October 1, 2014, carnegie newsletter

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OCTOBER 1, 2014 carnnews@vcn.bc.ca ca rn news[a)shaw. ca www.carnnews.org

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HERE COMES THÂŁ

11th Annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival Wed October 29 to Sun November 9, 2014

(1-r) Muriel Marjorie Williams, Robyn Livingstone, Karenza Wall, Sandra Pronteau, Khari McClelland, Joan Morelli, Tom Quirk, Mike Richter, Yvon Chartrand, Elwin Xie, Priscillia Tait, Beverly Dobrinsky, Swallow Zhou. Photo•: David Cooper

What an amazing decade it has been since the founding of the festival in 2014. W ith our 11th annual festival weare excited to begin our second decadeworking with and for the Downtown Eastside.

This year's theme is 'Keeping the home fires burning.' As we meet the challenges and opportunities of the coming decade, we are inspired by the residents and artists of the Downtown Eastside who carry the flame of our community: they warm our hearts, shed light on pressing concerns, illuminate stories old and new, fire our imaginations, and keep the torch burning for the future.

The Festival takes inspiration from the words of the late much beloved Downtown Eastside poet and activist Bud Osborn: ... sometimes in life, what seems to be final, is a new beginning- unexpected- propelled by a heart, pumping the blood, of an indomitable community, like the downtown eastside- the heart of the city.

An abundance of events include the premiere ofthe full length musical The Raymur Mothers, original music from DTES musicians, a daylong celebration of poetry, spirit lifting dance, taiko drumming and First Nations song, videos, talks, walks, fabric, art, stories, theatre, posters and more!

Watch the next Carnegie newsletter for program highlights!

For more information contact 604-628-5672 orwww.heartofthecityfestival.com The Downtown Eastside Heart of the Festival is produced by Vancouver Moving Theatre with the Carnegie Community Centre & Association of United Ukrainian Canadians working with a host of community pa rtners.

COME OUT AND BE A PART OF AN EXCITING FEATURE THIS YEAR IN THE HEART OF THE CITY FESTIVAL 2014

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A MYSTERY PLAY: "WHO STOLE THE SPIRIT OF THE CARNEGIE" AN ORIGINAl PRODUCTION BY "NO MERCY PRODUCTIONS" WE'RE LOOKING FOR ASPIRING PLAYWRIGHTS, ACTORS AND MUSICIANS WHO WANT TO EXPLORE THEIR THEATRICAL TALENTS. ALL WORKSHOPS HELD ON FRIDAY AFTER NOONS

PLAY WRITING WORKSHOPS : FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, CLASSROOM 2 (3rd FLOOR) 2-4 PM FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, SEMINAR ROOM (3rd FLOOR) 2-4 PM FRIDAY, OCTOBER 3, CLASSROOM 2 (3rd FLOOR) 2-4 PM

REHEARSELS: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, CARNEGIE THEATRE 4-6 PM FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, CARNEGIE THEATRE 2- 4 PM

DRESS REHEARSEL: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, CLASSROOM 2 (3rd FLOOR) 2-4 PM

PERFORMANCE:

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2-4 PM IN THE THEATRE FOR MORE INFO, CALL ADRIENNE: 604-569-431/) OR EMAIL adriennegmac@hotmail.com

SLAM POETRY· Workshop with Sho Wiley • •

Saturday November 1, lOam - 12pm Ca rnegie 3rd floor Classroom, 401 Main

In anticipation of Carnegie's 2nd Poetry Slam! Sho Wiley, creative w riting instructor and long-time slam poet, leads a worksh~p where she'll share advice and techniques. Poetry is best when read aloud, even performed. Microphone technique, body language, gestures and more. Bring two of yo ur favourite poems or write one in the workshop; you'll get an oppo rtunity to try out your slam poetry ideas and with one-on-one mentoring you'll be ready to step up and go for itl "Poetry is meant to be heard, poetry for the people!" says Sho and who knows that better than the poets of Carnegie! Free "Drop-in is fine; Pre-registration is better' (Don't let your own g reatness daunt );ou! !)

CARNEGIE'S 2nd POETRY SLAM! • •

Saturday November 1, lpm- 2:30pm Carnegie Theatre, 401 Main

In celebration of the Carnegie News letter and its long history of encouraging writers and poets in the Downtown Eastside, and in honour of the late, much loved friend and extraordinary talent Zaccheus Jackson (he hosted & performed at the firs t Slam! in 20 13), we present Carnegie's 2nd Poetry Slam !

Have you slammed a poem before? You'll have three minutes to say your poem. Memorize it, im provise it, rant or sing it out. Then five random audience members chosen to judge will give you a score. T he rules have still to be decided, so be prepared for surprises.

Featured host and MC is Jill ian Christmas. Be part of the audience- laugh, cheer, cry, clap- or step up and slam it, you know you want to! Free

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Hope in shadows thats all we have left when our life has been shattered and all the bright times are eclipsed by the dark hidi ng from your pain in the shadows hid ing from your shadows in pain you said you wo uld never go down but you've been down again and again when home is a memory and love is a stranger when trust has failed yo u and you live in danger of despising your innocence and losing your faith hardening your heart to heali ng hurt is all you are feeling hiding from pain ... refrain So reach for your hope in shadows take the comfort you fi nd with respect you are precious, claim your power

when you least know what to expect take the chance of making a change grab the rope, don't hang yourself pull yourself up out of the shadows see the light, get some help, realize life may be a game of chance but you are the prize no more hiding from pain in the shadows no more hidi ng from your shadows in pain when your truth becomes clear the shadows of themselves disappear megdelanye

Hope in Shadows Award Ceremony & Calendar launch Wednesdy, October 8th, 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM Carnegie Community Centre in the th eatre This is a special event to recognize the wi nners of Pivot's annual Hope in Shadows photo contest and to launch th~

2015 Hope in Shadows calendar

Flamenco D ance Workshops at Carnegie Community Centre!

Saturdays Sept. 20 to Oct. 25 2-Spm (except Sept. 27, 3-6 pm)

In Carnegie Theatre This workshop is part of an ongoing series of Flamenco, which is an exciting and fiery form of dance and music from Southern Spain. At these classes, expect to hear new kinds of music and learn percussive hand clapping (palmas). We will have occasional guest guitarists and singers join us as we explore this expressive art form.

Get ready to shout 'Ole!' Kelty has enjoyed sharing her love of flamenco with the Carnegie community for the last three years. She was a flamenco dancing Minotaur in Vancouver Moving Theatre's 2010 production of The Minotaur Dreams: The Downtown Eastside Labyrinth Project. She is involved with the Heart of the City Festival, organizing the Barrio Flamenco concert series celebrating the power of artists and artisans in the Downtown Eastside.

Who will they come for next? Charities and the federal budget The federal government has been attempting to silence NGOs [Non-Government Organisations] with charitable status from speaking out on issues that matter to all Canadians . This initiative to intimidate and otherwise silence voices that challenge its policies-goes to the heart of Canadian democracy.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that the Conservative government is attempting to rewrite or reinterpret the rules on what constitutes "political activity" to prevent organizations from saying things it does not want to hear.

The CRA [Canada Revenue Agency] Minister claims these audits are random, but this claim lacks credibility. The claim that they are arms-length and not subject to government interference-is highly questionable. There are 88,000 charities in Canada. CRA has audited less than 1% of all charities. And yet major environmental organizations, think tanks, human rights and international development organizations that do policy work that is often critical of government policies, are being audited.

It follows on from other government measures such as eliminating funding to those NGOs dependent on government funding; to weaken public sector unions and obstruct their ability to advocate for measures that benefit their members and the broader Canadian society. They have gutted in-house government policy capacity, undermined Statistics Canada's ability to provide information vital for policy-making, gutted scientific research and muzzled scientists.

While this government is focused on reducing so called red-tape for for-profit businesses, it has imposed onerous & seemingly interminable administrative burdens on the charitable organizations it chooses to audit. These audits are highly intrusive-requesting information that has no discernible relevance to an organization's charitable activities. They demand the most miniscule of financial details. They force charities to devote considerable resources to compiling successive rounds of information, diverting from their policy and other charitable work, and incur substantial, sometimes prohibitive, legal costs.

In some cases they have demanded charities turn over all e-mail correspondence, a measure which has major privacy implications. This is intimidation and harassment pure and simple, designed to have a chill effect on organizations' activities. ' A Toronto Star editorial stated that, "One way a charity can protect itself is to mute its criticism of government policy. If it isn't spending anything like 10% of its resources on political advocacy/activity, it isn't likely to attract complaints, or attention." Unfortunately this is no protection. The CRA, through these audits, is reinterpreting and redefining what it considers to be "political activity." Thus, organizations that currently report miniscule political activity, could as a result find themselves well above the limit and thus vulnerable to having their charitable status revoked.

This exercise, allegedly to assure Canadians of the responsible use of their tax dollars, comes at a time when CRA is planning to cut the number of international tax auditors even as the Auditor General has warned that the Agency is unable to adequately investigate Canadians with offshore accounts and international tax evasion.

While the targeting of environmental NGOs has received prominent media attention, the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA), whose work covers a broad range of public policy issues, is also being audited. Our work extends to environmental issues. For example, the Climate Justice Project, run out of CCPA-BC, examines the nexus between climate change and inequality. It develops policy proposals to reduce carbon emissions, which do not disproportionately affect low-income citizens. Its work.......highly critical of federal inaction on carbon reduction measures, and of Enbridge's Northern Gateway pipeline proposal- could be redefined as political. Ironically, this project is publicly funded through the Social Science and Humanities Research Council; and as such, its research has to meet the most rigorous academic standards.

Budget 2014: Charities and Other Non-Profit Organizations There is nothing on the surface in the Budget 2014 regarding further restrictions on what the government considers allowable political activity. Any specifics will likely be in the budget implementation bill expected later this rnonth.There is a vague statement that CRA will be given more authority to prevent potential abuse of charities by state supporters of terrorism. (A solution to what problem?) The only additional direct spending will be to facilitate electronic filing of charities returns ($ 23 million over 5 years) and enhanced web presence on charitable giving trends ($1.5 million over two years.).

However, for non-profit organizations (NPOs) that don't have charitable status, those that thought the government wouldn't come after them-think again. Your turn is next. The budget articulates the need for CRA to impose increased reporting requirements on NPOs to enable it to evaluate their entitlement for tax-exempt status.

The government will launch a "public consultation' to review in order to determine whether NPOs have sufficient transparency and accountability, and to ensure that tax-exemption for NPOs is not subject to abuse. We've heard this before!

Bruce Campbell is Executive Director of the CCPA. He attended the 2014 federal budget lock-up.

I Still dance when the spirit moves toe

' Unbreak my Heart,' Quando, Quando, Quando.

The music readily available The Empress has it all.

Louis Armstrong and Leonard Cohen 'Hello, Dolly' and 'Closin' Time' Loretta Lynn singing Coal Miner's Daughter Johnny Cash gets us with 'Ghost Riders in the Sky' The hours fly by and lam gone -before the action gets weird ..

Morning is the Best Time Workin' on those edgy days Smoothing off the sharps; flattening the fifths.

For a while we can go back Back to th good ole days when the world's our oyster Every boy coveted a red '58 Mustang or a 'vette, or maybe even a Porsche Firebirds and T-Birds etcetera So paint your wagons; and your faces Get our the Glad Rags Flash that bl ing We here for the beer But only for a Short Tyme.

Wilhelmina

Everyone has a request and Ttry to please them alJ A few contribute some coins The old guys who don ' t know the drill And the girls who put in money & let me choose Mainly Country & Western But Michael Buble too and II Divo

City Life of Aboriginal Peoples The city life really stresses me out, People around here make me pout.

Why did I move here in the first place?

I'm being stared at from my own race.

Others too, it's not really that easy, Makes my head feel kind of queasy.

Whenever they look at me or you, They cannot help the things they do.

Our goals in life must not be defeated, Like the ways that we're being treated.

I might just move back home to be, Closer to where my famil y- needs me.

This is such a confusing place, Anyone can easily lose their race.

I can hear them preaching of our culture, And it's making me feel like I'm a vulture.

Is it because our language was lost?

And was stolen away at such a cost?

No wonder why so many can sing, About the sadness life can bring.

We also sing about love and pain, Sorrow can drip like falling rain.

Why be ashamed of who we are?

We're not that different from afar.

Negative feelings can go a long way, So we must think positive every day. Š OJ Bruce

..

The Honourable Christy Clark, Premier of British Columbia Box 9041, Station PROV GOYT Victoria, BC Y8W 9E I I am distressed by the levels of poverty and homelessness in a society as wealthy as ours. At ll percent, BC has the highest poverty rate in Canada. Yet BC is one of o nly two provinces left without a comprehensive poverty reducti on plan. Where is BC's poverty reduction plan?

We know that all of us pay for poverty. We pay in increased health care costs. We pay in higher crime. And we pay in lack of school readiness, reduced school success and in lower economic productivity. In fact, the total cost of poverty in BC is $8-9 billion per year, while a comprehensive, preventative poverty red uction plan would cost just half that at $3-4 billion per year. There is a false economy in failing to act boldly.

Health impacts of poverty directly affect 15% ofthe BC population. The poorest 20% -when compared to the richest 20%- have a 60% greater rate of two or more chron ic health conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, respiratory diseases and mental illness. Poor health and poverty go hand-in-hand. But high levels of inequality negatively affect the health of all of us through the breakdown of social cohesion. You have an opportunity before you to take stro ng and meaningful action on this issue and I urge you to support Bill M212: The Poverty Reduction and Economic Inclusion Act. In particular, I call upon the province to commit to targets and time lines to end poverty, and specific policy measures and concrete actions in each of the following areas: • Raise welfare aqd disability rates, which have been frozen at $610 and $906 per month respectively since 2007, and index them to inflation.

• Increase the minimum wage and index it to inflation, and improve the working conditions of those earning low income.

• Re-commit to building thousands of new social housing units per year.

• Adopt the $10/day child care plan.

• Provide essential health care services, like dental and optica l.

• Adequately fund schools and make post-secondary education and training more accessible.

• Address the structural barriers faced by marginalized groups.

These issues are a matter of I ife and death for thousands of people around the province. We need to tackle the m immediately in order to protect the most vu lnerable people from the devastating impacts of poverty and the lo ng term effects as they are passed on to the next generation.

I know that you share this sense of urgency with us and I look forward to the government committing to a poverty reduction strategy in the near future.

Thank you, Name & Signature

eJNNEFS COW\ejOW\:

-. 1 ttE CoFFEE CuP !IEVotunoN Come and sing with the

$$$

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CARNEGIE CHOIR! Saturdays 6:30- 9:30PM Sundays 2:30- 5:30PM Sept. 6 to Nov. 30, 2014 Classroom 2 (3rd Floor)

EVERYONE WELCOME!

Bring in used paper cups* for cash St per cup - up to $20 per binner Monday, Oct srh /9:30am - 2:30pm Victory Square (E Hastings & Cambie) This is a public event. Everyone welcome!

•cups need to be dry.

Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) Newsletter Read CCAP reports: http://ccapvancouver.wordpress.com

September 2014

The meeting included many people talking eloquently about how poverty impacts their health and why we need higher welfare rates.

"I don't know how I 'm gonna do thic;," said Fraser Stuart at the meeting. Fraser survives on a pension of $645 a month and has a heart condition. He just found out that the government won't pay for his heart medication for 6 to 9 months. "They are literally lcilling me ," said Fraser. I'm not alone. It's murder."

Which government policy kills people?

About 80 people packed into the Carnegie Theatre on Sept. 22 to find out. Raise the Rates sponsored the meeting. Lots of research shows that people who arc poor die younger than people who are rich in Canada. In Hamilton, Ontario, one study showed that people who were poor died about 20 years younger than people in richer neighbourhoods. Other studies show that Canadians who arc poor die about I 0 years earlier than people who are not poor.

Bill Hopwood of Raise the Rates said the group had a big discussion about the title of the event, Murder by Policy, but "decided to tell it like it is." The government policy that is killing people is low welfare rates. "$906 a month is considered your worth," said Harold Lavender about the monthly disability rate. "You can't go to other places unless you depend on others," he said. This causes isolation and hopelessness and affects dignity.

"We really need to demand from the Premier that we really need to raise these rates ," Victoria Bull said.

against Poverty when it created " public clinics where doctors prescribed special diet allowances of $250 based on the diagnosis of poverty."

Dr. Gary Bloch The federal government "gave millions for a study on housing first but only peanuts to implement it," said Mona Woodward of the Aboriginal Front Door. "If we don 't band together and get help there will be more deaths."

Gentrification and renovictions arc "why we have 300 people in a tent city," said Brody Williams. 'They talk about the high cost of rent. $560-600 a month. On welfare they pay the rent and that's all."

"I would like to see income at the top of eve1y patient's chart. Unless we know this we don't know what the patient deals with." Bloch said his clinic has staff that fill out forms which try to get people all the money they are entitled to. "It makes us doctors feel a bit better but it's just a drop in the bucket. Poverty is a systemic issue," he said.

Most people at the meeting signed a letter to the Premier calling on her to raise welfare rates. Upcoming Raise the Rates events include the Welfare Food Challenge , October 16th- 22nd and the Poor People's Radio outsid~ the CBC in Early December.

Tracey Monison said she tried to get a crisis grant for food but the welfare office said "hunger wasn't a good enough rca'>on." "So now I have to make up stories to get food. Why can't we get food that like normal people? Aren't we normal?"

Dr. Gary Bloch, an Ontario physician '>poke about how he was drawn to c;peak out on poverty by the Ontario Coalition

Fraser Stuart

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By King-mong Chan

After declaring a "mental health crisis" in Vancouver in September 2013, Mayor Gregor Robertson created a task force on "Mental Health and Addictions," involving over 60 members and only a handful of people with lived experiences and from the low-income community. The Task Force presented its report to City Council on September 17th, 2014, and despite half of the speakers speaking against the report, it was approved unanimously.

Though the report described some positive actions, such as creating an Aboriginal Healing and Wellness Centre for youth as well as a peer leadership table, ultimately the report fell extremely short of what was needed by the community to overcome the challenges from mental health issues and addictions; instead the report was built on what it saw as the solutions to the "mental health crisis": policing and institutionalization.

On September Llth, CCAP organized a Town Hall on the Task Force report. At the Town Hall and at City Hall on the 17th, many low-income community members spoke out against the government's approach to solving the "crisis" and what was missing from. the report; here are some of what they said: "People with lived experience (of mental illness) should give training to others," said Phoenix Winter, President of the Carnegie Community Centre Association. Karen Ward from Gallery Gachet emphasiLed that "we need peer run organizations. Nothing is to be done without us. We want real decision making power. This plan exerts more control over people who have very little control over their lives. I have the right to my own mind."

3

Tracey Morrison, President of the Western Aboriginal Harm Reuuction Society is opposed to giving more money to the VPD: " They are bullies. They aren't here for U'> .

That money could be used for housing and mental health advocates." Talking about the 300 "secure mental health treatment beds" recommended in the report, Karen said, "we don't need lock-up bells, we need homes." Harold Lavender also voiced

homes , decent self contained. Good health follO\VS getting good housing; 2) Income . $90() is \\'hat we get. The average rent of a hotel is $469. This is appalling; and 3) friends.

his concern with the report 路 "The word "rights" is missing from the report. Secure beds mean you don 'tnecd con'>cnt. There is tremendous fear o! the police in term'> of how people arc treated."

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Housing and adequate incomes were also shockingly missing from the report. ''Housing First is important but where IS the housing? We really need housing to be hu i It and not jtt-.. t supporli ve hou-.ing ," c;aid Phoenix. Karen also spoke on three things that people who arc mental!) ill need: I)

For the Downtown Eastside (DTES) of Vancouver, the report, being rooted in policing and institutionali;ation, is a plan to make the DTES "safe for gentrification,"

Karen calls it. Gentrification seeks to disperse our community to try to weaken us but as Karen powerfully reminds us: "we have a legacy of resistance in this community, no matter how tight things arc, we care for each other." Phase 2 of the Ta<>k Force now begins. We will continue to fight against institutionalization, gentrification, and policing as a solution.

And we will fight for better and more housing , h1gher incomes , and a better community for us all.

DOWNTOWN EASTSIDERS DEMONSTRATE FOR HOUSING We need housing. Housing not jails. That was the cry at a demonstration on Sept. 19 as people from the Oppenheimer Park Tent City and Vancouver Area Network of Drug User<~ (VANDU) marched down Hastings St. The marchers wanted government<~ to build more housing and to buy the Sequel 138 site so condos won ' t gentrify the neighbourhood acro'>s from the <;afe injection site.

5

Downtown Eastside

SROTENANT CONVENTION

solldarlt.y speaker-s, $100 prize drt.w. st.ew and ba.nnocit. on-sltc cllJ.ldcaril. crummlos~Cookroach Haven Contest sro r路 r.v-.ntlo, . .tgrnall oom

1

604 665 2106

THE CRUMMY COCKROACH HAVEN CONTEST ... OR HOW YOU CAN WIN $100 AND AGHT FOR SRO TENANTS" RIGHTS!

On October 19, the first ever DTES SRO Tenant Convention will be held. SRO residents are invtted for a day of free workshops designed to give people the skills and friendshtps to battle evictions and deplorable conditions in SROs.

If free learning, new connections and a bison stew lunch aren't enough to draw you m, we have another incentive: You could win $100 for telling us about the crummiest SRO. This month, the DTES w!ll be holding its second Crummy Cockroach Haven Contest.

The first contest was held by the Downtown Eastside Residents ' Association (DERA) in 1978, and it helped push the City to create the Standards of Maintenance Bylaws The Standards of Maintenance Bylaw sets out obligation.:; for landlords. They must keep the building reasonably clean, manage pests, fix holes in walls and ceilmgs, keep elevators working, take care of plumbing issues, make sure there's hot water, make sure the electricity and wiring is safe, stock bathrooms wtth soap and toilet paper, and have maintenance staff. Docs this sound like yom SRO? Probably not.

The problem JS that the City isn't enforcing the Standards of Maintenance Bylaw. The Bylaw actually has a plan for enforcement.

There arc fines for landlords who don't comply. The City can do the work itself and bill the landlord 1f it issues a work order and no action is taken after 60 days.

This month, Council changed the Bylaw to make this process more simple. .-..-.ii!IIIS~~ That said, we are waiting to see if they Will apply it.

We are hoping that the new Crummy Cockroach Haven Contest will help push the City to apply the Bylaw.. .36 years later.

Here路s how the contest works... l. Fill out an entry form (the next page, or grab one from the CCAP office), cast your vote for the worst SRO and bring the form to CCAP. Leave it under our door if we aren't there . Only enter once. If we see names more than once, their entnes will be disquali ficd.

2. Come to the Convention on October 19th, at the Japanese Language Hall (487 Alexandre at Jackson), from 12 - 5 pm There wtll be a draw at the event. You must be in the room tf your name is drawn to win. Sec you there!

7

Crummy Cockroach Haven Contest Entry Form Fill out this form and &JOU could win 1. Which hotel is the Crummiest Cockroach Hoven in the DTES?

$100!

2. What's wrong with the hotel (for example, cockrooches,bedbugs, garbage, plugged toilets, not enough proper cleaning, etc.)?

Your name: ____________________________________________________________ Do you wont us to contact you when we hove events? Leave your phone number/email:

HOW TO ENTER: Toke this form to the CCAP office on the second floor of Carnegie to the left of the stairs.

Leave it under the door if no one is there or in the box on the bulletin board.

Winners will be chosen on SUNDAY, OCTOBER 19th at the end of the SRO Tenant Convention at the Japanese Language School, 487 Alexander St., near Jackson St. Winners must be present to win, and will be able to talk to the group about the hotel if they wont. You can only enter once: All your entries will be disqualified if you enter more than once.

Winners will be selected as follows: Each hotel that is nominated more than once will be put in o pile. A winner's nome w ill be drown from the pile with the most, second most and third most nominations. Prizes ore $1 00 for first prize, $25 for second prize and $15 for third prize.

8

Van city Support for this project does not necessarily imply Vancity's endorsement of the findings or contents of this newsletter

ELECTION Oct. 9, 2014, ACCOUNTABILITY 7:00- 9;00 pm ASSEMBLY Italian Cultural Centre 3075 Slocan Street, Van Metro Vancouver Alliance has moved i from listening to action. ' On September 17th, almost I 00 delegates from MV A's 50 member institutions came together to hear about the work of our four Research/Action Teams and vote on proposals to bring forward at our Municipal Accountabi lity Assembly on October 9th.

Over the past year MY A engaged in a listen ina campai~n involving conversations with hundreds of people tn our member organizations and subsequent discernment process. Four issues- on Poverty, Housing, Transit and Social Iso lation- were identified as the things MY A member institutions felt they had in common and could work on together.

The issues were announced at the MV A Founding Assembly in March, and the four RIA Teams began their work. The teams met regularly over the summer -digging into their issue, consulting with people in the community, talking to experts- and identified problems facing people in the LoweMainland. Several Carnegie Board members were on these teams and the Carnegie Action Project provides valuable information. They then explored solutions to those problems.

Our member institutions have approved in principle the proposals brought forward by the RJA Teams, who have gathered feedback and are fine-tuning their proposals. 路 One thi ng that makes MYA different from other organizations- the thing that keeps such a diverse organization together- is that we only go forward on issues where we have broad agreement. To make an

impact, we must speak with one voice. w_e are now ready to speak with that one, powerful, vo1ce and to ask politicians to commit to work with us on proposals that will make a real difference in people's lives.

At the Municipal Accountability Assembly we will ask Vancouver's municipal politicians to explore new options around affordable housing in the city and reexami~e the e~forcement of current housing by-laws; comm1t to a proven anti-poverty strategy at the municipal level; actively engage in the upcoming transit referendum and support our campaign for affordab le accessible transit; and explore options and work with us to reduce social isolation and help neighbourhoods flourish by working with our member organ izations.

We've invited politicians from all levels of govern~nent in the Lower Mainland to our Assembly, includmg representatives of the four major civic parties in Vancouver.

We're still waiting to hear back from the NPA but we're happy to report that Adrienne Carr (Gree~ Party), Gregor Robertson (Vision Vancouver) and Meena Wong (COPE) have confirmed they will be joining us on October 9th. We will ask them to com- . mit to specific, achievable, proposals that will make Vancouver a better place to live and work.

It's going to be a great night and we hope to see you there: Thursday, October 9th from 7-9 pm at the Italian Cultural Centre 3075 Slocan Street Vancouver (Siocan at Grandview near the Renfrew Skytrain Station). Sign up in the Carnegie Program Office. Snacks provided.

Having a Bling Fling.

Many years ago I bought a ring, the height of Sling Was this ring.

It was a huge purple stone dripping with fake diamonds so bright.

Thought I would wear it to some function, to blaze all the night.

It cost me ten bucks I remember that well, and every time I looked at it made me feel so swell Bull dared not wear it out and about.

Fling a little bling!

Making every day a very special occasion And wear those Rings and other special things!

Wear them all out!

Before you're no longer running about!

Colleen Carroll Hello My Name Is God

It was kept safely put away.

For some stately occasion.

I would be attending someday.

God is a child who believes what is told.

We are the temptation High-definition mirrors welcomed.

The years they came and they went as the tides do.

Many years passed on but of invitations there has been few.

In a draw in the dresser the ring rested atop, some beautiful things 1had been saving to wear, before the great last stop.

Stephen Belkin Classicide

But much as I'd like and much as I wish, an invitation never was presented to me on a silvery dish.

No gala events no special occasions, No reason to dress in my special digs.

So the special undies, and the fancy slips, the long white gloves and the sparkly tiara, that special night gown.

Too light for one sleeping under six inches of down.

With wool sox on their feet.

Wondering when someone special they would finally meet.

All of it just sat there.

When will I be wearing them?

I don't know.

But life passes one by quickly, so it's time to get on with the show.

It takes a li fetime for the free market to kill the poor.

It is a species of murder, nonetheless.

Are you earning a good living?

Do you know who you killed today?

Stephen Belkin

We're all in this together

So to the dentist I sauntered today all purple and bright.

With so much bling on me it was one godly sight!

But today I had somewhere to go, and I was determined to put on one hell of a show!

I'm inviting my friends for tea at our local tea shop.

Saying don all your bling, and until you've got on that tiara.

Don't stop!

All on pensions and long of tooth, Only a shadow of our selves in our youth.

But dreams we had and aspire we did.

For some of those glam impressions we wanted to give.

So get on with the show, it's about time we kicked up our heals and started to live.

Every day's is a bonus, a reason to celebrate its true.

Thinking of the alternative could make one quite blue.

So drag out those fancy things you've been storing.

Get them out and get yourself out and start soaring.

And Shout!

new solidarity c~oir for people who want to smg in support of labour and social justice

$60/10 weeks (nobody turned away) Tuesday Sept 23 - Tuesday Nov 25 7-8:30pm Strathcona Community Centre 601 Keefer info & registration: 604-713-183 8

THE UNDERCARD OF FREE SPEECH ... like wondering how many tonnes of birthday cards a year are added to already full landfills, or scoring that midnight shift at 7-11 wondering ' Is tonight the night we only get robbed or will someone enter wanting a Slushee & some made-to-order people to kill.

We actually have it better than some other places in this world .. like when did creation start was it from Darwin the Apostle's idea & pen or is there really a God&Jesus&the Devil all planning their kingdoms their nows & thens big choices for the new ones Welcome to reality little boys & girls, selling is believing said Satan to the businessmen Steal Rob Cheat & Destroy as many lives as you can .. like truce talks being used solely for the purpose of wiping away all the destruction and of course3 the dead so more can die just wipeaway the dead, like a two-million-dollar baseball player hitting his first home run in 3 years or keeping an eye on your very own world through a keyhole this is what you have accomp lished that & the oceanful of tears there are some people so helpless they can't even cry & wish themselves an out of the way place to lay their very much alive heads, some of these people cannot even afford any form of freedom of speech like a hyperactive kid's dentist they just love that tender drilling touch they'd rather be treated with needles & leaches yet under their breath their hatred for the Tooth Fairy profession consumes their

The Ray-Mur Mothers 43 years ago, a group of single mothers in an East Vancouver housing project carried out one of the most iconic and successful feats of direct action in Vancouver history, blockading and shutting down a ll rail traffic to the Port of Vancouver in a desperate measure to ensure their children's safety.

On Oct 29, a dramatized version of their inspiring story will premiere in a musical play, The Raymur

Mothers- They Wouldn't Take No For An Answer.'

Featuring 13 original songs, the play is brought to you by Theatre In The Raw, the same people who created Bruce-The Musical and Yippies In Love.

The show runs until November 9 at the Russian Hall 600 Campbell, as part of the 11th annual Downtow~

Eastside Heart of the City Festival.

For more information check theatre intheraw.ca. or heartofthecitvfestival.com.

thoughts a bit but freedom of speech shall become their goal, the hollow threads that keep the remembering things th ing alive,cannot & will not ever end with pure evil like beheading American journalist James Foley so many of us here who write or talk even thi nk our minds would never be able to go there expect to survive being within screaming distance is of no help as the grieving fami ly won't even have an open casket afterglow, like a D.T.E.S. all expenses paid trip to the Cayman Islands & beautiful sights sounds & Banks that's where all our tar mo ney seems to go now I may be crazy but if there is a Hell you'll be the one shovelling the snow like the devil emptying the collection plates what a selfishist with his 'J need your money to save you' lines, with Gaza Strip-tease in full bloom free speech is passed from devastated room to room so even more countries can fall to their knees is it in these primitive moments that just maybe the answers are there for us to find, like watching eleventeen commercials being interrupted by some crime show,. that's on once every week or showing your randorrl 路 loyalty with your ever-present fistful of flags choose your path it is time for all of you to speak put路 down your fists & put out your hand, all stupidity aside in so many other places everyone who's written a poem or story for the Carvegie Newsletter would get between I 0 and I 0,000 years in an unl it out of the way toilet they'd call a prison we' d be bargaining chips or beheaded or forced to sign a letter of lies betrayal & all sorts of omissions ,These storm-selling affliction finding underminded brainwashing soul butchering closing down the light people ... now if there is a god thank it cuz even though rem~ants of the above exist they wil l never stop me from writing nor remember ing about our rights our memories & our land.

By ROBERT McGILLIYRA Y

Dedicated to James Foley who put himself in harm's way to tell the rest of the world about injustice & tragically paying the ultimate price! 路

The Alumn i Group

FREE CLOTHING for Men & Women October 121h -;-Thanksgiving Sunday starting at 12 noon In front of The Dugout 59 Powell Street

Downtown Eastside Literacy Roundtable Update Members of the Downtown Eastside Literacy Roundtable a coalition of educators from the community, unde~stands literacy as having the knowledge, skills and confidence to participate fully in life. In the past . year the 50 volunteers involved with Carne~ie's Learning Centre, in collaboration with Cap!lano Untverstiy, have committed 8000 hours of their effort to support drop- in participants.

Some half of these folks require immediate literacy assistance to access government programs only available online; apply for jobs, prepare for trade programs analyze information and various other reasons to enable them to improve their ability to participate more fully in community life and activities.

1n June the Roundtable convened a meeting of representatives from 15 adult learning organizations to share information about recent cuts to adult education programs and the consequences of these for adult learners hoping to upgrade their literacy and language skills for the purposes of work, further education, high schoo l completion and community integration and participation. Three dominant themes emerged: the consequences of cuts to GED and ABE for access to trai ning and employment for adults; the implications of cuts to literacy and ESL in the context of shifting post-secondary institution mandates, and the broader policy context and consequences of these changes for adults with the lowest incomes and lowest levels of literacy on DTES who are most affected by these cuts.

Following this meeting, Literacy Roundtable member Dr Suzanne Smythe of the Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser.University compiled and edited "Policy changes and cuts to adult education programs in the lower Mainland, British Columbia: A situation report" which was subsequently submitted to the Ministry of Advanced Education. T his is an important indication of our concerns.

More recently, Roundtable members who represent both community-based organizations, secondary and post-secondary learning institutions and are instructors and programmers working directly with community members, convened Downtown Eastside Education Forum: navigating learning needs, challenges, innovations and opportunities to discuss the impact of low-literacy on low-income people's ability to continue their education. Support for this initiative came

from Raise-a-Reader which is currently raising funds, some of which will continue to support other projects in the DTES community.

On 18 September DTES Literacy Outreach Coordinator William Booth, along with two other LOC representatives from Vancouver, made a presentation to the Select Standi ng Committee on Finance and Government Services. This Committee had recommended to the Government in 20 13 to provide annual funding of$2.5 Million to Decoda Literacy Solutions, who fund our work. While the government delivered some of the recommended amount the short-fall of$.5 Million effects everything from healthcare, to employment to the economy as well as our ability to assist the community to participate in today's BC jobs Plan.

The LOC's thanked the Committee for its past support, and requested they again renew their recommendation to government.

Efforts are currently underway to update the Literacy Roundtable website (http://dteslit.ca) as well as the Downtown Eastside Learning and Training Services Quick Reference Guide which will occur during the last quarter of the year.

[This excellent report was submitted by William Booth]

CARNEGIE LEARNING CENTRE

OPEN HOUSE

THURSDAY OCTOBER FROM 11 AM - 1 PM I

2ND

COME AND CHECK OUT ALL THE GREAT THINGS WE OFFER IN THE LEARNING CENTRE: 1-0N-1 TUTORING IN ENGLISH & MATH ESL; ASL; COMPUTER INSTRUCTION; CRAFTS, GAMES, POETRY, STORYTELLING AND MUCHMORE

NEWSFROM OPPENHEIMER PARK DTESCOMMUNITIES BACK YARD

The 7th Annua Oppenheimer Pa-k Community Art Slow.

SCAV!ffil'[tER

(;'~89NrJ IJCJUNtJAf?lSS

AMAHUNJ~

At Galery Ga:hei (88 E. Cordova) Exhibition: Sept 13 -Oct 26, 2014 From September 13, 2014 throug, October 26, 2014, Oppenheimer Pa-k a1d Galery Ga:het a-e plea:a:l to pre99nt Crosing8oundcriesa Galery Ga:::het, a1 exhibition S"lolt\Ca5i ng crt\.wrksfrom Oppenheimer Pa-k rommunity. I nduded a-e pantings, draMngs, print, s::ulptures, ca-vings, mixed media a1d video Vl.{)rks. In cddition, the exhibition v-All unveil petite 80NHOMI'v!£(little fellow), dozens of snal paper ma:hedolls deroraed a1d panted throug, rommunity a-t IMlrkS1ops ct Oppenheimer Pa-k a1d Ca-necje Community Centre.

S:turday, 0 dober 4

Sepping Sones T hurs:1Cty'S 2:304:30pm

Sgn-up & Sa-t ct the 3rd Roor Galery <A:rnege SrninaRoom a Ca-necje Community Centre Come join uson a bet'v\001 1Oa-n~ pm journey of relf Scour the City to complete queS:ions heaing a1d relf ct>out public a-t and more! a:Nareness. Where Prizes: VI.€ v-A ll listen a1d *

..

1st Prize: $100 Opus Art &lpplies Gift Certificate 2nd Prize: Firehal par tickets & Old ~ajletti Fcdory Gift Certificcte ($90 Vaue)

ma-e our thoughts in a friendly, i nforma a1d nonjudgmenta forma.

For more informciion <bout v.hct'soppen'ing pleere ched< out our fa::ebook a1d bulletin boa-dsa the Ca-nege Community Centre.

l ~

<

FACES, PLAYERS, ARTISTS & DANCERS GOING FROM CARNEGIE CENTRE TO CROSSING BOUNDARIES ART SHOW

at OPPENHEIMER PARK!

supported anti-gay laws, homophobia and censoring the Internet.

Yet the U.S. government and its all ies are no saints either. Pinochet of Chile, Trujillo of the Dominican Republic, Videla of Argentina, Somoza ofN icaragua, Nguyen Cao Ky of South Vietnam, Mobutu of Zaire and Suharto of Indonesia are just some of the tyrants ~hat the U.S. government supported and helped keep tn power. Many of these people lined their pockets a mile wide and a ki lometre deep with cash wh ile crushing protest. ''He may be a son of a bitch," the usually prodemocratic U.S. president Franklin Delano Roosevelt said of the founder of the Somoza dynasty in Nicarag ua in the 1930'S. "But he's o ur son of a bitch.": Now as another Cold war is falling o n the world, it's time to take some of the anti-Russian propaganda with a grain of salt. The last Cold War left millions dead in Vietnam, Korea, Cambodia, southern Africa · and Latin America. Another Cold war could be just as deadly. It must be avo ided, Putin or not Putin.

By Dave Jaffe

The New Cold War- Part 2 It was February 2014. The pro-Russian president of the Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych fled the Ukraine to Russia. A massive anti-Russian uprising, funded in part by the United States government, threw him out of power. But then in response, Russian president Vladimir Putin sent troops into Crimea, an adjunct of the Ukraine and annexed it to Russia.

The Crimea at one time had belonged to Russia but in 1954, the Soviet Union's leader Nikita Kruschev had given it to the Ukraine. Crimea has a coastline on the Black Sea. Putin wanted a warm water port for the Russian fleet.

Now he had one.

At once the weste rn world went into a frenzy. The U.S. of A., strong ly s upported by Canada and Great Britain, slapped sanctions on Russia. The United States also forbade western firms to invest in o r do a ny trade with Russia.

A revolt soo n erupted in southeastern Ukraine. it was led by Russian-speaking rebels, based in the cities of Donetsk and Luhansk. They attacked Ukrainian troops and proclaimed, "We are independent of the Ukraine." As said before, Ukraine's western part is full of Ukrainian-speaking people. In the country's eastern part, most of the people speak Russ ian.

"Putin is behind this," one western media outlet after ano ther said. "He is a tyrant who wants to restore Russian power in Europe." This may be true s ince Putin has often lame nted the collapse of the Soviet Union and the shrinking of Russian power as a result.

Crimea's annexation, said some western leaders, is Putin's first step to restoring Russian power in Europe. The revo lt in the Ukraine is his second step.

When someone shot down a plane near Donetsk killing well over I 00 people. the western med ia went ballistic. Some med ia outlets blamed Putin for the deaths.

But let's ta lk some sense about all these anti-Putin, anti-Russian statements. True enough, Vladi mir Putin is a tyrant. He was a charter member of KGB. He has put protestors in prison, and forced NGO's o r NonGovernmental Organizations in Russ ia to be labelled as 'Foreign Agents' ..Massive fines have been slapped o n what the government calls 'Unauthorized Gatherings." They're in fact anti-Putin gatherings. Members of the anarchist band Pussy Riot were thrown into priso n for singing an anti-Puti n so ng. And Putin has

6th Annual H'Artsfor the Homeless A Fundraiser for the Lookout Society This gala fundraiser for will be a special evening of entertainment, live painting and inspi ration.

Through circus, music, stories, dance and art, the gala will highlig ht the deep sense of relief and hope that a stable, safe home provides. H'Arts celebrates joys, successes, unto ld strengths & stories of the residents, as well as the front-line workers who live and work at Lookout.

Experience art installations te lling the story of homelessness, delicious food, fantastic performers, live visual artists, a silent auction & of course, the live auction with comedian David C. Jones as auctioneer.

We are raising funds for the essential services and support necessary to bring solutions to homelessness in Greater Vancouver.

• • •

Date: Thursday, October 2, 2014 Time: Doors at 5:30pm I Event 6- 9:30pm Where: The Imperial, 3 19 Main St.,

* Valet parking avai lable (suggested $10 donation)

I

Tickets: $60

CANADIAN CENTRE FOR POLICY ALTERNATIVES Dear friends, This weekend the CCPA received a stunning show of solidarity from the academic community. As you may have heard in the news, almost five hundred university professors-across disciplines and across the countrysigned onto an open letter defending our "internationally respected" intellectual work, and called for an end to what appear to be politically motivated audits of charitable organizations in Canada.

These audits-conducted by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)-have disproportionately targeted charitable organizations critical of federal government policies, especially those to do with energy and pipelines. T he CCPA is among the charities targeted.

Since October 2013 we have been forced to divert resources from our policy work in order to comply with the most intrusive audit we have ever experienced-and there's no end in sight.

Through an Access to Information request, we have teamed that the dec ision to initiate a political audit ofCCPA was based on an accusation that our work is "biased," and "one-s ided" but as the academics' open letter explains, "researchers explore spec ific questions of interest, and then present the results oftheir research. Reaching a conclusion is not the same as bias." The letter continues: It [CCPA] may reach a different set of conclusions from those ofthe government, but then, th is is allowed in a free-thinking, democratic country. On the contrary, we would argue, that such dissent should be encouraged and not stifled by such actions of the CRA. At the CCPA, our job is to conduct research, and provide well-reasoned analysis of policies and programs relating to social, economic and environmental issues. That often means being critical of government decisions. Our recent analysis of the teachers' strike (including pieces by Marc Lee, Iglika lvanova and Seth Klein-based on our research into provincial budgets, tax structures and funding for education and other public services-is a strong example of that.

Nationally, recent CCPA studies have exposed how federal income splitting tax proposals will increase inequal路 ity, the government's reckless military procurement policies (notably regarding the purchase of F-35 jet fighters), and the regulatory failures behind the Lac-Megantic rail disaster-to name a few We are concerned about what these audits mean for the future-not just for our own work, but. fo r open discourse in this country.

That said, we are incredibly g rateful for this show of support for the academic community- it was unexpected, and such a pleasant surprise. With people like this standing up for the future of open democratic debate, we're confident that we'll get through these tough times.

If yo u' d like to support the CCPA as we push forward, please consider a making a donation. Our success in becoming this country's leading progressive think tank happened thanks, first and foremost, to the contributions of people like you. Chip.in now, and demonstrate that even threats like this audit can't weaken us.

With hope, Seth Klein (BC Director, CCPA) and Bruce Campbell (Executive Director, CCPA)

Violence at the Empress I was having a quiet glass at the local. It was "happy hour" -go in' home time .. L 'heure bleu ...

Near the door a commotion broke out. Two friends, one female & one feri1ale started yelling and hitting quelle surprise! The odd couple were both singers and maybe had a common life experience?

It took several ot~er females to keep them apart. The

bartender, Michelle, has a great Vulcan nerve pinch.

When the two were ejected the customers returned to their desultory talk.

No more floor show. The Francophones next to me were especially disappointed: Not like back home not even one shiv.

The Latino continued to play Santana & Los Lobos I left precipitously, secretly scared.

Wilhelmina

401 Main Street, Vancouver V6A 2T7 604-665-2289

THIS NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION Articles represenbt the views of individual contributors and not of ~he Association.

WANTED Artwork for the Carnegie Newsletter

Small illustrations to accompany articles and poetry.

Cover art - Max size: 17cm(6.7")wide x 15cm(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 Volunteer Tickets.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world . Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Meade We acknowledge that Carnegie Community Centre, and this Newsletter, are occurring on Coast Salish Territory.

~ext issu e: SUBMISSION DEADLINE

MONDAY OCTOBER 13TH

Jenny Wai Ching Kwan MLA Working for You 1070 - 1641 Commercial Dr, VSL 3Y3 Pbone: 604-775-0790

Please make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor.

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Vancouver Community Network Cost-effective computer & IT support for non-profits VCN Tech Team http://techteam.vcn.bc.ca Call 778-724-0826 ext2. 705-333 Terminal Ave, Van (Publication is possible only with now-necessary donations.)

DONATIONS 2014 Elsie McG.-$100 Robert McG.-$100 Savannah -$100 Margaret D.-$40 Leslie S.-$175 Dave J.-$19 Sharon J.-$35 Christopher R.-$100 Bob & Muggs -$300 Sharman W.-$76 Michele C.-$100 Carnegie Seniors Sllflport Group -$300 Catherine C.-$100 Yukiko T.-$30 Vancouver Moving Theatre -$100 Downtown East Village Pride -$50 Maxine B -$21 to honour poet N Benson Terry~

_J.

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WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION -AIDS .

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