November 1, 1995, carnegie newsletter

NEWSLETTER 401 Main Street, Vancouver. V6A 217 (604)

NOVEMBER 1,1995.

THOMAS BANYACYA INTERPRETORfor HOPI PROPHECY

they have a choice. The Volunteer Program runs a committee, open to all volunteers, to gather input and hear volunteers' insights towards the program.

Three volunteers showed up to the last meeting, held October 11. All of these volunteers are Board members.

It is up to you though if you haven't attended these meetings and don't understand why changes are occurring without hearing from you - where does the blame go?

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Thomas Banyecya, a spokesperson for the prophecies of the traditional Hopi people, will be speaking at:

St.James Community Square 32 14 W.lOth Ave., Vancouver.

Friday, November 10,1995.

Iloors oppen at 6pm Every one welcome No advanced seating Suggested donation $5-$20

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Garbage free event bring your own mug

To find life meaningless is sad enough, but to taste its cruelty is bitter beyond all words.

Sometimes when people push a claim to an extremity, it becomes a wrong. Therefore, kind words can be short & easy to speak but their echoes are truly endless.

Moral of above is you reap what you sow, regardless of motive, secret, thought.

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Standing on Guard for Canada's Social Programs

Petition on Pensions

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SIGNED

FULL NAME (PLEASE PRINT)

THEREFORE IjOlN WITH THE PEOPLE OF CANADA in asking the Government to maintain and enhance the public pension system which is our right and heritage.

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Whereas Canadians pay into the public pension system all of their working lives; ;2,. -q.3z .,* Whereas access to the Canadian public pension system is a universal right of Canadian citizenship; * , -. ' Whereas the Government's upcoming "review" threatens to cut pensions substantially and end their universality; ,.* .2 ..-, .

--= Whereas 4 out of 10 seniors are already very poor and more will become so when pension cuts proceed; ,..- .,

To the Rt. Hon. JEANCHRETIEN, Prime Minister, the Hon. LLOYD AXWORTHY, Minster of Human Resources Development, the Hon. PAUL MARTIN, Finance Minister

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Ever feel like no matter how much you do you are still standing still? Assuming a 'yeah' from most perusers, glib or profound advice is 'don't wony about it. You're just charging yor batteries.'

Workfare Hurts One and All (WHOA) is a coalition working to do massive public education on the true impacts and consequences of 'workfor-welfare' schemes. The best example comes from Alberta where Klein had hospitals cut, forcing them to lay-off thousands of workers who were making maybe $12/hr, then the same hospitals filled the positions right away with people being forced to work for welfare. Hospital expenditures on wages and benefits (like health insurance for the worker and family, like eyecare, dental care, maybe even a small pension) were of course cut by over 60% for every individual who was now little more than an indentured servant.

The people who got laid-off! Oh, that's their problem.

Slamming politicians who spout the corporate rhetoric is crucial; plying them with correct infonnation is also necessary. But then we get the case of Joy MacPhail who has been given the whole picture by End Legislated Poverty, on the corporate agenda, causes of poverty, the need for real jobs at decent wages... and she gets far more sophisticated pressures from the many well-paid corporate hacks who tell her everything is the fault of our 'out-moded' or 'old-fashioned idea' of a social safety net is and we have to get "lean, mean, and greedy (er green!) to be competitive and part of the global scene blah blah blah ..."

The BC Coalition for Health Care Reform had a presdinernber gathering to start off National Medicare Week. Reps from every Health Union, every Seniors' organisation and many activist groups gave virtually the same message, but rather than run one after another, this is what Ben Swankey, a nationally-known and respected senior

had to say: "I was around in the '30s when the poor got sick and starved and died. Thanks to Tommy Douglas and a will to fight back against the medical associations and their big business buddies, we got Medicare in the '60s. Then I felt good. Now the Liberals are taking the Mulroney agenda and running with it full tilt. They want to destroy Medicare. In 5 years virtually every gain fro social justice made in the last 50 years will be gone. In I0 years you won't recognize Canada. I will do everything I can to fight back."

All this has to be addressed now. It affects all of

us and especially those of us who are low-income.

Destroying Medicare means a 2-level system: pay and get top care.. unable to pay and put in the equivalent of "charity" hospitals in the States. (My younger brother was in one once; he said you had to pilfer blankets and scream loudest to get any medical attention from overworked staff.)

PRT

DID1 ANANDA SHAMllTA is a yoginii, a female renunciant who teaches yoga and the intuitional science of Tantra.

She will be in Vancouver on November 7-8 annd will talk in Carnegie Centre, in the Association Office on the 2nd Boor, at 7:W. This part should end by 9:00.

All are welcome to attend, but Dldi is only permitted to give personal instructions to women.

Garry Gust

Today I received the results of my GED (Grade 12 equivalency) and I was very glad about them.

I'm very pleased to have done better than I expected.

My preparation started with Educa-centre in April kith the help of Jean-Marc Bougie and the teaching staff there.

During the summer I came here to the Carnegie Learning Centre and continued studying; with the helpful staff members I was able to succeed.

Among the people who helped me there are certain names which come to my mind - Windy, Wendy, Alicia, Rika, Michelle, Sharon, Marina, Colin and Jean-Pierre. I thank every one of them a lot (and any other staff 1 might have forgotten).

Thanks again, all of you, for being so supportive and helping me accomplish this.

My Hobby is Cooking Yesterday I had a family party; I also invited some of my best friends for this get- together. I bought beef, pork chops, chicken, fish, some lettuce & greens and of course some fruit. 1 finished shopping and went home to prepare the food.

I roasted the beef, fried the chops and chicken, made a salad and the fruit plate. After finishing, people started to arrive.

We all ate and talked. Everyone had a great time.

Shou Chun Wan Chang (Beginning ESL English student)

A rally outside Mike Harcourt's constituencey office a few weeks ago was staged at a very sensitive time for the beleaguered NDP government.

Some of the agencies who Sponsored the rally have now stepped forward to publicly deride Harcourt for firing Joan Smallwood after she turned coat on the premier, the cabinet, and for that matter, the entire socialist movement in B.C. ~t seems apparent that some poverty agencies have decided that they might want to take their chances with a Liberal government in the province as a spring election looms.

If this is so, it should be stated up front so that those of us who are not jumping ship can reorganize our community loyalties.

Human Rights are not negotiable

IW~ME

OON'T A60

'oR6AN Life in the modern world has been difficult for all of us. We are people who value experience and memory more than machines and technology. We are people who try to give when we can and who respect the i~nportanceof others.

The voices of this community are many. Our brothers and sisters share their insights and needs.

We know that Human Rights are computer programs from the Land of Oz. I have found it offensive and disgusting to learn that some of our computer monitors have decided to become self-appointed computer guards.

Did I miss the ~neetingwhere someone decided that machines were more important than human beings? Was it a new committee, a secret boys' club with mysterious handshakes and Freudian zippers? Or is this just another example of banality looking for attention? It has always amazed me that those who expect so much are in fact the very people who give so little!

Many people try to share or volunteer their time.

They work and learn with each other. They share their skills and give iinpassioned portrayals of their life experiences.

'The values and beliefs of these generous souls have always helped to shape some of the important directions of this community. But, unfortunately, there are always those individuals who would rather stay locked into their own solitat), images of intolerance and isolation.

Sometimes these individuals tty to achieve power by abusing the abused or fighting the scared. They try to act as if community property were their own ...a private treasuty of their mindless authority to dispcnse at will.

'They would rather provoke or bully women who

don't live up to their fantasies of beauty or proper behaviour.

It's sad, but at the same time pathetic, to see these glib malcontents with their imagined powers trying to browbeat others. They have nothing but scorn for any collective decision making process and they are always alone amongst themselves.

Do you remember the connections that were made between missiles, guns, and phallic fantasies? Boys toys and force? Boys toys and power! Now how many guys do you know who think they have the right hardware?

Buttons, toggle switches, cursor controls, flashing lights, stereo sounds and Obe Wan Kenobi Laser printers... Can you imagine how many women are turned on by a man with strong typing skills?! OOOweee you naughty little brats .

Thank God for politics. Thank God that the collective decision making process is alive and well at Carnegie.

There are many of us who want to apologise for the maltreatment or abuse which any group or individual may have encountered over computers at Carnegie in the computer room.

This is a Community Centre and we will never stand idly by while anyone abuses the rights of another human being or group. Every individual and every group is very special to us. We welcome you all and want you to remember that this is your Centre too; we are here to celebrate your character and your humanity. We will never bear the hate or hollow laughter of the bitter clinging to their own loneliness.

Together we can and will defeat those who try to debase or victimise us in any way. We know what's important and what's just plain old bullshit.

By LEIGH DONOHUE

The Fight For The Carnegie Community Centre

Part 23

"No one gives freedom to othersn On January 29, 1980, City Council announced the names of the people it had appointed to the new Carnegie Centre Advisory Committee This twelve-member committee had no representative from DERA. Only four members lived in the Downtown Eastside area and three of them lived in Strathcona. Councillor Ford was the liaison councillor to the committee. She had voted against complete funding for the renovation of Carnegie, and had opposed a library with paid staff.

Also, Councillor Ford had difficulty understanding the principles of community development. She had demonstrated this difficulty by arguing in the Vancouver Western News (March 16/77) that since the City had hired the community workers for People's Aid in 1973, and since DERA was formed in the following months with the encouragement of the Social Planning Department, then "DERA is a product of the clean-up of the Downtown Eastside, not the other way around."

This was the truth turned upside down, as Libby Davies explained to Ford in The Province (March 3 1/77).Davies said that citizens' organisations like DERA were not born out of the good will of civic politicians. They were born out of sheer desperation and necessity, because things that should be done to improve the life of communities were ignored by politicians until they were confronted by citizens.

It is fimng that the last word on community development be left for Peter Davies because he

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was the City's social planner in the Downtown Eastside in 1973. In a letter printed in l)owvmwn East, July, 1980, he explained that DERA was formed by residents of the community who decided to take control of their own collective destiny. As an employee of the Social Planning Department, he only assisted the residents in their work. DERA was not established by City Council to clean up skid road. It was established by residents who had seen how ineffective the wellmeaning efforts of outsiders had been to "clean up" their community. "No one gives fieedom to others," Peter Davies said. "People take freedom."

When asked about the new Advisory Committee, Jim McDowell, Director of Carnegie, replied, "This is bad news," and Libby Davies said, "That's our (DERA's) punishment for taking the initiative and saving the building." (The Province 1/3 1/80 Citv Snubs Camenie Centre's Residents) The media reaction to an Advisory Committee without DERA was scathing: "Why, when there's $1.75 tnillion of city taxpayers' money sunk into a project that owes it's presence to DERA, does it suddenly become nobody's business how the thing is run? It reeks," snarled The Vancouver Sun. (Feb.l RO).

At the first meeting of the new Carnegie Centre Advisory Committee on February 4, 1980, the committee decided that Councillor Ford would not have a vote, and it passed a motion requesting City Council to include Libby Davies as a member of the Carnegie Centre Advisory Committee. The motion was carried unanimously.

Bowing to public pressure, City Council appointed Libby Davies to the Committee on February 5, 1980.

In a Vancouver Sun article (Feb. 11/80), Jim McDowell said that three hundred people were using Carnegie daily already, and that the library was being so well-used that its 500 books in Chinese were almost all in circulation after only a week of operation.

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By SANDY CAMERON (to be continued)

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Poem f a r Kay

They say "love is blind" can't it just be kind?

They say love is sop just not enough "pop" Forget the tuneful tunes on radio cd tv video mall go shoot shoot shoot it all.

My soil is perverse She breeds lilac verse She breathes green fire.

My soil comes over the moo1 each.night to gentle swoon upon this horny pen.

My soil whispers free form creativity and death to all but thee.

Love is unreducible emerald unpredictable sees a11 is a seer those who snigger at it surely haven't had it.

My soil is pelverse and for better or worse a silken savage friend.

To stop seeking it is to stop really living to stop really giving so go on and love and leave trendy songwriters to their above ground walking dead graves. john alan douglas

BIG TIME ALERT! October 30,

If you should get a cat1 from 664-0992. DO NOT agree to anything from this company.

They have changed many people from their ordinary BC Tel company to their company with out your approval.

This is very costly and can make it very difficult for you to get back on track with BC Tel. This company is a company but is not looking out for the interests of your needs.

IF you should g e t a call please contact MINISTRY OF CONSUMER: @ 660-3570 OR YOU CAN FAX A COMPLAINT TO THEM @ 660-3521

A concerned citizen of Vancouver PASS THIS ON TO YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY

f995

I saw a UFO Well don't you know A silent testament a mystery

A UFO at Cultus Lake

It had four orange lights That lit up its flights Of unknown destiny

Directly overhead it flew over the camp Not everyone saw it but I filmed it Yes I grabbed a camera changed the lighting and focused on it as it cleared the hill.

It's Batman said one.

No it's a weather balloa said another one Well, whatever it sure was fun!

where? where? where? Now they wont to gut U/ so thot 60% of Canadians aren't eligible?"

Like any other insurance you buy, UI protects ou against unexpected loss - in this case iob %ss. Since every worker is only a paycheque away from unemployment, we need to be sure we can land on our feet. UI is too important to workers to have it gutted by the government.

The government is modeling UI after the U.S., where less than a third of workers are eligible, and benefits are a fraction of salaries.

A desperate labour force drives down wages, and keeps business happy.

Consultations with the Strathcona community are being planned to help develop an overall plan for the neighbourhood's parks.

The Parks Board has asked the APRA Group to heip prepare such a plan. Some of the first, prime questions have to do with the four parks there now and whether they provide the facilities needed; if (and how) they should be changed.

(In 1993 Vancouver City purchased 7.4 acres of land from the Trillium Corporation, between the CN Railway land and Malkin Street, and this land is to be another park.)

Meetings are being held in the area in November and a public meeting will be held in Carnegie, in the 2nd floor's non-smoking lounge, at 3p.m. on Wednesday, November 8.

The planners for APRA are Gerry Rolfsen and Bill Tong. Gerry helped in planning Carnegie's renovations.

I';iinsurance thot works would.. replace earnings at 60% of salary use UI for income support only cover all workers from day one, including part-time and seasonal workers strengthen maternity, parental and sick leave have a strong and fair appeal process remove UI from government accounts maintain public administration (no privatization!)

If UI isn't there for every worke4

then no worker hos reruritr

at last month's meeting this group proposed assuming a more activist stance in the downtown eastside community and I am making this statement as a suggestion for each of us to do what we can to save the downtown eastside community of the poor from destruction by development 1 suggest an immediate response to combat propaganda calling woodward's a done deal propaganda so successful it has been recently encountered even in this group and in the carnegie's board of directors woodward's is the cornerstone of hope for sustaining and strengthening a community of and for the poorest and most vulnerable of us if woodward's goes the way of upscale development it will be the death-blow and open the floodgates for development of a kind painfully witnessed

in other cities throughout north america there are no more critical issues than this one development there will be many battles on many fronts but this issue - this assault - is not going away in the downtown eastside there is also a racial issue involved an issue significantly kept out of public discussion but the impact upscale development would have on the large native population here will be anything but beneficial each of us in our respective service areas both religious and secular have seen our own houses burst into flames in the last few years - overwhelming us - so that we can barely fight our own fires never mind leave our emergencies to throw water on each other's flames but we must now and we can form a kind of fire brigade it is the only hope for this community that I can see for those of us who are judeo-christian the challenge here is does God have a word to say in our public lives or is development always to have the last word? are we with or against God in the poor and despised people of the downtown eastside? and for all of us what is at stake here is that now-discarded search to define the canadian identity I came to canada in 1969 and had no trouble naming the distinctive canadian characteristics as compassion and fi-eedom I was encouraged and supported by canada's governunel its representatives and individual citizens to break the law of the united states rather than go to prison or kill innocent people not long after I got here I was asked by a canadian in gibson's landing by the way what I would do if the united states invaded canada and I had little hesitation in declaring I would defend canada with my life for my life and that is what I am personally endeavoring to do in this particular situation and I have been asking all to whom I speak to begin here to break the invasive law of developmlent emanating forcefully fi-om the united states

which is causing such suffering locally and globally

I insist on entering into this discussion words considered alien to a political&development discourse words like compassion courage undesirables vision homelessness and as far as I am concerned if one human being is rendered homeless by any of the proposed development plans for this area it is entirely unacceptable contrary to expressed public opinion the downtown eastside is not a ghetto but a real community which if this proposed development is allowed will create a ghetto of social housing amidst affluent desolation practically speaking there are 2 elements of strategy number one this community must emerge in unity to declare our common peril and that woodward's remains an alive vital open situation the second element is the money the carnegie centre action project is presently involved in delivering a realistic concrete financial plan for woodward's which we will need when we have raised a community voice joined with voices of support for us from elsewhere (and that outside voice is developing) a voice that when it is heard and a question asked of us 'okay. you've got our attention, how are you going to do it?' we will be able to say 'this is how' assuming of course fama will back off woodward's entirely or pamcipate wlth us but we must be there with a plan we can uniformly endorse and implement personally I can accept nothing less than woodward's becoming one-third market housing one-third social housing and one-third coop housing plus a grocery store-supermarket priced to this community my constituents are not primarily served by this plan those of us who are unqualified or deemed unfit for social housing but woodward's must be saved essentially for this community of the poor Bud Osborn

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for immeditc ralcam October 26, 1995

R(IIII1SlllQAm

ACY'l@H C@AUlWN

Tenants demand Smallwood's return T m t %in British Columbia are calling for the re-inatatemant ofHouhg Mnister Joan Smawood, said the province-wide T m t a ' RJ;ghts Action Coalition (m).

SmaUwood was fired today by Premier Haroourt, apparently a reauk of her comments y ~ w d a y on the Nanaimo CommonwealthHolding Society rcmdal.

"Joan Smallwood was the best housing minietw we've ever had in this pravincc" declared Mikre Walker, TRAC coordinator. "Despite the faderid withdrawal from housing, she has consistmtly fou@t fbr s provincial presence with reaped to oRordable housing."

According to the TEtAC coordinator, the recent RssIcdantiml T e m y Act amendments, which include rent protection and easier access to repairs, would likely not have occurred without S ~ l w o o dat the helm of the Housing Minimy.

TRAC wchair Paul Taylor noted eavtral of Smallwood's noteworthy achievements as Housing Minister. "Hornas BC reflects a provincial commitment to provide affordable houping, and it was largely Jaan Smallwood's creation. As wns the Community Housing Initiatives program, which m d a finding available to community lyoupe to support and develop comrnudty advocacy around affordable housing."

"lam Smallwood )urs buih a housing ministry that responds to the housing needs of dl British Columbima,"dcctarcxl Tayior. "She har bern hstnimental in creating a provincial dialogue on sffbrdLble houairtg at s tine of&rcst n d . " TRAC! ia worried that rninetainl c-e will jeopardize the good wwrks begun by SmaIIwd. "Bureacraticparalysis inevitably follows in this type of aitustian" claims Wdker, who also said. that TRAC hw ken talking with community groups around the provirxe w b share its wnocms.

"And itbebecause of thu, and the need for this province tu cuntirnrc with the initiatives which Smallwwd introduced. that we call on the Premier to reinstate her us Minister o fHousing."

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for mom idornution, contact Mike Wdker, T l U C Cosrdinamr, at 255-3099.

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2681 E. hsMgs 3. hnmw26.Z. V5K 125

Wine:2554546

We:255-3099 Wmc 1-800-015-1185 F a 2550712

The C;rtrion:~Interview (Ctrtl-io,/trMoore is the kitclier~sqm.visor. ( 1 , Cnt~trcgic~.)

Intervie\ver: How long have you been at Carnegie?

C;~trioria: I've been working here for--it'll he eight years in January.

Illtervie\ver: What do you think is the best thing about working in the kitchen'?

C;ltriona: The best thing is the people, you see people that work hard and just are selfless. They come in day after day, they do their Job and they don't complain.

They do a lot, I guess that goes for any part of the centre, whether it's the kitchen, the learning centre, or any of the other programmes that are going on. The other thing is it's really gratitying to work in the kitchen because it's a community kitchen and it's feeding people.

Hunger is such a huge issue.

Interviewer: What about the problems you have in the kitchen?

C:rtrion:r: One of the haidest things for me is dealing with people that have a conflict with each other that's being going o n fi)r years and years. We're often in a position where we have to make an effort to resolve the conflict. It's very difficult to do because it keeps c.ropping up. That's one of the chronic irritations about working in the kitchen.

Interviewer: What's the %forstthing?

Calriona: I suppose the worst thing is seeing people in a really tough place and they have no hope of getting out of their situation, especially younger people. I guess, I don't know. With older people you sort of think, well they--that's not true. It doesn't matter young or old, it's just shitty to see people who are in a no win situation and to see it consistently really wears you down after a while. That bothers me even more than the violence and the stuff that I've seen around here. Over the last couple of years the heroin was really cheap and people were dying left, right and centre. I mean, that's horrible too hut it's really intense for a while and then it goes away.

But the other thing Just swing people in poverty all the time 1 think I find that more wearing.

Interviewer: What are your hobbies, your other interests?

Ci~trion;~: My biggest hobby right now is the garden that's the main thing that I do apart from just looking after the house and looking after Niall (Cmriotrn's son).

Interviewer: It's a home garden'?

Ciitrion;~:We have auite a laree garden but it's a s h a r d

house. The part that I have has some tlowers but mostly what I have is food plants, like lettuce and beans. For example, this year I grew some black beans which J thought was really great, mind you, you would have to have quite a few acres to grow enough black beans to keep you in black beans all year (Itrugliter).

Interviewer: What did I ask yesterday? No time for movies?

Catriona: Oh yeah, the movie thing. Most of the hollywood stuff I've got no time for. I just find it melodramatic. It's useless, it's not real. I'm sure there are good films out there but I've gotten totally out of the habit of paying any attention to them. I prefer reading to going to a movie.

Intervie\ver: You're not attracted to computers?

Catriona: Yeah, I would very much like learn about computers. Most of my experience with computers has been with word processing. When I was in Montreal, I worked for a wornan who did translations from French to English and German to English. I worked on a big old IBM. I quite enjoyed it. She worked on all different kinds of documents, B.C. hydro and other big companies like that. All I had to d o was do corrections; her husband was working on a novel so they'd get me to correct that too.

Interviewer: That must have been interesting.

Catriona: Uh, well, the novel was kind of predictable.

I got to the point where I knew what the guy was going to say next.

Interviewer: Not exactly Hemingway.

Catriona: No, it wasn't Hemingway at all.

Interviewer: What we got on to last time that was really interesting was talking about your past.

Catriona: Oh my past!

Interviewer: Your checkered past.

Catriona: Yes, and it is checkered.

Interviewer: I think last time you told me you went to school in Montreal.

Catriona: I went to Concordia University.

Interviewer: Studied English-Catriona: Studied English Lit, philosophy, French Language, some writing classes. Really enjoyed it. And I should've stuck with it (Loqliirrg).

Interviewer: Seems like sort of an odd segue you go from English Lit to--well, that's when you went to

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Catriona: Yeah, moved to Ontario and that's when I got into cooking. Before that I had done very little cooking except at home. I was literally petrified of having people over because I didn't think I was any sort of a cook. The next thing I know I was cooking dinner and lunch for sixty people every day.

Interviewer: A challenge.

Catriona: It was a big challenge but I read a lot and practised. I learnt a great deal literally on my feet because I had to; it was either lunch time or dinner and there were sixty hungry people there.

Interviewer: Sixty hungry people. Trial by fire.

Catriona: That was a nice setup, it was a facility for young offenders. It was on a farm and I got the neighhour to come with his tractor. We dug up a huge garden. We grew tons and tons of stuff then and then used it in the kitchen. That was really great. I put in a lot of h o ~ ~and r s I was getting paid next to nothing. At the time I Just thought, well, it's a good situation to try this out. I'd be there very early in the morning and work in the gartlzn. Then I go into the kitchen and work all day. I'd go back out in the garden in the evening if I had any energy left. It was interesting. There's a rumour going around Carnegie to this day that I was a prison guard and that's where it comes from.

Interviewer: You know what I think it comes from, it's that stare you give some people.

Catriona: Yeah.

Interviewer: You know, you're unhappy with someone.

You give him that stare.

Catriona: It's called a murder one.

Interviewer: That's like a prison guard stare.

Catriona: (laughirrg) You do that again, I'm going to kill you.

Interviewer: And a club's going to come down on your head.. .So, you had literary aspirations, fell into cookmg and you stayed in it.

Catriona: I'm quite happy with the whole thing. I don't do a lot of cooking in the kitchen right now because mostly what I'm doing is the ordering and scheduling.

You know all that stuff. The connection between growing food and actually feeding people in a community kitchen to me is a very interesting thing. I think it's a really necessary thing in this day and age.

when a community centre is built anywhere ( I / ~ s/lol,/rl ~ , a k i f ~ / l ~like l l Cartregie.)

Interviewer: So you went from Ontario to Vancouver?

Catriona: Yes. I worked in Ontario for two years and then I came out here. I got the job at Carnegie within a couple of months. I wasn't unemployed long, three months exactly. And yeah and the rest they say--1s history. I think I'm gonna stay here till I retire.

Interviewer: (laughing) You are eh? That city pension plan must be pretty good.

Catriona: Yeah but I have a hard time seeing myself at sixty five still working. I don't think you'd be fabulously wealthy. If you had a decent place to live and a steady income, you can kind of hang in there for a long time.

Interviewer: (laughing) So you got to hide your time until you get your pension.

Catriona: The other good thing about working here is we're on a four day work week. You're at home almost as much time as you're at work. It completely changes that reality, you're not waiting to retire to have your life. You're quite able to have your life.and work at the same time because you're not slogging it out forty or sixty hours a week.

Interviewer: So it's a compressed week. You work an extra hour.

Catriona: You work a nine hour day and we get paid for is thirty five hours a week. This is seventy hours every two weeks. So, you know once you figured that out and take your vacation time away, you're just working over half a year. It's quite amazing.

Interviewer: (surpri.sed) I didn't know that.

Catriona: One of my little plans is to try and take two months off each year in the summer time. Especially now since I have a child because I want to spend time with him. So I hope the union settlement goes through.

Interviewer: Yeah, I have fond memories of summer vacation when I was young. It was like the highlight of the year to have the summer off.

Catriona: Yeah you get out of school and the summer was spread out for you like it was going to last forever.

Urfortutrately, this was the end of the itlterview. M s .

Moore (a.k. a. Catriotla) to rne epitonrizes wlicrt Cnrrregie cart be: witty, humorous, kitid a d courageous. Robert

Maybe you know him too.

You could've just passed him by without any thought.

hc Z z i a gc;d kos;t.

You should bc careful of who you judge, one day you may be walking in his shoes. j-G;; xci!d SCC :hilt

If you see my fiiend Robert Don't be scared of him, for he has... just like you and me... a face, two arms, two legs, and

But don't know where to look. not concerned about people and their problems. lf you really think about it, there may be one sitting beside yen right now.

Guardian Angel is a person who wants to help someone who really cares how you are doing.

But you have to remember that you are the only one who can let your Guardian Angel help ycu.

No one else cm.

Once upon a

,

Once I was a princess. then reality hit me i face, along with everything else that life threw at me. 1 went to my fantasy world to ask for some help, but the gates were closed. On the gate it read Closed Due To Higher Learning Then Dreams came by and said 'Why do blue?

Looks like you could use a friend. I know that life and reality can be so hard, but come with me and I

Vancouver ~ s ~ a nnear d Victoria. We got the ferry at Tswassen and it took four hours. The ferry went to Nanaimo, then I drove to Tofino along the Long beach is very beautiful. It was cold and raining. I went fishing and caught a big fish. I was Lau Kwok Hung

To wlmm it ma-y intern Muggers' Day (January-December)

A self explanatory analytrcal survey of a global misfit-dedicated reservoir I wish I had another like you & you & you but I was poured through bed socks into five gallon crocks of high voltage bootleg home brew.

The resultant X-rated spectacle caused a traffic jam on Main and it's five years in the slatnmer if my folks go nuts again.

The end result was a fugitive That's why I have to fight (I'm in full flight?)

The only slob on skid row with instructions to shoot on sight.

Been introduced & prime seduced into the hazards of supply & demand.

But a SmithtkWesson is a big assist to avoid a visit to the Promised Land.

cogito ergo sum

A journey in the afternoon Good day for a walk My shoes are dry and that new coat I found can handle a good five hours of rain.

I have enough for a bowl of that wonderful porridge at Carnegie. I hope they put raisins in it today.

Toast isn't such a good deal anymore - there's not enough to get a guy through this weather.

Anyway, I'll head over to Robson for awhile and see what I can find..maybe something I can sell or trade Everything's changed these days... It's getting harder to survive.

I'm sick and tired of all the shit going down in front of the Blue Eagle. A guy wanted to deck me yesterday, but he said I was too old. He said he was doing me a favour by letting me go.. that I wasn't worth it.

Serves me right for walking on that side of the street I guess. I don't know.

Can you believe that bastard said he was doing me a favour?!

There's one of the whatyu-call-its from that school place in Carnegie's gym. They're nice people 1 guess, but not very smart. They always ignore me, so I guess that's why I ignore thein. I guess they think I'm too old too, not worth it. Hell, I'm only fifty-three.

Whatever; I used to sort of get used to it, but there are some things you never get used to.

A lot of people say they won't go to Carnegie even to read a newspaper - ah it's all a load of crap anyway.

Like I said I'm going to head over to Robson this motning and maybe I can find something 1 like

DOWNTOWN EaSTSlDE YOUTH ACTIVITIES SOCIETY

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STD CLINIC 219 Main; Monday Friday, 10a.m. 6p.m.

NEEDLE EXCHANGE 221 Main; 9a.m. 8p.m. every day Needle Exchange Van on the street every night, 6p.m.-2a.m.

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(except Mondays, 6p.m.-midnight)

199 5 UONAT I ONS : I'auln It.-$20 Ceci l c C . - $ I 2 Wm. B.-$25 1.i 1 1 i a n 11. - $ a 0 Sonya S . -$200 lit icr~rle S. - $ I 5 A . W i thcrs - $ 2 0 Ilos i t c h -$16 Kettle I : . S . - $ 1 6 llnzcl M.-$8 .Joy '1'. - $ 2 0 IiGl 1.. - $ 3 0 Bruce - $ 4 Jerome -$2 Francis -$30

Lisa E . - $ 8 Imrne T . -$SO Mcl [ . . - $ I 2 Sara [ ) . - $ I 6 Col l e c n E. - $ I 6 Bruce 5.-$30 Anonymous -$6O. 7 5 Bill s.-$2 Ray - $ I 2 Darlene M . - $ 2 0 CEEDS - $50

THE NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION OF TIIE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOClAllON Arllcks tepresenl the vlcws 01 lndlvldual conlrlbulors and no4 01 the Assoclallon

Submission Deadline for the next issue: 10 November Friday i

NEED HELP? The Downtown Eastside Residents' Association can help you with: J any welfare problem J information on legal rights J disputes with landlords J unsafe living conditions J income tax J UIC problems J finding housing J opening a bank account Come into the Dera office at 9 East Hastings St. or phone us at 682-0931.

DERA HAS BEEN SERVING THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE FOR 21 YEARS.

DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE \VON1EK1S CENTRE TWO FVLL TINE POSITIOSS .I~-.~IL.ABLIE for .\IESTAL HE 4LTH !AD\..oc--\TES I

The Donntonn Eastside B'onm's Centre isla self-help drop-h centre for u o m n in t l l Donnto\\n The Centre has n m i e n of sm-ices and prugrams. includin_g.lahot lunch senwe.

Eastside of l~*ancouv~r. legal and senerial advocacy counselling, self-help groups. ,and educatio~~al prozrams. ,The Ccntrz is ssclud~elyfor \\tornen. R'e do not discrimhate on thc basis of color. class. sesual orientation. rzligiol~or I disabililies iu providing services. 'Ilk is a sniokitlg mviruamcnt.

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I'IIcrad of pa). is S18. IS an hour. with a 35 11ow jvorii w&Sunday to Wday ThcrfI is a 3 month probationary period, after nhich a benefit package is svnilable. nlis is o new posi1ion;and is subject to hnding approval and the job description is cilrrently tinder relie?. successfi~lcddidalz \\.ill bc required to have s criminal record ccheck.

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AD\.'OCATE'S k E . 4 OF ~ RESPOSSIBILITS

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:IndividualAdwcticy and Caunsclhg: $wide assompanimm~m d advocrc!. ar w l l i! basid one lo one counselling, &sis intencntion and suppoaifor wmen wih hlentd H d h issues. Provi+ Sonnation on .aelfarc. tenant and legal rights. : I Chtrcnch and Liaison: Establish ;lnd maihtain cont;m with relilted agencies and mend; relevmt meetings.

Ccnerd Advocac).: Advocate, on behalf of the women with Mcntel Health issues living in the Dcnsntoun Fastside, for reform by making submissions~togovernment and other agencies. Participate in political lobbying concerning relevant issues such as povmy. j\\.clfarcand Mental Health.

Programming: Develop and promote p r o ~ a m i n & vid~osand workshops on Uentsl &a1111 issues.

Educittion and Resource Materials eved do^ rmource files and provide tducation on blrntal h'talth issues.

Administration: Maintaining rnonthb stat3tics. and pro\.iding monthly reports.

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minimum five yzars related espzricnce, ai loasr 3 yeems in direct smicz work ncceksan.; this will iilclirdt trahing and tsperiznca in crisis ihtznmtion, pezr cotmselling n11d hon.lcdSz of the nurkirlgs of the justice systctn md basic advocacy including the G..I.I.S. 2nd Mental Hc~11.h-A+. familiarity with stlpport stn'iczs, nga~ciesmd cwununity resources in Dom~tonnlEastsidz + applicants iu rscotaer\..must bz cleai and sober a nlinim~rnof 2 ~ Z N S I + dumonsmt6d competence in verbal and \kitten communication I I record b e p i n s schedulin~and probkm-solving abilities: strong or_ranizs:ian:~l skills ability to work independently mid as a mdnbcr of a staff collective + liik experience as a coiisnmx;sunfivor of m a t d hclatli smice would bz ideal i + computar skills, Word fibr Windows (6) + dtility to work s i d i n a chaotic ~ v i n l m ~and n r comfortabls oith a dira-se cawdmil? ofniimcn +

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Pleasc subn~ifyouour resunla a d n one page le&r briefly o u t l h h ~1v11at you consider tobr h z issuss Exin$ cvo~zli!~ in the D o w t o w Eastside. 01iy thosz short listed will be contactzd. ~ e a d l i dfor applications is 5 Phi, Sundiiy. November It, 1995. Fax to numb* below or mail applications to:

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Downtown Eastside Women's Ccntrd.4dmntr Hiring ~ummit&e U East Cordow Street. Vancouver. British Columbia. TG-4 lK2 FXSi 681-8470 I

Seven come eleven #1

Off we go into hell into letharby into various fonns of sleep.

They say dreaming is a need! #2 A winter rose still born a maze of relationships without love.

#6 Once in a poem I saw you reading about god.

I had to kill myself, I wasn't old enough to resist.

#7 I tried to approximate a good

#9 The only meaning to be considered is the one ascertained.

#10 We can try to remember that most aphorisms are eccentric and live alone.

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A MESSAGE TO THE PRESIDENT OR DIRECTOR OF YOUR ORGANIZATION. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT DOCUMENT THAT NEEDS YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION!

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To commemorate our sisters who died violent deaths and of drug overdoses in the Downtown Eastside and throughout Vancouver.

Our March is in February, 1996, and we are planning for it now. To do that we need the names of women who have lost their lives in these ways since our last march in February, 1995.

('??)Antlerson

Debbie McMath

Amanda Pauline Flett (M:mcl!r)

Deb bic Nceslose

Annie Cedar Jr.

Diane Lancaster

Barbara Larocclue

Donna (?)

Barbara Paul

Donna Rose Kiss

Bernadine Stanclingready

Dora Joscph Patrick

Bobbie Lincoln

E. Nelson (Linda)

Bren (la George

Elsie Tomma

Carol Davie

Gertrude Copcgog

Carrie Ann Starr

Gloria Duncult (Sam)

Chiintal Vennc

Holly Cochrane

Charlene Kurr

Janet Basil

Cheryl Ann Joe

Janice Saul

Christine (Chrissie)

Jennifer Pete

Christine Billy

Jenny Lea Waters

Cindj. Williii~ns

Jerry Fergwson

Diirlinda Ritchey

Julie Mai Smith

Dann Ritchic

Karen Ann Bakcr

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Debbie Kennedy

Laurie Scholtz

Lavernil Avivgan

P:ltricia Ann Wadhams (Trish)

Leanne Scholtz

Patricia Thomas

Lisa Leo

Pauline Johnson

Lois Mackie

Peggy Snow

Loran Carpenter

Ray Arrance

Lorna George

Rose Merasty

Lorna Jones

Rose Peters

Lorrain Arrance

Ruby Williams

Luanne Stolarchwk (Bonnie)

Sadie Chartran

Margaret Vedm

Sally Jackson

Nlaria Fcrgeuson

Sandra Flamond\

Marjorie Susan Prionen

Sharon Arrance

Marth Garvin

Sheila Hunt

Mary James

Shirk? Nis

Mary Johns

Stony

Mary Johnson

Tanys W allce

Maureen Riding-at the Door

Terry Lynn

Masine Paul1

Tracy Lyn Hope

Monilia Lillmeier

Verna Lyons

Nancy Jane Bob

Vcrnonica Hart?;

Nyr~Robalard

Wendy Poole

Patricia Andrcw

pOw wow

cheek stories. One time, a young person had asked him, "Is it true that Native People are

I looked for y o u last year at the ~ ~ t e r n a t i o nPa ol w - W o w at the Plaza of Nations, thinking y o u m i g h t come into Vancouver for that event. Later, you t o l d me you'd been working that weekend, or that you didn't k n o w about it. I can't remember exactly. . ... .. .

The Native People on&ibth& do there last festival, *'Bringing

vicious?" He had answered, first asking that young person, "Are y o u poking fun at me or yourself; because. if you see any Indian, he will always have something t o give you. Holding his hand o u t is n o t any kind of vicious act; he is honoured i f you will accept his gift. The White M a n is here t o stay o n Turtle Island but he m u s t somehow come t o understand the Native People."

there o n Friday and m y friends. It w a s a World into Another

Then this Elder spoke Wisdom regarding Young Native People, saying that Parents must s h o w their Children w h o they are. They must k n o w -- that in all the Tradition of the People whose home is Turtle Island and w h o live in Earth; who honour ceremony all the winged ones, fourrooted ones. ones that swim; and who

Tribes of the West Coast, friend said she could hear in, as w e stood in the arena. Fan.cy dancers, dancers and Mens' and Dancers, dressed in full before the podium f o r b y t h e Host Nations. Later on, indoors, o n

and

expressing the drugs and alcohol have n o place fllust

n o t allow their Children alcohol t o Weat' any e period of at least one our mind and body be proud of who

urning Cedar, 'sage/and Sweetgrass. magnificent Eagle. A perfect spread of feathers seemingly kept h i m aloft as h e taught. u s the motion and spirit of his powerful-winged brother. A s h e had handed this Eagle Dance t o his son when the son w a s twelve years old, so it w a s handed t o this Elder b y his forefathers.

I f h e talks about the Bluebird, h e will then dress like a Bluebird. A l l Blue.

He told heartwarming and tongue-in-

I did hadp& t o see you there that Saturday evening. I was talking with another old friend when you walked by with your new love. Well, I a m happy, for you that she is such a lovely, dark-haired beauty. I will always think of you and love you like a brother, even though w e came close t o being more than that at one Windy Haven time. A l l M y Relations, Octoberl95/Vancouver,BC

J see the rushed hurry of people i n the city, a n d wonder, ' m y don't theg see me?

J SO insignifim to h m , just one of

n, 11 a t h e e nameless, faceless few?

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&w wrong they are about UStrype are many, from a l l walks of l i f e

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(at least before we got here), w e a l l b v e names, faces, even dreams.

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are we?

Society's children

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Jhe @or.

&ok at a l l the bars on the widows, See the boarded up shops w a t c h the litter blow awose the street.

Once, children could safely play, a d we didn't have to lock our doors, m e n did society go to hell? w e n did w e stop caring?

JTeighbours helped each other i n their times of need, Cammunities knew each other, and no one had to need.

Jf a l l the greed was gone, and the violeneo and the bate, n e n we could start to heal our world again

ad live in Global $%we.

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Willow Silver Wolff

Wlllow Silver Wolff