September 15, 1991, carnegie newsletter

THIS ISSUE: S P E C I A L SKCTION

"Free" T r a d e

with

CUPW VANCOUVER LOCAL

I

Editor.

A

I f , a s s t a t e d i n your l a s t e d i t i o n : " C h r i s Downing was f i r e d f o r t r y i n g t o b r i n g t h e f a c t s of s u b t l e forms o f r a c i s m & c l a s s i s m o u t i n t h e open"

8

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i t i s a n e x t r e m e l y s e r i o u s and d i s t u r b i n g c l ~ a r g e . One c a n o n l y h o p e t h a t s h e w i l l s e e i t a s h e r d u t y t o t h e community s h e s e r v e d t o b r i n g t h e e v i d e n c e forward s w i f t l y t o t h o s e p u b l i c author-.". i t i e s whose j o b i t i s t o c o r r e c t s u c h wrongful t r e a t m e n t o f employees.

It c e r t a i n l y wouldn't be t h e f i r s t time t h e church h a s been t e s t e d and found wanting.

I f , on t h e o t h e r h a n d , t h e c h a r g e u n t r u e and t h e r e i s i n s u f f i c i e n t e v i ence t o prove t h e a l l e g a t i o n , t h e n s u r e l y o n e i s s t i l l i . n n 0 c e n t u n t i l The herd moved in around him, but Zach had known I proven g u i l t y i n t h i s c o u n t r y . better than to approach these animals without Though a g a i n , i t w o u l d n ' t b e t h e his trusty buffalo gum. f i r s t time t h e i n n o c e n t have been cruc i f i e d o r fed t o t h e l i o n s t o appease Ken, the collective guilt.

To u s e o u r n e w s l e t t e r t o p r e j u d i c e The p r i n c i p l e o f j u s t i c e b a l a n c e s community o p i n i o n e i t h e r way h a s nothe claims of people involved i n t h e t h i n g t o do w i t h j u s t i c e and i s u n f a i r i s s u e . . Since t h e beginning of t h i s , t o t h o s e o f u s who c o n t i n u e t o d e p e n d t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f F i r s t Church on and s u p p o r t s e r v i c e s p r o v i d e d by h a s been given e v e r y o p p o r t u n i t y t o b o t h o u r community c e n t r e & o u r c h u r c h . r e s p o n d t o t h e e x t r e m e l y s e r i o u s conOur u n i t y h a s b e e n damaged a n d o u r c e r n s r a i s e d i n o u r community, b o t h common w e l f a r e i s t h r e a t e n e d as a reby C h r i s a n d h e r c o - w o r k e r s a n d t h e s u l t and t h a t h u r t s . a c t i o n s t a k e n by t h i s O v e r s i g h t B o a r d Yours i n Peace, Had H i l l s o n & E l l i o t , t h e a t FUC. two R e v . ' s r e s p o n s i b l e , responded t o Ken L y o t i e r o u r concerns i n s t e a d of p u t t i n g a gag o r d e r on church employees, t h i s e n t i r e s i t u a t i o n would now be on i t s way t o s a t i s f a c t o r y changes. A s i t s t a n d s , t h e o n l y a n s w e r p r o v i d e d t o t h e commu n i t y h a s been a p u r p o s e l y v a g u e n o t e from t h i s O v e r s i g h t B o a r d ' s s e c r e t a r y .

J u s t i c e & common s e n s e a r e k i n .

PaulR

Taylor

Vanderzalm p r o t e s t s h i s i n n o c e n c e . y o u buy i t ?

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a

SPECIAL THANKS from The Carnmgie J u b l i e e !

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What i s a l i g h t y e a r ?

When w i l l t h e s u n go o u t ?

Come and g e t answers t o t h e s e quest i o n s & l o o k a t t h e F u l l Moon ( i f i t ' s c l e a r ) on Thrusday, S e p t . 1 9 a t 8p.m. i n c l a s s r o o m il2.

Astronomer J i m MacGuigan, from t h e P l a n e t a r i u m , w i l l be h e r e and, l i k e l a s t y e a r , s e t up a t e l e s c o p e o u t on t h e c o r n e r i n f r o n t o f Carnegie.

A t CRABTREE CORNER (101 E. Cordova) Tuesdays - l o a m Video o r Workshop Wednesdays - l o a m A d u l t C h i l r e n o f A l c o h o l i c s Support Group id's Video Thursdays - loam ( P a r e n t s -11 S i n g l e Moms Support G r .

Day - lpm Video o r Workshop Check p o s t i n g s a t C r a b t r e e f o r more i n f o r m a t i o n o f c a l l Rain a t 689-2808.

ust cycles within cycles reams, w i t h o u t end Being, w i t h o u t measure Light, without equal Glory, without b u l l s h i t Dreamweaver

On S a t u r d a y , September 7 , t h e Carne g i e J u b i l e e ( f o r m e r l y C a r n e g i e Music F e s t i v a l ) t o o k p l a c e a t CRM Park. The was i t s b i g g e s t 6 i t s b e s t i n t h e 4 years I ' v e organized i t .

The day was o v e r c a s t b u t e v e n t u a l l y c l e a r e d up. A l l p e r f o r m e r s p l a y e d v e r y w e l l a s t h e y e n t e r t a i n e d t h e audi e n c e o f a t l e a s t 800 p e o p l e througho u t t h e 8-hour day. We f e d j u s t a s many p e o p l e and had s o much food t h a t t h e r e was enough f o r 2 o r 3 s e r v i n g s each.

But t h i s a r t i c l e i s a c t u a l l y f o r t h e v o l u n t e e r s & s t a f f whose s u c c e s s i t became. The day was s o busy t h e r e c o u l d b e no e x p l a n a t i o n e q u i v a l e n t t o t h e amount of h a r d work t h e s e p e o p l e o f f e r e d . On b e h a l f of t h e C a r n e g i e J u b i l e e I ' d l i k e t o t h a n k t h e followi n g people: Chris Iverson Ken McKeigan Barb Gray Donalda Viaud Gram Sima L y l e Nystrom Dan Vie Lisa Lilge E a r l e Peach Harvey Wong Mike Dupuis Matilda Susan J o h n s t o n e Luke S t e v e Atkin,sss Janice Saul Taum Danberger Rob Bejan TOM Steve Johnston Dave Alexander Ron I m a g i n a t i o n Market AF Magazine Martin Kelly Marty Smith Bruce McCaully Thanks t o Ocean F i s h e r i e s f o r t h e $1-a-pound salmon and a l s o t h e chubby guy w i t h b l a c k c u r l y h a i r & a cowboy h a t whose name we d o n ' t know. P l u s a s p e c i a l k i s s t o t h o s e names I have missed.

By STEVE ROSE

C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s t o ~ t e v r ~ o and s e who made t h e C a r n e g i e J u b i l e e a t Cra P a r k a s u c c e s s f u l day of enjoyment!

no l e s s . A c e l e b r a t i o n of t h e many

be missed.

find it.

t h e C a r n e g i e p e r f o r m e r s were t h e r e f o r

Names p l a y i n g . You know t h e t y p e of p e r f o r m e r s I mean. The o n e s w i t h a :L

I decided t o w a i t

& see i f t h i s f e s t - &

I f t h e C a r n e g i e J u b i l e e w a s postpon-

wasn't t h e r e .

h r u t h e wars, t h e t r e a t i e s , he internment i n church schools, rom t i m e immemorial t h e N a t i o n s endured. h e Nation i t s e l f ; he messiah i n f a n t , as f o r e t o l d born n a house d i v i d e d . u t on t h e h o r i z o n h e a g e of a f l o w e r , oming t o bloom, ill s m e l l sweet t o . a l l .

Srnokey Lone wolf P i p e r

O R G A N I C GROWERS' WEEK i s from 16

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22

of September. Check o u t C a r n e g i e ' s c o n c e s s i o n f o r g r e a t food!

s t r e e t ? Were t h e y t h e m s e l v e s s e x u a l l y abused when a k i d ? No, I d o n ' t t h i n k s o , b e c a u s e i n my e y e s what was done t o them t h e y w o u l d n ' t want done upon other kids.

So t h e s e a s s h o l e s ( p i m p s ) , who h a v e no m o r a l s w h a t s o e v e r , g e t a r i s e o u t o f s e n d i n g k i d s o u t on t h e s t r e e t s o t h e y c a n p o f i t from t h e i r a b u s e .

Never mind i f t h e y ' v e been h u r t .

Oh b u t h e y , t h e y h a v e a s o l u t i o n f o r t h a t t o o : Feed them d r u g s o r g i v e them a p i l l .

I f s h e d i e s i n t h e process j u s t find another t o f i l l her place.

..

This is choice!

Four S i s t e r s Housing Co-op h a s been i n c l u d e d i n t h e t o p f i v e i n t h e WORLD UNITED NATIONS HABITAT AWARD. Hundreds of s u b m i s s i o n s w e r e made from 30 c o u n t r i e s ; h i s t o r y , d e s i g n , p h i l o s o p n y , o p e r a t i o n and s o o n . DERA Housing S o c i e t y s e n t i n i n f o r m a t i o n on a l l i t s p r o j e c t s a n d , l o & b e h o l d , Four S i s t e r s i s now i n t h e ' f i n a l s ' .

The e x c i t i n g p o s s i b i l i t y i s t h a t Four S i s t e r s Co-op w i l l b e r e c o g n i s e d a s t h e f i n e s t example of h o u s i n g i n t h e World !

A s I s a t and r e a d t h e p a p e r t o d a y , September 11, 1991, "Asian Girls i n Sex Trade" "Teen Sex S l a v e s " , I c o u l d n o t b e l i e v e what I was r e a d i n g .

Kids coming t o o u r c o u n t r y b e c a u s e where t h e y ' r e from i s a poor c o u n t r y (Malaysia). Their f a m i l i e s a r e pbor, s o t h e y come h e r e t h i n k i n g t h e y ' r e g o i n g t o have a b e t t e r l i f e . But t h e y a r e s u b j e c t e d t o much w o r s e , s e l l i n g t h e i r b o d i e s t o men who h a v e no s c r u p l e s , b u t y e t h a v e t h e money t o h a v e sex w i t h a kid.

L e t ' s t a l k a b o u t t h e pimps who a r e r u n n i n g t h i s "Kid's Show".

Why a r e t h e y t u r n i n g t h e s e k i d s on t o t h e

hope a n d p r a y t h a t one day o u r p o l i c e f o r c e w i l l be a b l e t o c o n q u e r t h e s e pimps s o t h a t t h e g i r l s and women of t h e s t r e e t c a n g e t on w i t h a better life. one concerned c i t i z e n

~ a s ti s s u e t h e bookl a u n c h w a s b e i n g hoped f o r b u t t h e b o o k s had yet t o arrive.

Well t h e y d i d & S h e i l a w a s l i s o n e happy woman!

Under t h e ( G e o r g i a ) Viaduct, S h e i l a t o l d a photographer t h a t he was p i s s i n g h e r o f f ; he s a i d he couldn't hen Sheila Baxter interviewed the director of one of Vancouver's s e e any homeless p e o p l e shelters for homeless people, she discovered that the shopping and S h e i l a s a i d you carts that many street people push around the streets, in which they store can ' t i d e n t i f y a homeless p e r s o n by d i r t y their belongings, were carefully locked up in the shelter's courtyard c l o t h e s o r b e i n g unovernight. "You don't take a person's life away from them!" the director washed o r l o o k i n g l i k e explained.

Baxter doesn't take away the lives either. Rather than giving us row on a r e f u g e e . He w a n t e d a row of faceless statistics, she provides snapshots of real people, borrowing p i c t u r e o f someone i n rags & she s a i d she their lives and voices to show us the grim reality of life at the low end of knew a l o t o f h o m e l e s s the income scale, on the street or in the cheap downtown hotels. who d r e s s e d b e t t e r In Under the Viaduct, those people include the men and women who live t h a n him!

UNDER THE VIADUCT

HOMELESS IN BEAUTIFUL B.C.

w

Sheila Baxter

on the streets, in the parks, and under the viaduct in Vancouver and other North American cities; the squatters who successfully occupied six houses in East Vancouver for most of 1990; the counsellors, street workers, and advocates who help the homeless; the politicians; and the ordinary people across the country who are working for an end to homelessness.

Like Sheila's previous book, No Way to Live, Under the Viaduct is a valuable mix of personal stories, interviews, statistics, photographs, and solutions. Also included is a countrywide list of resource groups.

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Sheila Baxter is a writer and street poet, a tutor of English at Vancouver's Carnegie Centre, and a member of End Legislated Poverty. She has been active in the anti-poverty movement for over 16 years. She is the author of No Way To Live: Poor Women Speak Out, now in its second printing.

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...

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Editor, Nothing s a d d e n s me more t h a n t o s e e t h e number o f y o u t h i n Vancouver who a r e maki n g Downtown s t r e e t s t h e i r home & p r o s t i t u t i o n & drug d e a l i n g t h e i r occupation.

S o c i a l S e r v i c e s now s a y s t h a t t h e l a r g e s t growing a g e group o f p r o s t i t u t e s i n o u r C i t y i s i n t h e 10 t o 12 a g e range.

Two o r g a n i z a t i o n s are t r y i n g t o make a d i f f e r e n c e . Gordon House h a s e s t a b l i s h e d a Lo-Cost Labour program which p r o v i d e s s t r e e t y o u t h w i t h a p l a c e i n t h e i r own "turf" t o l e a r n s k i l l s , g e t t h e i r grade twelve, e a r n some money t h r o u g h j o b s l i k e c l e r i c a l r e l i e f & lawn mowing & i n t h e end t o be s u c c e s s f u l l y p l a c e d i n a n employment p o s i t i o n . P i c a s s o Cafe on West Broadway i n Vancouver i s a n o t h e r o r g a n i s a t i o n which t e a c h e s work s k i l l s t o s t r e e t y o u t h through t h e o p e r a t i o n of a r e s t a u r a n t & a l s o provides classroom i n s t r u c t i o n i n l i f e s k i l l s s u c h as a p p l y i n g f o r employment, o p e n i n g a bank a c c o u n t & p r e p a r i n g a resume.

A s p r i n g 1990 r e p o r t t o t h e C i t y of ~ a n c o u v e r ' sD i r e c t o r o f S o c i a l P l a n n i n g & Medical H e a l t h O f f i c e r p o r t r a y e d t h e a v e r a g e Vancouver s t r e e t y o u t h , of which t h e r e a r e e s t i m a t e d t o b e 400, t o be: from a broken f a m i l y where t h e y were abused ; - involved i n crime & p r o s t i t u t i o n t o support drug & alcohol h a b i t s ; - h a v i n g a g r a d e six e d u c a t i o n - no employment s k i l l s - no f i x e d a d d r e s s - no family support system an e a r l y i n t r o d u c t i o n t o sex; u s u a l l y thr-ugh m o l e s t a t i o n by a p e r s o n t h e y know ( n e i g h b o u r , p a r e n t , r e l a t i v e . ..)

I n Feb.'89 t h e p r o v i n c i a l g o v t . announc e d t h a t t h e Downtown w e l f a r e o f f i c e w i l l o n l y be a v a i l h b l e t o " s t r e e t k i d s " a f t e r h o u r s . I n making t h i s d e c i s i o n t h e y a l s o changed t h e d e f i n i t i o n of " s t r e e t youth"

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t o i n c l u d e o n l y t h o s e young p e o p l e who a r e involved i n p r o s t i t u t i o n o r drugs.

S t r e e t y o u t h no l o n g e r i n c l u d e young p e o p l e i n t h e Downtown who may have r u n away from home o r a r e v i c t i m s of s e x u a l a b u s e o r have j u s t r u n o u t o f p l a c e s t o t u r n . T h i s i s f a r from a d e q u a t e .

I n V i c t o r i a i n t h e autumn o f '89 Honour a b l e Madame J u s t i c e L o r e t t a Chaperon nored i n a r u l i n g t h a t t h e r e were no programs o r r e s o u r c e s f o r drug-addicted t e e n a g e r s i n t h e e n t i r e p r o v i n c e . By g i v i n g t h e 1 6 year-old b e f o r e h e r f o r s e n t e n c i n g m e r e l y a p r o b a t i o n o r d e r , which would p r o b a b l y be broken, r a t h e r t h a n b e i n g a b l e t o send t h e t e e n a g e r somewhere f o r h e l p , s h e n o t e d t h a t "we a r e a l l o w i n g t h e t e e n t o commit s u i c i d e on t h e i n s t a l l m e n t plan. " Ten y e a r s e a r l i e r i t was r e p o r t e d t h a t i n 1980 t h e r e were fewer f a c i l i t i e s t o .. c a r e f o r y o u n g s t e r s w i t h p s y c h i a t r i c problems t h a n t h e r e were i n 1970. It was not e d t h e n t h a t "medical r e s o u r c e s f o r y o u n g s t e r s o u t on t h e s t r e e t , who a r e o f t e n involved w i t h drugs & a l c o h o l , a r e minimal, and t h a t h o s p i t a l s r e f u s e t o d e a l w i t h them. W e need some a b i l i t y t o hold t h e s e k i d s s o w e can i d e n t i f y t h e i r And we need t o t e l l t h i s s o c i problems e t y what i t ' s d o i n g t o i t s c h i l d r e n . It's a violent society...there a r e f i f t y t o o n e hundred a d o l e s c e n t s s e l l i n g s e x on G r a n v i l l e & Davie, most o f them from outs i d e Vancouver. They a r e c o n s i d e r e d v i c t i m s - e i t h e r t h e y have been r e j e c t e d by t h e i r f a m i l y o r t h e o t h e r way around...

There a r e a number o f gaps i n t h e p r o v i s i o n of s o c i a l s e r v i c e s t o j u v e n i l e s , i n c l u d i n g a s h o r t a g e i n s e c u r e beds f o r juve n i l e s with severe behaviourial disorders, a s h o r t a g e of h o s p i t a l i n p a t i e n t & o u t p a t i e n t s e r v i c e s geared t o a d o l e s c e n t s , a l a c k of p r e v e n t i v e programming i n a l c o h o l & s e x u a l a b u s e & a l a c k of p o s i t i v e parent i n g programs.

I' My e x p e r i e n c e t e l l s me t h a t n o t h i n g much h a s changed s i n c e 1980. Must we w a i t another t e n years, u n t i l the year.2000, before government w i l l b e g i n t o e f f e c t i v e l y respond?

Darren Lowe

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We a l l pay t h e GST on a l m o s t e v e r y t h i n g , r e n t s go up & up, f i n d i n g work a t d e c e n t wages means competeing w i t h over 10% of t h e w o r k f o r c e who a r e unemployed, and t h e r e seem t o b e l o t s of problems r i g h t h e r e w i t h o u t r e a d i n g about Mexico.

T h e r e i s s o much i n f o and s o many d i f f e r e n t t h i n g s g o i n g on t h a t ' s p a r t of a bigger p i c t u r e t h a t t h e owners o f m u l t i n a t i o n a l s and t h e i r p o l i t i c a l h a c k s f e e l smug.

"BY t h e t i m e t h e y f i g u r e i t o u t i t w i l l be t o o l a t e ! I f worse comes t o worse, we c a n m a n u f a c t u r e a c r i s i s (maybe e v e n make t h e s t o c k m a r k e t s c r a s h a g a i n ) ailwe ' 11 1 S t k l l L g e g , ,it ~a11.~!!

T h i s s e c t i o n i s p a r t l y from T h i s Maga z i n e ' s "FREE TRADE PULLOUT"; t h e p a r t on " ~ u m a n R i g h t s i n Mexico" i s from a computer n e t w o r k s e t up w i t h p e o p l e a t

t h e U n i v e r s i t y o f New Mexico.

It i s d i r e c t l y r e l a t i v e t o u s : most o f L a t i n & South America a r e u n d e r t h e thumb of t h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l Monetary Fund 6 t h e World Bank, which f o r c e s them t o grow export products ( l i k e carnations, e t c ) i n s t e a d of b e i n g s e l f - s u f f i c i e n t w i t h food and s o c i a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y .

The decisions/policies/scams shown h e r e a r e m i r r o r e d r i g h t down t o C i t y o f Vancouver a c t i o n s t o i n c r e a s e pove r t y and make t h e r i c h be r e c o g n i s e d a s the r o y a l t y they t h i n k they a r e .

The f l i p s i d e of b e i n g aware: THINK LOCALLY, ACT GLOBALLY.

"Whot's so wrong and rm/oir is that .wme people should haw three or four housts while others have only two."

T H E F I R S T T W O YEARS:

ROUND ON

OF FREE TRADE Remember what was said before the 1988 Election?

THEY SAID More jobs. Better jobs.

WE SAID Major j b b l o s s e s w i l l o c c u r .

Erosion of working c o n d i t i o n s a s Canadian companies t r y t o "compete w i t h US i n d u s t r y giants.

WHAT HAPPENED Net j o b l o s s of 315,000 i n manufacturing a l o n e by Dec. '90. *Declines i n r e s o u r c e & c o n s t r u c t i o n s e c t o r s . *The gap between well-paid & low- aid j o b s i n c r e a s e s just a s in t h e US.which h a s t h e b i g g e s t gap i n t h e i n d u s t r i a l i s e d world. *Canada's workforce c o n f r o n t s more demands f o r c o n c e s s i o n s due t o competition. *Record, b a n k r u p t c i e s . *Canadian f i r m s 6 US branch p l a n t s move s o u t h .

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The govt. r e n e g e s ; t h e r e a r e no s p e c i a l programs f o r Adjustmentprogrammeswiu T r a i n i n g e x p e n d i t u r e s w i l l workers o r f i n n s . $100 m i l l i s c u t from Can. Jobs Strategy d e c l i n e , a s they have i n US. be available for [hose disF e d e r a l money t o h e l p h a r d h i t placed by free uade.

Canadian f irms t o "ad j u s t " can be c h a l l e n g e d under t h e f r e e t r a d e d e a l by US firms. ~ hno h ~ , ~ ' orobersocialpmgrammes.

The ~ W v t . w i l l f i n d ways t o k i l l medicare & s o c i a l Programs when b u s i n e s s c a l l s f o r spending c u t b a c k s f o r t h e s a k e of c o m ~ e t i t f o n .

The d e a l makes i t almost impossible to set UP new p u b l i c programs l i k e d e n t a l & a u t o i n s u r a n c e . It a l l o w s a f f e c t e d US i n s u r a n c e f i r m s t o c l a i m compensation.

The govt. p a s s e s B i l l C-69, phases o u t a l l f e d e r a l moneyc f o r medicare & e d u c a t i o n o v e r t h e n e x t 13 y e a r s . The '91" budget c u t s i t t o a 5-year phase-out. Also, t h e r e a r e f e d e r a l c u t b a c k s i n money f o r w e l f a r e & s o c i a l s e r v i c e s 1.

I ,BC & O n t a r i o & A l b e r t a , which r e p r e s e n t s h a l f of Cana d a ' s poor. "Clawbacks'! o f o l d age p e n s i o n s 6 f a m i l y allowances a r e i n t r o d u c e d .

There's no threat to unempbyment insurance (UI).

Our govt. w i l l t r y t o harmoni s e unemployment i n s u r a n c e w i t h t h e much Poorer US

Months a f t e r s i g n i n g t h e d e a l , t h e govt. b r i n g s i n a law t h a t s e v e r e l y c u t s U I . It a l s o e l i m i n a t e s a l l f e d e r a l c o n t r i b u t i o n s , making Canada & t h e US t h e o n l y i n d u s t r i a l i s e d c o u n t r i e s w i t h no such c o n t r i b u t i o n s .

'

A t t h e o u t s e t of n e g o t i a t i o n s , t h e 7 2 ~C a n . d o l l a r begins The exchange rate for the ~~~~i~~~ negotiators say a Canadian dollar is not on the low canadian d o l l a r willnot a m e t e o r i c r i s e t o 85C. t h e n h i g h e r a f t e r t h e d e a l is bargsning table. be tolerated under free trade s i g n e d . Former c a b i n e t m i n i s t e r S i n c l a i r S t e v e n s s a y s A way willbe found, official t h e r e was a "gentlemen's agreement" on t h e d o l l a r . The or not, t b move t h e Canadian Bank of Canada's i n t e r e s t r a t e p o l i c y keeps Canadian r a t e s w e l l above t h e h i s t o r i c a l s p r e a d with US r a t e s , d o l l a r up, h u r t i n g exports. drawing i n ' h o t money' t h a t pushes up t h e Can. d o l l a r .

No deal without a binding mde dispute mechanism that gives Canadian exporters secure access LO the big U.S. market.

T h e r e ' l l be no s e c h e a c c e s s : American n e g o t i a t o r s w i l l i n s i s t t h e agreement is s u b j e c t t o US t r a d e laws.

The s o - c a l l e d b i n d i n g mechanism doesn't b i n d US t r a d e law, which o v e r r i d e s t h e agreement; Canadian law i s subo r d i n a t e t o i t . The US can a l s o go t o GATT. a s w i t h i t s y o g u r t l i c e cream d i s p u t e w i t h Canadian producers. US ind u s t r i e s c o n t i n u e anti-dumping, t a x & c o u n t e r v a i l a c t i o n s a g a i n s t Canadians. Massive d e l a y s a r e experienced by Canadian performers 6 e x p o r t e r s of beef 6 c l o t h i n g a t privately-owned US b o r d e r s t a t i o n s .

Consumers will pay less with F r e e t r a d e w i l l b e e x p e n s i v e . free trade.

There's no guarantee.business w i l l p a s s on t a r i f reductions t o t h e public. Competition i n p r i c i n g w i l l e v a p o r a t e as dom e s t i c Canadian f i r m s go under h US i m p o r t e r s c h a r g e what t h e m a r k e t w i l l b e a r . Drug c o s t s , among o t h e r s w i l l r i s e as a r e s u l t o f new p a t e n t mon o p o l i e s g i v e n t o US d r u g f i r m s a s a down payment o n f r e e t r a d e . More t a x e s w i l l b e needed t o o f f s e t t h e l o s s ' o f o v e r $2 b i l l i o n i n y e a r l y t a r i f f income.

P r i c e s d o n ' t drop. I n f a c t , w i t h t h e Goods h S e r v i c e 1 1 .

Tax (GsT) piggybacked on f r e e t r a d e , many p r i c e s e s c a l a t e , Cross-border s h o p p i n g , which r e p r e s e n t s a l o s s o f money ti j o b s t o t h e Canadian economy, is t h e r e s u l t of p r i c e d i f f e r e n c e s - l a r g e l y due t o t h e GST as well a s a c u l t u r e of c o n t i n e n t a l consumption u n l e a s h e d by f r e e t r a d e . Any "Buy Canadian" campaign i s p r o h i b i t e d by t h e agreement. P r i c e s of d r u g p r e s c r i p t i o n s r i s e 16% on ave r a g e e a c h y e a r s i n c e p a s s a g e of t h e p a t e n t law.

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Taxes won't be affected by Michael W i l s o n ' s t a x r e f o r m free wade. h a s harmonised o u r c o r p o r a t e tax r a t e s with those i n t h e US, f o r c i n g u s t o go t h e h e r i c a n Way: l o w e r c o r p o r a t e 6 income t a x e s . We'll g e t highe r consumer t a x e s i n s t e a d .

The g o v t . q u i c k l y i n t r o d u c e s t h e GST - d e s p i t e huge opp o s i t i o n . It d o e s n o t t o u c h i t s c o r p o r a t e t a x r e f o r m s , l o a d i n g e v e r y t h i n g on t h e consumer. Though i t s a y s manuf a c t u r i n g w i l l p a s s on t h e i r s a v i n g s w i t h t h e removal of t h e M a n u f a c t u r e r s ' Tax, t h i s g e n e r a l l y d o e s n ' t happen, r e s u l t i n g i n a "gift" t o manufacturers.

Free trade will build a stronger, weallhier economy.

Canada will mainrainconuol of that economy.

I n t h e f i r s t two y e a r s of t h e d e a l , Canada h a s a y e a r l y d e f i c i t -$1.5 b i l l i o n - i n i t s t r a d e b a l a n c e w i t h t h e US. P r e v i o u s l y , we had an a n n u a l s u r p l u s o f $5.3 b i l l i o n '84 - * 8 g . A 14-year d e c l i n e i n f o r e i g n c o n t r o l of t h e economy r e v e r s e s i n '88-'89. The f i r s t y e a r of f r e e t r a d e r e s u l t s i n a wave o f f o r e i g n t a k e o v e r s - 90% of which do n o t b r i n g any new i n v e s t m e n t d o l l a r s .

F r e e trade b e n e f i t s t h e more You d o n ' t powerful partner. powerful than get t h e US- Through f r e e t r a d e we w i l l l o s e control of t h e Canadian economy.

Environmental issues are not F r e e t r a d e w i l l f u n d a m e n t a l l y The f i r s t f r e e t r a d e d i s p u t e p a n e l r u l e s a g a i n s t a CanPrinciples of envia d i a n f i s h e r i e s c o n s e r v a t i o n measure 6 s e t s a new s t a n panofthe deal: dard t h a t r e s t r i c t s our a b i l i t y t o c o n t r o l t h e r a t e of standards for protecting the =onmental p r o t e c t i o n h s u s t environment won': be af- *inable development. l t t s a t e x t r a c t i o n o f a l l r e s o u r c e s . The Canadian g o v t . u s e s t h e fected. odds stated canadfan agreement t o a t t a c k an a s b e s t o s ban i n t h e US. o u r a c i d liciesto move h.,e environ-r a i n c o n t r o l s a r e b e i n g s c a l e d down t o t h e i r lower s t a n d a r d . Under f r e e t r a d e c o m p e t i t i o n , r e f b r e e t a t b 6 n - 6 o t b merit front-h-centre in all e r f o r e s t management p r a c t i c e s a r e j e o p a r d i s e d by t h e economic planning. standards s q u e e z e on f o r e s t r y i n d u s t r i e s ' p r o f i t s . willbe harmonised to t h e

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l o w e s t l e v e l . The agreement connnits u s t o e q u i v a l e n t s t a n d a r d s 6 t e s t methods f o r chem i c a l s l i k e p e s t i c i d e s and growth hormones. I n t h e US, i f economic b e n e f i t o u t w e i g h s h e a l t h r i s k s "benefit" wins.

Foreign ownership of o i l & Ras i n d u s t iresrisest o 43% by 1990 (from 34% i n ' 8 7 ) . The N a t i o n a l Energy ~ o a r d ' s Canada's sovereignty over policy of considering domestic needs before agreeing t o natural energy resources Guaranteed access Canadian e x p o r t s is c h a l l e n g e d by US f ims c l a i m i n g n a t i o n a l not~ehurt~~e'veonl~agrced e n e r g y s u p p l i e s is a primary t r e a t m e n t "nder t h e f r e e t r a d e agreement: t h e b o a r d wvotosharehoseresourceswilh US g o a l - Canada be obligl u n t a r i l y " wibes o u t t h e d o m e s t i c n e e d s f i r s t p o l i c y [he U.S. ed t o s u p p l y US buyers the ( ' 9 0 ) . The H i b e r n i a p r o j e c t i s now s h i p p i n g d i r e c t l y t o same c o n t i n u i n g proportion of t h e US f o r o i l r e f i n i n g . Once d e v e l o p e d , 87X of t h e maso u r resources - even when we s i v e Mackenzie n a t u r a l g a s r e s e r v e s a r e d e s t i n e d : f o r t h e f a c e s h o r t a g e s . ~ a n a d a ' s governments n o l o n - US. B t h e n , a b o u t 60% of o u r n a t u r a l g a s w i l l go t o Y ener- them, a p r o p o r t i o n t h e agreement r e q u i r e s us t o m a i n t a i n ger s e t policies Cansdians gY a t a h w e r p r i c e t h a n that charged US cus- I n '91 a BC t a n k e r f i r m ' s b i d f o r b u l k w a t e r e x p o r t s t o tomers. ~ a n a d i a n sw i l l be s u b s i d i s i n g e x p e n s i v e * C a l i f o r n i a f e l l t h r o u g h , o n l y b e c a u s e o f e n v i r o n m e n t a l e n v i r o n m e n t a l l y damaging m e g a p r o j e c t e x p l o r a t i o n review d e l a y s . F r e e t r a d e Simon Reisman, former c o n s u l t end ant"n t h e G M D Canal p r o p o s a l , remains a promoter o f t o f u l f i l o u r new q u o t a s to t h e US, & we UP b u y i n g o u r own r e s o u r c e s back themt h e e s t i m a t e d $100 b i l l i o n p r o p o s a l f o r ma,sive d i v e r s exemption e x i s t s f o r w a t e r , which mean ex- i o n s 6 e x p o r t s of James Bay w a t e r s . Once done US-bound p o r t s of l a r g e amounts o f w a t e r w i t h o u t r t g h t s e x p o r t s by t a n k e r o r c a n a l s would be s u b j e c t t o l b c k l i n ' t o turn off the tap. p r o v i s i o n s of t h e t r a d e agreement.

1.

THEY SAID

WHAT HAPPENED

WE SAID

The d e a l s a y s t h e US can punculm. exempt from he i s h u s with t r a d e a c t i o n s aga i n s t any e x p o r t s i f it b e l i e deal. ves our c u l t u r a l grant 6 t a x programs o r Canadian c o n t e n t n i l e s cause US f i r m s t o l o s e money-making o p p o r t u n i t i e s i n Canada. T h a t ' s a powerful hammer t o hand a n o t h e r c o u n t r y ' s e s p e c i a l l y one t h a t industry a l r e a d y dominates o u r magazine -- . . - - - r a c k s , book p u b l i s h i n g . TV channels, cinemas 6 music recording.

The Canadian govt. does t h e j o b i t s e l f 5 t h e US d o e s n ' t need t o use its s p e c i a l r e t a l i a t i o n r i g h t s . A f t e r t h e d e a l , Canadian content enforcement is c u r t a i l e d & c u t s t a r g e t f i n a n c i a l support f o r t h e CBC, T e l e f i l m Canada, N a t i o n a l Film Board 6 funding f o r a r t s o r g a n i s a t i o n s . I n '89 t a x i n c e n t i v e s f o r Canadian f i l m investment a r e c u t 5 f i l m production i n Canada e v a p o r a t e s . During t h e f r e e t r a d e t a l k s , t h e govt. drops i t s p l a n s t o r e s e r v e a pbrt i o n of f i l m d i s t r i b u t i o n r i g h t s f o r Canadian f i r m s a f t e r Hollywood p r o t e s t s . The d e a l e l i m i n a t e s o u r r e q u i r e ment t h a t commercials b r o a d c a s t i n Canada must be made h e r e , s o commercial producers run o f f t o New York.

canadaVsfarm marketing The f r e e t r a d e agreement phaboards are safe under free s e s out t a r i f f s on US products l i k e TV d i n n e r s . I n t u r n , Cantrade. adian food p r o c e s s o r s w i l l s u f f e r from d i r e c t competition T h a t ' s going - t o h u r t farmers 6 o u r farm marketing boards t h a t guarantee farmers a reasonable p r i c e f o r t h e i r produce which is t h e only way family farms s u r v i v e .

Canadian food p r o c e s s o r s a r e h i t hard by t h e onslaught of American p r o d u c t s , 5 e s c a l a t e demands f o r cheaper farm r a t e s 6 even t h e e l i m i n a t i o n of farm marketing boards. Farm b a n k r u p t c i e s grow a s t h e US market s h a r e of Canadian eggs, p o u l t r y & f r e s h produce i n c r e a s e s .

men~sno-

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-g,osewho~~o~ergoVm The - combined developments of i ~ b t i v eare s comected an Americanization of o u r eco10 b e free wade deal are nomy, t h e implementation of wrong. anti-govt. p o l i c i e s ( c o n s i s t e n t w i t h t h e p r i n c i p l e s of f r e e trade's opposition t o govt. " i n t e r f e r e n c e " ) 5 a renewed emphasis on t h e u n r e s t r i c t e d r i g h t t o make p r i v a t e p r o f i t a r e n o t coincidence.

Coincidence? Reduction i n c o r p o r a t e t a x a t i o n . *Imposition of consumer t a x e s . * U I C overhaul. *Demise of Foreign Investment Review Agency. * P r i v a t i s a t i o n of p u b l i c e n t e r - 9 p r i s e s . *Deregulation of i n d u s t r i e s . *Banking r i g h t s i n .

Canada f o r American Express. *Drug p a t e n t laws. *Softwood t a x on export t o US. *Harmonisation of Can.dollar with US d o l l a r . *'Open S k i e s ' p o l i c y w i t h US a i r l i n e s .

US-Can. accord on t o x i c waste dumping i n each o t h e r ' s t e r r i t o r y . *Rewrite of N a t i o n a l Energy Board mandate.

"Federal cutbacks i n t r a n s f e r payments t o provinces 5 s o c i a l programs. *Abandoned f i l m d i s t r i b u t i o n l e g i s l a t i o n . " U n c r i t i c a l s t a n c e on US m i l i t a r y / p o l i t i c a l p o l i c y .

~ 6 iSTARERS. l

Insti t u tionalised Abuse

HUMAN R I G H T S I N M E X I C O

The a b u s e ~ f human r i g h t s i n Mexico is i n s t i t u t i o n a l i z e d , a s i t u a t i o n t h a t h a s remained l a r g e l y unchanged s i n c e t h e Mexican R e v o l u t i o n . Mexico's a u t h o r i t a r i a n p o l i t i c a l system h a s f u e l e d human r i g h t s a b u s e s & s h i e l d e d t h e perpet r a t o r s from p r o s e c u t i o n . Publ i c s e r v a n t s a r e o f t e n underpaid, undereducated & untraine d , making them more s u s c e p t i b l e t o general corruption & t h e e x c e s s u s e o f f o r c e . The power s t r u c t u r e developed s i n c e t h e Revo-ution i s based on cooptation 6 patrimonialism, r a t h e r t h a n t r u e m e r i t &

public competition. Loyalty t o t h e system ( t h e I n s t i t u t i o n a l Revolutionary Party PRI) i s rewarded w i t h p o s t s i n govt. & o t h e r p o l i t i c a l 6 economic f a v o r s , 6 o f t e n i n c l u d e s immunity from prosecution f o r criminal acts.

Torture, a r b i t r a r y detention & imprisonment on p o l i t i c a l grounds, d i s a p p e a r a n c e s , abysmal p r i s o n c o n d i t i o n s , r e p r e s s i o n o f t h e l a b o r movement, c e n s o r s h i p , e l e c t o r a l fraud & abuse of indigenous 6 r u r a l populations a r e t r a d i t t o n a l human r i g h b s v i o l a t i d n s w i t h i n t h e Mexican system.

These a b u s e s a r e g e n e r a l l y

committed by p o l i c e o r g a n i z a tions 6 r u r a l bosses o r - t h e i r h i r e d t h u g s , who a r e o f t e n o f f - d u t y o r r e t i r e d members of the police o r military.

These g r o u p s have e s t a b l i s h e d a reign o r violent corruption g e n e r a l l y i g n o r e d 6 sometimes e x p l i c i t l y p r o t e c t e d by l o w e r l e v e l s t a t e & f e d e r a l government r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s .

Under t h e S a l i n a s d e Gort a r i a d m i n i s t r k t i o n , t h e human r i g h t s s i t u a t i o n b o t h ref l e c t s o l d p a t t e r n s & shows some new t w i s t s . T r a d i t i o n a l forms o f a b u s e have c o n t i n u e d unabated w h i l e m e a s u r e s a g a i n s t t h e d r u g t r a d e & t h e PRIs

struggle to maintain its monopoly on political power resulted In more human rights abuses.

Electoral Fraud Since the beginning of his administration, Salinas has been an active proponent of the US "war on drugs". Increased pressures to stop the drug traffic have stimulated human rights violations, as well as corruption & ungovernability in various national security forces. In return for large amounts of financial aid, high-tech equipment 6 special police training, Salinas permits a constant Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) presence in Mexico. He also created an anti-narcotic division among the Federal Judicial Police (PJF), a highly autonomous drug-fighting force that is responsible for a large part of the increasing abuses committed under Salinas. The Mexican press reports daily on abuses resulting from the drug war, from unlawful arrest, harassment, illegal search 6 seizure, to brutal torutre resulting in death.

Corrupt i o n

Another major cause of the increased violCnce under Salinas has been the PRI's progressive loss of electoral power to the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), 6 other opposition parties. The govt. has resorted to increased fraud 6 repression. The PRD has now formed its own human rights wing, which has recorded a total of 97 deaths of its leaders, members 6 sympathsizers by the end of 1990. These deaths have increased exponentially under Salinas: 1311988, 2511989 6 59 in '90.

Many human rights leaders 6 independent organisations goth inside Mexico & internationally, believe that the human rights situation has deteriorated since Salinas' election.

Despite Mexico's rejection of foreign election observers on the grounds of national sover-

eignty, the govt. has permitt- 13. of the press & activists who ed international human rights have implicated the PJF & govobservers to enter the country ernment reps in human rights 6 conduct investigations. Varabuses, corruption & involveious municipal, state & federal ment in drug trafficking have agencies generally cooperated Opposition with Amnesty International in gathering data for its reports Murdered on rural abuse 6 the state of received death threats or . ; the prisons, although the rebeen assassinated. On May 21,' search teams were denied acc1990, for instance, Norma ess to certain facilities & Corona Sapien, the leader of documents crucial to their ina prominent Sinaloa human vestigations. righfs organisation who deThe newly created National nounced the PJF, was gunned Human Rights Commission has down in the street near the established a policy of couniversity where she taught. operation with independent The recent concern over hunational 6 international organ man rights appears to be a isations. Any criticism by the response to mew, high-profile US govt. & official agencies, forms of abuse & the politicsuch as the Inter-American al conditions that created Human Rights Commission (CIDH) them. Traditional abuses have has been rejected outright as been committed against indivan infringement of Mexico's iduals behind closed doors or sovereignty 6 interference in prison walls or in isolated domestic policy. The Mexican areas. The new abuses involve govt. has also stated that the a greater number of perpetraCIDH must abstain from considtors & victims & have often ering petitions to investigate been committed in the light electoral fraud made by PRD 6 of day in urban areas. In adthe National Action Party. dition, the anti-narcotics iiobbled campaign has affected a number of prominent citizens & Similarly, the CIDH is prohibited from looking into human members of the middle & upper rights complaints presented by classes. In the past, these domestic human rights organisgroups were generally exempt ations not affiliated with the from such abuses, with the Mexican government. important exception of the In September 1991, the US late 1960s 6 early 1970s when govt. held a congressional members of the student movehearing on the situation 6 ment & leftist insurgents were tortured, assassinated, Americas Watch & Amnesty International testified that 6 disappeared at the hands of the armed forces. there was a human rights emergency in Mexico. At the Controlled same time, however, an increaScrutiny singly vocal & well-publicised human rights movement is At the same time, Mexico has gaining ground, 6 attention been under increased internagiven human rights abuses in tional scrutiny, especially the domestic media has sparkby the United States, due to ed a growing national interits highly acclaimed economic est in human rights issues. successes & the free trade The movement has also put dirinitiative. Since the controect pressure on the govt. 6 versial 1988 presidential eldrawn international attention ections, Salinas has been to the situation in Mexico. sharply criticized for the Yet it would be incorrect to country's sluggish movement imply that journalists 6 hutoward democratic reforms, man rights activists have contrast towhich is in,:starki complete freedom to report on the whirlwind pace of economabuses. A number of members ic change. Congressional tes-

thony in Bept.'90 motivated Rep. Doug Bereuter (R-NE) to request the State Department to consider a travel advisory for Mexico's west coast.

Additional criticism emerged through the debate on granting fast-track authorization for the negotiation of the free trade agreement. Democratic reforms, & specifically judicial & human rights issues, have been proposed by international human rights agencies 6 various groups opposed to the free trade agrincluding US labor eement organizations & some Democrat political leaders - for inclusion in 'the free trade negotiations.

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Cosmetic Reforms In response to such criticisms, the Mexican instituted a number of legal reforms intended to reduce abuses, removed controversial personnel from govt. & law enforcement positions, 6 took various other steps in a bid to improve the nation's image outside Mexico. There is concern however; these reforms do little more than reiterate existing legal guarantees & will be more cosmetic than effective.

Furthermore, although Mexico's carefully groomed human rights image has taken a beating in recent years, the US govt. has generally ignored the human rights situation in Mexico for political & economic reasons. While the State Department's annual human rights' reports for '89 & '90 portrayed fairly accurately the very serious problems in Mexico, the US govt. is negotiating a free trade agreement & has not exerted any significant pressure for democratic reforms or improvement of the human rights situation. Washington has also backed away from previous criticisms of the police & government, & it has cooperated with the Mexican govt, in turning the focus from such abuses to the country's

economic situation & liberal cefoms, In the opinion of &drew Reding, director of the World Policy Institute's Mexico Project, "the deterioration in the human rights situation in Mexico is being fac . ilitated by the indifference of the US government."

Torture

Torture - usually combined with arbitrary detention was conrmonly inflicted on political prisoners in the late '60s & early '70s 6 has become more widespread since then. A 1991 report by Americas Watch found that Mexico's prison system is "characterized by massive overcrowding, deteriorating physical facilities, poorly trained & vastly underpaid guards & other prison officials, a system-wide culture of corruption 5 lack of adequate funding."

Arbitrary arrest, torture & estrajudicial killings do occur as a result of election violence & rural land conflict but more often such abuses take place in the context of routine law enforcement, especially in drug-related cases.

The binational Human Rights Center (CBDH) in Tijuana, Baja California Norte, found that 99% of those held in the state's prisons have been tortured, either during their detention, in the period immediately following their arrest, or during their imprisonment.

According to Amnesty International, approximately 80% of all prisoners have been tortured.

The CBDH documented 50 different methods of torture that had been used on prisoners in the state's jails & prisons.

The most common methods used are beatings; suffocation with a plastic bag; submersion in a tank of water or forcing carbonated mineral water (tehuacan) - sometimes laced with chile peppers - into the nose; and electric shocks to sensitive parts of the body. Physical torture is often accompanied by psychological torture, threats to family members &

extortion.

According to Americas Watch, torture "occurs in all parts of the country & is practiced by most if not all branches of the federal & state police, as well as by the armed forces."

The PJF, 6 particularly its anti-narcotics division, are implicated in a large majority of the reports of torture, extrajudicial killings & other forms of "abuse of authority" which includes robbery 6 intimidation of subjects. Some of the most flagrant of these abuses have occurred in the northern states of Sinaloa, Durango & Chihuahua, where drug trafficking is reported as most common. Other federal police -forces, including the Federal Highway Police & the iritelliPrice division of the Ministry of Protection & Highways, & such state divisions as the State Judicial Police, the State Highway Police & State Preventive Police have been implicated in the full range of human rights abuses across the country. Although reports of violations by members of the armed forces are less frequent than in the past, human rights organizations have documented a number of incidents suggesting that torture & extrajudicial assassination remain "institutionalized techniques" used by the military.

Disappearance Another traditional human rights issue still prominent in Mexico is disappearance, called a "festering sore" by Americas Watch. During the 70s ~exico's army & police, with the support of US advisers, engaged in counterinsurgency operations to eliminate several leftist guerilla movements.

According to Mexican human rights organizations, more than 500 people whose whereabouts are still unknown disappeared during that period.

Disappearances have continued although on a smaller scale in recent years. A troubling phenomenon is the disappearance of people following election or land-related violence. The

PRD reported 6 party militants missing as of year-end 1990, while a majority of rural disappearances, as with other abuses against geographically 6 linguistically isolated rural 6 indigenous populations, has gone officially unreported.

In both of these cases, the actions have been carried out by armed civilians, but the lack of municipal, state 6 federal govt. investigation 6 response indicates official acquiesence, if not actual in-

Rural Violence

.

volvement Rural violence is another long-standing element of the Mexican human rights scenario, which has continued to be a major problem under Salinas. During the first 15 months of his administration, approximately 60 indigenous 6 campesino leaders were murdered, not including those killed in electoral violence. Rural human rights abuses include land 6 property seizures, destruction of property, intimidation, disappearances & killings. The govt. has consistently failed to detain 6 prosecute those responsible. Americas Watch has called rural violence an "unabating problem'' in Mexico, "It grows out of long-standing disputes over land 6 out of frustrations by peasants 6 members of Indian communities over the inadequacies of Mexico's land reform program. The Mexican govt. responds as though the violence were an inevitable by-product of land-related tensions in the countryside, & rarely intervenes."

Mexico's human rights legislation is exemplary, 6 the country is a signatory ton various important international human rights declarations. Nevertheless, these laws 6 protections have never really been enforced effectively. Moreover, the legal system is notoriously slow. The law requires that judges issue an order of imprisonment within 72 hours

of an arrest 6 that the prisoner be tried within minimum time periods - up to one year depending on the crime. An investigation showed, however, that 6 of every 10 inmates, many of whom had waited much longer than a year, were still awaiting sentencing.

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Prisons The horrors of Mexican prisons have been well-documented by Americas Watch, religious organisations 6 articles in both national & inter national press. As of Sept.

'89. the nation's prisons held 80,000 inmates in space designed for 55,000. Moreover - as in Sinaloa - space does not guarantee a prisoner a bunk or a cell, which are bought 6 sold among prisoners for between $300 6 $10,000, but rather the right to sleep on a concrete slab on the floor. Despite these desperate conditions, the situation is deteriorating under the Salinas govt. which has built almost no new facilities, although the prison population has been increasing at an average rate of 14% per year.

The wealthy can live very well in prison, as is the case of drug traffickers Rafael Caro Quintero 6 Ernesto Carrillo. They occupied luxurious private suites within the Western Penitentfary.

Quintero reported that his jailers attempted to extort $1 million from him, which resulted in the revelation of his living conditions to the press, Extortion'& corruption are standard procedure in the understaffed, underfinanced & overcrowded institutions. Guards 6 prison officials are severely underpaid, whick:contributes to the cycle of corruption.

Poor prisoners, often indigenous people who do not speak Spanish, are forced to labor ' for their survival, & families are charged outrageous fees to visit the inmates or bring them the necessities that the

prison does not provide. The Government Secretariat acknowledged that there are about 8,000 indigenous prisoners in the system "who don't even know why they are there."

Besides these problems, the prison facilities are old, unkempt 6 often unsafe; medical & mental health care are inadequate; 6 in many cases there is no separation of the sexes or of dangerous 6 nondangerous prisoners. There are no rehabilitation programs outside of some independent church-sponsored bible 6 literacy groups, 6 prison job programs are rare & extremely limited. There are documented cases of children being incarcerated. At the same time, Mexico's penal system has been commended for allowing children of female inmates to remain with their mothers, 6 for its less-structured atmosphere which provides inmates with some level of personal freedom.

Image One to the initiatives taken by the Salinas administration to improve Mexico's human rights image was the June '90 creation of the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH). The move was warily applauded by the national 6 international human rights comunity, who saw the CNDH both as a major opportunity 6 as a potential. means of government control over the burgeoning human rights movement. The CNDH is severely limited in its powers because it is not legally independent, but was created by 6 reports directly to the president. It has no means of enforcing its recommendations.

Instead, the Commission's power rests in the moral integrity 6 reputation of its members 6 its ability to publicize abuses 6 recommendations.

The CNDH has established generally good working relations with non-governmental human rights organizations around the country. It also has signed various agreements & cooperative declarations with many national 6 foreign legal 6

I

human rights organizations.

Although a few groups have written off the CNDH completely, others are taking a wait&-see attitude while providing as much support as required.

The CNDH has already had major confrontations with the Attorney General's oitice (PGK) which had fully complied with only 5 of the 45 recommendations it received from CNDH as of March '91. The PGR denies any conflict with the CN HU but it is evident that the govt. has created an agency determined to overcome its legal 6 operative limitations 6 actually improve the human rights situation. Given that ~exico's security forces are considered to be the nation's main human rights problem, this involves a great deal of conflict on an institutional level. At this point the CNDH appears to be ahead.

Image o f Change Javier Coello Trejo, whose personal bodyguards were accused of gang rape & who was implicated in the cover-up of that 6 other abuses committed by men under his command, was replaced as the head of the PJF anti-narcotics division during a revamoing of that organization in Feb.'91 designed to make it "more controllable." Likewise, the Fed.

Attorney General Castillo was replaced in a surprise move

by Salinas in May following his refusal to comply with certain CNDH recommendations.

But considering that these 2 men were simply transferred to other govt. posts, their removal seemed more like a public relations ploy 6 under scored Americas Watch charges of "a policy of impunity."

Besides the CNDH there are many human rights groups: ,, around the country. Estimates of their numbers range from 79 to over 100. The large majority of these groups are non-governmental, but an increasing number of states are creating their own human rights offices. Concern about human rights violations has increased dramatically since the mid-80s, especially after the '85 earthquake. Among the early torchbearers were two women: Mariclaire Acosta, who founded the Mexico chapter of Amnesty International; and Rosario Ibarra of the Committee for the Defense of Prisoners, persecuted, Disappeared Persons & Political Exiles (EUTEKA). As a result of the massive destruction caused by the '85 earthquake 6 because of the govt's ineffective 6 fraudulent response to the crisis, an entire network of social organisations sprung

up. Following the disaster, several of these specializCd in human rights monitoring 6 helped spearhead the current movement. The movement also benefitted from the international attention received during 6 after the earbhquake.

The major national non-governmental human rights organisations are the Mexican Human Rights Commission led by Mariclare Acosta; EUREKA; the Fray Bartolome de Las Casas Human Rights Center; the Miguel Agustin Pro Human Rights Center; & the academicallyoriented Mexican Human Rights Academy led by Sergio Aguya.

The first four respond directly to complaints 6 are considered highly credible. EUREKA focuses on the issue of the disappeared, while the Academy is more of a think tank. Some of the most active 6 effective are the independent human rights organisations that are developed on the state level. They are usually the first to respond to a complaint by an individual or presented in the press.

In addition, the PRD's Human Rights Secretariat has been a very active proponent of human rights, especially in areas it controls or where it has heavy support.

The e x a m p l e s , s t a r k r e a l i t y i n Mexico, a r e n o t j u s t words on p a p e r . S a l i n a s l o s t t h e e l e c t i o n b u t , when it became o b v i o u s , h e had t h e army & p o l i c e s e i z e b a l l o t b o x e s , s c a t t e r l i n e s o f v o t e r s , and set a b o u t k i l l i n g p o l i t i c a l l e a d e r s . Then it was announced t h a t h e 11won".

T h i s i s t h e d i c t a t o r s h i p t h a t t h e US s u p p o r t s .

T h e r e i s l i t t l e d i f f e r e n c e between what t h e c o r p o r a t e agenda d i c t a t e s & what b o t h t h e governments o f t h e United S t a t e s & Canada want. The same f o r c e s b e h i n d and w i t h i n t h e T o r i e s & t h e RtApublicans a r e i n Mexico.

N e i t h e r t h e L i b e r a l s n o r t h e Democrats h o l d much i n t h e way o f a l t e r n a t i v e s e i t h e r . Go on w i t h what f r e e t r a d e w i t h Mexico ( n e x t s e c t i o n ) w i l l b r i n g , t h e n we can l o o k a t r e a l a l t e r n a t i v e s

.

RQUND TWO FREE TRADE WITH MEXICO THEY SAY

WE SAY

We're involved in these U.S talks with Mexico to protect our existing agreement We'll make sure no deals are cut at Canada's expense. Chief negotiator John Weekes has a firm mandate to reject any changes in the existing agreement and Canadian culture is off limits.

The last free trade deal was cut at our expense. Why would a North American free trade agreement be different? In this round the US wants: * more "intellectual property" concessions to patent 6 copyright holders like US drug, agricultural seed 6 broadcasting firms; * more US benefits under the auto pact & auto sections of the agreement. (US harassment against Japanese auto investors in Canada - like Honda - was nicely timed to the opening of the new trade talks); * Restrictions on the role of Can.fann marketing 6 Can. Wheat Boards; * more access for US ownership/control in Can.publish/broadcast/recording; * elimination of provincial barriers to free trade including provincial/municipal govt. preferences for local goods, service & labour; * definition of prohibited govt. subsidies, the negotiation of which was postponed under the current agreement; * wide-open access for American investors, including elimination of the modest foreign investment screening that remains in Canada.

We'll get access to the Mexican commercial market and IheMexicanlabourmarkeL

We'll get job, income 6 investment losses. Goods made or imported by US ,multinationals in Mexico are notoriously hard to identify as "Mexican content".

We will be swamped with these goods. Since services are included, we can expect service firms like banks to do computer processing from Mexico in future.

Trade Minister Michael Wilson says it wouldn't be fair for the US to be the only ones with access to low-cost Mexican labour 6 seems satisfied to let labour-intensive industries, including auto parts, textiles, fish processing & even pulp 6 paper make the shift to Mexico. Significantly, Canada & Mexico seem to be competitors in the US market for the same goods & res.urce exports.

Free trade with Mexico is a The Mexican govt. has already moved to silent integration with the US econo'g&waytohelpthatcoun~ my in recent years - dropping tariffs, privatizing, deregulating foreign incutting social services, putting a repressive hold on civil, human its sirnation. our vestment, 6 union rights - under pressure from foreign creditors. As a result official I

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unemployment more than doubled from 8.5% in '82 to 17.9%; real wages fell

help Mexico Create more jobs 60%. Jobs are shifting to the foreign-owned maquiladoras in the free trade and improve its standard of zone along the US border, where wages 6 living conditions are abysmal. Meanwhile, domestic Mexican firms are being driven into bankruptcy. University living.

of Mexico studies estimate 900,000 small-to-medium-sized domestic firms will close with free trade. US-based transnationals will consolidate their hold.

Mexican farmers will be displaced by US agribusiness, adding to the large ranks of unemployed. Mexico, which previously had a trade surplus, ended up with a deficit by '89 the first one in eight years. Many Mexicans hope free trade will bring them something better than their experience of the last 10 years. Free trade will only mean more of the same, making it more permanent.

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Mexico needs to grow by de- Mexico will not get an iron-clad guarantee for its exports to the US any more

velopingitsexponindusuies.

than Canada did; with the exception of oil 6 other natural resources the US wants badly. Any trade surplus Mexico might obtain will be quickly eaten up through interest payments owed to foreign banks on Mexico's mammoth foreign debt. The real test to our commitment to international solidarity would be to cancel Mexican 6 other Third World debt unconditionally. Mexico's economy needs restructuring to serve the needs of the Mexican people, not foreign b-nks 6 investors. As in Canada's case, there's a lot of propaganda but little information or democratic debate on alternatives to free trade.

Central and South ~~~~i~~ Ronald Reagan & George Bush have been pushing hemispheric free trade for a decade (it's known officially now as the US Enterprise of the Americas Iniashould be next tive). The US is moving on these deals while "friendly" governments are in place, to consolidate the pro-business changes these governments have made.

The Caribbean Basin Iniative is already in place. Countries like Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Equador, Columbia & Chile have already signed on with Washington in preliminary framework afreements. Just so many spokes with Washington at the hub of the wheel. Countries will be played off against each other, snowballing the concessions won from struggling Third World countries.

Is this the new world order; a vicious cycle of players undercutting each other on wages & corporate taxation, all to the benefit of transnationals?

"Our ultimate aini is a world where technologies can move freely, where goods & services are exchanged without impediment, where investments flow where they can most productively be used" Brian Mulroney, speaking last spring at a meeting of the Inter-American Inve,stment Corporation on hemispheric free trade.

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Trading blocs are forming in E ~ p and e South-East Asia. panofone in wehave North America.

~t's ironic to hear this argument from big multinationals who will have a finger in every bloc pie available. The corporations & governments supporting North American free trade aim to use low paid Mexican labour as the backbone of their competitiveness in the world economy. In fact, if Mexican wages were to rise significantly, or tough environmental standards set, these.same corporations & investors would transfer their capital & production elsewhere; perhaps farther south, as the "enterprise of the Americas Iniative" adds more Latin American countries to the free trade rostrum. We need cooperation between people & countries of the world, not competitive warfare that serves only the interests of international investors & transnational companies.

Canada has no choice.

BALONEY! We don't need more timid & negative talk from our federal govt. We need vision. Those interests that want to see free trade extended are creating this sense of inevitability for their own gain. There is a six-month cancellation clause in the existing free trade agreement with the US. We should use it while it still exists. Then get on with the job of a new development strategy - addressing both the domestic & international context - a develop-ment strategy that does not put US export dependency as the centrepiece.

-shortchanging other legitimate social, economic & politic needs of Canada.

THIS DEBATE HAS JUST BEGUN f o on Mexico & free t r a d e , w r i t e t o : 138 McIntyre S t . , Regina, SASK, S4P 2 R 7

As Ihuttcd out my cigarcttc in front of the Danforth Avcnuc Canada Employment Immigration Centre. 1 wished my two co-smokers the typical, almostw r y " G w 1 luck."Thcn up thc steps and back into the aimlessly milling crowd ofdispiritcd job-scckcrs and seemingly endlcss numher o f pcoplc who arc cithcr applying for, or having problcms with, their uncmploymcnt insurance.

There is a strange. lenuous. but almost palpablc camaraderie i n U I C lineups thcscdays. Forged partly due to the lcngth o f the lines and thus Ihc amount of time spent standing behind and i n front o f othcrs with whom you share a problem. thiscmpathcticchattincss i s an almost spiritual boon.

Whether it derives from thc angstoftl~c sacrificial lamb or from a gut dcsirc to complain to ,another person wilh as l i l l e power as yourself. the solidarity it manifests does not bode well for M u Ironcy's complacent, eager destruction of Canada'sability to provide both cmployment and relief to thosc without it.

Strange and non-Tory things arc happening, and one can almost fccl UIC edge undcr our feet, the brink that shimmers right there i n front o f us.

I t has been ten years since I la.1 applied and rcceivcd uncmploymcnt insurance. Minoring the planct, I supp s e . the local environment o f uncmployment offices has been dcgratled to a frightening, aimless, and ovcrwl~clming alienating "scar charnlxr" in which we not only are asked itnpossihlc qucstions by implacable interrogators, hut we also question oursclves. On cntcring the door o f Ole local office. Iam conlrontcd with a lincup some 20 or so deep. At the head o f this line is a small, one-pcrson hoolh whose carpeted b a l k - w a l l s extend to chinheight for theaverage Canadian. After ten full minutes in this line-up. and after numcrous shv sidclone" glances. thc wcll-dressed man i n front o f me turns and makes a comment to me. Wc spcak together for less lhan 30 scconds whcn the pcrson behind me joins in uninvited but absolutclv wclcotne. We , lalk'ahout our various cxpcricnccs with jobs and U I C until, about30 minutes later. the man ahead

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1

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Perils in Pogeyland

income seven weeks agoon my "report card," and J have not got a cheque, or a card. or a lettcr since. Are they punishing me? Idon't really ask this, but Ifeel guilty for having had to put U I C out by being honest. I t would have been so approaches l l ~ booth. e props his chin on eaqy to never mention my earnings. thc baffle and hands over his papers lo I h c n my "report card" wouldn't have lhc invisible qucstioncr. Icross my fin- bcen spit out by the Bellcville maingcrs at him a5 he looks back and rolls frame compulcrs back l o this onice his eyes heavenward. He is given a wilh too-few stall, bamcs and an alnumber from a meat-store roll. As we most-impregnable outpost by the main door. I'm sony for a number o f reasons. had prcdicrcd.

Once given a number, i f you do not Itruly am.

I f the woman behind the counter did havc a form to fill. you are frcc l o sit (Ihcrc are 20 chairs and more than I 0 0 not look so tired, she might have smiled people), stand lounging against a pillar as she pulled a form from a curling pile or to sfare at the neon "now being a1 her right hand. "You'll have lo come scrvcd" display hanging from the ccil- hack Ionlorrow at 8:30 and see a couning. Since we arc at least 40 numbers scllor. They're all busy right now." I t is later lhan ~ h nu~nbcr c being servd. we one-and-a-half hours until the o f i c e C I day. Ihesifare. then look insBnctivcly opr to join thc pack o f closes Tor U smokers ouLqitlc the main dmrs. We hack at the crowd i n grotty chairs waithuddle. Sympathy and advice (most o f ing. Ilell her 1'1 be there, no problem.

I leave with a sense o f relief that i t nonsense) arc sharcd. Strange irilimate details o f onc's work history arc could only be bigger i f Ihad managed sharcd with (almost) perfect strangers. to swaightcn out m y own particular Each of us, though, has an eye on the problem in a single visit. Imockingly clock. N o one wants to miss lhe silent throw up my hands i n a helpless gesture appearance o f onc's number on l l ~ e to a person behind me as well as one o f my co-smokers. They try lo simulate a ncnn announcer panel on the ceiling.

One o f us complains that thcy don't smileas thcy sit, slumped i n the chairs want the nloncy as much as ac- thcy've managed to obtain.

As Ileave. someone taps me on the knowledgement of their crumpled doctor's letter. Iswcar my rcgrct that 1was arm. Asks me where the jobboards are. honcst enough to report income and, as Isay that here are no more job hoards. a result. make myself disappear from that there are a bunch of computers that the U I C master computcrs. Our co- you use to do the same thing. Pain is smoker complains that only insane etched on the person's features, but pcoplewould h i n k he'd show up with- "Oh ...thank you" is all that is said. out idcntificalion to admit and deal Radiating fear of keyboards and all that stuff. the smnger pauses, then turns wilh an overpayment o f hcncfils.

Once back inside, wc m i l l about and, along with others, sort o f follows aimlessly bclwcen the high school sci- me out on to the sweet. Iwonder i f Iam cncc desks. rhe rafty chairs. and the over-romanticizing their plight when high school lihrary study carrel divi- they follow me to the Papc subway sions. Once you have a numhcr. you slation. thcn stand and discuss where must wait again. When your number thcy arc going betwcen themselves.

The rest or the day seems like a holiappears i n rcd on the ceiling scrccn. you havc to walk through crowds to- day. since Idon't have to be back at the ward four post-officc-like stand-up office until tomorrow. Ircrncmhcr havcounters. trying to dctcrmine which o f ing that fccling whcn Ileft work sometirncs, whcn Ihad work. thcm called thc nurnhcr you hold.

Anyway. Ifeel special. Tomorrow I Iam lucky - Igucss righton my first gamhlc. First, ncrvous about my right get to ignore the first and second to be at hcr wickct. I offcr my l i t l c lineups, go right toa tired-looking perycllow nutnbcr ticket. Then Iexplain son and ask i f they remember me from my own particular problem. Ireportcd yesterday. Strangely enough. Ialmost look forward to seeing anyone Iknow i n tomonow's lineup.

Ifccl confitlcnt lwill.

0

THIS MAGAZINE FREE TRADE PULL-OUT

The f r e e t r a d e agreement between t h e U.S. & Canada was f o r c e d i n t o p l a c e u s i n g e v e r y s l e a z y t a c t i c p o s s i b l e . The m a j o r i t y o f Canadians saw i t f o r what i t was, v o t e d a g a i n s t i t ( M u l r o n e y l s T o r i e s o n l y g o t 43% o f t h e v o t e ) b u t a f l a w e d p o l i t i c a l s y s t e m c h a n n e l e d i t i n t o law.

I n t h e S t a t e s t h e i g n o r a n c e o f t h e g e n e r a l p u b l i c i s m a s s i v e when i t comes t o f r e e t r a d e . I t ' s o n l y t h e t h r e a t o f s t r i k i n g a d e a l w i t h t h e Mexican government t h a t h a s b r o u g h t a b r u p t c h a n g e s i n t h e Yanks p e r c e p t i i o n s . Now a l t e r n a t i v e s a r e d i s c u s s e d , b u t o n l y r e s i s t a n c e on t h e o r d e r o f t h e a n t i - w a r movement d u r i n g t h e Vietnam y e a r s c o u l d d e r a i l t h i s d e a l . " T h i s d e b a t e h a s j u s t begun" i s a good s t a r t , b u t words a l o n e s e r v e t h e p u r p o s e s o f c o r p o r a t i o n s : t a l k i n g and d ~ b a t i n gcan b e n o t h i n g more t h a n academic e x e r c i s e s w i t h o u t p r a c t i c a l a c t i o n s - a i m s / p u r p o s e / g o a l s .

Following a r e t h e f i v e fundamental p r i n c i p l e s of t h e P r o g r e s s i v e U t i l i s a t i o n Theory - P R 0 U T . - f o o d f o r t h o u g h t f o r a ravenous p e o p l e ( u s ) .

1.

No i n d i v i d u a l s h o u l d b e a l l o w e d t o a c c u m u l a t e any p h y s i c a l w e a l t h w i t h o u t t h e c l e a r p e r m i s s i o n o r a p p r o v a l o f t h e c o l l e c t i v e body. ( F o u r c a u s e s o f a c c u m u l a t i o n a r e : a ) i n d i v i d u a l n e c e s s i t y ; b ) persona l & c o l l e c t i v e r e s p o n s i b i l i t y ; c ) l o n g i n g f o r i n • ’i n i t e h a p p i n e s s ; d) m e n t a l d i s e a s e . )

2.

T h e r e s h o u l d b e maximum u t i l i s a t i o n and r a t i o n a l d i s t r i b u t i o n o f a l l mundane, supramundane and s p i r i t u a l p o t e n t i a l i t i e s o f t h e u n i v e r s e . ( D i v e r s i t y i s t h e law of n a t u r e ; e q u a l i t y w i l l n e v e r b e . )

3.

T h e r e s h o u l d b e maximum u t i l i s a t i o n o f a l l p h y s i c a l , m e t a p h y s i c a l & s p i r i t u a l p o t e n t i a l i t i e s d f u n i t & c o l l e c t i v e b o d i e s of human s o c i e t y . ( C o l l e c t i v e good l i e s w i t h i n d i v i d u a l s ; i n d i v i d u a l good l i e s w i t h t h e c o l l e c t i v i t y .)

4.

T h e r e s h o u l d b e a p r o p e r a d j u s t m e n t amongst t h e s e p h y s i c a l , metap h y s i c a l , mundane, supramundane a n d s p i r i t u a l p o t e n t i a l i t i e s . ( A l l i n d i v i d u a l s s h o u l d become well-rounded p h y s i c a l l y , m e n t a l l y and s p i r i t u a l l y . T h e r e must b e a p r o p e r a d j u s t m e n t w i t h p o t e n t i a l i t i e s .)

5.

The method o f u t i l i s a t i o n s h o u l d v a r y i n a c c o r d a n c e w i t h t h e changes of t i m e , p l a c e & p e r s o n , & t h e s e u t i l i s a t i o n s s h o u l d be o f ., a. p r o + gressive nature.

I

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SAVE O U R KIDS FROM SCUM LIKE THIS

A man who c l a i m s t o be a human b e i n g i s d r i v i n g around i n what l o o k s l i k e a v e h i c l e from o u t e r s p a c e .

It's f i l l e d with toys. This i s h i s way of l u r i n g k i d s t o t h i s v a n , s o he can g e t h i s s e x u a l k i c k s from them.

So how many k i d s h a s t h i s scum harmed..emotionally, p h y s i c a l l y , m e n t a l l y and s e x u a l l y ? He's a v e r y s i c k man; I can o n l y hope t h e y f i n d him soon.

Most k i d s are well-educated about s i t u a t i o n s of t h i s n a t u r e , b u t on t h e other hand some a r e n o t .

They a r e t h e They end ones who a r e g e t t i n g h u r t . up l i v i n g grim l i v e s because t h e y are unable t o t a l k a b o u t what happened t o , them.

So I ' m a s k i n g a l l p a r e n t s t o t a k e the time t o e x p l a i n t o t h e i r k i d s about t h i.S SO-C a l l e d man. L e t them know i t ' s 1 okay t o s a y NO when they' s e n s e t r o u b l e . bound t o h e a r t hem.

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Police sketch of suspect.

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By Lora Grindlay

5 .lo - ~j 1 New Westminster police have released a comwsite drawing of a man who uses a van filled-with toys to abduct children.

The suspect - a black male about 28 years old - tried to abduct a nine-year-old boy late last week.

The suspect opened the side of his van and told the boy to "hop in," police said yesterday. The boy, a student at Herbert Spencer elementary school, kicked the suspect and ran three blocks to the school.

Staff Reporter

The unshaven suspect weighs

New West boy .bout and is 85 about kilograms six feet (190 tall, police ibs.1 describes man said.He has a stkkv build and m r in van' as 'ugly' teeth.

His black hair is shoit on top but is in collar-length tresses Police said the man was driving a new black Pontiac van with grey interior.

The insiae of t h e van described by the boy as a toy store - contained a white teddy bear, (3.1. Joe tanks and soldiers, Nintendo games, a doll house and a big screen TV.

in back. His face was described to police as "fat and ugly."

H, was wearing a yellow T-shirt with a pocket on the left side, light blue jeans worn in the right knee and white Nike runners.

His jeans were held up by a belt and brass buckle with an old steam-train logo. Anyone with information is asked to call New West police at 5'25-5411.

human beings of themselves nery & there-

don't exist. These are used in a continuous attempt to convert the dreams desires of individuals into profits for corporations.

It's not so much that the economic system serves our material needs, but rather that it constantly seeks to amplify 6 channel-our desires, diverting them as much as possible from our own personal benefit to the benefit of businessmen's organizations.

No image or product is more typically North American than the car. Now exported & manufactured world-wide, these car images & the lifestyles & machine they pretend to represent, are designed to sustain a sort of emotional feedingfrenzy for power & success. The car of' course makes you a superman or superwoman. You can zip all over the city, covering more ground in less time than when you only walked around on two legs. This

Although we experience this emotionally as an increase in personal power, it is actually just a temporary dependence achines - powus & in reality urse we intend to have our bodys converted to a series of exchangeable parts that make us half human, half machine. Most people would be revolted by such an idea, but in fact their subconscious emotional life is already infected with powerful images of superhuman gods.

To the extent that they identify with these powerful figures, people tend tot believe that they ''ye become "successful" Now the word "successful", as it is used in advertising, is essentially meaningless. No one can become a "success" there is no such thing because the word means you succeed at something.

1t's an adjective or a verb, not a noun.

It refers to process rather than state transition rather than form. All human beings are "successful" at some things & llnsuccessful at others, so there is never any state in which you finally arrive at Nsuccess".

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This f a c t does n o t o f c o u r s e p r e v e n t businessmen from a r r a n g i n g s o c i a l imagery i n s u c h a way a s t o make i t seem t o the a v e r a g e p e r s o n t h a t he o r she can become 'A success". Such i d e a s a r e simpl y taken f o r g r a n t e d . S o c i e t y ' s message is b e l i e v e d i n , & c a r r y s u s f u r t h e r away from t h e a c t u a l r e a l i t y o f how we are.

When all. t h e s u c c e s s images a s s o c i a t e d c o s m e t i c s , c a r s , food, with p r o d u c t s c l o t h i n g - s h e l t e r & s o on are added up & t h e i r c o n t i n u o u s p r e s e n c e & urgency i n a d v e r t i s i n g taken i n t o account, i t ' s not s u r p r i s i n g t o f i n d b a s i c human quali t i e s t w i s t e d i n t o b i z a r r e s h a p e s & gene r a l l y r e p l a c e d w i t h many unwholesome forms o f egomania. T h i s i s perhaps most simply d e s c r i b e d as the s t a t e i n t o which the Greek god N a r c i s u s descended when h e f e l l i n l o v e w i t h h i s own image & became incapable o f l o v i n g o t h e r s .

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There i s a n o t h e r myth t h a t s h e d s some l i g h t on t h e i d e a of p e r s o n a l "success" & that i s King Midas, who wished t h a t everything he touched would t u r n t o gold. Today's s u c c e s s f u l businessmen a r e o f t e n ref e r r e d t o as "having t h e Midas m ouch" & i t ' s l a r g e l y f o r g o t t e n t h a t t h e whole point of t h e s t o r y i s t h a t Midas k i l l e d h i s e n t i r e f a m i l y by t o u c h i n g them, t u r n ing them i n t o l i f e l e s s m e t a l images.

Every Christmas we s e e t h e image of Scrooge as a penny-pinching-but-loveable old businessman used t o s e l l p r o d u c t s b u t we we f o r g e t t h a t i t was h i s c o n v e r s i o n t o g e n e r o s i t y t h a t changed him from a l o n e l y o l d man i n t o a man who r e c e i v e d the l o v e & r e s p e c t o f f a m i l y & f r i e n d s .

King Midas d i e d brokenhearted , b u t Scrooge was r a d i c a l l y transformed, t h a n k s t o t h e i n t e r v e n t i o n o f s p i r i t u a l guides.

I t ' s e a s y t o s e e how a money-oriented s o c i e t y t a k e s t h e imagery c r e a t e d by artists & w r i t e r s thorughout h i s t o r y & t w i s t s i t t o s u i t i t s own purposes. What is not s o n o t i c e a b l e i s t h e way t h i s process c r e a t e s s p i r i t u a l & e m o t i o n a l f r a g mentation i n t h e human psyche.

Even i n s m a l l e a s i l y . o v e r l o o k e d ways t h e s e messages o f b e t r a y a l s l i p through.

For example, a r e c e n t TV commercial u s e s t h e p h r a s e "Power t o t h e People" this t u r n s o u t t o b e a n ad f o r power t o o l s .

Power t o o l s are sometimes u s e f u l & necess a r y , b u t t h e y are c e r t a i n l y n o t "power t o t h e people". I n f a c t , o u r machine c u l t u r e d r a i n s p e o p l e o f t h e i r own n a t u r a l powers & p e r s u a d e s them w i t h u n r e a l i s t i c e x p e c t a t i o n s o f some s u p e r i o r e x i s t e n c e t h a t o n l y seems t o happen. We a r e provided w i t h dreams & h y p n o t i c e f f e c t s t h a t

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t a k e c o n t r o l of o u r emotions & d r i v e u s down a highway o f image consumption t h a t ends i n old age & death.

The f a c t t h a t w e must a l l d i e & t h a t nobody can r e a l l y s a y f o r s u r e what happens n e x t i s a g r e a t e q u a l i z e r . Our f a t e makes u s d i f f e r e n t b u t o u r d e a t h makes u s a l l t h e same. Those who b e l i e v e t h a t d e a t h i s t h e end o f e v e r y t h i n g a r e u s u a l l y dedicat e d m a t e r i a l i s t s whose e n t i r e e x i s t e n c e . i s devoted t o g e t t i n g as much borrowed power from machines & m a t e r i a l o b j e c t s as t h e y can d u r i n g one l i f e t i m e .

The o l d s a y i n g "YOU' can't t a k e i t w i t h you", which was once meant t o convey t h e i d e a t h a t you should d e v e l o p r e a l human q u a l i t i e s i n s t e a d of merely accumulating i l l u s i o n s of power from m a t e r i a l e x i s t e n c e h a s now been t u r n e d on i t s head by s o c i e t y & used t o convince people t h e y s h o u l d e n j o y m a t e r i a l l u x u r y s now - g e t i t w h i l e you can, t h e y s a y , because t h e "grim r e a p e r " w i l l e v e n t u a l l y c r a s h t h e p a r t y & d e s t r o y a l l your fun.

Thus even o u r p e r s o n a l d e a t h i s used as hook & b a i t i n t h e r a t r a c e f o r p l e a s - u r e & power. T h i s h a s n o t h i n g t o do w i t h becoming a b e t t e r human b e i n g a l l it d o e s i s what i t was d e s i g n e d t o do: p l a c e enormous p r o f i t s i n t h e hands o f a few defective personalitys, but the r e a l ji. ! t h i n g may t u r n o u t t o b e unimaginably i ! d i f f e r e n t t h a t t h e taste of p e p s i o r coke.:

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2) Did you h e a r a b o u t t h e awful c a r What aIre we h a v i n g f o r !e i t i.s s u r e c o l d o u t : 5) Gee i t i s s u r e w a r m o u t . By t h e t i m e they f i n i s h t h a t conversation t h e y a r e m e n t a l l y t i r e d . Then t h e y have a nap..when t h e y g e t up t h e y r et p e ~ a t t~h e same c o n v e r s a t i o n a g a i n .

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Why oh why would S a r a J o h n s t o n , B e f o r e t h e dawning's e a r l y l i g h t ;

Born w i t h b e a u t y r a r e l y s e e n ; Her f a c e would g r a c e t h e f e a t u r e s , Of a l o v e l y P r a i r i e Queen.

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L i v i n g t h e r e i n s i d e a mansion, She was l i k e a movie s t a r ; Her son a t t e n d e d p r i v a t e s c h o o l , I n a chauffeur-driven c a r .

The world belonged t o S a r a J o h n s t o n , She was as r i c h as any k i n g ; With h e r b e a u t y and h e r w e a l t h , She c o u l d ' v e had most a n y t h i n g .

So w h i l e I work from dawn t o d a r k , And b r e a k .my back a g a i n s t th'e l a n d ; .

I s h a l l never understand.

Why oh why would S a r a J o h n s t o n , B e f o r e t h e dawning' s e a r l y l i g h t ; Take up a r o p e and hang h e r s e l f , On t h a t q u i e t summer n i g h t ?

Michael James McLel.:

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:Then t h e y are ready t o go t o bed f o r o u r ed e e p .

These a r e t h e same p e o p l e who condemn t h e poor f o r b e i n g poor. On t h e i r d a i l y c a r o r bus r i d e they f i n d t h e t i m e t o make t h e i r a s s i n i n e comIt i s q u i t e ments about t h e poor. obvious t h a t t h e y a r e n o t aware of t h e t r u e r e a s o n s f o r b e i n g poor.

P a s s i n g comments from t h e i n t e l l e c t u a l l y dead o n l y s e r v e t o s t r e n g t h e n a b a r r i e r o f c l a s s h a t r e d . The r i c h a r e a m i n o r i t y ; t h e y are t h e manipul a t o r s ; t h e y u s e t h e m i d d l e c l a s s as. a b u f f e r zone o f h a t r e d between t h e poor and themselves.

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RIAN WAGGOTT

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DERA HAS BEEN SERVING THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE FOR 18 YEARS

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lhis poem was g i v e n as a n e x e r c i s e i n a n E n g l i s h a s a Second Language c l a s s and t h e s t u d e n t , Shang Lung L i a o , 7 7 , answered "Is t h i s s t i l l v a l i d t o d a y ? " -

T h i s poem d e s c r i b e s a common c i t i z e n ' s b e h a v i o u r and h i s way o f l i f e . We may f i n d o u t t h a t h e r e p r e s e n t s most o f t h e c i t i z e n s i n any s o c i e t y , e s p e c i a l l y the q u i e t majority of people.

I f anyone a b i d e s by t h e law and d e v o t e s t h e i r l i f e t o t h e community, i t i s no wonder t h a t h e i s r e g a r d e d a s a good c i t i z e n i n our peaceful soceity.

Even by t o d a y ' s s t a n d a r d i n t h e modern w o r l d , h e i s s t i l l c o n s i d e r e d a great citizen.

A s l o n g a s e v e r y o n e makes t h i n g s f o r s o c i e t y , h e w i l l b e appr e c i a t e d and r e s p e c t e d by u s .

I f everyone i s l i k e t h e a u t h o r ' s d e p i c t i o n of t h e guy i n t h e poem, I t h i n k t h a t t h e r e w i l l b e permanent p e a c e i n t h e w o r l d .

The Unknown Citizen (ToJS/07/M/378 This Marble Monument is Erected bv rhe State) He was found by the Bureau of Statistics to be One against whom there was no official complaint.

And all the reports on his conduct agree That. in the modern sense of an old-fashioned word, he was a saint, For in everything he did he served the Greater Community.

Except for the War till the day he retired He worked in a factory and never got fired, But satisfied his employers, Fudxe Motors Inc. Yet he wasn't a csaJ or odd ichis iiews1Foi his Union reports that he paid hi* dues.(Our report on his Union shows it was sound) And our Social Psychology workers found That he was popular with his mates and liked a drink.

The Press are convinced that he bought a paper every day And that his reactions to advertisements were normal in every way.

Policies taken out in his name prove that he was fully insured.

And his Health-card shows he was once in hospital but left it cured.

Both Producers Research and High-Grade Living declare He was fully sensible to the advantages of the Installment Plan And had everGhing necessary to the Modern Man. A phonograph, a radio, a car and a frigidaire.

Our researchers into Public Opinion are content That he held the proper opinions for the time of the year; When there was peace. he was for peace; when there was war. he went.

He was married and added five children to the population.

Which our Eugenist says was the right number for a parent of his generation, And our teac3ers report that he never derfered with their education.

Was he free? Was he happy? The question is absurd: -Had anything been wtong, we should certainly have heard.

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W.H. Auden

i n g i s coming i n t o t h i s a r e a .

h o u s i n g & a c c e s s t o s e r v i c e s prompts

Sun & P r o v i n c e ) With t h e d e i n s t i t u t i o n a l i s a t i o n of

h e r e t h a t a r e already unable t o d e a l with increased c l i e n t e l e .

The r e s u l t i n c l u d e s p e o p l e r e q u i r i n g m e d i c a t i o n t o f u n c t i o n and n o t h a v i n g w i l l f o l l o w t h e i r regimen. I f t h e y a r e

i l l n e s s e s , t h e much-publicised police when m e d i c a t i o n i s l a c k i n g , w e t h e n have i n s t a n c e s l i k e t h e one on Commera c t i o n s r a i s e s e r i o u s c o n c e r n s . The c i a l . D e c e n t r a l i s i n g housing f o r f a t a l s h o o t i n g of t h e man on Commercp e o p l e w i t h m e n t a l i l l n e s s e s j u s t beid D r i v e , t h e one b r a n d i s h i n g a steak k n i f e - was t h e o n l y c h o i c e open t o comes h a r d e r when a n e x c e p t i o n l i k e t h e o f f i c e r a l e t h a l r e s p o n s e ? Is t h e t h e k n i f e w e i l d e r hardens t h e s t e r e o d i c t u m "Don't draw y o u r weapon u n l e s s t y p e of "dangerous n u t s " . you i n t e n d t o s h o o t ; s h o o t t o k i l l " A few i n d i v i d u a l s c o u n t t h e i r money c r u c i a l t o r e s p o n s e i n such a s i t u a w h i l e t h e p o l i c e d o n ' t a p p e a r t o have r e c e i v e d any a d d i t i o n a l t r a i n i n g t o t i o n ? A f u r t h e r , now academic q u e s t i o n : Does weapons' t r a i n i n g i n c l u d e d e a l w i t h such i n c i d e n t s and t h e majt h e p o s s i b i l i t y of s h o o t i n g t o s t o p o r i t y of s e r v i c e s a r e i n u n d a t e d w i t h (wound) someone o r i s i t k i l l o r b e s p e c i a l n e e d s c l i e n t s f o r whom t h e y killed? have no a d e q u a t e s e r v i c e s . We've been An a u t h o r i t a r i a n m e n t a l i t y p e r v a d e s r u n n i n g through t h e g a u n t l e t w i t h s o c r e d p o l i c i e s f o r t o o l o n g and t h e government a g e n c i e s . We s e e d a i l y above shows t h e coming d a n g e r . A c t i o n s p r o o f s o f p e o p l e f a l l i n g t h r o u g h gapand d e c i s i o n s made f o r y e a r s have g i v i n g holes i n our s o c i a l s e r v i c e neten u s a d e a t h on Commercial D r i v e . works b u t w e ' r e l e a r n i n g t o d e a l w i t h The sacred government seems oblivious i t . We have t o .

The a d v e n t of p e o p l e t o consequences. w i t h v i r t u a l l y no s u p p o r t a d e q u a t e t o PaulR T a y l o r

a