with technological skills that stress cost-effectiveness and ellicienc!..

Their world involves systems and quantification. and is far removed from the real world of suffering people. The introduction of a hostile managenlent culture into welfare ofices is a good example of expertise gone mad. Experts figured out that a vicious dog approach to people seeking help could bring about a h% to 10%,decrease in welfare caseloads. This brutal approach undermines every decent thing our country is supposed to stand for, and turns welfare ollices into centres of rage and distrust - much to the dismay of welfare recipients and social service workers.

In the 20th century. large administrative systems and sophisticated technology h a w distanced pcople from each other. Governments and senior ollicials (experts) have become so removed from the reality of poor and unemployed citi/.ens that they have ceased to see thcm as human beings. They don't seem to be aware of thc anguish, despair and anger that impossibly low welfare rates and draconian

consent forms can cause. The! tcnd to see the people they're supposed to be helping as stereot\pcs. and therefore non-human, and in falling into thcir oficlal expert role. they beconle non-human thcmsclves.

Rationality and cllicienc?,.taken to their logical conclusion, lead to the criminalization of poor and hoineless people, and then to Auschwitz and the Gulag.

Bureaucratic culture (both privatc and public) sccs society as an obiect of administration. a collection of problems to be sohcd. a gardcn to be nccdcd. or a resource to be exploited. Morality. in the context of management. becomes the commandment to be a loyal. eficienl and diligcnl \vorker.( I ) Adolf Eichmann \vas all of those things.

Expertisc as tcchnological dccision-making. tcnds to separate reason from feeling. rationalit? from living experience. and cficienc?, from cthics. The society that surrenders to thc rule of tcchnolog?. the rule of the expert, will eliminate thc human lhcc of the other - the one kvho reaches out to us.

Citizenship is the antidotc to cxpcrtisc. C'it~mis.not experts. fought to end the Vietnam War. ('~ti~cns. no1 cspcrls. worked to curtail thc nuclcar industn-.

Citizens. not expcrls. fought environmental pollution. Citi~ens.not experts. fought against thc frcckvay project that \vould have dcstroycd part of dowmtown Vancouver. Citizens. not cxpcrts. fought s. to savc Strathcona from highrisc mania C i t ~ ~ c nnot cxpcrts. are fighting to protect all peoples From the imperial globalization of the transnational corporations.

Citi~enshipis an expression of our dcepcst nccd for each other and for the land. Citixcns belie\ c the?,can build their community in such a \va?. that all persons will have the opportunih and resources to li\c fully Citi~ensuphold the common good kvhich is dcmocracy. and they exercise their political judgmcnt to c a m fonvard this vision of liberty. equalit! and community.

Political judgment looks at the dccisions wc nccd to make as a community In the light of all that is nleaningful to us in our history and traditions. It IS a forn~of public seeing that sees becausc it carcs. and it moves beyond the coercion of ~peciali~ation to the wisdom of shared expcriencc. Dialoguc is csscntial to political judgment. and dialogue requires mutual respect and intense listening.

Fanell Toombs reminds us that dialogue is Imposs-

ible \,,henone person thinhs he/she knows what is best for tlic other, and he says, "...we fail when we attcnipt to train cxpcrts to correct the situation of subordinated persons. Our onl?.course is to qucstion our o u n fundamental assumptions together ..." (2) As Lila Watson, an Aborigine Elder from Australia. has said. "if you have come to free me, you arc \casting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up \cith mine, come let us work togcthcr."

And conic. let US talk together and exercise our power of definition, ivhethcr it be through the committees of the Carncgic Community Centre Association, the co~nniitteesof Community Directions. the Carnegic Newsletter. The DERA Ne\vslcttcr. the Do\cntown Eastsidc poets. the Downtown Eastsidc musicians. four Corners <'onimunit]l.Savings, VANDU, the Portland Hotel. tlic Downtokvn Eastsidc Women's Centre, tlic

Downtown Eastsidc Seniors, the Interurban Pro.ject, or any other group that meets together and supports its members for the connnon good. "Language is a1wq.s the crucial battlefield .*. Benjamin Barber said. "Lcfl to the media, the bureaucrats, the professors and the administrators. language degenerates into one more weapon in the armory of elite rule.' (3) BIZSANDY CAMERON Modernity and 1 Iolocaust, by %\,prnunth u n a n . C'oniell llniversitv l'rcss, 1989 ( 2 ) lor evcry north aniericim lndian who bcgins to d~sappcar.

I also begin to disappear, by 1;arrcll 'l'oo~nbs, Anansi I'rcss. ( 3 ) Strong Iklnocracy. by t<er!janiinIjarkr, Univcrsrty of California l'rcss. 1084. page 107.

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W h o Hies the ~ i t e s ?

Strange how niany of us squcc~cout our kids from flying their own "kites". I have sccn this happen on thc beach, and by cstcnsion. in the class room. in public dcbatc. in fanlily politics.... snatching a\vay thc feeling of succcss from thosc who need it most. And it is donc through insecurity. fear. through thc shrtvclcd spirits of the bully, the powerful. tlic privilcgcd fcw.

S i ~ mRotldan

In these tough times People trcat thcir dogs Better than the Poets Then a came\ tra\cllcd At n~ghtto man! plancts C h a m d to the coRee cup C~garettcsIn the momng Then ~nsancl?thrown Out mto the front llnes A spiritual path for txvo Soul brothers to find Bill Bissct b\. Jugo Juice The Wall Ccntrc nearby And Jimmy Hcndris is About "rock and roll" A wild dog running free In the warn1 air at night That ship sailed in Ma!.

Wh\, hate \\.hat !.ou lo\$ That Flight Path to June The fires burning higher Blame the newspaper bos A match made in hca\ en A young. hot soccer player At a train station in Munich Then coming to life again Hearing the masters voice.

Daniel Rajala