September 1, 2015 carnegie newsletter

SEPTEMBER 1, 2015

"CaE.rpne,gi,e ' NEW S LET T E R 401 Main Street Vancouver Canada V6A 2T7

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Harper's Solution to Unaffordable Housing Far be it from me to school the Prime Minister on the laws of supply and demand. He is, after all, the one who has extensively studied neo-liberal economics.

But the Conservatives' plan to increase what firsttime homebuyers can pull from their RRSPs for a down payment - from a maximum of $25K to $3 5K would do nothing to help ease the unaffordability of housing. That's because an effective policy response either has to control prices (for example by means of a speculation tax), cool demand (by more tightly regulating speculative buyers), or increase the supply (by building more affordable housing). But a policy such as the one proposed, aimed at simply encouraging more demand, would only result in the bidding up of prices. That's how supply and demand works.

Of course, it's quite possible the policy would have no effect at all; it's not at all clear to me that another $} OK for a down payment would make much of a difference to those unable to enter housing markets.

If some were to withdraw more from their RRSPs for a down payment, it's quite possible that this policy would be encouraging an unwise decision; while many unpredictable factors are at play, sometimes the RRSP may be a better long-term investment than a large mortgage.

But this policy response is also typical Harper. It is a favored approach of the current government to seek to address important policy problems via registered taxsubsidized individual savings plans: address retirement security through the RRSP and Tax-Free Savings Accounts (TFSA); escalating post-secondary tuition via the RESP; disability expenses via the Registered Disability Savings Plans; etc. This government is loath to engage in direct public spending, preferring instead to have individual households manage these problems, with the aid of tax breaks. After all, as Margaret Thatcher said, "There is no such thing as society, only individuals and families." Heaven forbid we try to tackle such problems collectively through our governments.

The problem is that plans such as the RRSP are hugely inequitable. The lion's share of these plans are held by the wealthiest Canadians, and the tax breaks just compound the injustice. So, for example, someone with $35,000 in an RRSP will tend to be older and wealthier (whereas most lower income people have no RRSPs at all, and many young people seeking to

enter the housing market have not built up much in an RRSP).

The same day Prime Minister Harper also announced that the government will "study" the impact of foreign ownership on the housing market. That's welcome news. We do indeed need better data and research (and this is a pleasant surprise from a government who has frequently been inclined towards less data collection, not more). But the promise seems the bare minimum people of all political stripes should support. But of course, sometimes you just have to appear to be doing something.

By Seth Klein

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Homelessness Solution Most cities in North America have a "Homeless" problem. In the harsh winter we tend to :ound up the homeless and put them in shelters overnight, the? boot them out in the morning until the next evening.

They face the same inner city routine, over and over again of how to spepd their day. Some go dumpster diving, some sell their bodies, but most seek a way to find mind-numbing drugs.

This program is not working.

Ask any homeless drug addict if they'd like t? get off drugs and most will say YES! But it's iI?posslble to do so in the city centers of North America where they are left to their own devices to survive another day on Earth.

Every major city in North America has government owned land that is not occupied. It is recommended these lands be turned into Homeless Shelter Farms, where the residents can wake up in the morning and have something to do, to rid themselves of their chemical demons.

We proudly boast of protective reserves for wild animals, yet we neglect those humans wh~ we find unworthy. When it comes down to inner city Zoos and Wilderness Preservation Farms for the homeless, it'd be wise to choose the latter because the homeless problem will get worse unless we do something meaningful about it.

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Everyone is invited to join us for the 4th Annual PHS "Honoring Elder's" Pow Wow and Culture Saves Lives Launch. Sunday, September 13 from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm.

All community members welcome! All dancers welcome!

Arts & Craft display & sales, prairie style drumming, dancing, Coast Salish jam ~ ssion, hoop dancing exhibition, cultured sharing "bythe"Urban Kwhkwaka'wakw, a f~ 1St. And a giveaway to our elders! If you have a gift you would like to add, please ti jng it down with you to the gathering.

Silver Fox

Residential Schools

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In the century there were lots of residential schools in Canada. Many were in the Prairies and a number of churches were involved: United (10%), Anglican (30%) & Roman Catholic (60%).They took children from their parents when they were very young. Children couldn't even speak their languages.

In Onion Lake, northern Saskatchewan, this happened. A little boy was strapped for 20 minutes on his bare arms; a girl was only 5 years old & the Principal slapped her face hard every time he saw her. They

Oppenheimer

Park

gave the same food all the time so no one grew very tall.

The last school to be torn down (fortunately) was in Alert Bay. Kids used to run away from there but the RCMP always found ,them; then they were strapped severely.

Survivors* of these schools got compensation. Years ago the government "apologized". There are 55,000 unmarked graves! Maybe some were adopted, but that number never returned to their parents. Some of the survivors* and their families go to group therapy still today.

I am glad that it is over now, and glad I never went to a residential school.

Marlene Wuttunee

*Records show that, over 100 years, in excess of 50,000 children died while residing at one of these schools.

NEWS FROM OPPENHEIMER & GallerY Gachet PARK HOURS Monday to Sunday:

PARK

9:15am - 5:00pm

Endless Summer Festival .Saturday, September 5, 10:30-4pm Carnival games, prizes, picnic games, races, fortune teller, balloon twister, and entertainment!

Thank you. to City of Vancouver, Cultural Neighbourhood Arts and Development Grant

THE 8TH ANNVAL

FREE

OPPENHEIMER PARK COMMVNI1Y ART SHOW: IN BETWEEN!

Opening: Friday, September 11, 6pm - 9pm at Gallery Gachet (88 E. Cordova) Exhibition runs: September 11 th - October 2015 Procession starts at the Park at 5pm Oppenheimer Park and Gallery Gachet are pleased to present In Between! this year's annual exhibition showcasing art orks from the Oppenheimer Park community. Included are painting, drawing, print, sculpture, carving, textile, mixed media and video works. Oppenheimer Park artists represent a resolute community of people upholding a vision of the Downtown Eastside as a place for art, education, recreation, health and healing.

This year, the exhibition takes on "in between" as its focus. In Between! represents a variety of perspectives between languages, places, nations, cultures, life ... 35 artists' diverse interpretations ofin-betweenness will be featured in the show.

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THANK YOU TO OUR FUNDERS, SPONSORS, AND PARTNERS City of Vancouver Great Beginnings Program, Carnegie Community Centre, Homelessness Action Week, Vancouver Fire & Rescue Services Band

*Salon Shop I at Gallery Gachet Featuring artwork created during OPPEN-Arts Studio .Workshops and HomeGround 2015 Exhibition runs: Friday, September 11 th - October 25t\ 2015 . *The Salon Shop is a micro exhibition space within Gallery Gachet featuring the work of Gachet Community, Volunteer, Associate and Collective members.

From the Library Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders are a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. FASD Awareness Day is observed every September 9th, as a reminder that there is no "safe" level of drinking while pregnant.

Vancouver Public Library's Aboriginal Storyteller in Residence, Sharon Shorty, is a friend of poet Jenny Jackson, whose book Silent No More! A Poetic Voice Breaks the Silence of FASD is an attempt to educate people and bring understanding for people with FASD. For Jenny Jackson, "if people don't have some personal experience knowing someone with FASD, there's no way they'd understand".

We all know someone dealing with FASD, that's why Sharon Shorty would like to share with us the poems Jenny Jackson wrote. Sharon will be at the Carnegie Theatre on September 9th to read the poems and have conversations with the public.

If you like poetry, or if you like readings, or if you're interested in FASD, you'll love this event.

VPL Aboriginal Storyteller in Residence: Sharon Shorty and the Poetics ofFASD Wednesday September 9th, 5:00 -6:00 pm Carnegie Theatre

Hi Everyone, I apologize for the delay, but first I wanted to thank you for attending the "Bud Osborn Collection Community Meeting" earlier in August and another thank you for anyone who provided feedback. I hope you enjoyed browsing some of the material and sharing memories of Bud. This coming week, Carnegie Library is planning to incorporate the poetry books from Bud's Library into the DTES Special Collection (it's in my officel). The books will be reference, but free to browse during library hours (lOam - l Opm).

I thought it made sense to start with the poetry books to support writers / poets in the Centre, Thursdays Writing Collective and the monthly poetry night.

Regular staff from the Learning Centre upstairs will be back in the fall, so am hoping we can collaborate to make more of the books accessible at the Carnegie.

There are still several boxes of books in a storage unit, possibly art books (??) so looking forward to seeing them when they arrive in the coming weeks and consider options for sharing (Gallery Gachet?!).

Your Librarian, Jorge Cardenas

Cheers,

• Translink IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR THE UPC'oMING FEDERAL ELECTION In order to vote, you must be registered at your current address. ELECTIONS CANADA has(an online voter registration service that allows you to: * check if you're registered to vote * update the address on your voter registration, or * register to vote Remind your friends and family to check that they are registered at their current address.

Ensure you have appropriate ID to show when you go to vote. You can find a list of acceptable forms of identification on the ELECTIONS CANADA website.

Natalie

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The problem with Translink is that there are too many top dogs in its offices. And now two more such dogs have been unnecessarily added. One of which is an ex-police chief!

The Translink board of directors is very similar to the Canadian Senate- a lot of breathy gas is expelled at the taxpayers heavy expense for no appreciable purpose other than patronage soft jobs to loyal followers, like Mike Duffy.

IfTranslink has to exist then replace it with halfa dozen senior people from the rank and file of its workers who already have a knowledge of what is wrong with the system oftraveling back and forth to places of employment, appointments, or visiting Aunt Betsy.

G. Gust

ven.be.ea Vancouver Community Network VCN BOARD PRESIDENT JlM SA YRE passed away in the early hours of August 25 from esophageal cancer.

Jim used his law degree to assist the disadvantaged, representing clients of the Community Legal Assistance Society (CLAS) in the areas of Workers' Compensation & Employment Insurance law. Jim played a big part in the Vancouver Community Network from the very early days to now. He was Board Chair for more than a decade & a significant proponent inVeN's charter challenge to gain charitable status. His chief concerns recently had been C-51 and the limits it may place on citizen's rights organizations as well as the day-to-day enjoyment of basic liberties to Canadians.

Jim felt that VCN should help community groups, advocates & activists improve their understanding of the internet in order to assist their clients more effecttively.

SEND & RECEIVE VCN EMAILS WITH YOUR PHONE Did you know that registered email account users can set their phones to send and receive emails using their VCN em ail address? .The instructions for setting up your ANDROID or IPHONE are on our website. If you need assistance, you can call VCN's help desk at 778-724-0826 or send an email tohelp@vcn.bc.ca.

Downtown Eastside in Black & White Photographs by Adrian Zator

The Vancouver Community Network (VCN) is a member-directed nonprofit charity that's been working to ensure no one is left behind in the digital age and improving service delivery and IT capacity for community and/or social sector nonprofits. Launched as Metro Vancouver's' freenet, or first public means of accessing the internet, in 1993, the organization has gone through as many rapid changes as the technology itself. Today VCN focuses its efforts on youth, the disadvantaged in the Downtown Eastside & seniors pushing for digital inclusion and social justice through education, access and work experience.

VCN TO OFFER COMMUNITY VOICE MAIL VCN is happy to announce a new partnership with LU'MA. Lu'ma's Community Voice Mail is a simple yet important tool for people who are homeless, phone less, in crisis, and/or in transition. With the help ofVCN staff and volunteers, clients are set up with a phone number free of charge. Clients will be able to remain in communication and receive voice mail from their caseworkers, loved ones, and prospective employers.

The VCN helpldesk is available Monday to Friday from lOam to 3pm at #280-111 West Hastings St. (the Woodward's Building) to assist those interested in setting up voice mail.

Benchmark 1986 Š Adrian Zator

Exhibit from September 1 to 30, 2015 Opening Reception Wednesday, Sept 9, 7-9pm 3rd Floor Gallery, Carnegie Centre, 401 Main

Theology Of the Outer DarKness at a street church in the Downtown Eastside a middle-aged First Nations man remains after the service and hot dogs and says he wants to speak to someone he then tells me his family is dying of AIDS from dirty needles and overdose deaths "my family is dying right now" he says "in the bar on the street" and the man's face streaked with scars creases in anguish he sticks his arms straight-out at his sides and makes sounds of spikes driven through flesh and bone ghastly violent sounds he says" 1 don't want to give up but my brother just died and he really tried to find new life" and the man nods toward the front oftheroom to the bloody tortured executed Christ "1 think a lot about that gentleman" he says and stretches his arms out again and makes the sounds of crucifixion and says "the pain" "the pain" ••••••••••••••••••••••

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Inner Strength If you can start the day without caffeine or pep pills If you can be cheerful, gnoring aches & pains, If you can resist complaining & boring people with yur troubles, If you can eat the same food everyday & be grateful for it, If you understand when loved ones 'r too busy to give yu time If you can overlook when people take things out on you when, through no fault of yours, something goes wrong, If you can take criticism & blame without resentment If you can face the world without lies & deceit ' If you can conquer tension without medical help, If you can relax without liquor, If you can sleep without the aid of drugs, If you can do all these things, Then you are probably the family dog.

Submitted by Diane

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When we, as humans, need help faith is all we can strive for We need all, as brothers and sisters, support from each other In time of need.

Maria Teixeira When you have loved another it is hard to let them go.

There is always the hope that just like a bird they will come back With an appreciation for yet another loving relationship.

7 I don't normally pick through the garbage but, on occasions when fuads are low, I collect bottles & cans to help make ends meet. Quite often I'm rewarded with other finds that improve/enrich my life at some level.

Awhile back I found an interesting little puzzle box with a cute little frog which serves as a key. Inside is a small space that can hold jewellery" rings & pins & such. Now I don't have a particular thing for frogs but know of someone who does.

She's a stranger to me really but yesterday I had the honour of meeting Gloria, an elder native woman who walks around town with a walker adorned with frogs of all shapes & sizes.

The first time I ever saw her I knew the puzzle box was meant for her. I gave her the frog box yesterday as I write and you should have seen the look/smile on her face - Priceless!

I used to be a hopelessly selfish, self-centred addict but I am on a different path today. The act of giving Gloria that frog box actually gave something to me. I got a piece of my soul back yesterday. Thank you Gloria and the Universe.

Trevor C.

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Aunt Rosie's Election Quiz Don't Worry It's Multiple Choice - Just Pal Attention!

Advice to All Canadians: Canada's First Nations have long viewed federal and provincial elections as the business of others - i.e., the rest of us. Aboriginal voting is below the 50% level in all provinces, but that may change. At the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) meeting in Montreal this year, what advice did National Grand Chief Perry Bellegarde give delegates?

"To stage a sit-in in Ottawa to draw attention to the plight of natives on reserves? *To start self-owned multi-national corporations to produce and market native crafts? *To "hold your nose and vote" in the up-coming federal election?

Answer: Number 3. It wasn't about who to vote for, however; it was about who to vote out. Ontario Grand Chief Pat Madabhee began his address to a session on getting out the aboriginal vote by joking: "I'll keep this very brief. We've got to get rid of these Conservatives. Thank you." What drove him to say this? In a more measured vein, he said, "This is our land. Our land is being raped and pillaged by this prime minister going around all over the world, getting into trade deals and selling off the resources of our lands. Who's benefiting from it? Not the First Nations." We also ask: Who's Benefiting? Not Ordinary Canadians!

Well, you passed this time - you're a qualified voter!

But if you think that's all it takes to defeat Stephen Harper (assuraing that, like most Canadians, you've had quite enough of the guy for one decade), then Think Again!

First, you have to make sure you vote: the Harper fanatics will always make it to the polling station on election day, and if you don't, they win; You might consider strategic voting: which antiHarper cand idate has the best chance of defeating the Conservative running in your rid ing?

Lastly, know that Harper's attempts at vote suppression mean that the notification card from Elections Canada won't, by itself, allow you to vote in this election - you'll need to bring picture ID, or two pieces of mail with your name and current address.

For more information, go to the Elections Canada web site: http://www.elections.caihome.aspx

PRIME TIME We are resolute in proceeding with our comprehensive and progressive initiatives, which are aimed at redressing some of the fundamental problems confronting the poor. We've lowered the minimum wage.

We've reduced the benefits to thousands of people on welfare & eliminated any benefits whatsoever to many others. We've passed on these savings in the form of our highly popular tax-breaks. You asked about the economy? Well, it's growing. People are optim istic again. Thousands of jobs have been created. We are going to once again make this the great province it used to be. This government is working co-operatively with business, and people are paying less in taxes. Yeah, that's too bad about the salmon, but we've got fish farms - and that just goes to show you what free-enterprise can do once government gets out of the way. Yeah, but they are a minority. More people support us than are against us. We are a very open government and we consult and dialog with all groups in society. Oh! I got' a close this now. No more questions, please. We have to get to our meeting. Thank you.

By: Ken Morrison

Jean Swanson recently published a small collection of Sandy Cameron's poems and essays ...Justice and Beauty. My friend Jean was Sandy's partner. He died in pain but the pain did not become who he was. One . he wrote has really helped me through some health.. pain. "INTENTIONALITY, MINDFULNESS, .

GRA TTITUDE, COMPASSION, COMMUNITY. Many of his poems are in the Carnegie Newsletter路 really helpful writings for anyone with health chal- ' lenges.

Sheila Baxter

Intentionality, Mindfulness, Gratitude, Compassion, Community I got shingles at the end of January, 2006. It was misdiagnosed and it turned into post-herpetic neuralgia. My life stopped dead at that point, and I asked myself some questions. What is this illness trying to tell me? What's wrong with the way I've been living?

Why didn't my immune system take care of this? I knew that I couldn't let the pain take over, and that attitude was. important in controlling it.

The American philosopher, William James, wrote, "The greatest discovery of my generation is that human beings can alter their lives by altering their attitudes."

Over a number of months I discovered five words that would help me find meaning in this new situation. The first word is "Intentionality". It means making a commitment to a goal. My long range commitment is to turn roadblock into challenge, and fate into journey. Intentionality also means discipline and perseverance. Living is a bit like driving a car at night.

The journey is long, but the headlights light up only a ~mallyart of the road. As we drive on, the headlights illuminate a ne section of the road - and so on until we reach our destination. The point is we have to keep going.

The second word is "Mindfulness". A book that helped me with this word is called "Coming To Our

Senses - Healing Ourselves and the World Through Mindfulness," by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Mindfulness means attention. It means being awake. It means deep bl.路eathing, meditation, and prayer. A French mystic, Sirnone Weil, wrote that attention without an object is prayer in its highest form. When an anthropologist asked the Lakota Chief Standing Bear what his people taught their children, Standing Bear replied, "We teach our children to look when there is nothing to see, and to listen when there is nothing to hear."

That's mindfulness. Mindfulness is at the centre ofa balanced life. It helps me control pain. It helps me wake up and see the beauty around me, and when I see that beauty I am astonished. Astonishment is a cornerstone of gratitude.

The third word is "Gratitude". I pray almost constantly - giving thanks for the sun, the stars, and the people I meet. Here's a quote from a poem called "Listen", by W. S. Merwin:

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"with the night falling we are saying thank you back from a series of hospitals, back from a mugging, after funerals we are saying thank you, after the news of the dead whther or not we knew them we are saying thank you, in a culture up to its neck in shame living in the stench it has chosen we are saying thank you over telephones we are saying thank you, . in doorways and in the backs of cars and in elevators."

The fourth word is "Compassion". When I see intensely, when I listen intensely, I am open to the pain of another person and I care for that person. And now I am in pain, and belong to the community of those who live in pain. This experience has deepened my compassion. The writer, Margaret Atwood, said, "The world seen clearly is seen through tears." When I care, I am present for the other. I hear her words. As the Spanish philosopher, Miguel De Unamuno, said, "bodies may be attracted by pleasure, but souls are attracted by pain."

That brings us to the fifth word - "Community". It seems to me that the community of those who live in pain includes just bout everyone. We need each other.

Human beings are gregarious animals, and caring and co-operation are more important for survival than competition and selfishness. In my view, women usually have a deeper understanding of caring relationships than men do, and Life is relationship, or as the Jewish philosopher, Martin Buber said, "Life is meeting," and meeting builds community. But it only builds community if we can see and hear with mindfulness.

Here are the five words that have helped me find a way to live with pain. Intentionality, Mindfulness, Gratitude, Compassion, and Community. You will have other words that have helped you. Putting words down on paper is one way of finding out what we actually think about something, and sharing those words is a good way to start a dialogue . S an dy C ameron

SYSTEMIC VIOLENCE: THE SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF PROHIBITION A tbougbt-provoking presentation of Susan Boyd, as part of Creative Resistance In many ways the prohibition of some drugs is an old story. History teaches us that our government today is not the first one to prohibit the use of certain plants and drugs. The witch hunts of old were accompanied by the suppression of plants used for healing and easing childbirth, but like today, it was not only the plants that were condemned. The people suspected of using them were criminalized; they were called witches and punished and executed by religious and government authorities. A similar story is unfolding today.

Today, we are living under a regime of drug prohibition. One that is strangely reminiscent of past times. Today, we associate and confuse the impact of poverty, racism, violence, lack of housing and private space, and mental health problems, with the effects of illegal drugs.

Since the mid 1800s, the Canadian state has been in the business of drug control. First, they criminalized "status Indians" from buying and possessing alcohol..

White Canadians could still drink. This law did not stop First Nations people from drinking, what it did do was this: It forced them to drink illegally, dangerously, and as quickly as possible to avoid arrest.

And it also created a black market. Further, thousands of people were arrested and jailed as a-result of the law. The law was a convenient tool of social control used by Indian agents and the police against Aboriginal people in Canada.

You would have thought that we would learn from this experience the first time around, but we didn't and by the early 1900s, the Canadian state criminalized a host of other drugs, including marijuana.

There was no evidence that these drugs were dangerous. Right from the beginning our drug laws emerged out of race, class, and gender concerns and they were specific to regulating certain groups in society: the poor, visible users; racialized people and what was perceived as foreign "Others." (anyone

who wasn't white, middle class, and Protestant.).

Yet, the classification of drugs= illegal and legal-is political and it has nothing to do with dangerousness. Because we know that alcohol and tobacco are

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two of our most dangerous drugs, and they are legal.

-Yet, each decade since our drug laws were enacted, a new demon drug is thought to be more dangerous than the last. And police, and some government officials, with the help of the media call for more laws and police powers to fight it. Little is said about the failure and the cost of law-and-order initiatives.

Little is said about the ever expanding global pharmaceutical industry that creates new drugs and markets everyday, advertising drugs to manage newly created diseases. Pharmacologically there is little difference between our legal and illegal drugs, and many legal drugs are sold on the illegal market.

However, the pharmaceutical industry and its CEOs are not viewed as drug traffickers, nor those in the tobacco industry. Rather, "drug traffickers" deal in "illegal drugs" and they are seen as more deserving of punishment.

Little attention has been given to problematizing these stories, because if we look at who is arrested for drug offences in Canada and world wide, we see another picture. Although law enforcement and politicians claim that they are intent on arresting people who use "hard" drugs and people who traffick and import drugs, the cannabis user is most at risk for arrest in Canada. And visible, street-level dealers are most often arrested rather than the imagined cartel like trafficker. This is not to say that heroin and crack-cocaine users are not arrested and harassed we can see that they are, and here in V ancouver and in the Downtown Eastside drug users are one of the most regulated populations outside of prison. But we are blinded by stories about traffickers and importers, and fail to see what is really going on.

In Canada, more than 60 percent of all drug charges are for possession. Since 1981 drug offence rates have steadily increased. However, increases are not just related to drug use, rather they are also shaped . by law enforcement efforts and police profiling.

And users in the DTES will be even more at risk for th arrest after February 17 . The police have given notification that they will begin to arrest anyone engaged in open drug use, whether buying or using.

In Canada drug arrests can lead to imprisonment.

Our maximum penalties for drug offences are quite harsh, up to life for importing heroin and cocaine.

Although judges rarely impose maximum sentences, sentencing patterns do vary widely in Canada and a series of minor offenses can snowball into a long

prison time. And though we are told drug offenders are dangerous, in Canadian prisons we see nonviolent women and men like ourselves. The same can be said for people in prison around the world.

Around the world, non-violent people are arrested and convicted for drug offences. Many are imprisoned far away from their family and their children, serving long prison sentences-up to life, and some are executed. Most remain nameless and forgotten.

Most often it is poor and racialized people filling up our prisons. Around the world the war-on-drugs is' playing out in the following ways: *Drug arrests continue to rise. *Illegal drug use continues. *Police budgets and powers continue to increase. *We see the destruction offarm land and water, and .risk to people through fumigation, arial spraying of ) .marijuana, coca, and poppy plants. *Displacement of impoverished farmers who have traditionally grown these plants. *We see increased militarization of strategic areas such as Colombia, especially those coca fields close . to coveted oil reserves. (And we might want to ask ourselves what our Canadian soldiers are doing trying to eradicate poppy plants in Afghanistan?) *We see the suppression of plants and drugs, for cultural, spiritual, religious, and recreational use. *We see a huge unregulated, untaxed illegal drug market. *We see violent turf wars. *We see police & military corruption; and state complicity in the drug trade, especially when it suits their political needs. *We see the criminalization and stigmatization of people who use drugs; and the infringement of civil liberties. *We see the global prison industrial complex and lots of bodies to fill it (The U.S. are leaders in this area, imprisoning a larger percentage of its population than any other nation in the world.) *We see U.S. economic pressure and sanctions to align nations with the U.S. led war on drugs and terrorism and threats to sovereignty. *We see Drug Enforcement Agents (DEA) taking up residence in cities outside of the U.S, For example we have 2 stationed on the lower mainland; and U.S. threats regarding progressive drug policy and extradition. of Canadians and drug war refugees. *We see politicians like Prime Minister Steven

Harper pushing forward a law-and-order agenda and harsher drug laws rather than harm reduction *We see the spread of diseases such as Hep C, HIV IAIDs; and over dose deaths due to an unregulated markets where quantity and quality of illegal drugs are always uncertain. *We see, criminal records for millions that hinder employment and travel and in some states the right to vote, housing, and financial benefits are denied. *We see race and class profiling by law enforcement, and more recently gender specific regulation of women suspected of maternal drug use and an : increase of female drug offenders in prisons around the world (including Canada).

We see billions of dollars throughout the world going to criminal justice and the military rather than to social and economic supports such as housing, health, and education. For example, in Canada, 90 percent of all drug funding goes to law enforcement. *We see punitive drug treatment regimes that often collude with criminaljustice; and a scarcity of drug treatment services. *We see propaganda rather than drug education or . harm reduction. *And finally, we see a costly war, one that contributes to families being broken apart through child apprehension, imprisonment of parents, and death.

I could go on and on about the negative effects of prohibition, but I think you get my point.

We need to look more closely how local, national, and international drug prohibition impacts people and neighbourhoods. Capitalism, cut-backs, economic restructuring, the global prison industrial complex, poverty, and the war on drugs are inter. linked. These factors shape the lives of people in the DTES and in the rest of Canada in concrete ways that are destructive and harmful.

We should always keep in mind that drug laws are not static. No law is static. They never have been.

Otherwise witches would still be burnt at the stake.

Drug reform is possible.

The term "war on drugs" can deflect our attention away from the fact that it is a war on people. The drug user may be yourself or possibly the person standing to the left or right of you. We all consume drugs in one way or another. So let's end prohibition now and attend to our more pressing needs like housing, food, and social supports.

Thank you.

Main Street Spit Lady judged me when I was startled By the bus that spat and farted As if started from a stop on Main.

Lady, would it be such a strain To judge both noises or none?

Did you have to pick only one?

She picked only my startled scream Why not, with conscience clean, Mention to the driver when you get on That the bus spits loud and strong Whenever the light turns green, A senselessly LOUD machine?

Too many fearful drivers anyway Who feel like sitting ducks of prey

This is your warning, girl RUN! Run as fast as you can Away from him. Don't Stop cause you think he's pretty Or that you can handle him.

He's an old snake in the grass Old cause he has practise on eating up little girls like you.

FLEE! He's just like your daddy And I'm still hurtin from him LISTEN TO YOUR GUT, YOUR INTUITION And leave this one be.

In their job among the human masses Angst creeping up on them like molasses Lets return to muscular, strong drivers Who won't fear late arrivers Or other passengers with difficulties diverse They deserve to be here in my verse These drivers Don't Need Power Steering Or other noisy plagues appearing As though promoted as beneficial To all of us by some official.

Men and women both, they drove the school busses And more they made grunts than fusses When around some tight curve they'd be turning A giant wheel, if gloves forgotten, their hands burning Hydraulic brakes spit like a curse I'll bet they even do it in reverse I know they do it at other times But lacking the consistency of rhymes!

Only when not at the expense Of some of us, whose ouch is intense From the butt-side of monolith machinery Are modemisms good for humanity.

Francis Sommer

C's T'Mutch

10: Karen

"K. J."

We are physically apart, And I miss you terribly, But even this is not truly a separation You are ever with me And I with you.

Nothing can separate us.

Everywhere I turn, I see you, Every song I hear reminds me of you.

I pray often, and you are always in my prayers.

When I read my Bible, I think of you.

I long to see you again, To feel your hand on my face.

To hear your words of love, To rest-really rest-in your arms.

However, I shall not be sad, How can I be unhappy When I have you in my heart?

GeorgeH.

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Carnegie Newsletter

BOOKMAR.K CONTEST

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We need a bookmark to give away to people who visit the Carnegie Community Centre table during the Word Vancouver Festival (formerly: Word on the Street) on September 27th. If you can draw, this is your chance to win a cash prize* and have your art seen by hundreds of people.

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(Please see space on the right side of this page.)

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Artwork must include the name,

Carnegie Newsletter,

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within the allotted space.

Winner will be determined by a panel of judges whose decision is final.

Submissions must be received by 2:00 p.m. on the contest closing date: September 15, 2015

*Amount

of cash to be awarded is entirely dependent on how many empty beverage containers the Editor collects between now and the end of the contest.

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[Kathryn May: Aug 27, '15 Ottawa Citizen] An Ottawa federal scientist is being investigated for breaching the public service's ethics code for writing and performing a highly political protest song to get rid of the Harper government.

Tony Turner, a scientist in habitat planning at Environment Canada, was recently sent home on leave with pay while th government investigates the making of Harperman, a music video posted to YouTube in early June that has attracted about 48,000 hits.

The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, which represents federal scientists, said the union was representing Turner. "We will stand up for members who face the prospect of being disciplined for exercising their democratic rights as citizens. The Supreme Court of Canada has confirmed that public service workers, like all Canadian citizens, benefit from freedom of expression," said PIPSC president Debi Daviau.

Turner has been a public ~ervant for 19 years and is nearing retirement. But he has also been a stalwart of the local folk music scene since 1994 when he joined

Writers' Bloc, Ottawa's songwriters collective. He has several CDs, plays regularly across the province and is best known for the song Circle of Song, which will be included in a new anthology of Canadian folk songs. His biography makes no mention of being a public servant.

For Ottawa's folk musicians, Turner's situation is a ~ght for freedom of speech that has become tangled 111 the balance between political rights of public servants and their d~ty of loyalty to the government.

"Can't we make jokes or say anything? Are we all muzzled? This is the politics of fear. I am an activist and singer but mostly I am a citizen and I care about democracy and freedom of speech," said Diane Mclntyre, who sang one of the verses in the video.

The song, with its chorus "Harperman, it's time for you to go," was recorded in a Westboro hall. The chorus is a call to dump Stephen Harper's Conservative government, which even some public servants felt went too far.

"It's always risky when a public servant criticizes someone in power," said David Hackston, a former ~~blic servant who sings one of the verses. "It's political and I can see why someone is upset with it, but that's what protest songs are all about."

The video began when Turner won a songwriting contest with Harperman and performed it at Gil's Hootenanny, an annual May Day sing-along event where judges were looking for "songs of protest and songs of hope," said organizer Hollis Morgan.

"I am chagrined that his employ would ever be a factor in his private outputs," said Morgan. "He never discussed his employ, and in my world Tony Turner is a singer-songwriter," said Morgan.

Turner's win snowballed into a project led by Chris White, longtime artistic director of the Ottawa Folk Festival. He decided to record the song and use it to launch a national singalong on Sept. 17. The plan was to get as many Canadians as possible singing it online or adding their own verses.

"This is an issue of freedom of expression, and who is the government to tell Tony what he can do on his own time when expressing himself in music and song?" said White.

"The government risks giving this much more visibility than it warrants by launching an investigation.

People will be on YouTube to look at this because they made it an issue."

Who's dropping payload in Iraq?

Who passed the Unfair Elections Act? Who's a two-bit controlling freak Makes us feel the future's bleak?

Who muzzles all the scientists?

Calls troubled people "terrorists"?

Who wants the courts to just say yes?

Suppresses freedom of the press?

CHORUS

Harp erm an

By Tony Turner Who controls our parliament?

Harperman, Harperman Who_squashes all dissent?

Harperman, Harperman The Duffy handout incident No respect for the environment Harperman, it's time for you to go Who's the king of secrecy?

Who has slashed the CBC? No money for PTSD Accuses good Judge Beverley CHORUS Who's the rogue in prorogue?

Whose party line must be toed?

Won't buy into climate change Until it's sold on the stock exchange Whose smarmy smile is a thin veneer?

Who preaches politics of fear?

Ignores the plight of native folks Missing women, it's no joke CHORUS

Who turns watchdogs into lapdogs?

Gives his friends the best fat cat jobs?

Bigger prisons, "tough on crime" Gerrymanders election lines Who's pulling all the Tory strings?

Who stands to the right of the right wing?

Ignores the cause of everything?

But to ideology will cling Who reveres Uncle Sam? Says our futur~ lies in oil sands?

Dirty oil, dirty plans Dirty tricks, dirty hands Chorus: We want you gone (gone, gone) You and your pawn (pawn, pawns) No more con (con, cons) Time to move on (on, on) Get out of town (town, town) Don't want you round (round, round) Harperman, it's time for you to go Ending: Tag 1 You can drive your omnibus to Kokamo And take that useless caucus when you go We'll scratch you from the long form census poll Harperman, it's time for you to go Tag 2 (parody of 0 Sinner Man) Harpennan, where ya gonna run to Harpennan, where ya gonna run to Harperman, where ya gonna run to On Election Day?

loin us for our fall series of flamenco workshops, where you will be immersed in the music, rhythm, and dance of southern Spain. From the Roma camps and Moorish medinas, flamenco embodies the passion, dignity, suffering, and joy of the people. Learn dance technique, rhythmic hand clapping or palmas, and how to listen and respond to the music. No dance experience necessary for the Introduction class; open to all ages and genders. Ole! Instructor: KeIty McKerracher Saturdays September 5 - October 31 (no class Oct 3) Carnegie Theatre 1pm - 2pm Introduction/Beginner Level 2pm - 3pm Intermediate Level

halcyon days are here again! forget the past enjoy the here and now boys as Aldous Huxley said in his novel island only the present matters grab it by mad hatters liking any rutting bull didn't Tolstoy have twelve kids loved wife 'n life like loot wrote lengthy novels to boot so switch offtvs computers iplods engage in life like Zorba the Greek to Hades ith the self-sacrificing meek!

John Alan Douglas

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I was walking down Main Street several days ago I have many radiant memories that cannot be ripped out of my soul like cops that laughed at me for being dressed & looking the way I do, every day you accepted being poor but-to be made fun of was unacceptable in any way-shape or form that's one of the reason s I quit school got out of Richmond & still they laugh at me and all my new friends too, WE the alienated found refuge at Lubik's Cafe on Abbott

Street (75 cents for bacon & eggs) as for travelling the city we used our driven hearts & god-given legs having no money until you turned 19 was just the way it was, getting on welfare was like winning free money but after a few days & endless nights all of it was gone then when mister landlord asked why'r we short it was not very funny as all we could do was say because, like a Terrorist Singles Hotline we had learnt how to pool our resources & combine what little each of us had soon we had a 5 Ib sack of rice, others tried various means of support & while most were bound to fail others tried robbing drug stores or banks - that failure meant a workcamp or jail. .. eventually the Welfare Day season was within reach those are the days you sort of remember depending on your vice ..

The times I grew up in I would change one or two things but no more from 1980 when I first took off to the horrendous end of nineteen eighty-four then death began its rampage through our so-called scene, one day I may write out the names of those closest to me those who didn't have to die but this is not the place so save your tears for another time .. now in those four years I became an adult with the questions of a child & a lot of other things in between, the World still had its paper plane catastrophes with all those Guns of Peace well we put it to music and it was absolutely magic at least to us this was an audible feast but good things let alone great are not meant to last, Then the vanity heads made us look like the newest disease us punk rock people will be the charity-of-theyear no thank you but how long can any good thing last? Like the space race running all over the peace race it seems the further we get away the more evil we inflict upon every single creature this human race will one day pass, As my winding walk came to an end almost everything had/has changed except you & me - people who will not bend. Evil plus luxuries do not mix well with the sons & daughters of the old school, take my anxiety pill & try to soldier on but as I come across an oilish ocean will the next ones be better or just as dumbfounded as all the other ones for mankind's sake don't let them turn you into a fool. , By ROBERT McGILLIVRA Y "The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled."

-James Bryce

Dedicated to Cyril the Lion! May the 30,000 of you that are left live on! !! ~

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AllY QI.IES-rIONS?

Red Letter

f-ILMS

Thank you, Vincent et Linda

Bonjour!

Tu vis dans la rue?

Tu as de la difficulte a te trouver un logement?

Tu veux partager ton histoire?

Red Letter Films produit une serie documentaire sur l'itinerance et la difficulte de se loger a travers le Canada. Cette serie sera diffusee sur les ondes de Radio-Canada et de RDI. Nous sommes a la recherche de participants francophones a Vancouver qui veulent partager leur experience et leur histoire. Voici les coordonnees pour prendre rendez-vous ou trouver reponse a tes questions sur ce projet :

fir 778.680.6404

- '1l LCE201s@hotmail.com

Merci et au plaisir d'avoir de tes nouvelles, Vincent et Linda

Do you know of a francophone who lives on the street and/or has trouble finding an affordable place to live in the Greater Vancouver area?

If so, please pass on this information to them.

Red Letter Films is producing a documentary series on homelessness and affordable housing throughout Canada. This series will be broadcast on French CBC and Newsworld (Radio-Canada and RDI). We are looking for French-speaking subjects living in the Vancouver area who are willing to share their experiences and stories.

Please contact us at the following: V 778.680.6404

About Love I write your name in the sky Bu the wind blows it away.

I write your name on the canal But the waves wash it away.

I write your name in my heart And forever it will stay.

Digna Y.de Castro

- '1l LCE201s@hotmail.com In all fighting, the direct method may be used for joining battle, but indirect methods will be needed in order to secure victory.

In battle, there are not more than two methods of attack - the direct and the indirect; yet these two in combination give rise to an endless series of manoeuvres.

The direct and the indirect lead on to each other in turn. It is like moving in a circle - you never come to an end. Who can exhaust the possibilities of their combination?

Sun Tzu, The Art of War

It Can & Does Happen Anywhere Early on the Friday (Aug. 7) evening of the Squamish Valley Music Festival, Megan Batchelor was reporting live - sounds like a fun assignment, right? Well, maybe for a man. .

As Batchelor was talking about the threat of ram, a young man ran up behind her, planting a kiss on her cheek. She was clearly startled; one can imagine how it might feel for a strange man to come up behind you, aggressively touching or grabbing you, unannounced.

Even if you can't, Batchelor said the incident "rattled" her & she decided to report it to Squamish RCMP. The reaction to Batchelor's decision to contact the police was immediate & harsh. Sh~ was ~old she was being "uptight, " that she should ill!!! her Job, that she should "calm down," and that she simply shouldn't report at music festivals. Essentially, the mess~ge " was, "if you can't take the heat get out of the kitchen.

But should women be expected to put up with unwanted touching or harassment if they want jobs in journalism?

Two things have become apparent in all this: 1. The general public doesn't fully understand what sexual harassment is or why it is wrong.

2. There is a broader -quite dangerous- message conveyed to men & women alike through this behaviour.

Sexual harassment has been a problem in the workplace since women entered the workforce. According to the UN, it can include unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favours, unwanted sexual looks or gestures, and actual attempts to sexually assault a person. Many balked at Batchelor's description of the incident as "assau t," but the reality is that sexual assault is defined, simply, as unwanted sexual contact.

While what happened to Batchelor at Squamish Fest may not seem as serious as a rape, her decision to file a report is important if not only because it makes clear that these kinds of actions are not, in fact, harmless.

In our society, women are made to feel as though their bodies are not their own. We are catcalled on the street, groped on public transit, raped in our homes, gawked at while going about our daily routine, and sexually harassed at work. We must constantly be vigilant in public spaces, paying attention to who is walking behind us in parking garages, who has gotten into the elevator with us, and where we leave our

drinks in the bar, lest .someone try to slip us the date rape drug. Being a woman in a man's world means that we cannot easily escape this reality unless we simply lock ourselves up in our homes.

Oddly, this seems to be the solution some are suggesting.

By Meghan Murphy

One Flaw in Women Women have strengths that amaze men They bear hardships and they carry burdens but they hold happiness, love and joy.

They smile when they want to scream They sing when they want to cry They cry when they are happy and laugh when they are nervous They fight for what they believe in They stand up to injustice.

They don't take "no" for an answer . when they believe that there is a better solution, They go without so their family can have They love unconditionally.

They cry when their children excel and cheer when their friends get awards.

They are happy to hear about a birth or a wedding Their hearts break when a friend dies.

They grieve at the loss of a family member, yet they're strong when it seems there's none left.

They know a hug and a kiss can heal a broken heart Women come in all shapes & sizes, They'll walk, run or ride far just to be with you; That is how much they care about you.

The hearts of women keep the world turning They bring joy, hope and love.

They have compassion and ide~. .

They give moral support to their fanuly & friends.

Women have vital things to say and everything to give However, if there is one flaw in Women It is that they forget their worth.

Pass this along to your Womenfriends and relatives to remind themjust how amazing they are.

We acknowledge that Camegie Community Centre, and this New51~"er, are occurring on Coast Salish Territory. .

"Never . THIS NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE · CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION Articles represent the views of individual contributors and not of the Association ..

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doubt that a small group of thoughtful

committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, ·it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Meade Next issue: SUBMISSION DEAn LINE

WANTED Artwork for the Camegie Newsletter

• • •

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11TH

Small illustrations to accompany artides and poetry.

Cover art - Max size: 17ctn(6 '/.")wide x 15cm(6jhigh.

Subject matter pertaining to issues relevant to the Downtown Easlside, but all work considered.

Black & White printing only.

SiZE restrictions apply (Le. if your piece is too large, it will be reduced and/or cropped to lit).

All artists will recei.ve credit for their work.

Originals will be returned to the artist after being copied for publication.

Remuneration: Camegie Volunteer Tickets

WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTIOrtl

Please make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor.

The editor can edit for clarity, formal & brevity, but not at the expense of the writer's message.

COMPUTER ADVICE Ifancouver Community Network :ost-effecti~~.computer & IT support for non-profits IICN Tecti Team http://techteam.vcn.bc.ca

:all778-724-0826 ext2. 705-333 Terminal Ave, Van. ~ DONATIONS 2015

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• AIDS •• POVERTY • HOMELESSNESS • VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ABORIGINAL GENOCIDE • .TOTALITARIAN CAPITALISM IGNORANCE and SUSTAINED FEAR.

Terry & Savannah -$150 Michele C.-$100 Or Kevin -$50 ~~"--_ Leslie 8.-$150 Bob & Muggs -$100 Leslie K -$50 Catherine C.-$100 Glenn B.-$200 Sheila B.-$150 Vancouver Moving Theatre -$200 Pat 0.$50 Harold & 8harron 0.-$100 Michael C.-$100 Eleanor B.-$25 Elaine & Oavid -$40 Margaret M.-$50 Ruth McG -$50 Jenny K -$100 Jacqueline L -$75 Robert McG.-$110 Christopher R.-$100 ) Penny C.-$50 in memory of Miriam Stuart Skateboarders -$50 Wilhelmina M.-$25 .

Jackie W.-$50 George H.$60 Ruth L.-$1oo .

Barry M.-$250 Anonymous -$110 In Memory of Harold David - WiII/Sharon C.-$50 Barbara M.-$200 Gina F.-$100 Lori /Borys -$100 Catherine 8.-$50 Yukiko T.-$50 taylor s.-$20 ---!l....--"F~ Solidarity Notes Labour Choir -$25 Kevin & Richard 0.-$100 CHIPS -$500 Radiation Therapy Clerks -$40 Jacki S.-$15 Roger C.-$100 Den~eJ)-$60 1Jdia McK.-~ Laila B.-$50Aiden S.-$25 Aideen McK -$10

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Jay H.-$100 Catherine H.$50 Yasushi K.-$50+ Kerry F.-$25 Tn memOry of Bud Os born