October 1, 2006, carnegie newsletter

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OCTOBER 1, 2006

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---· NEWSLETTER 401 Main Sl, Vancouver V6A 2T7 •

$13,000,000,000

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thirteen billion dollars

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WWW.£amnews.orx camnews@vcn. bc.ca -

604-665-2289

When instructing or helping people who display no morals, you may have to hit them with a hammer. If that doesn't work, hit them with a sledgehammer · ·· .

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those suffering most from the effect~ of all th~ maneuvers to get money and power into criminals - for panhandling, living on the street, existing on welfare but only being able to survive through illegal activities, ignoring the medical, fiscal and moral impera• tives that demand attention from sane, consciencedriven people (no 2-tiered health care, livable welfare rates, a minimum wage high enough to help people keep their heads above water, decent & affordable housing, free education, whole foods and a healthy environment, a limit on the accumulation of personal wealth, fairness, ... ).

To which the Gordon Campbells and Stephen Harpers and George Dubya Bushs (meaning their corporate puppet-masters and the invisible, shadow governments behind them) just say "Bu//shit," or even "Screw you Jack 'cause everything belongs to us and is ours to do as we please - by Divine Right!"

When power comes to the insane, self-righteous pretensions multiply, arrogance begets amorality and the resulting injustice spreads, affecting more and more of us.

Every so often someone comments on there being a theme in an issue of the Carnegie Newsletter. Such a pattern is not sought out or arranged beforehand; the submissions - what is most on individual contributors' minds - are taken at face value and arranged in the pages so as not to overload readers on one issue. Sometimes it works out, sometimes not ..

There is a perpetual display of amorality in our society - from the streets of the Downtown Eastside to City Hall to the two jokes passing for government and governors in Victoria and Ottawa. It can be equated with the sky-licking greed of humans but also reflects class bias and the eternal blaming of others by the bureaucratic aristocracies who parasitically perpetuate this amorality. .

In plain language, the continual cuts to programs and services, the obvious giveaways to the already wealthy, the class bias blatant in many rightwing Christian and religious ministrations, putting the ·boots to poor people and Aboriginal nations, making

Stephen Harper just took over $13 billion in surplus funds, stolen from Unemployment Insurance and transfer payments to provinces meant for health care and social programs (welfare, housing, etc.) by the last 3 Liberal governments, and given it to the transnationals that own our banks and debt. He goes on to slam women's services & agencies across the land to return them to much more vulnerable, dangerous circumstances and simultaneously cuts the few options that the non-elite have to challenge this in court. The media and money are giving him a good perch in this dog 'n pony show while millions of people have to take the consequences in the teeth.

Harper and fellow hacks have likely been assured of another stint in government by those in control but, to the wealth & power interests behind things (it's referred to as the military-industrial complex in

the States), it's mostly irrelevant who sits in the prime minister's seat.

Thankfully we have Libby Davies to void the easyto-believe statement that "All politicians are crooks and liars shilling for their bosses." Then again, Libby (and Ellen and maybe even Jenny) see themselves as community activists, not politicians. Whew The young take offense when immediate problems are not addressed by elected officials. Sometimes it's hard for those who already know ' everything' to learn anything, and not just repeat what hasn' t or doesn't work.

When Gordon Campbell·and cohorts took over in Victoria, after almost 10 years of media having obli-

gatory anti-NDP coverage every day, they cut, slashed and burned so much of our social structure that people were feeling helpless in the face of such a brutal onslaught. Every dollar, every dime that could be squeezed out of programs and services whose worth was demonstrated year after year has been going into the pockets of the already wealthy via gimmicks like wholesale giveaways of natural resources (Hydro, BC Rail, etc.) and, of course, the Olympics. The reality of homelessness and all the consequent effects of his war on poor people are ignored or just shrugged off as collateral damage -

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much like the us economy's creation of tens of f thousands of bag ladies for no intentioned purpose or reason. (In Calcutta such women go around aH day with a huge sombrero piled with straw on their heads and roll all the animal dung shit out on the streets and in alleys into small cakes to start fires with when ·dry. At the end of the day they can sell the entire load for 5 rupees- maybe 50 cents.)

Sam Sullivan has reacted to the increased homelessness and poverty of thousands of people, directly caused by Campbell and cronies, by saying it's all their (sic) fault and the only way to fight it is to put all petty law-breakers in jail (the infamous "broken windows" thing already proven to be a crap deal).

In the Downtown Eastside the selling of land & buildings for the almost exclusive purpose of putting up extremely expensive condos and attending highpriced lifestyle amenities goes on like a juggernaut while any call for social housing and inclusion of the current low-income communities is decried as bleeding-heart stupidity. Bullshit words like "Progress" and development and co-opted terms like "co- opera tion "and " consultation" are used with impunity.

The nerve of some people!

One of the hidden rules of government is that it must provide many opportunities for people to fail, and to feel guilty about the apparent failure. In all of the above machinations, the implied message is that "You can't stop us so don't even try." and "Thou shalt not question." But we do. We question everything that doesn't feel right. This is our moral sense that the so-called elite just can't stop.

"To be truly radical one must make hope possible rather than despair convincing."

ByPAULR TAYLOR

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Homelessness could triple in time for Olympics Pivot news release: Vancouver's homelessness crisis is about to get a lot worse Wlless immediate action is taken, according to Pivot Legal Society'& new report, Cracks in the Foundation: Solving the

Housing Crisis in Canada's Poorest Ne!gh~ourhood.

"If we continue to lose low-cost housmg m the Downtown Eastside at the current rate, we can expect to be coping with at least three times the number of people living on Vancouver's streets by the time the world arrives for the 2010 Olympics," states lead report author and lawyer David Eby. "We can't afford this kind of increase in homelessness. We are currently spending $51 million dollars per year to maintain people on the street. Governme?t calc~la­ tions show it would be much less expenstve to stmply build new supportive housing."

The report, based on 160 affidavits collected from Downtown Eastside residents in housing crisis as well as documents obtained through Freedom of Information requests, is the product of 18 months of research and the work of more than 50 volWlteers and staff. It documents the looming low-income housing shortage facing Vancouver and shows the shocking conditions of existing low-income housing in the Downtown Eastside.

Linus Malik, a resident of one of the Downtown Eastside hotels, describes the chronic bedbug infestation that plagues so many of the residents. "I have bed bugs in my bed, and other people have told me they have bed bugs too. I told the manager, and they

told me it was my problem. They were very rude about it. They own the mattress and box-spring, so I _ can't throw it out." ' Despite the grim findings of the report, Eby states there are many opportunities for action. "We could . start today by cleaning up instead of closing down low-cost housing. The city has the legal power to go into residential hotels and lodging houses, make the repairs itself and bill the landlord. We need to main.; tain what we have, and take immediate steps to reach the city's housing goal of 800 low-income ' housing units per year."

The report outlines a number of routes for addressing the housing shortage, such as creating market incentives for developers to incorporate low-income housing into new developments, increasing welfare she.lter allowances, and sweeping changes to the Residential Tenancy Act.

2007 BC budget must tackle poverty and homelessness Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives news release: Amid rising public concern about poverty and homelessness, the provincial government is being urged to adopt a comprehensive anti-poverty strategy in its next budget. "With a surplus that is likely to pass the $4 billion mark next year, there is no reason why we can't address the growing problem of poverty amidst plenty," says Marc Lee, CCPA-BC's Senior Economist.

Lee and CCPA-BC Director Seth Klein will appear before the legislature's finance committee today as part of its Budget 2007 Consultation process.

Their submission calls on the province to invest $2.3 billion in new anti-poverty measures in 2007/08 which would use up about half of an anticipated $4.4 billion surplus (based on realistic estimates of economic growth and provincial revenues). The money would be spent on: *A 50% increase in welfare rates. For people without disabilities, rates are 20-26% lower, after inflation, than they were in the mid-90s. For people with disabilities, they are 12.5% lower than in the mid-90s. Rates should also be indexed to inflation. * Changes to the welfare eligibility rules and ap-

plication process that would result in fewer people in need being denied or discouraged from assistance, making them less likely to end up on the street. *.Creating post-secondary training and education opportunities for welfare recipients to improve their long-term wage prospects and employment security. * Implementing a comprehensive Early Learning and Child Care program. * 2,000 new social housing units per year beginning in 2007/08. * A major expansion of community health care services in the areas of mental health and addictions. * Restored funding for women's centres and poverty and family law legal aid. * Enhanced family supports through the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

"There is nothing inevitable about poverty in a province as wealthy as BC," says Seth Klein. " We can choose to substantially reduce poverty before we host the Olympics, but our government must show it has the vision and the will to do it."

"Taking Action on Poverty:" CCPA Submission to the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services," is available at www.policyalternatives.ca.

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HeUo. My name is ~aren Godson. I am a local dog groomer/trainer who also happens to be a part of Make Poverty History. I am planning a special event in October to coincide with the Stand Up Against Poverty campaign and I would like to share it with as many [Toronto] dog owners as possible.

There are a lot of things to still be done but I' m op- . timistic that it will be a huge success.

The Toronto Humane Society is setting up an educational table to teach about the impact of poverty on pet ownership. The Daily Bread food bank has been invited to host a resource table. I'm in the process of arranging free bottled water and free dog and cat food and treat samples to be donated for the day.

Jack Layton and his family, June Callwood, Bob Geldof, Mark Kingwell and Stephen Lewis have been encouraged to attend with their dogs. I am not asking anyone specific to speak but to simply come and enjoy the day and possibly bring some extra attention to the issue of global poverty.

This is all very last minute and I have no budget.

Volunteer speakers, clean-up crew, entertainers, . shutterbugs etc. will be most welcomed.

Being the groomer for Ann Rohmer's(City TV News) dog, I have asked Ann to assist me in promoting the picnic on her Animal House Calls show. The "Paws Against Poverty" dog picnic will feature a dog Halloween costume contest, prettiest/most handsome dog contest, best trick, etc. and will offer dog owners a chance to get out and make a difference. Contest prizes will be donated by local pet businesses.

THINK GLOBALLY-ACT LOCALLY... Placed throughout the [Toronto] park will be Pet Food donation drop-boxes. The food collected wi11 be given to the food bank so that it can be distributed to low and no-income pet owners. Beside those boxes will be drop boxes for non-perishable foods that I will Homeless Shelter nearby. take to the I'd like to personally invite everyone at PovNet to attend this picnic with their dogs and be part of the Guinness World Record that will change lives.

The picnic MUST take place on the 15th of October in order to coincide with other Stand Up Against Poverty events around the world. I hope you see you there!

uear .t•nends,

27/9/06

The massive cuts just announced in Ottawa- $1 Bill ion - are widespread and brutal, hitting everything from youth programs, to arts, to court challenges programs, literacy programs, Aboriginal, workplace skills, to medical marijuana research.

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I am seeking information and response if any of these cuts affect your services and programs in the community, or people you provide services to.

Federal NDP starts anti-poverty tour at Carnegie

Please Jet me know: - have you been cut?

-how much?

- what's the impact?

-if you haven't been directly cut, will other cuts in federal programs affect and impact what you can do?

The federal NDP wants the government to end poverty. They've begun a cross-Canada tour to listen to people ·who want poverty to end and they started their tour right here in Carnegie on Sept. 22.

Our own Member of Parliament, Libby Davies, was there, along with Tony Martin, the NDP Member of Parliament from Sault Ste. Marie. Martin is also the NDP's social issues critic.

Libby welcomed people from about 30 mostly Downtown Eastside groups and then Martin spoke about how poverty is increasing in Canada and the Conservatives aren't doing anything about it. He said, "Poor-bashing has infiltrated public policy."

Then people from the different organizations spoke about what the NDP should work for: increasing funding to community groups and making it stable; naming the groups that are most affected by poverty like Aboriginal people, women and people of colour; bringing back national standards for we·lfare so provinces will have to give welfare to people in need and make the amount adequate; getting the federal government to restore the national housing program. We also talked about how the NDP shouldn't be afraid to speak out about poverty like most politicians are, and thanked the two politicians for doing just that, and we asked them to try to pressure the provincial NDP to speak out about poverty.

Martin said the NDP will introduce a bill in Parlia..ment about poverty. In Newfoundland, Quebec and Ireland governments have brought in anti• poverty strategies that are working. · --Jean Swanson

Please offer any feedback and comment, as I want to assess, quickly, the impact in our community to begin a campaign to fight these cuts.

Please email your comments to daviel1 @parl.gc.ca or feel free to phone my office at 604.775.7800.

Thank you!

Sincerely, Libby Davies, MP (Van-East) •

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A Child Hurts

Alone she crys, no one to hear And if they did they wouldn't care.

Tender is her heart.

So hard to live in this world So harsh are the words she heal'S every day. No hugs.

Now she is grown and the pain is more than she can bear.

No one to hug ... only drugs Alone a child crys; no one hears.

Alone a woman dies; no one sheds a tear.

Kelly

-I~ the public this fall.

When we present to the Standing Committee on September 26, which will take place at I 0:20 AM at the Coast Canadian Inn, we will be discussing the critical issues facing the KWRC and other Women's Centres across the province.

Kamloops Won;ten's Resource Centre forced to close its doors Tomorrow, the Kamloops Women's Resource Centre (KWRC) will be presenting to the BC Select Standing Committee on Finance and Govemmeqt Services. At that time, we will be discussing our situation as an organization, as part <?four submission to the Committee.

The KWRC has struggled hard to keep going after the BC Government cut I 00% of operating funding to BC's Women's Centres on March 31,2004. This funding was relatively small - $47, 174 - but repre- · sented more than half of the KWRC's budget and was the only source of operating funding available to Women's Centres.

The KWRC has been in existence in Kamloops since 1979. Prior to the cut to core funding, the KWRC provided direct service to nearly 3,000 women and girls per year. These services included information and referral, one-to-one support, crisis intervention, support groups, advocacy, and many others. Services were specifically tailored to the needs of women accessing the KWRC - women most often brought issues of experiencing violence, poverty, homelessness, and discrimination through our doors.

Without stable, secure funding, the KWRC has found it more and more difficult to provide these essential, women-centred services to the community.

We have reduced staff from 2.5 to l, and reduced our operating hours from 4 full time days to 2 hal( days. The bulk of the work is now being done via the unpaid labour of women. Additionally, without core funding to pay for the basic costs of operating an organization and maintaining a facility, we are without the foundation necessary to secure project funding that might allow us to engage in other work in Kamloops, such as reducing overall violence and discrimination, or engaging in community develop• • • • ment lllittattves.

This means we will be forced to close our doors to

I think it's time for women to rise up and defend ourselves, the attacks on us have gone too far ... NAC or no NAC we can't lie down and just take it anymore ... ! don't want my daughter and granddaughter to have to fight to get back to where we were a decade ago! (which was stiJI nowhere near equality) Time has passed for being polite about our increasing oppression. Women of means and with access to power should think hard about the violations visited upon poor women and get active.. or else all women wiJJ fmd themselves back in the dark ages of pure patriarchy very soon ....

Solidarity now, Josephine Grey

The Editor, The Globe and Mail Dear Editor,

27/9/2006

One doesn't have to be an aboriginal person to be personally offended and shocked by RCMP Commissioner Zaccardelli's recent comment that "Our history is one of making things right"' . He would have been more accurate if he had used the phrase "making things white".

The RCMP is responsible for the forcible conquest of the land we call Canada, and the displacement and death of untold aboriginal men, women and children, including in the church-run "Indian Residential Schools". Was such colonial terrorism by RCMP officers part of"making things right", in Zaccardelli's opinion?

It's high time we Euro-Canadians discovered and admitted our real history of colonial violence and conquest. Maybe then, we might be able to actually make "things right".

Rev. Kevin Annett

UBC HUMANITIES 101 Carnegie Public Lecture Series 7-9pm- 3rd Floor Friday, September 29 Thomas Merton Society

HUMANITIES 101 COMMUNITY READING & STUDY GROUPS Everyone welcome .

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Friday, October 6 Am Johal- Humanities 101 Trauma, Transition and Social Change Friday, October 13 Jean Swanson - Carnegie Action Project Government Policy in the Downtown Eastside Friday, October 20 Mike Bruce The GVRD and the Downtown Eastside Friday, October 27 Clint Burnham - Hearts of Darkness: Conrad and the Eastside .

As part of Humanities 101, Reading groups wil_l be beginning at the end of S~ptember o_n the followmg topics. Everyone is welcome, there is no preregistration or pre-requisites~equired- just sh~w up at the group that interests you. Every group wtll meet in the third floor classroom of the Carnegie Centre at Main & Hastings.

Please contact hum 101 @interchange.ubc.ca ifyou have any further questions.

Reading the City: Contemporary Vancouver Literature Start Date: Sunday October 1st, 12-2pm Social Movements &Class Conflict in British Colum· bia Start Date: Sunday October 1st, 2-4pm Creative Writing Response and American Literature Start Date: Sunday October 1st, 4-6pm Current Events Start Date: October 15th, 2-4pm Nutrition th Start Date: Saturday September 30 , 2-4 pm Tracing our Personal History Start Date: Saturday September 30th, 12-2pm

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News from the Library New Books: First some Canadian history in comic book form with Lois Riel: A Comic Strip Biography. Solid history in an easily digestible form. Look for this title in the graphic novel section right next to my office. For those of you scrapping with the man, how -about the bestselling Your Guide to Canadian Law (349.71). ... StreetCities: Rehousing the Homeless (362.5) caught my eye. This book follows the development of . an alternative housing project for chronically '

Medical Pandemics and Our World History Start Date: October 14th, 4-6pm

homeless in the big T.O. Community building is also the topic of In Their Own Voices: Building Urban Aboriginal Communities (305.89).

For the chess enthusiasts in our midst how about Devious Chess: How to Bend the Rules and Win (794.1) Finally, for masters of the hot plate might I suggest The Really, Truly, Honest-To-Goodness One-Pot Cookbook (641.82) I also wanted to remind everybody that I am your libr~an. I am here to minister to your information needs. Please come bother me in my office whenever you need library help.

MarkKoep

New Theatre Program at the Carnegie <t

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the purple thistle will be hosting yet another free animation course!

This is the third of a series of free·workshops organized by Rickie Lea Owens and Stephen Wichuk which promote and facilitate the making of cartoons! Self motivated people of all ages/walks of life are welcome to participate--- no previous experience with the medium is necessary The course will introduce.participants to some basic principles and considerations of animation through screenings, 2 small optional assignments, technical demos, a resource library, guest presentations, group and one-on-one critiques, a main selfdirected project and finally an outside screening to present the works completed (or in progress)!!

You will also enjoy the wondrous facilities of the Thistle which include a 'zine library, computer lab (armed to the teeth with software), line tester, light table, sound·recording statioh, screening room and more! We will have free animation paper and peg bars and each person will receive a mini DV tape to archive their work.

The course is 6 weeks in length starting: Sunday OCT 7 and running every Tues (6-9pm)*, and Sunday (l-4pm) until Tuesday NOV 14 * we will be running paraiJel to an experimental film class which deals with shooting and hand processing Super 8116mm film The course will be held at the Purple Thistle Youth Arts/Activism Centre located@ 260-975 Vernon Dr http://www.purplethistle.ca/

Space is limited to 12 REGISTER SOON leave a message for Stephen: 604 872 0301 or email: videohymn@hotmail.com Sponsored by: Neighbourhood Small Grants Program 2006 Downtown Eastside & Strathco·na

Under the direction of Jay Hamburger, The Theatre Program has been an invaluable element of arts programming at Carnegie Centre for over six years.

Beginning with early days productions like Room for Rent 'Yf'itten and performed by workshop participants, to a number of one-night presentations in the Carnegie theatre of original works in progress and including the 13 Carnegie Radio Plays written, performed and broadcast over Co-Op Radio by over 65 participants, the focus of the workshops has, and continues to be, primarily on writing and developing specific scenes and plays for the theatre.

A core of participants has turned out plays that have been produced over a period of time, benefiting from the opportunity to expand their skills. Many have gone on to numerous productions within and outside the Carnegie, Downtown Eastside neighbourhood, moving into participating with both non-professional and professional theatre production work within the Vancouver theatre scene.

The commitment to the theatre workshops continues to be strong from both a staff and Carnegie Associa· tion perspective. After years of involvement, there has been a wish expressed by a number of participants to the workshop as well as by staff to renew and refresh the program. Consequently we have designed a new program starting in November 2006.

The new program will focus on skills other than writing for the next year because there have been several opportunities for community writers to become involved in projects. There are many other theatre related skills that patrons have asked to be given opportunities to learn.

Therefore Jay Hamburger will offer an acting workshop beginning in Nov. 2006 for 8 to 12 weeks. This will focus on acting skills and use material drawn from already completed scripts by DTES workshop participants as well as other well-known and not so well-known theatre writers. In the spring of2007 we will present a set and costume design course also running for 8 to 12 weeks. Depending on the feedback and needs assessed after that workshop we will organize acting or theatre related workshops in Sept 2007. .

The hope is to present three theatre oriented wor shops of 12 week duration per year.

Carnegie Arts Program

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Sam Sullivan: news-op mayor

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. A headline in the BC section of the September 22 Globe and Mail declared, "Homelessness expected to triple." The article results from a report released by the Pivot Legal Society stating that the number c homeless people in Vancouver h expected to triple by the year 2010, the year that the winter Olympics come to Vancouver. It has already been noted that . the number.of homeless has doubled from 2002 to 2005, from 628 to 1,291, due to the Provincial Liberals' policies. Now this latter number is expected to triple in four years. !flat means it will rise six times from 2002 to 2010.

"Rich Coleman, minister responsible for BC Housing, is expected to make an announcement on this issue within the next two weeks [i.e., from Sept. 22 to Oct. 6]."

There was a net loss of 400 housing units in the Downtown Eastside between 2002 and 2005. Last year, the city of Vancouver said it needed a net increas~ of 800 units per year to meet current demand.

Only 270 units for low-income people are scheduled to be built by 2008 . . Pivot singled out provincial welfare payments as the major cause of homelessness.

Mayor Sam Sullivan said that he has seen the report and agrees with its findings. "I think it is outrageous that people are living on the street. Some of the living conditions of some of our most vulnerable people is a civic, provincial, and national shame."

Strange words from the mayor who had just instituted a crackdown policy on the homeless. According to a previous article in the Vancouver Sun, the mayor planned to introduce a "broken windows" policy in Vancouver to deal with "street disorder."

This amounted to a crackdown on the homeless between August 14 and September 8.

Margaret Prevost, as recorded in the September 15 issue of The Carnegie Newsletter, wrote to Sam Sullivan on September 5 protesting "fascist" police tactics, nam~ly, their·stealing homeless people total ~~as~&Jm.F~J~c~ ~fAA'ke

officers did not wear badges with identifying numbers, and were· rude, aggressive, and intimidating, implying that it was their right (when of course it

wasn't) to rip off the street people's belongings.

It _ seems as if Sam Sullivan is as two-faced as Gordon CampbelJ, another politician with a lessthan-stellar record for dealing with the poor, when it comes to practicing policy and news ops in papers.

According to the report, it costs up to $40,000 per year to provide support services to the homeless. It costs from $22,000 to $28,000 per year to provide housing for the homeless. It doesn't even make economic sense to allow homelessness to continue.

(Even if it did, the issue of social justice would trump that idea.)

The report recommends that government: 1) actively protect, maintain, and improve lowincome housing stocks, 2) adjust welfare rates to provide proper living standards, 3) create a better residential tenancy dispute resolution process, 4) allocate funding to meet the required 800 additional units of low-income housing per year, 5) create market incentives for businesses an~ de: velopers to build additional low-income housmg m new developments. . By Rolf Auer

Homeless Nation Vancouver will be offering work-

shops every Thursday from 1-4 in The Learning Centre on the third floor of The Carnegie Centre.

If you would like to learn to work with video and audio to record your thoughts, poems, stories and songs and then broadcast it on the world wide web, then come out for a workshop and get involved.

Homeless Nation provides the tools (cameras and micro_phone~ to work to.,gether with the communi~ so that individuals can create their own media about what's happening in their lives and communities.

Hope to see and hear from you soon.

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Carnegie Community Action Project (CC-AP)

Newsletter October 1, 2006

Province to announce new ousing plans As homelessness grows in the DowntoWn Eastside, Rich Coleman, the BC Minister in charge of housing, says he will announce a new housing strategy beforeOctober 5th.

But, judging from comments made by Coleman at a meeting with people from the Carnegie Community Action Project and Pivot on Sept. 21, it looks like the new plan will be too little, too late.

Coleman wouldn't give any details of his strategy, but dropped a few hints: • Rent supplements will be part of it; • He wants to increase the density of housing on parcels of land that are currently owned by BC Housing or non profit housing providers; • He will probably encourage the building of some new housing, probably small suites around 200 sq. ft., and maybe by the private sector.

Coleman claims the government doesn't have much money for housing even though it has a budget surplus, according to the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, of $2.8 billion this year and $3.9 billion next year.

It would only take about $120 million to build 800 units of affordable housing •

that the city says it needs per year until 2010. But buildings take about 3 years from conception to completion. The Downtown Eastside has about 270 units slated for completion in 2009 but nothing for 2006,2007,2008, or 2010.

With . about 400 SRO units per year being lost to low income Downtown Eastside residents, we need immediate building to prevent more homelessness.

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Tourism reps meet with CCAP "Society has failed a whole bunch of people." That's what Jim Storie, chair of Tourism Vancouver, told a group from the Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) on Sept. gth. CCAP had asked for the meeting after numerous news stories about how people in the tourism industry are upset with panhandling, homelessness, and what they call "street disorder." "With the right package," said Storie, "We could go to government and say 'do something.'"

That's precisely what CCAP wants the tourism industry to do. We told ~torie and Stephen Regan, Manager of Destination Development of Tourism Vancouver, that the "something" government should do is build 800 units of new housing a year in Vancouver and the Downtown Eastside, raise welfare rates 50%, and erid the barriers that are keeping people in need from getting on welfare and making them homeless. If that happened, CCAP said, people wouldn't need to panhandle, search the garbage for food, or sleep in the streets.

The two tourism officials seemed at least partly open to our message. "Tourism is vulnerable. It's the canary in the mine," said Regan. "You can't fix street level disorder unless you work on the other stuff." "It's a crisis that's gotten worse," said Storie. We can't allow this to happen."

Tourism Vancouver intends to consult . with other groups and come up with a package that they can take to the three levels of government. While some of the things said at the meeting were positive, it seemed clear that the business group is also looking for ways to "change the behavior" of street people. In addition, they seemed fearful that panhandlers are abusing the system, saying they knew a panhandler who lived in a condo and took skiing vacations.

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NDP welfare critic says he'll help.push for · welfare chang~s ''I will do everything possible to stand with you and raise this issue." That's what Jagrup Brar, the NDP critic for the Ministry of Employment and Income Assistance, told a group of people at a meeting of Raise the Rates on Sept. 26th. The Carnegie Community Action Project is a member of Raise the Rates which is trying to get governments to raise welfare rates by 50 %, end the barriers to getting on welfare for people in need; allow everyone on welfare to keep the first $500 they earn, and raise minimum wage to at least $1 0 an hour.

Brar' s comment followed a passionate presentation by Dave Jaffe, Sheila Paterson, Rebecca Signor and Emily Mayne of Raise the Rates on why the provincial government should implement the four demands.

Brar said that the NDP was already committed to restoring the old earnings exemption ($1 00 for singles and $200 for families), increasing the welfare rate for people with persistent multiple barriers (PPMB) by 20%, and building 1200 new social housing units. But that was their commitment when they were elected. He promised more, now that there is a large budget surplus, but didn't give a specific commitment to increasing welfare by 50%.

Brar did say that the NDP was in favour of getting rid of the 3 week wait for welfare and the 2 year independence test.

Could you live on $6 a day?

Lotte & scone: S6

Single ·employable· adults on welfare rece1ve $510/ month 1$325 for shelter and $ 185 for all other living expenses. w hich amounts to about $6 a day I.

RAISE THE RATES YOU CAN TAKE ACTION TO REDUCE POVERTY IN BC • www.raisetherates.org I 604-729 -2380

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Pressure mounting to raise welfare rates -

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In the last month there's been a flwzy of activity educating the public about .the need to increase welfare rates and pushing the government to do that. Here's a partial list: *Kamloops city council passed motion to lobby the province for higher rates after receiving a letter signed by five medical health officers of the Interior Health Authority; *Carnegie folks met with Tourism Vancouver who seemed interested in welfare rates and barriers but no commitments; *Paul Taylor and Lisa David gathered signatures for the Raise the Rates petition at Word on the Street last month; *Carnegie's own Bob Sarti got a letter in the Sun about poverty and the need to recall the legislature to deal with it. *Lou Vodnak made a presentation to Carnegie's Learning Centre party about Raise the Rates. *All six members of Burnaby council's social issues committee agreed to support Raise the Rates 4 demands but asked their staff to rewrite the motions, to be considered by Burnaby Council probably in late October; *The BC Association of Social Workers joined Raise the Rates campaign; *The Anglican Church in the Lower Mainland sent out Raise the Rates posters and leaflets to over 100 parishes and churches; â&#x20AC;˘

â&#x20AC;˘

*"The Price is not Right," Carnegie's skit about the need to increase welfare rates, was performed again at Art against Brutality and the Women's Centre street party last ~onth and another perfonnance is scheduled for Oct 22 at a Unitarian Church; *A Commercial Drive group is doing their own skit about poverty for a church at 1st and Salsbury; *The Vancouver and District Labour Council passed a resolution on welfare, minimum wage, and printed 500 more Raise the Rates posters; *The Persons with Aids fundraising walk last month was leafletted by Lou Black who also gathered signatures on the Raise the Rates petitions. â&#x20AC;˘

4

JobPostine- Community

Organizer Carnegie Community Action Project. (CCAP)

· September 24, 2006

Purnose of the Position: Provide leadership in the DTES community in developing actions which will lead to increased housing and income security for low income DTES residents.

Responsibilities: Reporting to the CCAP Committee at Carnegie and clearing activities with the co-ordinator of the Carnegie Action Project. CCAP is a project of the Carnegie Community Centre Association. · The Community Organizer will: · I. Build alliances with community partners, 2.

Coordinate visioning workshops to develop a conceptual plan for a low-income friendly community, 3.

Identify areas of research necessary to further the development of meaningful solutions, 4.

Present concrete solutions to the housing crisis based on community input, research, and policy and . . program alternatives developed locally and in other jurisdictions, 5.

Organize and/or participate in community response to emerging housing and low income issues, 6.

Develop a local, national and international public awareness strategy regarding homelessness and the low income housing crisis, 7, Write reports to funders and public documents for the community, 8.

Represent CCAP at public and political meetings.

Qualifications:

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Experience: YJorking in community groups and coalitions; Facilitating workshops; Media/communications Developing campaign for community change Research on housing, income, and/or planning issues Good people skills Ability to work in a team and on own, and with a community board Excellent verbal and written communication skills Ability to use computer for research, emails, formatting .

Website design experience an asset

Conditions ofContract: This is a two year contract, working four days per week, beginning November 1, 2006 and ending October 31, 2008. Salary is $40,000 per year plus employer's contribution for El, CPP etc. and including four weeks vacation.

The CCAP will continue to seek funds to keep the work of the project moving forward after that date.

•

Please submit resumes with a half-page essay on the causes of homelessness and two references who are familiar with your work by Oct. 15th to: Jean Swanson, Coordinator, Carnegie Community Action Project · 401 Main Street, Vancouver, BC V6A 2T7

Or by email to swancam@vcn.bc.ca

'

DOWNTOWN

DEYAS Needle Exchange Van Schedule

EASTSIDE YOU Til ACTIVITIES SOCIETY

Telephone (604) 657-6,61 AM Van 7:00am. 5:00pm (on the road l•m·4pnt) PM Van 4:00pm • 2;00•m (on the tul~ ~pm· lim) 7 D~ya I Week .

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2006 DONATIONS Libby· o:-$100 R·o ll A.-SSO Darry for Dave McC-$100 ChrJstopher R.-$30 ·Margaret D.-$40 Druce J.-$1.5 The Edge-$200 Mary C-S 10 Penny G.-$.50 MP/Jelly Dean -~20 RayCam-30 Janice P.-$30 Wes K.-SSO .Paddy -$125 Glen B.-S2.5 John S.-$60 Leslie S.-$20 Wm.D -$20

49 W.Cordova ·604-251-JJ I0 FREE- Donatio,~s tcccptcd

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Michael C.-$80 llumanUiesiOI-$100 Gram -$20

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Sheila D.-$20 Ben C.-$20 Brian $2 CEEDS -$.50 Joanne H.-$20 Wilhelmina M.-$10 Saman -$20 Phyllis L.-$200

NEWSLETTER THE NEWSlETTER IS A rUBUCATION OF TilE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRF. ASSOCIATION. Articles represent the views or individutl contributors and not of the Association.

~

---------------~----We acknowledge that Carnegie Community Centre. and this NtwJittttr, are on the S_guamish N,.tion '5 territory.

Editor and layout: PauiR Taylor.

Submission Ueadline for next l!!ue:

Thursday, October 12 Carntgle

Comm1Jnlar

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Contributors may not malign, altack, or relegate any person, group or class. including drug users and economicarly poor people, to a level referred to or implying 'less than human •.

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Did you know that the parents or guardians of 400,000 children under the age of six have not applied for the $100 Universal Child Care Benefit yet?

That's $40,000.000 a month just sitting in a bank account in Ottawa waiting to be claimed.

The good news is you can claim retroactively back to july 1, 2006 and there are no income restrictions; rich or poor, everyone can claim it. Go to the Canada Reventte Agency website for more info

u'll w .cra .gc.ca.

Now some bad news - you have to pay tax on that benefit But the government won't collect it until you do your

return next spring.

Regardless whose name is on the actual cheques, the parent with the lowest income should claim the benefit to minimize the tax bilL Parents I've talked to didn't know they had to pay tax, and they weren't too happy alx)Ut it.

And don't forget about your transit pass write off.

Hang on to the monthly passes, write your name on the back and claim those when you do your taxes next spring too.

Tonight on G7V News at Six, I'll look at what to do when you and a merchant have a disagreement you can't seem to solve.

•Chris Olsen, C1V

Reach Chris at

olsen@ctv.ca ~~~~==ffi

. ···-

DO YOU HAVE A LEGAL PROBLEM? Come to our Free Clinic on Carnegie •s J'd Ooor .

UBC Law Students Legal Advice Program •

•

Tues, 10am-8pm; Wed & Thurs, J0am-4pm

II

Lost Souls Returning After a one-year hiatus, Public Dreams Society resu"ects and reinvents the Parade ofthe Lost Souls in East Vancouver

Life and death meet and mingle in the Parade of the Lost Souls, which is returning to The Drive on the night of Saturday, October 28. The highly participatory neighbourhood event takes place from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. and is produced by Public Dreams Society, following another successful/Huminares Lantern Festival which attracted over 20,000 people to Trout Lake Park this past July.

After a one-year hiatus, the Parade is back, reenvisioned and reinvigorated. The theme this year is Peeking Through the Veil: a celebration of the life cycle. This year's procession will take new twists and turns, as parti~ipants experience sacred stories, rousing rituals, and staggering secrets. The event will have a new starting location this year on the allweather field at William and Cotton. The evening's activities will still take place in and around Grandview Park on Commercial Drive. For a map of the new route, visit www.publicdreams.om.

Parade of the Lost Souls is an energetic celebration of the circle of life and death, and of facing fears in order to live life to its fullest. The performers are the audience, willing spirits who have come together to honour the departed and to celebrate the splendour of life. Skeleton brides, sacred witches, poltergeists, and pixies mingle side-by-side with everyday people. By the light of the moon, processions of costumed stilt walkers, jugglers, dancers and musicians lead spectators on a captivating journey through the neighbourhood. The evening features shrines, fire

performance, mystical beings, and dancing in the street.

The event is free of charge, but participants are encouraged to make a m路inimum <fonation of $2 in order to help offset the considerable costs of producing the ~vent. Donations can be made at one of the staffed tents in Grandview Park, or to one of the roving huskers during the event. For supporters who require a charitable tax receipt, donations can be made to Public Dreams at any time of the year. For information, visit www.publicdreams.om.

Founded in 1985, Public Dreams has been bringing art and celebration to the community by creating participatory events, traditions and rituals that promote healthy neighbourhoods. In addition to its long-running signature events, Illuminares and Parade of the Lost Souls, Public Dreams also mentors communities throughout Canada ~d internationally to help them create their own community-based arts and cultural celebrations. For more information, go to www.publicdreams.ore. Those wishing to volunteer or to find out about Public Dreams' community outreach program can call 604-879-8611.

Sidewalk Song Taking my time down tombstone avenues hypodermic needles point skyward like cacti , bits of trash decorate the thoroughfare you look around; you could've sworn there's someone there And the hoes are begging the whole world needs a cigarette You're looking for redemption but the angels haven't got here yet Lord I need some salvation Some reason to go on I had a pocketful of dreams but I'm afraid they're long gone And the crackheads stumble lookin for their dope Me, I stumble too, but I'm lookin for some hope all I got left is one big apology for the secrets between us and the way it used to be RLoewen

Carnegie Community Centre Association & Vancouver Moving Theatre with the

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Association of United Ukrainian Canadians • present

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The 3rd Annual Downtown Eastside

Heart of the City Festival Wed. 25 October- Sun. 5 November 2006 Over 65 events at over 25 venues throughout the DTES and District

fith a focus on the rich and diverse communities of the Downtown Eastside, The 3rd Annual Heart of the City " estival celebrates the creative artists and activists that thrive in the heart of Vancouver. This year's festival ~atures an extraordinary breadth of arts with more than 250 artists.

1ne ofVancouver's premier blues singers and DTES resident Dalannah Gail Bowenjumpstarts the festival at • te Festival Launch (Carnegie Community Centre, 401 Main Street, Wednesday October 25, 2:30pm). The tunch kicks off twelve exciting days of play readings, musical showcases, drumming, open houses, dance, )Oken word, writers reading, processions, forums, workshops, discussions, gallery exhibits, video viewings, aeatre, opera, cabaret, food, radio, art talks and history walks. A couple highlights include-

The Tipping Point Cabaret- an evening of music and song, visuals, political theatre and snappy repartee rawn from the life of the late Bruce Eriksen, the legendary advocate of the Downtown Eastside. The Cabaret ~atures original songs from the 2005 Festival's popular play The Tipping Point with lyrics by former 'ancouver Sun columnist Bob Sarti and music by Earle Peach. The Carnegie Community Action Project )Unds out the evening with their first indoor performance of The Price is Wrong - a biting satire about BC's bysmal welfare rates. The evening is co-produced by Theatre in the Raw; directed by Jay Hamburger with msical direction by BiUSample. Carnegie Centre Theatre, 401 Main Street, Sunday October 29, 7 pm.

;ack by popular demand -join the Bruce Eriksen Heritage Walking Tour with tour guides Jean Swanson, fP for Vancouver East Libby Davies and former Vancouver Sun reporter Bob Sarti. Follow the footsteps of te legendary DERA founder, political gadfly and City Councilor Bruce Eriksen. For more information ontact Rika Uto 604-665-3003 or Terry Hunter 604-254-6911 www.heartofthecityfestival.com •

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Much to everyone's delight, Beth (Carnegie's Librarian on maternity leave) visited the Carnegie table at the W o rd on the Street festival accompanied by her son, Owen.

Owen was born at home on August 9th. Beth says he likes sleeping, feeding and staring. Albert, his big brother, is a little jealous but he is getting used to the idea of having to share the attention.

Congratulations, Beth, on the charming addition to your fam ily.

PA\CE Prostitution A..mativu .

Countolllll E41101tion

·'

Sex Workers Support Group TUESDAY'S 4-6PM #416-119 W.PENDER ST.

Sex Workers Addictions Support Group THURSDAY'S lOAM- 12 #416-119 W.PENDER ST. You don't have to feel alone!

SNACK~ AND CaFFEE PROVIDED For information: 604-872-7651

Dance 101 Karen 1amieson offers Dance Workshop

Carnegie Community Centre Gymnasium

FREE Fridays 3:30- 5:30 Free and open to people at all levels Requirements are: An open mind, Loose clothing, bare feet and .

A willingness to explore movement, rhythm and connections within the body For more info call Rika at 604.665.3003 -·

The Redeemer Hey friends! Where have most of the so-called 'dogooders' gone; who held high office and were not meek but strong? Oh yeh, those were the d~ys and ·yet I know there are stiJJ some who will speak up and say exactly what's on their minds, to reach out and not shun, making sure that they wiJI not be left behind. They realize bitter medicine is not the cure no way. They would rather unravel through ties that tautly bind and fight for the majority of the teeming masses, in such dire straights for us, and of those in kind and to stamp out the chiJling hate, for the now for sure, and much later on way off down the longest lifelines where whispy twist of fate could maybe be sublime.

Around this age, around this time have you ever waited patiently, waited in the driving rain, for a broken promise .. cancelled, never came. You felt so put out and quite rightly, yet yeh, you know, maybe slightly embarrassed, not to mention a wee bit angered; a litany, yes, like a fool. Ashamed and yet the hurt, the searing pain, you shooki it off and kept chin up, by staying cool. You're so amazing and so proud to realize that when sad things go wrong you never criticize certain situations because it will cause much rift and irritation. Some action is required for the screams and shouts when you know exactly what the game's really aU about. This is the you I know without a shadow of a doubt. This is when you are smacked and shafted and kicked all the way around; you don't make a peep, you don't make a sound. A contradiction here as some say, oh no, you have your mysterious ways to make your cruel persecutors pay and pay. Oh yeh now, life's not fair and ain't that the truth; especially when you're put down and pummeled and put to the boots, and you do not ever beg and you do not plea, because realize the high and mighty will certainly laugh and cringe with glee.

Yeh, those rhetorical, yeh redundant, corporately suited and mean to the extreme. You are strong, you have will and will not be mistreated, or the price.

The just revenge you' II extract because as a woman of strength as you are, you refuse to give in and so you will always remain undefeated. · Robyn Livingstone '

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NDP WIN VICTORY FOR CANDIAN WOMEN OTTAWA - The NDP successfully pressured the government and were able to secure funding for both the National Association of Women and the Law (NA WL) and the Canadian Feminist Alliance for International Action (FAFIA).

"The Conservatives had left these organizations on .the chopping block," said Irene Mathyssen, NDP critic for the Status of Women. "They had no intention of approving funding until public pressure was applied."

On September 26, the five year funding mandate for Status of Women Canada will end. With no mandate, the department will not be able to issue any new funding. FAFIA and NAWL's funding was approved just days before the mandate ended.

"There are still organizations whose funding is in jeopardy," said Mathyssen, "and when the mandate runs out tomorrow, there will be no more funding. (i.e. The Court Cha1lenges Program.) Women's organizations are being left in the dark - they have not been told what the new mandate will be or when it will be announced."

The Conservative Government has not had a good track record for women's issues over the past few months. In August, women's shelters were facing closure until the NDP stepped in and demanded funding. Recently, the Status ofWomen Committee received a response from the government stating that new pay equity legislation will not be drafted.

"The need for this legislation is clear," said Mathyssen. "In May 2004, after three years of research and consultation with over 200 stakeholder groups, the Department of Justice called for the government to replace the current complaints based model with proactive legislation. The Liberals failed to act on this report and now the Conservatives are also refusing to draft legislation."

"It is becoming clear that the Conservatives want to take Canada back 25 years. Women who have full time jobs still only earn 71¢ for every doUar earned by a man. This is clearly not equality. This is an embarrassment."

Jean Crowder, MP Nanaimo-Cowichan

Rally to Save DTES Hotel!

Fri Sept 29th @~ llam.

928 Main St. (2 blo~ks North of Main St. Sky Train) [Went well with a large attendance. Waiting.]

+ ..

THIS IS FOR ALL THOSE WHO FELL BY THEWAYSIDE

it would be for all the things they never make monuments for for susan, who watched her friend pick up her last customer in this very alley for the coast salish waiting to greet jose maria narvaez as he steered towards what he could never know would become a city a place for refracting the light of history a vortex for all the things our cultures bring together for fiberoptic cables we buried so we can talk to other cities and other susans for bud osborn throwing his hundred-block rock out over the rooftops of the V6A this monument is sp~cially designed to yell "love! love! love!" to the people who only pass by staring at their watches who refuse to acknowledge this intersection of pain and wastings as a part of their city and the history we bury beneath it Mariner Edelson

The Save Low Income Housing Coalition calls on all supporters to attend a rally that has been organized to save the American Hotel.

Tenants of the hotel have received illegal eviction notices and are to be forced out by Saturday.

Although the city acknowledges that the evictions are illegal they refuse to do anything about it. We hope that a show of public support will force the city into action. In fact mobilizations of activists and tenants have been the only thing so far that has succeeded in keeping the Olympic wrecking ball from tearing down people's homes.

Please come out and show your solidarity. Bring signs, banners, puppets, instruments and anything else to let the city know that we demand HOMES NOT GAMES! In solidarity, The Save Low-Income Housing Coalition Organizing Committee Organizations currently involved in the working group are: AIDS Vancouver, Anti-Poverty Committee, Asian Society for Intervention HIVI AIDS, BCGEU Component 6, BC Health Coalition, Downtown Eastside Residents Association, The Power of Women to Women, DTES Women's Center, Housing Committee of Neighborhood Helpers, No One Is Illegal, PIVOT Legal Society, Sex Workers Action Group, Western Aboriginal Hann Reduction Society, Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users, Vancouver Status of Women.

John Ferguson at Carnegie l l I'

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September 301h will be [was] one of those days at Carnegie. It's a Saturday, sure, but it's also the last day of John Ferguson's reign as Security Chief at the corner of Main and Hastings. We all have our memories of his time in that chair, and we are certain that some of them will even be positive, given enough time and distance. What we are uncertain about is Mr. Ferguson's retirement plans. That he has been particularly evasive, given his security background, is not surprising.

To assist him in a smooth transition to his golden years, just in case he honestly has no clue what he will do in the future, a survey was conducted at Carnegie in an attempt to provide guidance to John as he leaves us for those greener pastures. This survey also asked Carnegie regulars their impressions of John's time here.

1. What hobbies should John pursue in his work afterlife? a) Hockey 2% b) Golf 4% c) Photography 9% d) Gardening 1Oo/o e) Personal Grooming 74%

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2. What accomplishment at Carnegie should John be most proud of? a) The really really comfortable patio furniture 7o/o b) The effective app1ication of Carnegie's Mission Statement 8% c) Rooting out that Chinese Chess problem, that gambling problem, that trafficking problem, ... 8o/o d) His personal war against helpless pigeons 78% 3. John's leadership style reminds me most of: a) John Wayne 1% b) Saddam Hussein 2% c) That guy from Uganda, who in the 70's, used to eat his enemies 48o/o d) George Dubya Bush 49% 4. If you had one wish for John in his retirement, it would be that he ... a) Might finally beat that fat bald guy who always gives him a whopping at golf 3o/o b) Blood pressure reduction 13% c) Finally get that car painted 14 o/o . d) Doesn't stay away 70%

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5. What will be your favourite memory of John in action? a) Wearing his ooogie ooogie ooogie dancing shoes, bustin'a b) Cutting across the blue line with his head down 6% · c) Pickin' and grinnin' through a Dire Straights standard 18% d) His Yoda-like calmness in times of extreme distress 71%

6. If you could give John Ferguson anything in the world, what would it be? a) b) c) d)

A foot rub from that lady who started the Street Program 2o/o Peace, order and good government 9% His picture on the cover ofthe Carnegie Stone (uh, Newsletter) 10% Him as the centerfold of the Carnegie Newsletter 79%

Fill in the blanks: When it comes to Carnegie Security, John Ferguson is the _ _ _ _ _ of _ _ _ _ _. a) The Hulk Hogan of Headlock 1% I . b) The Stone Cold Steve .A ustin of the Turnbuckle Smash 5% c) The Andre the Giant of the Greco-Roman Arm Lock 14% d) The Mad Dog Vachon of the Half Nelson 80% I

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7. What words of advice should John give to his successor? a) "it is better to give than to receive" 2% b) "no, no, no .. . it's the full nelson, then the headlock" 10% c) "that Ghandi guy sure had some good ideas. I just don't know any of them" 43% d) "keep everyone confused by moving the furniture around every week or so" 45% 8. If John was an animal, what kind of animal would he be? a) Animal Crackers 8o/o b) One of those green scaly guys, that hide under your bed at night 23% c) Sturgeon 24 o/o d) A mid-sized, Latin-named herbivore from the Jurassic Era 45%

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This release is based on 7 surveys completed between 10:33 am and 10:54 am, on September 26 2006. The margin oferror f?r a poll this size is 9 3.1 %, 20 times out of 20. In fact, while many of these public opinion surveys can be quite reliable, most ofthis one was made up out ofthin air.

[The centerfold in the September 15 issue was either hilarious, amusing, in bad taste or deeply upsetting to John, depending on who is passing on his feelings about it. It was done in the same spirit that the goodbye party for him _the roast - was put on. It's largely been due to John Ferguson that the atmosphere and community inside of .

Carnegie is so unlike that on display outside on the corner, and for that and all else, thanks man. Ed.]

. 71

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Presented by the 3rd annual Heart of the City Festival • (604)254-6911 www.heartofthecityfestival.com Produced by Carnegie Community Centre and Vancouver Moving Theatre with the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians photo:Vlkkl Marie

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Love The leaves now start to bud The robin sings its song Why does it feel like fall?

Perhaps there's something wrong Could it be 'cause Love is love?

Or was it never found?

Because the silence within my heart Indicates no sound.

They say it's better to love & lose Than never love at all But if I only had the right to choose I'd rather trip than fall.

•

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In love again, "Gypsy"

Diane Paul

The Downtown Eastside Poets will appear, visibly or otherwise, on

Saturday, October 7, 7pm.

There's an open mike, closed only to racists I bigots I misogynists I and similar minds in a state of dis-ease ....

For everyone else, free refreshments!

(Oh, yeah, it's in the Carnegie Theatre at 401 Main!)