May 1, 2012, carnegie newsletter

May 1, 2012

401 Main Street, Vancouver

V6A 2T7

604.665.2289

carnnews@shaw.ca ca rn news@vcn. be . ca w w w. car nne w s. or g

Vancouver Moving Theatre & DTES Heart of the City Festival in partnership w1th Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre mvite you to witness

Storyweaving Weaving First Nation Memories from the Past into the Future Twining together stories, poems and personal memories with oral histories woven from cultural teachings, West Coast dances ond the ancient bone game of Slahal.

Muriel Williams (Dov<l Cooper photo)

May 11-13 & 18-20, 2012 Fridays and Saturdays 7:30pm & Sunday Matinees 2 pm Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre, Chief Simon Baker Room, 1607 East Hast ings Street Pay at door I sliding scale $0- $20 I limited seating I first come first serve 604-628-5672, www.vancouvermovingtheatre.com; www.heartofthecityfestival.com; www.vafcs.org Storyweaving is about giving voice to those that have lived within and around the Canadian legislation of the Indian Act. Storyweaving is about our hopes for a good future, guided by the principles of our cultural past.

Renae Morriseau (Director) The project's team of exceptiona l aboriginal artists includes, among others, DTES community performers Sue Blue, Brenda Prince, Steven Lytton, Priscillia Tait and Muriei " X" Williams.

3 10th

Annual

Hope In Shadows DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE PHOTOGRAPHY CONTEST CASH PRIZES FOR 40 WINNING PHOTOS, FIRST PRIZE IS $500 CASH! When: Sat urday June 2, 10:30 a.m.

Where: Pivot Lega l Society, 121 Heatley [between Powell & Alexander J What: 3-day photo contest, free to enter, cameras and training provided.

Winning photos will appear in 20 13 Hope in Shadows calendar.

This year's theme: What I value in my DTES community.

Contest is open only to DTES community members living on low fixed in comes. Each contestant will get a free single-use camera [ 200 available ] . Enter your photos by returning your camera to the Pivot office on Tuesday June 5, 11 am to 4 pm. Each contestant will get $5 cash when they return their camera.

Want more info ? Come to a free info session at Carnegie on Friday May 25, 3pm to 4pm, call 604-255-9701 or visit www.hopeinshadows.com

HOPE IN SHADOWS Portrait$ of our

(..'ommuni~y

PI V OT

My Journey CREATOR, ARE YOU THERE? I STAND ON THE LAND OF MY PEOPLE FEEUNGS WASH OVER ME, MY TEARS WELL UP, THEN AS THE RIVER, fLOW FREELY CREATOR, ARE YOU THERE? HOME, I BEGIN TO REALIZE IS NOT REALLY A PLACE, BUT A FEELING OF COMFORT, OF LOVE CREATOR, ARE YOU THERE? I SAT BY THE WATER PEOPLE THEY WHISPER SOFTLY;CARESS ING THE EARTH GIV I G LIFE TO ALL THAT SURROUND THEM CREATOR, ARE YOU THERE? HELP ME, STRENGTH I FEEL, WANES FEELINGS OF ALONENESS TUG AT ME REASSURE ME, THAT YOU LISTEN CREATOR, ARE YOU THERE? STARS TWINKLE, YOUR BREATH THE WIND WHI SPERS A MESSAGE; YOU ARE HERE WHY THEN, DOES THIS FEELING PERSIST' CREATOR, ARE YOU THERE? AS I WALK, MEMORJES FLOOD IN I SM ILE, I C RY, BUT FIND MYSELF WONDERING, WASHAWAYTHAT UNEASINESS, I PRAY

Robert Bonner (written while wa lking to Ottawa, 2012)

The GIANT Hutnungous Amazing uh ... Book Sale held at Solder & Sons, 247 Main Street, on Saturday April 21 51 resulted in a $50 donation to the Carnegie Newsletter.

Robert, erstwhile owner and entrepreneur, makes a great cup of coffee and the small s~op has roo~ for about a dozen people to s it, talk, dnnk and avatl themselves of an entire wall of used books.

This sale, offered by Robert as a way to support the Newsletter, brought both regular customers and the invariable few exclaim ing, " /had 110 idea this was here!'' (It's still fu nny after over 4 years in the ' hood) Almost everyone who dropped in that afternoon bought a book or three and we've agreed to have another Book Sale in late May or early June!!

PRT

Solder & Sons Used books - Coffee & Tea Curious audio recordings & eqUipment 路 247 Main Street - 3 I S-7 198

1 tRACTURED Cranky, grungy and I'll throw in forlorn while I'm at it plus fearful,for good measure. Impressive huh. So what dishes have you got lying on your slowly expanding plate? Whatever you've got probably matches me,maybe more so. Anyways,what do all my lousy add up to o n a scale,of one to ten:.(Take a wild big fat zero,nothi n, zilch,zed,nada.whew! Ya ~atching my drift. Yeh, maybe that's me you see on a daily basis shuffling, hopin .. add bent over,add broken, wandering somewhat a imlessly thru a former state of dreams that'r sti ll a possibility.. ya think.

Maybe more or less at best I'll try to take it easy,take it as it comes, with a head hangin, lower lip droopin for the time being looks like I've thrown in the towel you guessed right! Is it that obvious?! But tru ly you're all wrong; you're just reading the cover, judging me like that. .You're all wrong but who reall y cares, what the heck,kinda shape I' m in I figure my answer is no-one that's who.

Cause I've got nobody... nobody because whoever I was ever really close to has disappeared, vanished, passed or died- or is missin in action no-one really knows where they went. I'm always missing them and wondering,all by my lonesome self, woe is me. But I'm certainly shoppi ng for sym pathy. No pity needed, or welcome around my little space in this world, I am feeling like the grown-up version of a cast-off homeless. That's about the size of my situation.

But I won't give up hope, never, no way.That just ain't gonna happen. Me s loggin a long,the road to nowhere at this space in time and goin forward, what seems like against the grain.hoping for something special just about anything close to great happening to me, in a unique way,to keep my spirits up,maybe,maybe not and yet i always hold o n to the fact there's someth ing out there for everyone so you also, must keep your chin up,eyes straight ahead and hang in there too.

ROBYN LIVINGSTONE

In The Art Gallery l have the opportunity to display my photographs and environmental health report in the Carnegie Art Gallery, during the months of April and May, 20 12. * There is a display cabinet that has frames from the documentary I am in the process of creating.

During the month of December 1989, I filmed many Christmas dinners and parties in Carnegie. I also filmed many Carnegie vo lunteers and programs.

There are also pictures of some of the most beautiful flowers I have photographed dis played in this cabinet.

Along the top of this cabinet there are pictures of the Moon setting in the Vancouver morning mist. * There is a display cabinet that has some Unidentified Flying Objects and more beautiful Flowers . * There is a display cabinet that has both photographs and letters address ing my environmental work. I have changed the contents of this cabinet twice so far and 51

by May I I will have another change in the display in an attempt to share as much information as I can.

Bharbara Gudmundson

Vancouver City Opera ,::.

This is a brand new opera about what happens ~/ w hen two lives- one American, one Iraqi - intersect w ith terrible consequence at the Battle ofFallujah in 2004. lt is also an opera whose subtext is post-traumatic stress disorder. How do warrio rs deal with guilt and memory of what they have seen and done?

FA LLUJAH considers questio ns of identity and loyalty and the need for reconciliation. More US Marines have killed themselves since return than were killed on the battlefield. The same stats are building about our own people now returning from Afghanistan. PTSD is a very serious iss ue, military and civi lian.

It is a powerful piece, two years in the making.

On May 11 , Carnegie gets a sneak preview of the entire piece. This follows on the workshop event we held at Carnegie back in November. City Opera Vancouver very much wants to hear the critical opinion of our audience. It is the vitality ofthe workshop process.

This event is given in the piano-vocal vers ion for nine singers, and features baritone Ken Lavigne as Philip, and tenor Christopher Mayell as Taylor.

Music is by Canadian composer Tobin Stokes, and the libretto by Iraqi-A merican playwright Heather Raffo.

The entire project is supported by the Annenberg Foundation of Los Angeles.

This special sneak preview at Carnegie is underwritten by a generous g rant from Cultural Services at the City of Vancouver.

FALLUJAH AT CARNEGIE Friday 11 May 2012 4pm to 6pm www.cityoperavancouver.com

[One of the beautiful women on the cover, 1Jmei.IJI4 ~u, is also the Volunteer of the Year for 2012 in the Carnegie Centre. Space & time will have more o n this recognition (and the fo ur Special Merit awards) in the next issue.]

A~NOUNCI~G

For the Carnegie Newsletter

A Crude Cash Concert - A fundraiser extraordinaire Music:

-Fraser Union -Dalannah Gail Bowen -Solidarity Notes Choir -Carnegie Jazz Band Presentations:

by contributing Poets & Writers

A Silent Auction of Amazing Aboriginal Art by Garnet Tobacco Where:

StJames Community Square, 3214 W 101h Ave When: Sunday, June 17, 7:30 - 9:30

Tickets: Top price is $100 with a sliding scale based on what you can afford.

No one will be turned away for lack of funds but this is a Fund- RAISER!!!

[There might even be a Bake SaleŠ]

Har~er & ~laherty Lying About CBC; By a wide margm - 59% vs. 24%- Canadians support the May 3, 20 ll position taken by Canadian Heritage

~i..l ~i~~~r;;~;~;;:;;;;;;~;~~;;;~;~~;;~

which wreaked havoc on the CBC . ..,....... The Nanos poll found that "a majority of Canadians (56%) believe the federal government has a fiscal deficit and every department and agency, including the CBC, must do its part to get spending under control".

So, is every department and agency "doing its part to get spending under control"?

The answer is NO! We have carefully analyzed the 498 page Budget "Jobs Growth and Long-Term Prosperity: Economic Action Plan 2012" tabled in the House of Commons on March 29.

This is Ivan Drury. Some of us have been in the same room CBC is being singled out for draconian cuts far deeper with him and have no visible scars. Alan Garr, with his than other government programs. journalistic integrity hanging by a thread, saw fit to call Ivan a Over the next three years, the CBC's grant is being cut "merchant of fear & loathing" "the lead thug" and "relentlessly by 10% - that's a 16% drop in purchasing power based hostile." Garr went to Marc Williams' sales hype for the truth about Sequel138 & then believed whatever spin some dismal the government's own inflation estimates.

But overall government program spending is increasexcuse at the Development Permit Board's "public" hearing ing by 5% over the same period - a drop of only 2% in shrieked when 6 of the 22 cops assaulted Ivan and a friend. / purchasing power. / We then looked back six years to 2006 when Stephen Harper first became Prime Minister in order to compare the purchasing power of CBC's g rant to overall HUMANITIES 101 : program spending.

Come and join in our study group~ What did we find?

Over the past six years, CBC funding has declined by Film Lovers' Group 7% in real terms, while total program expenses inSunday April22, 2012 from 1-3.30p.m creased by 17%.

Carnegie Centre third floor classroom Projecting forward to 2015, using the Government's Facilitated by Rob MacDerrnot ad Wit Steele own figures, the gap between total program expenses Movie: Down By Law ( 1986), by Jim Jarmusch , . and CBC's grant will g row to 37% over the Harper Incredibly close reading, aloud! years!

Sunday April29, 2012 from l2-2p.m That huge and growing difference - the Harper Gap Carnegie Centre third floor classroom puts the lie to the Conservatives' contention that CBC Facilitated by Steve Wexler is just doing its part, in common with other departments and agencies of the Government of Canada.

Participants in this study group are reading Homer's Odyssey, aloud. Each week the participants work through a new chapter, so you can jump in at any time.

Humanities 101 Community Programme Dr. Margot Leigh Butler, Academic Director Paul Woodhouse, Programme Coordinator

Alison Rajah, Writing Coordinator Kelsey Croft, Programme Assistant Wil Steele, Programme Assistant (4all:604-822-0028)

When you look at America, you have to concede that we have failed. Most Americans today are worse off than they were fifteen years ago. A full-time worker in the US is worse off today than he or she was 44 years ago. That is astounding- hal f a century of stagnation.

The economic system is not delivering. It does not matter whether a few people at the top benefitted tremendously- when the majority of citizens are not better off, the economic system is not working. [ ... ] "The economic system is not delivering. It does not matter whether a few people at the top benefitted tremendously - when the majority of citizens are not better off, the economic system is not worki ng."The countries that are doing very well in Europe are the Scandinavian countries. Denmark is different from Sweden, Sweden is d ifferent from Norway- but they all have strong social protection and they are all growing. The arg ument that the response to the current cris is has to be a lessening of social protection is really an argument by the 1% to say: "We have to grab a bigger share of the pie." But if the majority of people don't benefit from the economic pie, the system is a failure. I don't want to talk about GOP anymore; I want to talk about what is happening to most citizens.

Yes, the Occupy movement has been very successful in bringing those ideas to the forefront of political discussion. I wrote an article fo r Vanity Fair in 20 II "Of the 1%, by the 1%, for the 1 %" - that really resonated with a lot of people because it spoke to our worries. Protests like the ones at Occupy Wall Street are only successful when they pick up on these shared concerns. There was one newspaper article describing the rough police tactics in Oakland. They interviewed many people, including police officers, who said: " ! agree with the protesters." If you ask about the mess-

age, the overwhelming response has been supportive, and the big concern has been that the Occupy movement hasn't been effective enough in getting that message across. [ ... ] Let me put it this way: Some people criticize by saying that we have become too focused on ineq uality and are not concerned enough about opportunity. But in the United States, we are also the country with the biggest inequality of opportunity. Most Americans understand that fraud political processes play in fraud outcomes. But we don't know how to break into that system. Our Supreme Court, appointed by moneyed interests, not surprisingly concluded that moneyed interests had unrestricted influence on pol itics.

In the short run, we are exacerbating the influence of money, with negative consequences for the economy and for society.

[Mr.Stiglitz was the Chief Economist for the World Bank.]

Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP)

Newsletter Read CCAP reports:

ccapvancouver. wordpress.com

May 1, 2012

City sets off gentrification bomb on 100 Block East Hastings THE OLD PANTAGES THEATRE Despite some people to - City APPROVES condos without plan make their 2000 petition for 1000's of vulnerable residents living speeches. And signatures from at welfare and old age pensions nearby they did it despite residents, slanderous and opposition from 45 dehumanizing organizations, statements made passionate and articulate speeches about drug users on the 100 block at a Development Permit Board from nearby condo meeting from owners, the about 40 residents, Pantages a letter from 30 developer and numerous comments on the Province academics, a strong recommendation from the LAPP committee, plus a legal Newspaper's website as a justification opinion stating that it is possible to for displacement. But despite this .... launch a vigorous case against the city ... the fight is not over. for approving the Pantages condos - the Join the DTES Not for city did it. They approved 79 condos on Developers Coalition to plan the next the 100 block of East Hastings at steps in this campaign. We can push Pantages/Sequel 138 site. And they did back against the developer and city's it with 21 police officers present agenda to push DTES residents out. blocking residents from entering the Residents are ready to step up the decision making room unless they were resistance. Join the organizing meetings signed up to speak which made it with the DTES Not for Developers difficult and extremely intimidating for Coalition. For more info: 604-781-7346

DTES Residents pushed to the back room during Public Hearing Residents are forced to watch the Pantages condo development hearing on a monitor with a live feed in a separate room. If a hearing for a development in Point Grey was controversial, would 21 police be hired to barricade the door and shelter decision makers from those who will be most hurt from the development?

What's happening with the DTES Local Area Planning Process?

As you probably know, a committee made up of residents, business and agency reps are 路working with city staff in partnership to make a plan for the Downtown Eastside, with a priority on housing. There are two things that the LAPP has going for it, as far as CCAP is concerned. One is: this might be a historical first to have a planning committee with the majority of reps being low-income and multiply oppressed. The second is: the needs of vulnerable residents are supposed to be

central to the local area planning process (LAPP). But there are obstacles, like, since when does the city listen to what the most vulnerable people in this neighbourhood want for their 2

What's next for the LAPP?

community. At this point, CCAP reps have a few seats on the committee (Phoenix and Wendy) and we're doing our best to support a process that can have some positive outcomes.

In February, March and April, the LAPP committee and city staff struggled to create an interim rezoning policy during the LAPP. As Jean reported in the last newsletter, we had a little victory at city hall and gained a few short term measures to stop gentrification. But we didn't stop all of it, by a long shot. Jean also reported in the April 1st newsletter that we argued for a stronger tool to slow condo development in the Oppenheimer district. She also said that this tool was sent back to the LAPP committee for further discussion. Since then, the LAPP committee voted for a stronger tool, basically to define social housing in the Oppenheimer area at welfare rate during the LAPP. The city staff agrees with this. But, they did not apply this newly clarified definition to the first proposal for condos in the Oppenheimer Area the Pantages Sequel 138. And despite a huge resistance from the community, the city gave the developer the green light to build condos there on April 23rd. This is a huge blow to the lOO's of residents on the 100 block of East Hastings who are now at risk of rent increases and displacement.

In May and June, committee reps will likely tum their attention to the upcoming study that the city will do to understand the good things about the DTES and measure the impact of gentrification on low-income people.

You may remember that CCAP was the original advocate for a "social impact study" and started talking about it in 2009-2010. We've done the research already to show what happens when condos move in: rents go up, students take over hotel rooms, fancy boutiques take the storefronts where cheap stores used to be, more security guards roam the streets. So far it seems like the city is doing a slightly different study- the city wants to figure out "how to measure" impacts of condo development on low-income people and not do the actual study. CCAP suspects the city won't use the tool to stop the impacts of gentrification, but rather, to get some parts of the community on board with new upscale developments. CCAP will work hard to get the study on terms that will be useful to low-income people and likely do a big call out to get residents involved in this study. Be in touch with Wendy in CCAP office on the 2nd floor of Carnegie for more info about the LAPP and this study.

3

Jean Swanson responds to Province editorial "The sooner the DTES is fixed up the better"

iL.i"i•tjr~:-.:•.·r~l[j•!;c:~~=~~

values, it is hard to comprehend your editorial.

No one in the DTES is arguing for the status quo. DTES residents desperately want and need social housing, more treatment facilities, and policies about drug use that are based on health and human rights principles.

The Sequel condo proposal will promote gentrification that will push out current residents from the neighbourhood where they do have some services and housing (much of it deplorable, true) and a community that cares about them. No one knows where they will be able to go.

The city has promised "no displacement" of current residents. The low income community is working extremely long hours to try to make this happen. Sensationalist editorials that stereotype neighbourhood residents don't contribute to a rational outcome.

A poor and drug user bashing editorial was recently published by the Province Newspaper but seems to have been taken down from their website.

The article spawned a slew of slanderous hate speech against people in the DTES and used this hatred to justify displacement. Here's a quote from the article: "The best thing that could happen to the DTES is already happening- it's being cleaned up .... [with] the most expensive real estate in Canada."

Many people sent in letters to challenge the editors and their point of view. Here is the letter that Jean sent: Date: Fri, Apr 20, 2012 at 1:49PM Subject: letter to the editor Dear Editor, Re: your editorial on "cleaning up" the Downtown Eastside Coming from the Downtown Eastside where caring and working for social justice are fundamental community

Yours truly, Jean Swanson 604 729 2380

Van city 4

"Support for this project does not necessarily imply Vancity's endorsement of the findings or contents of this report."

"Never doubt that a small group of thooghtfut, committed citizens can change the world.

Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."

- Margaret Meade

.carOegieC NEWSLETTER

.

401 Main Street, Vancouvet" 604.665.2189

THIS NEWSLETIER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION Articles represent the views of individual contributors and not of the Association.

WANTED

We acknowledge that the Carnegie Community Centre, and this Newsletter, are occurring on Coast Salish Territory.

Artwork for the Carnegie Newsletter

*Small illustrations to accompany artides and poetry; *Cover art -Max.size: 17cm(6 ~·)widex15cm(6.)high *Subject matter pertaining to issues relevant to the Downtown Eastside but all work considered; *Black &White printing only; *Size restrictions apply (i.e. If your piece is too large it will be reduced and/or cropped to fit; "All artists will receive credit for their work; *Originals will be returned to the artist after being copied for publication; *Remuneration: Carnegie VolunteerTickets.

Please make SI:Jbmissions to Paul Taylor, Editor.

GET CLEAN Shower up at the lord's Rain 327 Carrall St, just off Pigeon Park.

HOT SHOWERS (towel, soap, shampoo & coffee) Monday, 7-1 Oam, Ladies only!

Tuesday, Wednesday & Saturday: ?am

FREE DENTAL HELP 455 EHastings: Monday & Friday, 9:30·12:30 Call 604-254-9900 for information.

Cleaning only at VCC is $35. Info: 604-443-8499

FREE LEGAL ADVICE l aw Students l egal Advice Program All cases checked with lawyers; confidential.

Call Carnegie to learn if/when students on site.

Call UBC for info: 604-822-5791

.

Next Issue SUBMISSION DEADLINE: .

FRIDAY, MAY 11TH 2012 DONAliONS Margeret D-$40, Libby D-$75, Jenny K-$25, Sheila B-$1 00 Harold D-$100, Leslie S-$150, Bake Sale at BC Cancer-$405 Christopher R-$150, Phoenix W-$60, Wilhelmina M- $20, Patrick F-$10, CUPE 15-$1000, Robert M-$25, Bob S-$200 Megan L-$40, LV -$10, Vancouver Moving Theatre-$150 Michael C-$50, Michelle C-$20, Glenn 8-$1 00, Shyla S-S75 Naomi N-$20, Peak House -$40, Sonia M-$25, Lou -$5 Sharon/Henry/Patty/Mike/Hui Zhen/Bijan -$25, Elsie M-$100 Literacy Roundtable -$1000, Sue K-$40, Anonymous $40 Solder and Sons Cafe -$50 Marsha D -To the memory of Sandy Cameron -$50 Lazara Press - To the memory of Richards -$100 carnnews@shaw.ca www.camnews.org t hllp:llcamegie.vcn.bc.calnewsletter ! http:/lharvesters.sfu.calchodarr Jenny Wai Ching Kwan MLA WORKING FOR YOU 1070-1641 Commercial Dr. V5L 3Y3 604-775-0790

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION • • • • • •

AIDS POVERTY HOMELESSNESS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN TOTALITARIAN CAPITALISM IGNORANCE and SUSTAINED FEAR

gentrification ... Smoke a cigarette & stare at the highrise crushing my eyes stare into someone's room into their eyes staring back at me it's horrible on the street a scream explodes: "I don't give a damn!" & I scream: "I can't stop drinking!" & marie screams: "you don't want to!" & throws the I Ching & I read poe's vision of a time before "the demon of the engine" when only "the red man trod" & now there are notices of lock changes & rent-in-advance & evictions for dirty bathrooms & a drunken brawl in the bar downstairs & tension between marie & I like magritte's l'anniversaire this giant rock filling a small room & a hyacinth blooms on our frozen windowsill & some kind of hooker chorus sings from the sidewalk: "It's a good night for a hold-up! " poe wrote: "I fled in vain" the outlaws & outcasts revolve through our door a dozen times a day & it gets so you fart you violate somebody's space you belch & that's an accusation & you're finally condemned for being yourself on purpose with no map guides or gyroscopes for the situation these lifetimes like the hotel dope-dealer busting dope smokers smoking dope he's sold them trying to keep his flunky job for the new boss who bought this hotel he said: " to make some money and have some fun" the label tells me to "take one sedative at bedtime" I take 5 to stay awake & in her terrible sleep marie says one word: "angels" ... john threw his mop & bucket at his woman & charlie screamed & slammed the door & walked out on his pregnant girlfriend & lucy down the hall went after her man with a knife & joe beat joyce pretty badly after she broke a bottle over his head dust clouds & paint fumes scorch the air our instincts twisted like scorpions stinging themselves & each other panicked by a burning stick shoved into the nest & another notice bans all pets except I guess the rats & roaches & "shitpants" the old guy in the bar was saying: "change is good it weeds out the undesirables" not realising he's the undesirable to be uprooted overnight & the new boss is giving tours to prospective clientele & complaining to them about the "deadbeats and dopers and welfare bums" making his renovations difficult & outside on the street a sign on the side of a taxicab proclaims: "the intelligence of money" ... I tum on the radio & reola jackson from cumming prison is singing: "I been hurt, same as you" I use the phone a woman says: "I am not a branch, I'm an information centre" & I tell her: "I thought you were a human being" but all that's changed slamming us into distant comers our backs against the punched cracked walls & silence between us like thunder from the mouth of hell after I drank up all our money I tried to stab ron with a pair of scissors but marie shoved him out the door & blackened my eye with a right hook & ron ran down to the front desk screaming: "there's two people trying to kill each other in room 41 !" but they told him he was drunk "go away" so ron & I got even drunker & blasted the hotel with his electric keyboards & the harmonica I don't know how to play & when they banged on the door ron threw 2 glasses & the empty bottle at it & I staggered raving into the hallway where marie hauled me into our room & so we narrowly avoided being evicted before we' re scheduled to be evicted what a relief ... marie refuses to go to the hospital with me & is too sick to go herself it's the middle of the night middle of the street middle of winter I can' t take it anymore grab a bag out the door or torn to pieces screaming "bullshit!" "fuck you!" I crash at our friend heljo' s she was officially a "displaced person" during world war 2 & translates a poem for me by juhan liiv estonian poet died in a madhouse: "our room has a black ceiling/ it's black and smoky/ there are cobwebs/ there's soot/ and so much/ so much pain! o lord have mercy/ our room has a black ceiling/ and so does our time/ which is twisting in chains/ if only it could talk" I say the poem to marie who cries & cries & I don 't know what to do katherine the black woman who's cleaned these rooms for years said before she was fired by the new regime: "people in this kinda place got lots of reasons to kill themselves" the construction worker telling loud racist jokes the new owner bragging about: "a dress code .. big changes ..i want to sell sex .. " & a few people who live here are getting drunk who never drank before & a mouse races across the carpet & cold wind & rain rip at the window & finally I bring cold rags to reduce marie's temperature I bring her soup I pound on my head with my fists I sit on the toilet & push a knife point into my belly I shake & hyperventilate & smell gas fumes leaking into the air & I hear laughter from somewhere & a junkie we know bangs on the door & nods off on the floor somebody else needs something else & the hard-to-love dealt down & dirty going down the drain insisting what is happening will never happen not here 'not to me I've been here too long' never change an old blues bar into an upscale fern-dripping sports bar & tourist accommodation but early this dark morning very early this very dark morning I pick a gold coin out of a snowbank what do you know?

Bud Osborn

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Letting go...

To the Province re: article April 19th, 2012.

Cleaning up Downtown Eastside A couple of forks short? l think not!!

There are many foods we can eat with our hands but we just do not want to eat out of your hands!

It is not the forks which worry us, but rather the knives, the ones you have reserved for just us, to stab us in the back with. We are not worried about any place setting; what we do worry about is that there will not be a room with a table to put a setting on!

And! While we are speaking of settings, perhaps there will be some additional settings at the tables of some of"regular, non-addicted, law-abiding" households, when their unwanted/addicted/relative is forced to return home.

We have taken in displaced waifs of the '路decent neighborhoods", and they have felt welcome .here!

Addiction is a condition, not an address. It IS hard to believe that someone could still not know that.

When you call the group of residents who are concerned with keeping a roof over their head a circus, you are reall y missing the mark. . .

Why not clean up, and revitalize that wh1ch IS here and which we can afford?

Does not sound lucrative enough? Then call it what it is: stealing a ne ig hborhood, and changing it to suit you, not us, and hoping we will fade away.

Many parts of Canada and the rest of the world have humane people looking at this very familiar exerc ise: it is called Gentrification; you can believe that they are not looking at the wackiness of Vancouver, b c but rather at the cruelty, and injustices perpetrated on their citizens .

What do you have in mind for the few people who you might tolerate here: A pass law, or curfew?

Therese lulf Very Downtown Eastside

I grew up in a famil y of eight brothers and sisters.

My father was the head of the household and made most of the decis ions for the family. Mother he lped my father in his printing business, but she was not al lowed to keep money for herself.

As a child, I witnessed many instances when my mother was frightened and helpless. l, too, was helpless and I resented what my father did. Unfortunately, 1continued to resent him even after his death. It was not until l was close to 60 that I realized that the person 1 was hw1ing was myself. Keeping resentment inside me, in fact, did not allow me to live in the present. [ was letting the past affects every present moment. We cannot change past events; we can only change the impact that past events have on us.

Letting go of my resentment towards my father was not easy for me. The feeling comes back time and again. There were multiple layers of hurt, fear, anger, disappointment, and shame. Each time the feeling comes back, l acknowledge it and let it go.

By letting go of my resentment towards my father, I can see that whatever happened in the relationship between my father and my mother was their business.

Besides, it was all they knew about relationships and it was in their consciousness. ram learning to appreciate what my father did for me. He was not mad at me when I came home with a poor report card. He taught me how to swim, as he believed that swimming was a very good exercise. Above all, he worked hard all his life to raise his family.

I am g lad I was eventually able to let go of the emotional baggage towards my fathe r. l can now enj oy the present moment more fully. Perhaps I can learn to let go of my feelings of unmet expectations of some of my relatives and friends. l can accept their behaviours without liking them. I believe that this will help me to become a more accepting and appreciative person!

By Debbie Woon Lee

'Mathers DaY' BALL HOCKEY TOURNAMENT Carnegie Centre Gym Tuesday, May 15, 1st game at 6pm Teams must be 4 guys, 1 girl (girl must be on the floor) No girl- No play Sign in before 6:00

LET'S HAVE FUN INDIAN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL SURVIVORS Compensation for the Independent Assessment Process (lAP) is coming to an end

DEADLINE SEPTEMBER 19, 2012 After that date there will be no more opportunities to apply for lump sum payments for abuses suffered in Indian Residential Schools in Canada If you need help applying for lAP money please call the Indian School Survivors Society for ass istance.

Call toll free: 1.800.721.0066 Phone: 604.925.4464

MANKINDS DEBUT III:DRAMATICA INC. Like Ed Mcho n outside your door with some kind of cheque in hand for $!2million or more: Get the Fuck off my land or my dogs are coming out for lunch .. seems all the people wanna do is keep their distance yet remain in constant contact with you convenience is a must now that you're growing your garden of gadgets - have become the only things you trust let alone touch, massive screens have replaced walls from room to room to your private stall and toilet miss ing even fi ve seconds of that shit you watch would spoil it DESTROY IT as another 200 millio n t.v. sets become garbage overnight, now we all know the cure to cancer has already been found but so many careers and customers are hitting the ground (SPLASH) intelligent Life has been here and looked us over their conclusion to much DISORDER-KAOS-L UST and HATE in other words too many dead bugs to see anything at the tunnel's end th at could be called light, like being down to your last match in a firefig ht ... 1984?

Anyone as some guy wearing plastique clothing asks

me for a light GO DESTROY ELSEWHERE th is country is screwed enough take your 77 virgins back w hence you came if only this once excellent country could stop the true losers like GREGOR ROBERTSON-DIANE WATTS-JOHN FURLONG -HARPER (the P.M. himself) what a truly horrific lot tearing down entire blocks (Fraser & Broadway):(ki ngsway from naniamo to knight):(Broadway & Kingsway) I must stop momentarily there's not enough room to call them all but each and everyone is so VASTLY INSANE, like brand new games -like DICTATOR HERD every obese child may never need again to see the out doors and that like their mum and dad is a walking zero .. truly sad times are these indeed, not knowing how many m ini mum wage 1Opm to 6 am MACS STORE SLA YES are working alone, The promising scale is negative a thousand again after the first couple deaths somewhere I hope somebody's conscience bleeds, the days i miss were much so short how many people scream enoug h or how many is enough the SS MISERY is in port disassembled but still whole it always fills right up to the brim with the saddest people I've ever seen. A II this is just a very small world trying to survive if they didn't have remote controls in their pathetic greedy hands then they would just prefer to die everybody gets their turn to be a has-been, Like a GUN-SHOT wonder we destroy in the name of progress St.Minus remind us he is here by means of faith or destruction by way of an introduction BETTER LEA RNING through DEVASTATION do you have any idea how much of the bible I've read off bathroom walls, now are GOD'S hands clean I'm just a touch curious it's the selfishists who always find a reason to be furious sorry but us poor folk have a rig ht to exist not just live to every politician and Police o fficer i offer my s incerest fuck off. Imagi ne if you will the Universe Police, IT is coming to a generation near you i won't be here as for who is this planet will be blown up into trillions of pieces that last flock of fl esh we've relatives be it Great grand nephews and nieces oh well that's the way evolution and or life goes, and their c hapter for MAN KINDS DEBUT may as well be now cuz there just may not be 2 soon there just might be other planets and life DRAMA TICA Incorporated has now joined oh so many other things and is now and forever closed.

By ROBERT McGILLIVRAY PS: As ofNov,20 12 you won't be able to put your 2 bits in- pennies are then OBSOLETE.

BC Liberals

Green

The affectation of Power and its Impacts Recognising Power usually entails labeling those having power over; the power 'to', of an individual, is primarily a n exercise in idea tion, even relatively subconscious affirmation along the lines of "I can" or "I am Having Power over assumes an acceptance of another entity's ability to effect change whether those upon whom it is exercised agree or not, but a proportional component of this abi lity is the affectation of many psychological and esoteric characteristics by the entity/ indi vidual(s) either in the seat or assuming acceptance of themselves in the capacity of speaking and/or acting for same. Myriad examples in mundane life include Phone companies, Cable TV, utility suppliers, banks and other financial institutions, virtually all aspects of the justice system from the law itself to the police to lawyers to court a nd most directly into prisons, and not least in corporate hierarchies in business and their corollaries (subsets?) in most governments (and certainly with Campbell 's Liberals).

It is too simple to parrot, even subtly, all the various ideas or exami nations or theories about the upward and downward flows of power and the dynamics involved, to name or identify the corporate CEO and equivalents and say "S/he has power over the VPs, they have power over the managers, each has power over ... and so on, and then get into the deep (cough)

vernacular of "what Power IS:" Power being explored here (in BC's puppet government) seems to be the intangible variety; it's hard not to equate the word with destructive force, given t~at weapons, natural calamities etc. are very often given descriptive rankings according to how much damage or mayhem each can wreak. Try comparing a tsunami with a tactical nuke.

The impacts of the affectation of power are the most frustrating, given that such are layered on or assumed seemingly in direct proportion to the amount of control the purveyor is under the illusion of wielding. i.e. petty power-trips, supervisory bullying, trainer over trainee, and so on. Gordon: Lack of accountability increases, perhaps, as arrogance, delus ions about the effect of personal presence and vicious stu pidity are displayed &/or emp loyed to buttress one's perceived foundations, or just increase on a quid pro quo basis.

The impacts of all this can be and often are received by holistic beings as something on the order of a Secondgrader swaggering before and lording it over First graders - puerile at best and, depending on the fuse of the recipient, in need of a quick 's lap-up-the-side-ofthe-head' to bring things back into clear focus. When the Power being exercised is on the order of Life and Death, the perceptions of and reactions to same are no longer in the realm of schoolyard strategies a nd emotional maturity; it becomes a matter of survival.

The area between these two is not black & white; not from the sphere of 6 & 7-year-olds over a fine line to death-making, but a great expanse of perception wherein I keep as much peace within myself as the situation will apparently allow. On the deep e nd the words ofKierkegaard, found in something dated 1846, a re apropos:

"Never initiate force against anyone. This should be the underlying principle ofyour life. But, ifsomeone does violence fuses arrogant power] to you, you should retaliate without hesitation, without reservation, without quarter until you are sure that he will never wish to harm, or be capable ofharming, you or yours again."

ByPAULR TAYLOR

To Whom It May Concern:

Building commun ity is a nebulous concept to a lot of people, which is why governments mistakenly believe that massive bricks&mortar projects or high-priced tightly managed "programm ing" is what's needed to bring vitality to challenged neighbourhoods like the Downtown Eastside. Not surprisingly, they see no need in supporting entities like the Carnegie Newsletter. There are no ribbon-cutting ceremonies for politicians to gloat over; there is no currency to be had at media photo-ops, and there is no glory for supporting a publication that may at any given time jump up and bite them in the ass for promoting stupid policies that are unhelpful to the community.

This publication does community month in & month out. It is a vital mechanism for people to speak, laugh & cry, testify about meaning in their lives and reinforce the notion that we all need to reach out to one another if we believe we can sustain this community.

Cutting funding to produce this publication was shortsighted, poorly thought out, and if done so with intention to bring about harm, foolhardy because it won't happen. Anyone who considers offering support to the newsletter sho uld krnow that their contri butions will be used conscientiously to continue the good work it has undertaken over many years and--unlike other top-heavy organizations--will direct every bit of funding towards producing the publication.(Even distribution is done by volunteers).

Everyone should do everything they can to support The Camegie Newsletter, and thereby support good works and good hearts that is the foundation of the Downtown Eastside community.

Sincerely, Ian MacRae

Ain't NO CUFF so they say what you say is what you say some people say we junkmen ain't got no soul only love you when we want control that our lives are an endless hole not we don't care for one another never treat someone like a brother

To Whom It May Concern,

The Downtown Eastside Adult Literacy Roundtable is a coalition of adult educators working in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) community. Roundtable members and its supporters have been collaborating since 2006 to share skills, ideas, support and information.

The Roundtable understands ' literacy' as having the knowledge, skills, and confidence to participate fully in one's life.

On behalf of the members of the Roundtable, I wish to share with you our support for the continued funding of the Carnegie News letter. .

The DTES Adult Literacy Roundtable apprectates the Carnegie Newsletter's long history as a pow.e~ful .forum for sharing ideas, events, poetry, and ratsmg ISsues and questions that are relevant to the Downtown Eastside community. We also appreciate that the Carnegie Newsletter has been a venue where many a?ult learners have had the exciting experience of publtshing their writing. . .

The DTES Adult Literacy Roundtable v1ews literacy as a tool to be used by members of the Downtown Eastside in moving towards their vision for the community, taking action on their priorities, and continuing in the community's history of organizing f?r human rights. For this reason, the DTES Adult L1ter~cy Roundtable greatly values the role that the Carneg1e Newsletter has had in strengthening literacy development within the community.

It is our sincere hope that the Carnegie Newsletter will successfull y secure regular funding so that it can continue its important presence in the DTES community, well into the future.

Sincerely, Angelika Sellick Literacy Outreach Coordinator

but I say just today saw it another way oi'Eric well he sell his pills then real quick he's gettin sick路 hadda help me get up offa his knees say brother you don路 t have to squeege to get what you need

I help him so did this dealer man right here on the comer brothers cuffs his 2 Essilonjust like that he knew he get his money back so despite what all yall say junkman got soul in a whole Iotta way you can put us down, you do alia time real old school help you every last time AI

ELECTION OF THE BOARD CARNEGIE CENTRE COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION

NOMINATIO~S

FOR BOARD MEMBERS WILL BE IIELD AT THE BOARD MEETI='lG ON THURSDAY, MAY 3Ro, 2012 IN THE THEATRE @ 5:30 •:• TO RUN FOR THE BOARD YOU MUST HAVE A CCCA MEMBERSHIP CARD WITH A DATE NO LATER THAN MARCH 3R 0 , 2012 AND YOU MUST BE PRESENT AT THE MEETING ON MAY 3RD •:• IF YOU WANT TO NOMINATE SOMEONE AT THIS MEETING YOU MUST HAVE A MEMBERSHIP CARD WITH A DATE NO LATER THAN APRIL 19rH, 2012

THE ELECTION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL TAKE PLACE AT

THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING ON THURSDAY, JUNE 7TH, 2012@ 5:30 IN THE CARNEGIE THEATRE 401 MAIN STREET, VANCOUVER BC V6A 2T7

•!• IN ORDER TO VOTE AT THIS MEETING YOU MUST HAVE A MEMBERSHIP CARD WITH A DATE NO LATER THAN MAY 24TH' 2012

'"rHE CARNEGIE NEEDS PEOPLE LIKE YOU!