June 15, 2008, carnegie newsletter

.

FREE ·

JUNE 15, 2008

camnews@vcn.bc.ca www.camnews.org

EWSLEIIE~

40 I Mnln St, Vuncouver V6A 21'7

1

I •

:

•

(

•t •

•• !

• i

•

'•

•

.l

'•

••. .

•

I

.I

.

• I

\

•

\

1..

~

:.

•

I

•

.'

" I

.I !

..• '·~

...

'••.'

.. .' .

~

.. ....' ~-

''t_, '

••.

0::

~

••

<)

'

•

~

"(;''',

.• .

\-:

~ •

t

•

,

.

•'•

••

.' ~·

' .•

... . .I

/

'

•

• t

•

:1!' .. /

,.~

Jl •

i •

.

I

•

l

I

l

I

J •

I

604-665-2289

Celebrate National Aboriginal Day â&#x20AC;˘Âˇ Saturday, June 21 Former Governor General Romeo LeB lane signed the proclamation formally designating June 21 as National Aboriginal Day on June 13, 1996.

June 21 was chosen because of the cultural significance of the summer solstice, the first day of summer and longest day of the year. Many aboriginal groups mark the date as a time to celebrate their heritage.

"On June 21st, this year and every year, Canada will honour the Native peoples who first brought humanity to this great land," said Leblanc. "And may the First Peoples of our past always be full and proud partners in our future."

National Aboriginal Day was 14 years in the mak. mg: 1982: The National Indian Brotherhood (now the Assembly of First Nations) calls for the creation of National Aboriginal Solidarity Day on June 21.

1990: The Quebec legislature recognizes June 21 as a day to celebrate aboriginal culture.

1995: The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples recommends the designation of a National First Peoples Day. The Sacred Assembly, a national conference of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people, chaired by Elijah Harper, calls for a national holiday to celebrate the contributions of Canada's Aboriginal Peoples.

1996: June 13: Gov. Gen. Romeo LeBlanc declares June 21 as National Aboriginal Day after consultations with various Aboriginal groups. The inaugural day is celebrated with events from coast to coast to coast.

Frequently asked questions about Canada's Aboriginal Peoples: How many Aboriginal Canadians are there in Canada? In 2001 ,3 .4 per cent of Canadians were Aboriginal, a total of 976,305 people. Of those, 62 per cent were North American Indian, about 30 per cent were Metis, and 5 per cent were Inuit.

How many I ive on and off reserves? About seven out of 10 Aboriginal people live off a reserve, according to the 2001 census, with almost a third of those living in large cities. Nearly 30 per cent live on reserves.

Where do Aboriginal people live in Canada? In 2001, the provinces with the largest Aboriginal populations were Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

What are the projections for Canada's Aboriginal

I

population? By 2017, there will be an estimated 1.39 million to 1.43 million Aboriginal persons, according to Statistics Canada. Aboriginals would represent 4.1 per cent of the Canadian population, up from 3.4 per cent in 200 l. Canada's Aboriginal population is expected to grow by 1.8 per cent annually, more than twice the rate of 0.7 per cent for the general population. The Aboriginal birth rate is 1.5 times the Canadian birth rate. In the Downtown Eastside this year, National Aboriginal Day will be celebrated in Oppenheimer Park.

By ROLF AUER

Is That All We Get "ABORIGINAL DAY, JUNE 21" Wow ..

Considering what many Indigenous People have gone through since first contact of The Non-Indigenous, non-Indian, non-Aboriginal non-Native, non-First Nations people or white people. I wonder if this was to be lobbied for as a Statutory Holiday?

Just maybe we as Indigenous People may get the acknowledgement by the public or better yet, the Federal Government.

All my relations, Priscillia (fr the witsuwit'en territory)

Vancouver Public Library presents Eden Robinson

Thursday, June 19, 3pm Ca rnegie Centre Theatre Eden reads from her novel BLOOD SPORTS which explores the brutal edges of comp licity, where silence is lethal, and secrets can pull down everyone you love. It follows the tortured fates of a few of the denizens ofthe Downtown East Side of Vancouver.

I

DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE CENTRE FOR THE ARTS We had our first and very successfu l meeting for the Downtown Eastside Centre For The Arts this past week and now the work begins.

This centre came out of my desire to initiate a community space that would provide for young & old, from diverse cultures and those in need to have the opportunity to experience art in a positive setting; in other words, a place where people can create.

This is not a new idea, in the sense that it has been tossed around for the past ten years or so, however, we all feel it is timely and it provides for maximum opportunity.

This project will take a lot of work but I am confident we will be successful with patience, hard work and a steady hand.

I will update periodically and there will be a point where we will make an official announcement and begin the fundraising campaign.

Thanks to all for your inquiries and we will be looking for volunteers (we're not ready yet. s Gail Bowen

New Board Member

builders of this beautiful city. They're trying to tear down our homes so that they can build Condos for the richer people or even worse so that they ~an make MONEY during the upcoming Olymp1cs and therefore leave us poor miserable people on the street without homes and even worse they don't want us on these streets we know as our home territory. We're gonna have to put up not only a tight but a damn good one in order to keep our homes no matter how oood or bad they seem to be to us. Personally, I'mlooking forward to a year of learning and at the end l hope to have contributed to the betterment ofthe lives of everyone in this area. I imagine working on the Board will be good for me too.

It'll give me a way to measure myself and hopefully a way to help others as well as myself. As l said I do have some experience being on a board ~nd l .was actually a president of some different thmgs llke a bowling league and that other board. My exp~ricnces should help me at this time although 1t's been over 20 years since I was involved in community issues. 1 feel this is a challenge that~ can somehow meet and beat just because of the thmgs that I've learnt in the past. Of course I'm gonna need some guidance and hopefully it won't be ~oo much so as to be a distraction during the upcommg year. l hope my two cents will be worth something and from what l've seen so far we have a pretty good roster for a board. There seems to be a lot of experienced people in this group. Wish us all.some luck and a good bit of guidance in our upcommg year.

Thanks. -hal

1 went to the Carnegie Community Centre Association Annual General meeting last Thursday as a regular interested party and I came back as a board member along with 4 or 5 other brand new members. I had been asked to run so I knew that I would be putting myself under public scrutiny and I don' t really like to do things like that but 1 really didn 't think that I'd get elected. Now that lam elected l will try my damnedest to do a good job and be an asset to the board. l've been on boards before and I have an idea of how they work. I' II probably spend the first while getting to know the lay of the land before I do anything slightly amazing or anything at all. I plan on attending all the different committees and finding which ones I'd like to be a party to. I'm hoping to do an honorable job and more importantly a good job of getting things done for the membership. I'd like to be a leader during these tough times as the DTES is facing a massive onslaught by the

I

I

3

CCCA Board of Directors

~~~~

(Elected 5 June 2008)

~~~~

Be Apart of Vancouver's Famous

Hat路old Asham Rolf Auer- Correspouding Secretary Norma-Jean Baptiste Bernie Boyd Paul Campbell Colleen Carroll- Treasurer Lisa David Craig Hathaway Joe LeBlanc Adrienne MacCallum Matthew Matthew- President James Pau Marga ret Prevost Sandra Pronteau- Member-at-Large Gena Thompson- Vice-President

PRIDE PA August 3, 2008

Executive (signing authority) The Annual General Meeting of the Carnegie Community Centre Association (CCCA) saw a greater turnout of voting members than all AGMs since 1986. That was when members got together and voted 131-1 to throw the then-Board of Directors out and hold new elections. Results were good!

Ditto for 2008's AGM! With 19 people nominated for 15 positions, each person had 2 minutes to speak and convince people that voting for them would be good for Carnegie, not just to make the nominee feel better. Both intelligence and gut feelings led voters to se lect the people named above. Hooray!!!

PRT

CCAP is looking for volunteers to march or help out at this year's Pride Parade. It's going to be an awesome day full of fun and festivities!

You could ....

1) Wear a cardboard box home 2) Wear a Poverty Olympic Costume 3) Hold a banner 4) Help push the Poverty Olympic Torch 5) Assist with selling T-shirts, buttons, handing out leaftets at the table To walk in the march- you will need to be available to make costumes and possibly attend a dress rehearsal (dates tba). Your creative ideas are welcome.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Anna at 604-562-9912 or annam .com ~~~~

~~~~

FREE DENTAL HELP in the DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE The Eastside Walk-In Dental Clinic 455 E. Hastings 604-254-9900 Open Mondays and Fridays, 9:30 - 12:30 Volunteer dentists will help with fillings, crowns, root canals, etc.

The Vancouver Community College 604-443-8499 For cleanings

Carnegie Branch Library Saturday, July

12~

2pm to Spm

Poet, editor and essayist Brad Cran (Hope in Shadows) will lead a discussion and workshop on narrative writing in poetry and prose. We'll read and discuss a selection of successful narrative works to find out what makes them worthy of print. From there we will use what we've learned as a foundation to discuss participants' writing samples with an emphasis on the music of language, structures of story telling and the simple sentence. We'll end the day with a discussion on the publishing industry and what it takes to get published, with advice on where to send your writing.

REGISTRATlON IS FREE BUT SPACE IS LIMITED! Please see Beth in the library to register.

Participants will also be asked to submit a sample of writing (no more than ten pages) of poetry, fiction or non-fiction.

Participants are asked to read a reading pack before the workshop and all will be given stamped envelop es so that they can use them to submit their writing to the pub I ication of their choice.

I

·5

BULL (An old story retold) ;

•

So that bull in that China Shoppe True to form AGAIN Has managed to GET OUT THE DOOR It's not only Pigs got wings, chile _ Four little feet scurry fast I have seen it happening in another city On another coast Loyal and dependable he may have been ·, Probably still is.

But to what? .

'Tis a broad field, n'est-ce-pas?

It remains that animals be animals

Apologies to you, animals of 4 feet 'specially the higher primates Even the jackals, hyena and honey Badgers So childrens - Sorry for that [Ole Bull] We try to keep them away from the Bossies those dear sweet moo cows But ya'll know how hard it is To fight agin NATURE Where there's a bullish will there's aWAY OUT They usually have kinship connections LA WYERS, DOCTORS, INDIAN CHIEFS Le plus things change Le plus Ia meme chose Wilhemina Residents, Friends and Mayor/Councillors As I was cruising down Hastings on my way home from Carnegie I noticed a new sign up ALL along Hastings. It's a By Law telling the homeless they can not put up tents or bed down on the streets/ sidewalk, if caught they will be fined and more.

This morning a friend of mine notice a City Garbage truck dumping ALL belongs in a shopping cart in to the truck and behind the garbage truck was another to pick up the empty shopping carts, while residents pleading with the truck drive to please let me get my personal belongs. But it fell on deaf ears and away went people's personal belongs with sleeping bags, ID'S and ALL their life belongings went up and down Hastings, my friend said people were down on the ground crying and begging these City Works for the necessities they needed to sleep either at the park or under the via duct and/or where they felt safe.

Now they have nothing, they were striped of so much and left with nothing, NOT even letting our

I

homeless people get the sleeping bag and the little food they had. Isn't it bad enough for the homeless who have NO where to go, because of a By Law that has been post ALL along Hastings and probably at the parks. So where are they suppose to go, sleeping in the alley, is only putting them at risk of being beating up and/or for our women to be raped and beaten, all because they are homeless.

Sam and Council don't think about the consequences that comes with these STUPID By Laws, I have to be honest and say you all have no heart and flicking care about what happens to the homeless people when you take away their personal belongs.

The only true Politician that took on living here in the Downtown Eastside and learned so much while living on very little money was Emery Barnes, the other people said they lived at Crab Park for the weekend. However NO one saw them there and they had sleeping bag where most of the homeless don't even have that.

Get real Mayor and Council, if this happened to one of your own, there would have been at least 5 police cars and maybe 8 officers. If the homeless had put up a fight today rest assured they would have been charged and jailed also given a fine for breaking this By Law that was just put up recently. ; . .

SO Mayor and Council where was the fairness on .... * this day Friday the 13th, 2008?

I '

••• J •• ~

•

~

Concerned Resident, MDPrevost

••

HUMAN

RJ~HTS

ABUSB

f I

I

I

I

The wretched wasted earth The still born The headless Maenads of horrific genocide Collecting deaths design in spasms of evil origin Cubicle dissolution Enlightenment Disinterestedness A man sleeping or dying on the sidewalk something wrong here Better go home Keep shopping, see a movie, get some entertaining substance Distract myself with groups of similar identity The valour of the dead Mystical unions A loveless bed We cannot even touch anymore The common ignorance and the self interest of zombies A child in contrast, waved, smiled A brief moment of sincerity, joy signs of life The savagery by which we relate The bitter taste The bread of ash The poison of the souls disappointment The loss of love The enterprise of consciousness Hopelessly wasting Walking busily frantic Addictions Pretentions of charity and kindness A false humanity a spiritual ass The principle of childlessness A world of orphans Bloated but not full A wraith obesity The monarch The feeding The excretions The bloated gullet Fifty cents Five million dollars Global aspirations of cynical mendacity A philosophic boredom Scraggy cats never grow up Can't sleep at night Easy fix Wasted energy

I

Fighting the damnation tarnation crags Hits unpleasant ambulant Soma unconscious directive Can't measure up to expectations Of a free society or even a working class Dispelling mythology about existence is as meaningless as regret for a life unlived The brain only glimpses the possibility of genius and forgets what it remembered Sleep is small comfort a relief A moment to procrastinate another waking moment LESADEETREE

THE NOSE KNOWS -If Love Has A Smell

You tell me you Iike it When I wear your clothes Because when you put them on, They smell of me.

You are clearer, You say to me, As sage bums In the shell of your hand Cupped upwards Protecting.

I can smell The rain That tells me This is Vancouver And the sweat On the clothes you wore Into the lodge.

They won't let you touch The sour cream and chives At the fancy restaurant in Merritt Glancing at the worker's grease On your hands But I scent them, their bleach And the freshly Slaughtered Veal Parmesan.

Phoenix Winter

I

.

.. ..

hby

News from the Library Take the Six Book Challenee

This summer, Carnegie library is challenging you to read a book a week. From July 2 to August 16, we are running a Six Book Challenge. Read books, win prizes! Never read a western? Why not start now?

For details, look for the posters in the library from the end of June.

If Money and Time Were No Object..-:1 Who I Would Have at Dinner for Two I have the chance to see you again. The fireplace is crackling while we sit on the couch with our feet up on puffy beige footstools. lggy, our rabbit, lies peacefully as a cat on the rug.

The flames flicker across your face, making their presence known and then leaving, like the anger you hold towards me.

I'd li~e to say we hold wine glasses, but we both don't drink. Our crystal goblets are filled with cider we pressed ourselves with apples fallen on the farm. I show you how to wet your finger, and make the crystal sing.

New Books Tire Impossible Takes Longer, by David Pratt Phoenix Winter (808.88) is a unique book of quotations that claims to be "the 1000 wisest things ever said by Nobel Prize laureates." It includes brief biographies of all I Jth~~ ~ the Nobel prize winners quoted.

Fo.od, Sex and Salmonella: Wily Our Food is MakOPEN COMMUNITY MEDIA GROUP ing Us Sick, by Dr David Waltner-Toews (615.95) brings us tales of the bacteria, viruses and parasites We intend to develop media materials, strategies and that have made their way into our food supply. He contacts to increase public awareness of community describes pandemics, climate change, cultural shifts, conditions and needs on the DownTown EastSide. agriculture and trade, all of which have led to the We are currently focusing on housing issues, inemergence of new diseases. And before we start to panic, there's practical advice for what we can do. cluding inadequate shelters, unsafe/unhealthy SRO's Like a Rock: Tile Chuck Cadman Story, by Tom and the need for more social housing. If there are any Zytaruk (971.07) tells of how an ordinary man beother issues you think we should address or you want came an extraordinary MP. Chuck Cadman was a to contribute to our work in some other way, please typical suburban couch potato until his sixteen-year â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘ om us on: old son Jesse was murdered. Cadman was inspired TUESDAY JUNE 17, 4:00- 6:00PM to advocate for tougher prison sentences for offend~: 2"d FLOOR CARNEGIE CENTRE ers, and eventually became an .MP. Internet got you puzzled? Check out Internet for Seniors (004.67), which explains the web in illustrated, easy-to-follow steps. Instead of talking in general terms, this book gives step-by-step examples The Five Books to do things like play sudoku online, upload photographs, listen to Internet radio, and get started with of Moses Lapinsky e-mails, blogs and even web pages.

How to be an Illustrator by Darrel Rees (741.60) Join author Karen X. Tulchinsky for a lively and contains some valuable advice for budding illustraintimate discussion of this year's One Book One tors on everything from creating a portfolio to copyVancouver selection, right. It's a bit of a dense, wordy read, and could have done with a plain language editor, but it's a Wednesday, June 25, 3pm very attractive book, lightened by interviews with ~;:::;.-.......... real-life illustrators.

~

I

I

-~

Vancouver Public Library - Central Branch

•

presents

Autumn 2008 Thursday evening Book Club Eve~i-ng sessions are held .once per month, Thursdays from 7 pm to 9 pm, September through December, 2008.

Session l : MIDDLESEX by Jeffrey Eugenides - September 18th, 2008 Session 2 : WATER FOR ELEPHANTS by Sara Gruen - October 16th, 2008 Session 3 : SOUCOUY ANT by David Chariandy - November 13th, 2008 Session 4 : OUT STEALING HORSES by Per Petterson - December 11th, 2008 Register in person at the Popular Reading information desk on Level 2., starting at 10 .am on Friday June 20 .. Seats are limited so early registration is recommended. Cost of the program IS $10.00, and the first book will be available at the time of registration.

And, you can also register for a Saturday Morning Book Club at the same time.

Session 1 : ALL OVER CREATION by Ruth Ozeki - September 13th, 2008 Session 2: RAGE THERAPY by Daniel Kalla- October 18th, 2008 Session 3 : END OF THE ALPHABET by C. S. Richardson -November 15th, 2008 Session 4: NEVER LET ME GO by Kazuo lshiguro- December 13th, 2008 For more information please contact Vancouver Public Library at 604-331-3603

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

THE PRESENT Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. They talked for hours.

Every afternoon, when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see· outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.

Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite details, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine this picturesque scene. Days, weeks and months passed.

I

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.

He strained to slowly turn and look out - the window faced a blank walL The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window. The nurse responded that the man was blind and couldn 't even see the waiL She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'

Epilogue There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy. 'Today is a gift, that is why it is called The Present.

I

·I ndian Residential Schools What was taught?

What has been learned? " ... a beginning .. . " . I •

•

}

r-

s

r

I

,,

. ...

'

~'\-~;·::. . ('Rescue be damned! Our conservative principles will see us through. " •I ·~

•1.;.

•

t

Healing oneself ·l .; .

Let al l your emotions Let them a! I go Take your anger, scream, J holler or yell ·~ Take it to the water Cleanse yourse lf with the water It will take all your hurt & wash it away Give cedar and tobacco to thank your helpers.

Let the Great Spirit guide you one day at a time

::....-- ;;',.,...-:~ \.j\J' I

/

You will take your journey It takes time to heal but it will lighten your load.

So, my dear friends, Have a safe, healing journey home. ~~ · ;r-t ~--~. } ' , r ~·,..

All my relations, '·~-d · ~~~ · ~~~;\; ,~~i~~~ 1 Bonnie E Stevens j !."· ~"""~~-·~ • I

•

.

• ;

;l .

I

I

This article below was offered to the Canadian media as an exclusive piece last week, and was rejected or ignored by the following newspapers: The Globe and Mail, The National Post, The Montreal Gazette, The Toronto Star, The Ottawa Citizen, The Ottawa Sun, The Winnipeg Free Press, The Edmonton Sun, The Vancouver Sun, The Province, The Alberni Valley . Times, The Epoch Times, and the Victoria Times Colonist

Why an Apology is Wrong, and Deceptive: Bringing Humanity to Bear on the Residential School Atrocity

By Rev. Kevin Annett URend your hearts, and not your garments" Joel 2:17 Imagine for a moment that your own child goes missing and never comes home. Years pass, and one day, the person responsible for your child's death is identified, but he evades arrest and imprisonment simply by issuing to you an "apology" for your loss. He even speaks of seeking "reconci~ation" with you.

How would you feel?

Hold on to that feeling, and now multiply your loss by many thousands of children, and make the guilty person the government and churches of Canada. Do so, and you will have arrived in a human way at the Indian Residential Schools atrocity.

One of my former parishioners put it another way: "What we did to those native children was an abomination, and abominations aren't resolved with words and money. We need to have our hearts torn in two and be changed. We've got to stand, ourselves, under the judgment of God. I doubt that Stephen Harper would be satisfied with an apology if his own kids were hauled off and killed for being practicing Christians. Yet on June 11, 2008, he will stand up on our behalf and try to apologize to other nations for having exterminated their children.

The whole effort seems more than ludicrous, or obscene.

One cannot, after all, apologize to the dead. But the truth is, the governmenfs planned "apology" to native people is an enormous exercise in deception - primarily selfdeception.

Do we even know the meaning of that easily uttered term, "apologize"?

It actually has a double meaning, according to the internet Dictionary: a} "an acknowledgment of regret for a fault or offense" and b) ''a formal justification, defense or H

I

excuse for one's actions".

That is, in our vernacular understanding of the term, an "apology" can be a genuine regret for one's acts; but it can equally be a way to evade responsibility for one's acts, by justifying oneself before one's victim.

The legal understanding of the word, however, is more specific, and has nothing to do with regret: "apology" is defined simply as "a disclaimer of intentional error or offense".

A disclaimer.

Now, I'm assuming that the government of Canada relies on legal definitions - operating, as it claims, "under the rule of law" - rather than popularly understood ones. So we must realize that when the government and its Prime Minister use the term "apology", its understanding of the word is the legal one: namely, "a disclaimer of intentional error or offense".

In other words, on June 11, Stephen Harper will issue to the world a disclaimer to the effect that the Indian Residential Schools were not an intentional offense.

It's not surprising that the Prime Minister will be making such an outrageous and unsupportable claim, since if he ever admitted that the residential schools were'intentional, he'd be the first defendant in the dock at an international war crimes trial.

But more important, this effort by our government - and the churches it is protecting - to be absolved of their own crimes is taking place under the illusory pretense of making amends with native people, when its purpose is simply to legally exonerate itself of culpability for the deaths of thousands of children.

This, indeed, has been the norm for both church and state ever since the first lawsuit was launched by residential school survivors in February of 1996. An army of court scholars and legal experts has generated a mountain of "holocaust denial" at every level of Canadian society during the past dozen years, to convince the world that the daily death and torture at the residential schools was not intentional at all.

Such an "apologetic" agenda defies logic and common sense, as in the statements from the government's misnamed "Truth and Reconciliation Commission" scholars that while evidence shows that residential school children ' were being buried "four or five to a grave", and that the death rate in these schools stayed constant at fifty percent for over forty years, these deaths were "not intended".

To believe that, one has to ignore the evidence of senior government officials like Dr. Peter Bryce, who found that children were regularly being "deliberately exposed to communicable diseases" in residential schools, and left to die untreated. The word Bryce used was "deliberately".

How else, after all, do so many children die?

All of this legal hoop jumping anc 8Vasion of responsibili-

I

ty might make sense to the government, and pay the salaries of their intellectual mercenaries, but it does nothing to advance the cause of truth telling and humanity in Canada, and snuffs out the lives of victims ever more quickly.

I know this all too well, having spent most of my waking hours for years as a counsellor, advocate and chronicler for many aboriginal survivors of the death camps we like to call residential schools. And what I've learned from such work is that we cannot come to grips with something that we don't understand.

The truth is, Euro-Canadian society still doesn't understand what these "schools" were, either at a "head" or a "heart" level. If one believes the officers of the churches and government, the residential schools "issue" is all about money and verbal gymnastics. Yet none of these officials, as far as I know, have broken down and wept in public over the deaths of so many innocent ones; nor have they even offered to return their remains to their families for a proper burial.

Oddly enough, the very same officials continually and glibly speak about "healing the past", without even knowing their own history, and about "solutions" to the "residential school problem", as if they understand what that problem is - not realizing that, to quote William Shakespeare, "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves."

For in truth, there is not now, nor has there ever been, an "Indian problem" in Canada. Rather, the problem is a "white" one. The problem is with us.

I won't point to collapsing eco-systems or troops in Afghanistan to prove this point. Nor need I pose the paradox of how educated men and women, with families of their own and a professed "Christian morality", could drive needles through infants' tongues at Indian residential schools, throw three year olds down stairs, sterilize healthy kids, and deliberately allow children to cough their lives away from tuberculosis, and then bury them in secret graves.

The evidence of the problem is more immediate, and far closer to home, in our continued segregation of aboriginal people into a lower standard of humanity that allows them to die at a rate fifteen times greater than other people of this country.

After all, if we Canadians are who we imagine ourselves to be - an enlightened society that "assimilated" native people into our ranks, and made them our equals- then why has not a single person ever been brought to trial for the death of a residential school child? Why is the disappearance of tens of thousands of native children in these schools not the subject of a major criminal investigation?

And why is there an Indian Act, and not an Irish or an Italian Act? Being, in reality, an unofficially apartheid society that

I

operates, in practice, with two standards of justice- one for native people, and one for the rest of us- Canada can no more cure the legacy of the residential schools than it can stop chewing up the earth for short-term comfort and profit. At least, not this side of a fundamental moral and social revolution.

The fact that we are far from such a change struck home to me a few months ago when the government's fraudulent "Truth and Reconciliation Commission" announced that, although- criminal acts did indeed occur in the residential schools, there would be no criminal investigation of t~ese schools: an unbelievably brazen subversion of justice that evoked not a murmur of protest in the media or among the good citizens and politicians of Canada.

Regardless of this, there are things that can be done to overcome the genocidal residential schools legacy, and do justice, for once, to the survivors.

Rather than issuing verbal and self-serving "apologies" which change nothing, or staging a sham "Truth and Reconciliation Commission" that has no power even to subpoena evidence, the government and all of us could take these kind of bold measures: 1. Declare an Official Nation-wide Day of Mourning for Residential School Victims, dead and living.

2. Fully disclose what happened in the residential schools - naming the crimes, the perpetrators, and the cover-up by launching an International War Crimes Tribunal with the power to subpoena, arrest and prosecute those responsible.

3. Bring home the remains of all children who died in these schools for a proper burial, and establish public memorial sites for them.

4. Create National Aboriginal Holocaust Museums.

5. End federal tax exemption for the Catholic, Anglican and United Church of Canada, in accordance with the Nuremburg Legal Principles concerning organizations complicit in crimes against humanity.

6. Abolish the Indian Act and Indian and Northern Affairs.

7. Recognize indigenous sovereignty and return all stolen lands and resources to indigenous nations.

An Irish relative once told me that the way her country is evolving away from eight centuries of warfare is through a simple formula: "First you remember; then you grieve; then you heat'.

Instead of skipping the first two steps, as Mr. Harper and too many of our people are trying to do "apologetically.. , it is time that Canadians found the courage to truly remember, admit to the world what we did to the first peoples of this land, and grieve our actions in the manner of people who truly rend their own hearts and want to change.

Perhaps then "healing and reconciliation" can become something more than a political catch-phrase.

I

fHIS COUNTRY: RESIDENTIAL SCHOOLS: ONE MAN'S FIGHT FOR THE LIVING VICTIMS 3/obe and Mai/916/8

By ROY MacGREGOR

Wednesday, when Prime Minister Stephen Harper pologizes on behalfofthe country for the many buses of the residential schoo l system, there will be 1ose who say it is only the proper thing to do. ~here will be those who will say it is going too far. \nd then there will st ill be the Rev. Kevin Annett. ·low far would he go? .

--·

•

~I ul '•

u-..-;or -

tJorill t.

ll....c~

.....- .

• - -- -·.. .......

- ..

--·-

.....- - •

. .

•

I. -

•

.. -- -••

•

•

Enlarge I

•• 1 ..

...

•

1 ....

..

II'\

....

mage

, ••

;it down, take a deep breath, and listen up: *A full International War Crimes Tribunal with the •owers to prosecute those who can be held responible for crimes or cover-ups at the native schoo ls. \ nationwide search for the remains of childrenAr. Annett estimates some 50,000- who died at hese schools, by neglect or abuse, and were never ~iven proper burials. *The creation of a National Aboriginal Holocaust ..1 useum so Canad ians wi II never forget the crimes tgai nst humanity that took place in these schools. *An official nationwide "Day of Mourning" for all •ictirns, both dead and li ving, of residential schools. *An end to any federal tax exemptions for churches hat had any involvement in establ ishing and runling such institutions.

. . .. .

..... ,..,..,

·

r

~ I

l

I •

A.

•

• ' -

_

_ •• ! -

I ~ . _

down of the federal Department of Indian and Northern Affairs- and the return of all "stolen lands and resources'' to Canada's indigenous nations.

Don't worry about upsetting Mr. Annett if you disagree with him. lie's used to it. He's used to being dismissed. He's been called a troublemaker. I fe's been accused of exaggerating to the point of making things up entirely just to draw attention to himself.

And yet this 52-year-old derrocked former United Church minister who looks uncannily like Frasier actor Kelsey Grammer says what he really is trying to draw attention to is the likes orYam:ouvcr's Harry Wilson, and the unuamed woman rrom Saskatchewan who isn't yet sure she can tell her story in public. They are, he says, the living victims of residential schools- the ones who desperately need far more than a simple apology.

Mr. Annett, who now ministers to the homeless along Vancouver's East Hasti ngs, helped Harry ofT a bus last \-Veek. I larry is an alcoholic, a middle-aged man who was beaten and sodom ized at the Port Alberni Residential School, and who claims that, when he was 13, he found the naked , bloodied body of a young I Iaida gi rl on the grounds. He also says he was tortured for months unti I his tormentors persuaded him he had never seen a body.

As for the woman from Saskatchewan, she remembers having to hold open the furnace doors in her residential school as sma ll bodies were shovelled in for incineration.

Mr. Annett's critics say no such things ever happened, that such stories arc either imagination or some sort of false memory.

Mr. Annett says the only way to know is through "forensic investigations." lie says there is anecdotal evidence of mass graves at many residential schools.

He wants digs. Others say there is no point in digging because there is nothing to find.

Going against the grain is nothing new for Kevin Annett. He was an unnoticed United Church minister until he began questioning the church's role in shifting native-held lands to logging operations and then became increasingly involved in the residential schools question as persistent challenger of church respons ib iIity.

In 1997, he was removed from the pulpit and defrocked. "My faith is stronger now," he says, "but not in organized religion."

His strong public stands have brought him praise from the likes ofNoam Chomsky, but his battles also helped destroy his marriage - although he says t.~ ; .. ''"" ""'";1,..,.1 "'ith hie

h>Jf\

tPf'n~flC' rl~liPhter~ .

H

su 11 reglltarly cllalte nges th e churches involved in

residential schools to come clean on what happened.

That bad th ings happened, no one den ies- th at they we re as bad as Annett believes th ey were remnins the question. lie points to such historical evidence as statements

by Duncan Campbell Scott, long-ago deputy superintendent of 1nd ian Affairs, who mentioned th e much-higher nat ive death rates in the schools an~ how this fit with Ottawa's policy of "a final solut1on of our Indian Problem." And he points, as well, to !larry's story, and the Saskatchewan woman's story. and hundreds of similar stories that still stir in native circles across the country.

The Rev. Kevin Annett, understand, is not against the apology coming down this week. He agree.s, in fact, that "amazing progress" has been made smce th e possibility of a formal apology first surfaced.

But. he says, the apology is at best only a beginning.

"It's important in theory," he says, "but it's the wrong direction."

1le wouldn't have th e Prime Minister add ress Parliamen t, but come down to East llastings and sit in a healing circle and listen before he says anything at all. And once the apology has been issued. the real work should begin.

"An apology," he says, "should not have any sense of'We didn't mean to do it and ""e're sorry.' That would have no su bstance. It's not an action that will â&#x20AC;˘ have meaning.

"I don't know if we can really talk about reso lution until we know the truth about what happened." note: ror tho!'e with access to a DVD player. watch Kevin's documentary UNREPENTANT. I

1 FJitor's

I

On June II . 2008. th e Ciovernlllent of Canada for-

mally apologized to th e First Nat ions peoples for th( terrible abuses infiicted upon Native Abori ginal chi ldren who were taken fl¡om their families and pu t into the no,v-dcf'unct lndi<m residential schoo ls.

"The govern ment of Canada sincerely apologizes and asks the forgiveness of the Aboriginal Peoples of this country lor failing them so profoundly," ll arper sa1'd . "W e are sorry. " In September, the go\'crnrnent formali1.ed a $1.9billion compensation p lan for victims. The government has also cstabl ishcd a truth and ;econcilimion commission to examine the legacy of the residential schools. The commission was scheduled to begin its work on June 15.

Although the Conservat ive government initially was not expected to allow Aboriginal leaders to respond directly to llarper's statements, and those offered by all party leaders, the Aboriginal leaders were ultimately given an oppo rtunity to address the Commons, and thus officially go o n record in response.

National chief of the Assembly of Pirst Nations, Phi I Pontaine, who was himse lf sexuall y abused at the Fort Alexander residential schoo l in Manitoba, had high hopes that llarper's statement will help him and others move on.

"We've all waited a long time for this," he said.

"This is go ing to be a very emoti onal time lor a lot of people. It's goi ng to trigger a lot of memories, and these people arc going to need support."

T he Assembly wo rked with Health Canada to ensure counsellors would be avai lable on Parliament Hill and at th e many gatherings planned in most â&#x20AC;˘ provmces.

A 24-hour, toll-free crisis line can be reached at 1866-925-4419. Other support inronnation is available on the Assembly of First Nations website.

I

The Apology s we ga ered in the Carnegie seniors lounge to 1tness th e Federal Government deli ver an apology a behalf of all Canadians fo rth.: genocidal practicof the Residential School po lic1cs of past govnments a co mment was made in the room 路路what's J important about an apo logy?" Almost in unison a 10rus rang out "this is im portant! th e Prime Minis:r is making an apo logy to the survivors of Indian .es iden tial Schoo ls "Oh th at" she saitl, why do we ave to watch that?" T hen another comment " if yo u on路t like it then :;ave." With that she left the room.

On my way to work this morning th e legacy of the ~es idcnti a l School is that yo ung Aborig inal women tre stantling on the street co rn ers selling themselves hroughout the downtown easts1dc and in every ;mall town and major city across this co untry to :m.tke money to feed th eir families, pay th eir rent or LO reed th eir atldicti ons.

T he Residential Schoo l legacy is fe lt in every community across this nation. We arc still on small reservations not large enough to house our own people. We are homeless, we are living in abject poverty, we have the largest represented population of our children in care, und we havc the largest population of diabetes and diabeti cs in the nation. We ha ve the largest population of high school drop outs.

We suffer from un der-employment or un employment due to th e still prevalent racist hiri ng practices of no n aboriginal people within our own towns and in our territories. Yes Canada, rac ism aga inst Abori ginal people is thr iving across this nation.

Just befo re the apology th e ceremon ial form alities o f the House of Comtnons we re suspend ed by "allowing" eleven non sitting Aborig inal people to stand on the floor o f the House; Chiefs, Matriarchs and survi vo rs o f a genocidal po licy. T his symbo lic gesture and that o f removing the "staff" from the table that allows non sitting house members to address Par liament was like taking back a pa rt of our rightfi.ll space, our right to ex ist as Aboriginal people and to addn.!ss the nation on their raci!>t history and genocidal practices.

Pri me M inistcr Stephen llarpcr wa lked in \Vith a

94 year old survivor. One person sai d "think of th e generations wtthin her fam ily th at end ured the Residential School System".

The Indian Residential Schoo l system was designed by fo rmer Canadi an governments to ass im ilate th e Indian children by removing them from their culture, language, homes, parents, ro le models, people and communities. As th ey put it to " kill the Ind ian from the child". The effects o f this government po licy arc blatantl y clear today. I 32 Indian Residential Schools, 150,000 children torn away from the boso m of their fa rn ilies. 87,000 survivo rs whose lives have bee n fo rever changed, Generati ons of kids who had paren ts who d 1d no t know how to pa rent, pu t a price on that! llarper's apo logy was very mechanical in nature .

J\s he read from a script. he did not address the issue of who was responsible for carry ing out his government policy, the churches. He stated that the "government recogni zes that this policy o f ass imilation was wrong." lie addressed the living conditions of residential school children " inadequately deprived of food, clothing and suffered abuse, and that some died others did not." He went on to state the impact this has len on First Nations people and the trag ic accou nts o f ind ividual survivo rs and th?t the consequences were profoundly negati ve. The abuses suffered in residential school included "emotional, phys ical and sex ual abuse and th e legacy of social problems co nt inuing today. ll arp er ackn owledged many residential schoo l survivors arc not with us today, having d ied before they received an apo logy from th e govetnrnent. To the 87,000 li ving su rvivors we we re wrong fo r fo rcibly remove children from th eir homes and rich and vibrant cultures. Far too ofrcn abuse and neglect endured in the institutions. llarper then stated "The governm ent o f Canada s incerely apologizes and asks the forgiveness of the aboriginal people of this co untry for failing them so pro foundly."

The Canadian government has begun a settlement agreement process in 2007 to include a Truth and Reconciliation commission as an opportunity to educate all Canadians.

The other party leaders issued comments Iike "the darkes t chapter in Canadian history with children sto len from th eir parents, deni al o f the truth, and act...nowlcdge ment o f the ro le o f th e Liberal go vernment in this history. Mention was made o f the role of the churches in th is abuse.

One leader spoke o f statistics, deaths of children in reside ntial schools, and that "apologies once give n I

â&#x20AC;˘

.,

are only as meaningful as the actions taken". He spoke of Aboriginal Affairs not investing enough money and repeating errors of the past, then painted a picture of village where all the young school age children were absent where there were none left in the village that they were torn away.

Another spoke to survivors of Indian Residential school and said "we are sorry for what has taken place." "This is a shameful era in our history." Aboriginal people are entitled to equal footing and mutual respect. They have been denied love and nurturing from their families, language and cultural traditions. They have learned to "be ashamed of who they were." lt is a fact that this government has not signed on to endorse the United Nations Report on Indigenous Peoples and must reverse the horrific shameful living condition of Aboriginal people."

Grand Chief Phil Fontaine said that "this was the achievement of the impossible." A ceremony was held for those who died, they have not survived to see this day. Chief Fontaine stated the "memories cut like a knife at our souls" and that we "reach out to all Canadians in the spirit of reconciliation."

There was a hush in the room, some people wiped tears from their eyes, their voices were choked up with pain as they tried to speak about this horrible past.

When I went home my husband was very sad, angry and deeply hurt and no apology seems will erase the truth of his emotional pain, spiritual pain and physical pain. ~s a very young boy he was slapped across the side of his head with the open hand of a nun at the St. Paul's Indian Residential school. He fell to the floor writhing in inconsolable pain that was reverberating into his ear drum, the ear drum was shattered, he passed out from the pain. Fifty six years of enduring ear infections one after the other ' constant ringing in the ear, pain that never ceases for one moment, day in and day out, the only thing that changes is the severity of the pain. Can you imagine?

At a gathering one survivor stated "if Stephen Harper were here I would say to his face, I do not accept your apology. I would like my language back, my mother's language. I would like my language back, my fathe~'s language. I would like my culture back; I would hke my land back before I accept your apology."

With that being said the reality is actions speak louder than words.

Submitted by Marlene George, Culturat Sharing Programmer

I

On Wednesay June 11,2008 the Canadian federal government, along with the three parties, formally apologized to residential school survivors in Ottawa.

There wete many satellite stations across parts of Turtle Island (Canada). l was hoping this event would have been mandatory for the public to watch and just maybe all Canadians will respect and acknowledge indigenous people.

I was at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre, whola never seen so many young to old Indigenous people together packed in the gymnasium.

As I stepped in to the crowded gymnasium those there stood silent. When Prime Minister Stephen Harper stated his apology, one statement that stood out for me was, "Two primary objectives of the residential schools system were to remove and isolate children from the influence of their homes families ' into ' traditions, and cultures and to assimilate them the dominate culture." He did not say anything about reconciling financially to the Indigenous communities. Much is needed: proper housing, education, health care and economical aspects to revive the communities.

Silence echoed in the gymnasium after Harper's apology and a finger gesture towards the screen with anger by an Indigenous elder. The rest of the parties like Bloc Quebecois, New Democratic Party, and Liberals had also apologized to the residential school survivors. These parties had much more to say than Harper and they were more sincere. And many of the witnesses at the Aboriginal Friendship Centre had applauded and had hopeful emotions that just maybe with this epic many may go on with a positive approach in reconciliation of many Indigenous communities.

One of the parties mentioned that Canada did not sign the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Here at the Aboriginal Friendship Centre were much applause and cheering. I even raised my hands in acknowledgement myself.

You see my late grandparents on my dad's side attended the LeJac Residential School-the language, culture and identity was still within. However, the emotional, mental, physical and spiritual aspects ¡ were somehow affected. Trauma has been passed down generation to the next. I am affected, like

I

many Indigenous people are in their territories or in the urban communities such as Vancouver.

There were many Indigenous leaders who had spoken on behalf of their organization and the one that stood out for me was Beverly Jacobs: President of Aboriginal Women's Association of Canada. She is from the Mohawk territory. She stressed that women are the life givers, caretakers, and who look after the children. Respect is what she req uested from Harper and " What is going to be provided?" Many witnessses in the gym applauded . Overall, I found this phe nomenal event as a stepping stone towards, action.

All My Relations, Priscillia (wit suwit'en territory of the tsyu (beaver) clan)

Apology or Acknowledgement?

As I sat and watched Steven Harper deliver the country's apo logy to its Aboriginal people, I am torn between tears and anger. My tears are for those, our elders, who suffered abuse, sexual, mental, and physical. My tears for those who have lost their identity and culture.

My anger and the questions that cause this anger run around my head . I want to believe that now we will start to heal, and things will be better. Before this can happen, and the healing begin, I feel that there is a motive for this now, and only the future will tell how much the apology is based on this motive.

I want to believe the apology is worth more than the paper it's written on, but again we will see how sincere this government and the people it represents are.

The apo logy is a first step, but we still have a great distance to go. When will we see a more equitab le sharing of the country's natural resources, a sincere move to adequately house our people, and not in places where nothing grows .. the water contaminated. A place that as a people we can call home.

I want to believe, I want to believe, but I sincerely hope that th is government and the people of Canada realize that apology is also a verb.

All my re lations.

Robert Bonner "Apologies may be recognized but they are not necessarily accompanied by forgiveness as no nation or groups have ever been forgiven for genocide."

Quebec Native Women's Association recognizes the Prime Minister's official apology concerning the . .

genocidal experience of Aboriginal people in the history of the Residential School system. While the apology to Aboriginal peoples is long overdue it is contradicted by oppressive policies: the Indian Act. The heinous crimes committed against Aboriginal children who were victims nd survivors of the Residential School experience must be dealt with beyond mere apologies and monetary compensation. The damages to our languages, well-being, social and political structures and sexuality caused by Residential School, demands attention. The policy of assimilation through the Residential Schools system constituted a waragainst an identifiable group of people.

And while we commend the Canadian Government on the creation of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission we cannot ignore the Auditor General's recent report substantiating that budgets for child welfare agencies in Canada continue to focus the majority of their efforts on the placement of Aboriginal children outside their communities and Nations.

This type of practice is reminiscent of the Residential School policy.

Consequently, the Canadian Government must acknowledge that Residential School was an act of genoci'de; a crime against humanity. Apologies may be recognized but they are not necessarily accompanied by forgiveness as no nation or groups have ever been forgiven for their acts of genocide.

In order for this apology to be considered genuine, more efforts must be undertaken to correct current oppressive measures under the Indian Act that prevent Indigenous peoples from prospering socially, cu lturally, politically and economically.

The actions of the Canadian Government in opposing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples makes the apology feel hollow.

Their opposition to the UNDRIP perp etuates the insidious, archaic Indian Act that continues to discriminate and deny Aboriginal nations their rights.

The facts and arguments reflecting the manner in which the Canadian Government continues to undermine the rights of Indigenous peoples, can be found in Amnesty International's 08 Annual Report.

We therefore urge the Government of Canada to adequately fund Indigenous languages in a manner that is equivalent to the support given to the French and English languages; to adequately consult Aboriginal peoples in good faith on legislation t11at addresses issues such as matrimonial real property, Bill C-21 , Bill C-47; Bill C-30 and to eliminate the sexual discrimination that exists under Section 6 of the Indian Act.

I

To Whom It May Concern:

The people who are living in the Downtown Eastside and do drugs should be getting health care treatment like everyone else and Insite is a safer place to do drugs as long as there's supervision by health care professionals. It's a better alternative; no more overdose deaths, and HIV/AIDS, Hep C and other STDs can also be prevented. To the people who are working at and fighting for Insite, to keep it open and doing good, you have a lot of support. Insite is not illegal and should continue to be exempt from Canada's drug laws.

Hospitals in Vancouver can at least keep the crowding of their Emergency Rooms down and maybe fewer surgeries will be cancelled, waiting times shortened and other benefits, thanks in part to a service like lnsite. Right now there are too many people in the ERs. This overcrowding is causing too much pain & stress and there's no reason why more beds couldn't be open for people who are expecting to give birth. It should never happen that these people are turned away for lack of space.

Beauty .... isn't black or white or pretty pastel colours it's not flowing or soft But can be Hard as a woman on crack dressed in hot heels and a frilly white dress pulling her sweater close around her gaunt frame walking through the rat-infested alleys blossoming with pink and white flowering trees silently scenting a Vancouver Spring Phoenix Winter

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS SESSIONS Monday, June 23, Carnegie Community Centre

1

r

GET READY FOR THE BIG ONE

It costs too much for medical care in the States and we've got to stop closing Emergency Rooms. Keep the health care system in proper working order and don't try to make it for-profit by default if the public system gets in crisis because of lack of funding. I say this to Gordon Campbell and Stephen Harper.

To Mayor Sam Sullivan (and Campbell) it's your fault, not being fair to unions who bargain in good faith. These people have every right to speak out. lnsite should be open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It increases public safety and helps people get their lives back on track. It saves lives.

All my relations.

Take a moment of silence to remember the women who have died or been subjected to domestic abuse over drugs, and celebrate those of us who continue to survive and keep our dignity after going through this kind of abuse.

I

We see almost daily in the news natural disasters happening around the world. Earthquakes, floods, ·. hurricanes, Vancouver is not immune to such things· happening, and it is your responsibility to be prepared to look after yourself in such a case for at least a week. Are you ready? Are you sure you're ready?

We all saw what happened after Hurricane Katrina in the poorest part of New Orleans. Many died because they were not prepared to look after themselves.

Let us not repeat history in Vancouver's Downtown • Eastside.

Let us all join together to show the world that in a natural disaster we are one organized community and we will not become victims as those ofNew Orleans. Let us today take measures to see to it that we are prepared to look after ourselves. Please join us for a session of Emergency Preparedness and Get Ready for the Big One. A documentary will be shown and a presentation made with handouts and door prizes for all attending. Sign up at the Carnegie third floor administration office to attend. Door prizes will be given out at sessions. (Mini emergen- · cy Kit). So get ready, get set and go to the Carnegie Emergency Preparedness Sessions.

I

-,

and a leap of faith," to do a community play. He also agreed with others that it has a healing effect.

Will Weigler is doing his doctorate at the University of Victoria. He has also written a book about creating community plays. His thesis is: how people's opinions and preconceptions can be changed or challenged by seeing a play.

If this is true then this cuts to the core about the value of community plays. They can be used to change people's perceptions, open channels for dialogue, and build strong community bonds.

The Downtown Eastside is on people's radar now partly because the DTES community play: In the Heart of A City put it there. Other plays also helped: Condemned, the Carnegie opera about home and homelessness; The Shadows Project: We're Allin This Together, about addiction; and A Downtown Eastside Romeo and Juliet, a comedy about love, loneliness, and friendship; addiction and homelessness; suffering and humor; beauty and poverty; relationships, lack of relationships, and everything else that makes us human.

All these plays, and those to come, will help take the scales off the eyes of people in the wider community. Hopefully they will see that the Downtown Eastside can become a beautiful, vibrant and healthy neighborhood, that people here are like everyone else: while some are just trying to survive, most are trying to build a meaningful life for themselves.

Yes, "aware" is a start, but there is also a long way to go. In the meantime: Curtain Up!

By Patrick Foley

The OTES Community Arts Network is happy to announce:

The Second Annual Fearless FestiVal 1 24 h 2008

Sunday, August from 3 to 9 pm in and around Pigeon Park.

We want to get as many people who live here or work here or even who just love this 'hood to come out and celebrate.

When we first came up with the idea for this fest it was in reaction to the Vancouver Sun article calling the DTES "the four blocks of llelr'. We thought: "Why can't we have a party down here just to show em?" So we did. Those of you came last year had a great time and our festival was featured on Shaw Access Fearless TV a few times too!

We are looking for artists, performers, volunteers, and most of all involvement from you. Even if you just show up on that afternoon, we'll be happy. Our neighbourhood is under real danger from gentrification and developers; it is even more important that those of us we Jive here get together in solidarity to have some fun.

If you want to help us celebrate the diversity and beauty of the DTES, either as a performer or a volunteer, please contact: Michelle at "mlchellea:ichard@yahoo.com., or Steve at "srduncan@shaw.<;a., or give him a call at 604-788-8340

solder & sons 247 Main Street

I Wa11t to Ru11 Away

Coffee, Books Electronics & More

I want to run away from this world, To perhaps a shore that rests on a fresh ni!ln,at Where turquoise waves wash away troubles, On a vacation that will last an eternity.

Let the nectarous fruit dangle from the branches of trees, Looking as if they belong to the vineyards of Babylon.

Let the streets stay quiet and abandoned forever, And the seasons never change from the warmth of summer.

As I awaken evef}' morning from this enchanting dream, And wish I wouldn't have to go through the motions of the day I know when it's time to depart from reality, We will meet again on the earth's final day.

â&#x20AC;˘

Regular and Double-Shot Coffee

A Carnegie Poet

I

I

â&#x20AC;˘

Passing as Sane- Coming out Crazy Every day 1 pass as sane pretending control and serenity; Appearing reasonable, average, normal.

I confess to taking pills that alter my state, that bring optimism, steadiness, A less subjective reality Also church in small doses, exercise, plenty of rest staying away from the market- any market Temptation to come out ate at my sense of honesty but I had done that before, remember? most of the time I gave away all the books and records and Suddenly I was "crazy" in your eyes!

Overnight I was changed into one whose word could not be trusted whose touch could contaminate

--=--~-

PERSONmCATION Out to lunch, gone to pot, we're sure a wild bunch to simmer, steam and baste. Youy've heard this old standby- ashes to ashes n dust to dust - who rules this roost, the uncompassionate brain drain, stormin' confessing sessions, here's luck to you to tear it to pieces, to carelessly debunk and desperately deconstruct who's keeping score. When hearts are feelin', runnin' on, when your mind is on a hunger strike & parched with thirst, we better watch our peas and cues rise up don't get so down when life ain't quite level, when you're stewin' in your own juices ...

When your applecart's at its wits end and you're at an extreme low point - most upset, disarrayed, disheveled- that's when ya gotta hit the brakes, ride the binders and ease off those damn peaking, freaking, polluting carbon gases from within and without

So I will continue my careful ways, passing as sane Faking it but not till I make it Because I will never make it: I'm Crazy for Good.

Because the prizes go to the Winners the Whole- the Sane- the Happy ... and sure, I want to win - I'm not that crazy.

Wilhelmina Miles

Is the Whitecaps' Stadium Gone?

The noise, car traffic and alcohol-fuelled social concerns from a Whitecaps Waterfront Stadium have been spared Crab Park and surrounding residential communities, for now. These negative impacts on the surrounding area would have been considerable.

Although the Whitecaps will remain for now at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, and from 2011-2016 at a redesigned BC Place Stadium, the Whitecaps say they are still talking to the Vancouver Port Authority. They have stated publically that they still want a lasting waterfront location (very near our Crab Park). [Greg Kerfoot, the billionaire owner, got the rights to waterfi路ont property from the Seabus to Main Street, and can't let his investment just sit. .. ] The ad hoc "Central Waterfront Coalition" worked hard to save Crab Park for the local communities from negative impacts.

Don Larson

I

.... and expand into blue skies with the sun above, wmgspan magnificent, majestic, glorious - a bird ascending, transcending ties of earthbound realms you slice off the binding chord and taste perfecti01; ..

What's your name? I sure do wonder who you real!) a~e. Do you ever feel that your mortal soul is precar~ously suspended, swaying to and fro on a single stlver thread, that fairly cannot deny the crisis of feeling good/ungood and only wanting acceptance?

Explore evolving spirits, there for glitter in a multitude of celestial serene pools of eyes, if and when ?nd ~hy this potion of dreams leads to a profound lllummescent magickly altered state of being divine路 ly transpires . A clear, concise mind opens with a pure path to follow, finally bereft of uncertainty and desperate wishes. It passes softly to the netherworld ancient realms reaching from forever yet always relevant, wisping off without a clue to where it has always been going, supremely, rapturously retrieved with stretching motions cherishing the place within you.

ROBYN LIVINGSTONE

I

You Are the Answer

You, unlike others, eventually resisted; backed off; so steady as she goes on cue clandestinely, bravely and challenged but, yes, relentless ... then dodged the Illuminati's cordons, strongholds and restricted, bastioned, invisible borders; stark as they laid them out stupidly - only you ruled your underground tensions stretched and labelled subversiveness as pride, pain, contained & controlled - taut while righting their wrongs, you've won the war of nerves; you have closed the deal giving up not an inch of ground, your clear heart calm, steady as ever, eternal.

You ruled your own sublime private realm and when the chips were down patriotism; to be gone, cast off, shredded as you kissed the sky amidst the gathering clouds. You were admired, surely you remember, when you reigned among the also-rans; you who cared the best when the day dawned dark for those torn and alone A new reality when something's lost and something much more is regained; your thoughts were sharp, your mind set, profound, a one-woman mission and you were blessed, shining and unstoppable with a benevolent wrecking crew, with love and death all mixed up together in a precarious balance.

You always retained and served your intuition. The scales of justice just did not count there; with their phony farce of betrayal doomed and strokes of poisoned pen decrees scribbled illegibly you sorted it out and meticulously sifted through false idols, shattered myths and shallow thought-controls passed off by faceless demigods who mouthed deranged, distorted, cruel gospels of waste, rack and ruin.

You are an extraordinarily peaceful, joyful warrior; also extremely genuine and intuitively unique, so preciously rare ... and quite possibly beyond our masses' earthly reach ROBYN LIVINGSTONE

Maclean Park Family Barbeque Join your neighbours, bring a lawnchair!

Libby Davies, Member of Parliament for Vancouver East & the Strathcona Community Centre invite you and your family to an East Van Barbeque!

Join us for good eats and good summer fun.

Sunday, July 13, 1- 4pm MacLean Park- Keefer and Heatley *BBQ will be cancelled in event of rain*

Notice to One and All: The Health Contact Centre

located at 166 E Hastings St, is reopening after some time dosed to recover from a fire (flood?).

This is due to a great deal of community support and a positive demand to the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority for the essential services vided.

Where Life and Death Hold Hands I Don't know, I don't know, I don't know if I want to know what's going on, it's going wrong. Another of God's glorious days unfolds before my eyes I have to laugh before I cry. At my wits end trying not to burn bridges again and again and All see in front of me is infrastruction, absolute destruction with complimentary corruption.

I'm fairly certain there's enough fingerpointing to go around, from walking existence to spitting distance; push H for Hell, it really did look good on paper but you can never tell, like demanding financial understanding from a stranger barking commands could this be teh day I've heard about where life and death hold hands?!?

It's a change to appreciate someone/thing until it's gone. I won't cry waterfalls on standby, we're running out of time and water earth is screaming for help - no reply- someday some may want to know why, yet we will crawl with dignity to our defeat.

It's a fact: just like winning the Chernobyl Peace Prize you may pick it up in a hundred thousand years (curtail those mortal fears).

Now in bible lingo that's just one thousand days spread over the next three years; like naming your racehorse Stunning Defeat and expecting nothing less, this will be your year of years, that ability to put one disappointment after another behind you puzzles me are you GOD as the wingless angels applaud. Your colourless colour has made us wonder are you really there and if so do you really care ... didn't think so!

I'm certainly fair and try to care, enough fingerpainting to go around is a good thing I was there push H for Help it honestly looked good in wrapped paper, I can never tell, like demanding financial understanding from a stranger barking commands could this be the one and only day I've heard about where life and death hold hands ...

By ROBERT McGILLTVRAY

I

'

DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE -

YOUTH

NEEDLE EXCHANGE VAN·- .3 Routes: ..

604-685-6561 ~ity- 5:4~pm -ll:45pm Overnight -l2:30am -8:30am Downtown Eastside~ 5:30p~ - 1:30am· 604-251-3310 '"

0

ACTIVITIES SOCIETY

CFRO

612 Main Street

102.7FMCO-OP RADIO ..

-

B11b11dss•o11 cleadlllae for atexf Iss~·~: '

-··

!

Friday, June 27

Free Showers for homeless persons at 327 Carra II Wed 7-8:30am; Sat 7-10am; Fri WOMEN ONLY 6-BPM THIS NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION o..· THE .. . .. . . ............ . -. · ··· · ~ _ ·.;,;. ' CAilNEGI~ COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION ·"' W-;ack;,o;iedp-thM·:C;neDiec;'m.;~i;·c;tr~; a~d -thls . I Art•cles re11resent the views or Individual I Newiletter· are:hanpenlng.on;tfie.Squpmlih:Natlon's territory. contributors and not or the Association.

• _ _ _ .:.. _ ~... _ _ -_. ._ .-. .... .- - - -

NEWSlETTER

•

•

•

•

0

•

•

..

0

•

....

--

•

••

•

-

•

-

•

·

: -Edi~; p~.;iR- Ta;io;; lay~ut bel;, Li;a D;,id. -:

WA N T E D

Cover Art by Priscillia Tait

Artwork 'f or the Carnegie Newsletter

1

1

· ---------------------

•

TIM STEVENSON CITY COUNCILLOR

,

• •

SERVING THE COMMUNITY

WITH PRIDE CITY HALL 453 WEST 12 111 AVE. V5Y 1V4

Phone: 604.873·7247 Email: lim. stcvenson®vancouver .ca

•

• • •

Jenny WaiChlng Kwan MLA

• •

Please make submissions to: · - - -- ·Paul Taylor, Editor. · ----~ Anne P.-$40 Margaret D.-$40 Paddy -$70 Michael C.·$50 Judy E.·$10 Alayne K.-$5 0 Libby D.·$70 Callum C.·$100 The Edge ·$200 Jenny K.-$22 Penny G.-$40 Wilhelmina M.-$20 Jaya B.·$100 Mel L.-$50 Pam B-$50 Rolf A.·$50 Glenn 8.-$200 Greta P.-$50 H--· ·- -- -"• 0 -

l070- t64 l C:mumenh" Ur VSI,lVJ · --- ..l~htmct77~·Q12~LI~ft1li .17~HlHfU ___ .....

I

.....

Small Illustrations to accompany articles and poetry Cover art- Maximum size: 17cm(6·3/4") wide x 15cm(6") high.

Subject matter relevant to Issues pertaining to the Downtown Eastside Is preferred, but all work will be considered Black & white printing only Size restrictions must be considered (I.e., If your piece Is too large, It will be reduced and/or cropped to fit) All artists will receive credit for their work Originals wJII be returned to the artist after being copied for publication Remuneration: Carnegfe volunteer tickets

2008 DONATIONS: Barry for Dave McC.-$250

Working fiu· You

-

I

Second Narrows Bridge Collapse 50th Anniversary June 17, 2008 at 1pm Carnegie Third Floor Gallery

We have two groups hosting events for us in June and July to raise money for WISH Drop-In Centre Society. A comedy show on June 20th and a Burlesque Show on July 1Oth. Please take a look below and spread the word! We would love to see you!

A Benefit for WISH: A Night of Stand-Up Comedy with Cullene and friends. $5:00 entrance fee. Proceeds go to WISH.

Fresh Bean, 2616 E Hastings, Friday June 20.

Showtime is 7pm. Reserve at 604-253-1110 The Fresh Bean is a smoke-free environment that serves light dinners, deserts and great coffees Girls on Top Cabaret Show Rock vs Pop "the ultimate burlesque showdown" Date: July 10, 2008 Place: Celebrities Night Club Time: Doors @9pm Show @I Opm Price: $10 in advance $15 at door We'd like to invite all staff and board members of WISH to come out and experience a G.O.T. Cabaret Society production and help us raise even more On June 17, 1958, the partially completed bridge ..---..J awareness in our community. Advance tickets are across the Burrard Inlet collapsed into the water, kil~~~~ $10 and will be sold at Flaming Angels Boutique ing 18 workers and injuring 20 others. A diver also and Little Sisters Bookstore. died while looking for bodies. Carnegie's own Gary 604.669.9474 Poirier was one of the workers who survived the col-~- .-... lapse.

Join us at lpm on Tuesday, June 17 in the Third Fl Gallery at Carnegie to commemorate those who lost their lives. We will show a short DVD called 19 Scar... let Roses. There's also a display in the glass bookcase SAT June 28: DEATH IN THE AIR GLOBALon the third floor with photos of the event.

ISM, TERRORISM & TOXIC WARFARE BY DR. LEONARD G. HOROWITZ. Silently killing HUM 101 & Science 101 Documentary Nights us, our family and friends, the global plagues are • Carnegie Theatre June 2008 6:00pm here, yet many people are distracted by pastimes, passions, pleasures and psycho-sensory overload, SAT June 21: GIANTS LEAP with Florence Deand are completely unaware of the biological danbeugny and Linsey Hamilton. See how a community gers looming in the shadows of the world today. . is changed by new development and talk to the This shocking program examines the "Technotron1c people who made the documentary. AND WATER Era" and a New World Order that comes with it. Dr. SQUATTERS When FALSE CREEK VANCOUHorowitz documents "non-lethal" biological and VER live-aboard residents learn that a new law chemical weapons and warfare applications, used threatens their whole lifestyle, they decide to conagainst defenseless civilians by government and front their challengers. With Leon Kaplan in person. intelligence organizations around the world. RegardNO GLAM ROCK COUNTRY STAR JOEY ONless of what you now think, you are being ma~ipu­ LY Radical Folk takes to the Road on a cross Canalated and lethally affected, and the information in da tour. Joey Only in person will be here for the this program may be crucial to you and your fami• • v1ewmg ly's survival.

I

I

NATI.ONAL ABORIGINAL DAY ~

,~"

celebrate our heritage & culture

I

Saturday June 21, at Oppenheimer Park llam - 3pm Memorial Pole blessing, Squamish dancers, Master Carver Dick Baker, Oppenheimer Park Drum Sean O'Donahey Entertainment: Grey Horse Blue Grass Singers with Rick Lavallee Feast, Refreshments, Medicine Ceremonies, Community tables, Tipi tales, Children's story telling Giveaway Everyone Welcome to come and participate This is a family friendly event

.

..

. ... -

1'\-.. '

-

...

Qpen House o/ P1an1: Sale

at Strathcona and Cottonwood Gardens

Sunday, July 13, 10- 2pm For more info, call 604-253-3384

• I

P.

•

• t!

I

I