MARCH 1, 1993. 401 Blain St

MARCH 1, 1993. 401 blain St. , Va~~couver.V6A 2.1'7 (60h)605-22Uy

. . .from the front page of some paper. As they present a "new start". ."a clean with Vanderzalm, this joke gets off free slate". .bullshit piled so high they hope with a fat wallet while hundreds of thou- it blocks the light of simple facts. sands of people are left unemployed, poor The North American Free Trade Agreement or both. Like when the stock market did is still top priority for the corporate its thing in 1929. .the rich killed them- agenda. Their mental disease of greed is selves while the poor just starved. st ill consuming our planet. Take heart ; Now the Tories will try to get us to we've won a battle.. .let's win the war. 'speak nothing but good of the dead' as PAULR TAYLOR THE $100 MILLION QUESTION Che Coalition was founded a year ago, at We all know that there is a lot of mon- che suggestion of ,Harcouxt to try to ey coming into the Downtown Eastside and ,ring some coordination into all the soc- ' Strathcona from various gov't sources but ial programs. The premier has now told until a meeting with Premier Harcourt re- the agencies they have to come to Coalit- cently, we really didn't know just how ion meetings & explain what new programs many dollars were involved. they are planning & listen tb the people. Wow we know: the figure is a whopping He offered $60,000 to help coordinate $100 million a year & that doesn't even the effort, if the Coalition can show the include the welfare payments to people. community is really involved & other lev- The $100 million covers all programs, els of gov't help out too. services & facilities, from the Sally Ann to Carnegie & Ray-Cam, from street work- Community groups like Carnegie, DERA, ers handing out needles to the construct- Strathcona Residents Association & Ray- , ion of new special housing. On a per cap- Cam are starting to play a stronger role ita basis, that's the equivalent of in the Coalition. That's the only our co- $5000 per resident. mmunity can get the services it needs. It's a lot of money, the most to any neighbourhood in BC, but how well is it By NGGS SIGURGEIRSON . being spent? President, Carnegie CCA.

That was a question the Premier posed to the Downtown EastsidelStrathcona Coal- ition. And it leads to other questions. How much duplication is there? How effective are the programs? How accountable to the community are the agencies? There are a total of 278 agencies operating in the area, probably more than in any other urban neighbourhood in Canada. The Premier told them that from now on they will have to consult with residents before introducing new programs or facilities in the community.

Residents said they are concerned that in some cases the ever-increasing qumber of programs is attracting people from other parts of the province who could be better served where they live. The residents also want the agencies to be more responsive to what the community identifies as priorities. This inclq- des things like: * A new supermarket to replace Woodwards; *More affordable daycare for our kids; * Education, jobs & housing for people who want to get off the street; * Programs to reach out to isolated seniors & ex-mental patients who live in hotels & may need help. That's where the Coalition comes in. of the many women who have been killed in the Downtown Eastside in recent years. PRESS'STATEMENT Social Services Community groups & individuals of the Before Christmas I was fighting with ~~~t~~ Eastside have organised & partic- Social Services for my BC Medical card. I ipated in this memorial because we believe had three social workers 4 they had(.me the violence must stop. running around, After that I went to Shar- ~t is time we remembe~the women who on at First United Church 5 she was the have met violent death in the Downtown one who helped me. I told her that welfare Eastside, We haye to sta~tsaying that Z this is not an individual problem; it is was giving me the runaround. Her 6 sat down & she asked me some information. a societal problem, She started phoning theswelSdrep4asked Violence has taken the lives of many women who were aembe~sof our community, me who my social watrker was. I didn't know who did not deserve to die, and have much anymore. Welfare didn't know either; they didn't know who was looking after my file to give in life to all of us. We need to or my case. They gave me an appointment recognize that these women who have been with Randy. victims of violence & death have families, This morning I had troubles with my relations and friends who love them. We dentures 6, knowing I'd have to go to wel- cannot look the other way any more when , fare about medical again, asked the Great someone says that the Downtown Eastside is a violent community. We need to look at Spirit for help. I went to the Free Clinic & the dentist gave me a piece of paper, a the men who ape committing these murders, form, 6 I took it to Dockside Welfare. many of whom ape outsiders & come into this community to prey on women. The worker there said, 'Sorry, Randy's We need to look at the women who have out." I told her I needed some help. She said, What for?" I said, ''For my false been murdered oveT the last 10 years. The teeth," I stayed there until someone fill- majority of them veTe native fnw reserves %cross Canads,, A high percentage of the ed out the fom 6 I got new plates. I was not going to 'come back later' to see murders comitted ~emainunsolved. Their murderers are still out there, Randy. You cannot let them get away with We believe that the Downtown Eastside it, you've got to push hard & stand up for needs more support semrices for women, who your rights. If you can!t it the first are among the most dep~ivedinoursociety. time, try harder next time..keep pushing! How many more women need tq die a sense, I got the disability, I came to school, less 6 brutal death before we start saying I seen Sharon & she noticed a difference it has to stop? in me. The weekend was beautiful! The media,, the police & other institu~ By MARIE ROSE MERCEREAU tions need to help the women in this com- \ Carnegie Adult Learning Centre munity to create a safer 6 better environ- I ment by ensuring that these deaths are vindicated in the proper way, and result / WE LIVE IN A TELEVISION MENTALITY in real protection for the women of the A Carnegie ESL (English as a Second Lan- Downtown Eastside. guage) student will return to Hong Kong in The sexism & racism & indifference of April with the belief that people on Van- the authorities towards the death of our couver's Main & Hastings streets do not sisters must STOP! help women in crisis. The student, a tiny 0 " Chinese lady in her early twenties, was walking along Main Street in the middle oi a bright afternoon, carrying her passport Another case of vlSociety S~cks.~I'm E all her ID in her shoulder strap purse. sick, really sick and tired of how the A, shall we call her 'street walker1, grab government and society are treating us bed her purse E tried to take it away fror aboriginal people. Why don't they just her. Despite the young lady's screams and put us in kennels or stables? protests that it was 'her purse,' no one I mean we have to have a stupid little interfered as the street walker tugged at orange card with a number on it, or pap- the purse that was obviously on the stud- ers, to prove we're Indian, which to me ent? person. Eventually the street walkei is pure bullshit! I mean we are people! gave up E wa~lked away. I don't see the caucasian (white) people Television has keadened most people9s have a card to say they're white, or the awareness of the importance of helping out Chinese, or the Blacks to say they9re those who are in a combat position. What black. Stupid, that's what it is. if the student had lost her passport? It What brought this anger is what happen- would have caused her much trouble. One ed last week regarding this man who was has only to protest, ask what is going on, a 'status Indian1 or an aboriginal or to do some little thing to help. whatever, but because he didn't have the One night, about 1:30 am a neighbour of stupid little card they, the government, a Carnegie member screamed several times 6 wouldnn't help him or his family - so we shouted for help. The Carnegie member phon did..his street family/extended family. ed her building's manager E told him some- Everybody in this whole wide world will one was begging for help. It took 3 other someday not have a name, they'll have a neighbours, from farther down the hall, at number . least 5 minutes to react E another few Anothe~thing - this Pharmacare Card! more minutes to gather their wirs G call You ox your child could be practically the police, By that time the manager had dying, you go see the doctor, but he dressed E knocked on the still screaming won't see you, let alone help you, cause wornants door,. Because no one answered his you don't have a card with a number on it knock he shouted that he was going to call This world is sick, mental, stupid. the police. The woman had to go to hospit- I really hope that someday we could live al because her husband had beaten her up. like our ancestors did, without all the At least someone reacted,

sed as a child, and when I was 13 my fatli- ANGER - how to arrest it. er was killed in front of me. Slowly the tears turn into laughter. Laughter is good healing too. I got so angry at some people for what MY grandfather said "When you have a they did to me, I saw red in my eyes. When clear day, it is an angry day and when you I get angry, I'm afraid and I start-shaking have a cloudy day it is a beautiful day." all over. How I ,get rid of anger - I burn ~f you can live under your skin you can sweetgrass, I holler as loud E hard as I can in Stanley Park. I have a special tree love yourself. If you can1t live undbr:ypur there that is sacred to me. I just grab skin You can:t love yourself or others. ou cannot judge a rabbit by the colour of the tree and hug it..then I cry. WhenIcry its skin. Godloves youall 6 so do 1 it's like a river flowing to the ocean. I cried for an hour yesterday. Iwas abu- By TERRY FLAMOND 5. to Nat or myself Warty). Volunteer Orien- Community Volunteer Program tations are as before: Tuesdays from 2-4; You have probably heard talk around the Saturdays from 2-4. centre or outside that Volunteer work is Thanks! starting to pey. Well, it's dort of true. WRTY (Acting yolunteel: programer) MSS has starfed a new program designed cflmfilling in for AtibaIJntk1 midywa~.) to assist recipients of social assistance to improve social & work opportunities. What this means is that if people who VOLUNTEERS OF THE MONTH! are designated "unemployable", handicapped ------February single parents, or those dependent on soc- Every month at the Carnegie Volunteer ial assistance recipients who are a minim- Dinner recognition is given to two volunt- um of 15 years old, or 'CIHRs who are a eers who have been especially generous minimum of 15 yrs. old, provide voluntary with their time & energy. Of course I'would services for a designated non-profit org- like to acknowledge all the volunteers,as anization in their community, they will this place couldn't run without you, but receive $100/month for expenses. there are always a couple of people whdve Sounds great, especially when you real- given a bit extra each month. ize that the minimum requirement is 10 hrs This month we have chosen two who spend of work/month. It is great.. so great in most of their time tucked away in the tow- fact that we are being inundated with vol- er. Amazing things happen in Carnegie's unteer applicants. So. ..HOLD YOUR HORSES! turret. For example on the 3rd floor is - we've set up some of our own rules. How the computer room. Mike McCormack is our else could we deal with the huge influx of volunteer typist 4 computer room monitor. anxious payticfpants? On Monday, Wednesday & Friday fromlO-12 :30 We have lots of old time volunteers he can be found typing resumes, articles, here, and regulars not so old-time. They almost anything for Carnegie members. The get precedence. We'll deal with returning other endless hours he spends ensuring the volunteers second. When we have OUT own smooth operation of the room. settled in the program we'll' place new ones. One floor down from Mike, Paul Taylor This doesn't mean we won't take new vol- spends countless hours as editor of the unteers. If you want to do a job nobody , Carnegie Newsletter. He appears to be a is demanding we'll take you, but don't ex- constant fixture to the typewriter in the pect to get on the CVP immediately. We alsa have other rest~ictfons.We can Association Office, but in actual fact he does leave occassionally. For instance on only use 'Xt amount sf volunteers. We need a conpnitment. Therefore we'll Wednesday evenings he runs the Bingo held want a minimum of 16 hours a month from in Carnegie's Theatre (for the Community each of our volunteers (same as before) & Gardens Society) and he's a member of the that means one regular shift a week -all Board of Directors. When things aren't month. Three strikes & you're out...we pressing in these areas he'll often lend a need notice if you can't make it. Also we hand in the concession operating the cash. don't take volunteers under 19 years old. Being Volunteer of the Month doesn't It sounds like more ~ules4 that's a just mean a chance to be recognized by drag, I know, but the idea is to protect fellow workers or a token gift & card. It the people in our centre fi~st& OUT comm- really means that of the over 100 generous unity next. volunteers at Carnegie the efforts of the SO: kt $,% true, &t,s the~e,but gqybe two chosen stood out and the extra effott now you have a bit b-ettw idea of where is really appreciated by everybody here. all the talk 3s coffling fron), So thanks Mike & Paul & all the rest of If you have any questions you can talk you Volunteers. You're Great! MARTY 4 NAT ("Editor's note: Margaret Prevost, chair- person of the Carnegie DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE SLOWPITCII LEAGUE Community Relations Committee, heard that Lookin' Good for '93 funding was either approved or close to Twenty-five softball enthusiasts gath- being approved for a pedestrian walkway ered at the Waldorf recently for the ini- to CRAB Park. The park was officially tial DESL meeting 6f 1993. Txti%smmx:Sandy opened in July 1987; the inaccessibility Sanderson was extremely busy writing out for the majority of people in our neigh- cheques to many teams who had fulfilled bourhood seniors, single parents with - their various league obligationslast year. toddlers, people with disabilities has - DESL president Steve Johnson Ft the many been an ongoing issue. Don Larson stated team representatives went over a number that the Port of Vancouver had committed of proposals : to funding 50% of the cost of this walkway 1. The entry fee will remain at $150 ($70 so Margaret sought confirmation. The fax message below is straight from the Port of to the DESL, $40 for insurance, $40 Vancouver Corporation's head office.) for the Merit Performance Bond). 2. Six people from each team to go to February 12, 1993 umpiring school. "Staff of the Vancouver Port Corporation 3. Teams in the Strathcona Conferencewill have been working with staff of the City play several weeks at Strathcona Park of Vancouver on a proposal to provide alt- and then will move to Oppenheimer for a ernate pedestrian and wheelchair access to few weeks. The Oppenheimer Conferencewill Portside (Crab) Park. Before it can pro- also play at both parks. ceed, the proposal cu~rentlybeing discus- 4. In order to help some of the needy sed must be accepted by the Canadian Human teams an equipment pool has been set up Rights Commission, and approved by both 5. The League will consist of 18 teams - the Council of the City of Vancouver and 8 in the Strathcona Conference; the Board of Dixectors of the Vancouver 10 in the Oppenheimer Conference. Port Corporation. If accepted Eapproved, Anyone interested in playing please the PostLs involvement is expected to Be contact Steve Johnson at Oppenheimer Pk. strictly moneta~ywith levels of funding Ladies are especially welcome! still to be dete~mined. So much for an iron~commitmentto 50%. 7Carnegie Pleas for Baseball Ceach Spring training is opening in Florida E soon to follow in Oppenheimer Park. But, alas, the Carnegie slow pitch team has no coach, so we are looking for some dedicat- INCOME TAX - for Seniors ed baseball nut to come forward to volunteer for this glamourous job. You will get Beginning on March lst, seniors in the the best seat in the house E maybe even a area can get their income tax done at 411 hot dog 4 popcorn thrown in (on) your con- Dunsmuir Street - on the 2nd floor. tract ! This service will go on every weekday 'ti It has been a few years since we have the end of April. "Seniortf likely means a' had a team at the Carnegie, so it is time least 60 years old, since only in the Dow for a resurrection. If you are interested tow Eastside is the senior's age 40. in coaching and/or playing, please contact Steve Johnson at Oppenheimer, Tues.-Sat., 9:OO-5:OO; phone number - 665-2210.

When our housing is someone else's A PLACE TO GO investment At the root of BC's affordable housing Across British Columbia, thousands of problem is the spiral in land Frreal est- people cannot find decent, affordable ate prices. As investors buyEsell real housing. The chronic housing crisis is estate in search of windfall profits, terr touching more Fr more of our lives: ants face more Frmore instability. Our * the single mother who is forced to housing becomes unimportant to the invest- share space in substandard housing or, whopis onLy tnterested in the land it's on * the senior citizen who cannot afford to Speculators looking for quick profits eat properly after paying rent do not make responsible landlords. * the homeless person who has no prosp- Many tenants cannot convince our land- I ects for a proper place to live lords to do basic repairs. &!any of us are 1 * the young family who cannot afford to evicted each year so our homes can be de- buy a home molished, or sold off as condominiums. And almost no one is building afford- Many of us face exorbitant rent increases I able rental housing for the future. I as new landlords expect us to pay for Everyone in BC should have a decent, their inflated purchase prices. 1 secure E affordable place to live..We need And while our existing rental housing I action from our provincial gov't to make is disappearing, private developers are 1 housing a right for all of us. not building new housing to replace it. I Paying more for less Hundreds of thousands of us need decent, affordable housing. The private market - the affordable housing crisis has mostly stopped building rental hbusing; Developers 6 the corporate lobby say condos F, luxury,housesaremoreprofitable, there's no housing crisis in BC. People trying to find decent, affordable, secure Government inaction housing on the private rental market know In the past, communities across BC have our own experience. shown that we can build decent, affordable Our rents F, housing prices have spiral- housing with gov't support. However, gov' t led upwards, real wages have fallen Fr un- programs to support housing alternatives employment remains high. The result is are being cut off. that we pay more 6 more of our incomes for Over the past decade BC has built less 6 housing; more than,l30%is too much. In less seniors', non-profit, public 6 co-op Vancouver, almost 1 in 4 households pays housing. The Federal Conservative gov't is more than 50% of its income in rent. cutting off social Eco-operative housing Those hardest hit are single parent programs E tearing apart our national hous families, people with disabilities 4 fam- ing policy. We need much more affordable ilies on fixed incomes - especially women housing but the gov't programswe!hhve left F, senior citizens. Many people are shar- cannot even replace what we've lost each year. ing with 2 or 3 roommates so they can af- To make matters worse, many municipal ford a place to live. The number of us governments are closing down basement living on the streets is increasing. suites & allowing unchecked demolition 6 Many of us are just one step away from condo conversion. The provincial gov't;must losing our homes. All it takes is a lay- step in to protect our existing rental how off, a late UIC cheque, or a roommate who sing Fr follow through on its promise to moves outhl making it impossible to pay. build more affordable housing. Tenants are putting up with bugs, leaky We need gov't support for a "mixed econ- roofs Fr broken down appliances because omy" in housing, combining privately owned they cannot afford to rent decent housing. real estate with non-market alternatives Across BC, rental housing is falling into like public housing, non-profit housing 6 disrepair. co-ops. That way, those of us who cannot I 'afford to play the market can still have Creating new affordable llousing n secure, affordable housing. Y. 9. An immediate increase in funding for An action plan for affordable housing social housing, including support for public, non-profit G co-op housing There is no single solution to the affordable housing crisis. We need co-operat- suitable for all of us who cannot find good housing on the private market. Sen- ion from all levels of gov't. But our prow incial govlt can take the lead in protect- iors, people with disabilities, single ing tenants, preserving existing affordab- parents, Native people Gpeople with low le housing & creating more in the future. G moderate incomes are all affected. An Action Plan must include: 10.Establishment of a Social Housing Rep- lacement Fund supported by: Protecting tenants - taxes on real estate speculation & re- 1. Return of rental controls, allowing in- zoning; creases no larger than the rate of inf- - mandatory contributions from developers lation. This would protect us from exc- who demolish affordable rental housing. essive rent increases. 1l.Landbanking to provide gov't land for 2. Security deposits must be reformed or public, non-profit & co-op housing. abolished to end the widespread abuse Renting in BC: of deposits by landlords. In New Bruns- a risky business for tenants wick the govlt holds security deposits in trust; Ontario & Quebec have abol- Tenants in BC have been living with one ished security deposits. of the worst landlord-tenant laws in Canada 3. Faster 6 more effective ways for ten- This law, the Residential Tenancy Act, does ; ants to get repairs done to our homes. little to correct the power imbalance be- 4. Measures4to stop harassment by landlords tween landlords & tenants. Tenants' iss+es : 1 whether it's directed against visible * Rent controls. These were abolished in minorities, women, families, lesbians E 1984. We now have absolutely no protect- gays, or low-income tenants. ion against excessive rent increases. * Getting repairs done. It is too hard for Sal Saving affordable housing I tenants to get repairs done, Ff if we suc- 5. ~rovinc-evwidemaintenance & repair stan- ceed we may be hit with punishing rent dards for rental housing, plus enforce- increases. ment measures that work. Vancouver is * Security deposits. Allowing landlords to now the only city in the province that hold security deposits invites abuse E enforces maintenance standards. creates needless conflict. Some large 6. A Rental Housing Protection Act allow- corporate landlords routinely make un- ing demolition of affordable rental justified charges against our deposits. housing only where a developer provides * Harassment. We have little protection an equal number of affordable housing from abuse or harassment from our land- units, or contributes to a Social HOUS- lords. Often the tenant finally moves to ing Replacement Fund. escape a bad situation. 7. A tax on profits from land speculation, The New Democratic govl t has promised with an exemption for owner-occupied changes to the Residential Tenancy Act.Now homes - as called for by the New Democ- is the time for a complete overhaul. We crats' policy before they came to power: need a law that works for tenants. 3. A stop to secondary suite closures, as called for by the provincial government What can we do Commission on Housing Options. The Tenants1 Rights Action Coalition (TRAC) the other organisations endorsing this action plan are pressing the New Dem- ocrats to live up to their housing commit- ments. As tenants & concerned British Col- umbians, we can have an impact on housing n n problems in our communities. There are lots of ways to get involved: Saving Crab Waterfront Park * Call or write ,to your MLA. Ask what she For local lowincome individuals & fami- or he will do aboublthe asf. housin;g,cxisis. lies to have some use of Crab Park: * Writet;otheCabinetMinistersresponsible The following is required - Hon. Mike Harcourt. Premier 1.that a Columbia St. pedestrian overpass - Hon Moe Sihota, ~inisterof Consumer S be built to Crab Park. - Hon.Robin Blencoe, Ministerofnousing 2. that a temporary portable after-school (all c/o Parliament Bldgs, VICTORIA, BC) program building be placed on Crab Pk., * Write a letter to the editor of your lo- for local, lowincome families & kids. cal pRper about housing problems here. 3.that at least 500 units of core-needy * Talk tb your friends &-neighbours. Tell or social, lowincome housing be built

them what you think about what's happen-- - beside the Park. ing to our housing. 4.that the Port of Vancouver Corporation * Call TRAC (255-3099) for information on planned development near Crab Park be a upcoming events or to let other people "safe community1'. That is, that the de- know about something you are planning. velopment not be a over-built ,highrise tourist-only development. 5. that the proposed double-berthed cruise mxvgc-$$Kitchen Korner ship pier be placed on the otherside of day & welcome to the 2nd edition of the Canada Place building, away from Crab. Kitchen Korner, & thanks to all who sugg Crab park is a important "safety valve" ested naming this new & popular column. for the Downtown Eastside community. There are many new patrons coming into Don Larson the centre this year & the staff are being constantly asked how we keep our prices so low. For instance where else i~ the corner of the kitchen. It's one of the country can you buy a crab sandwich the most physically trying jobs at the for 75$, to go with a hot, nourishing & Carnegie, & for this reason it's diffic- I delicious bowl of lentil soup for ~OC? ult to keep someone fdr extended periods. The answer is nowhere. How it is done is But my hat is off to anyone who tries it easily explained ...VOLUNTEERS!, the life even for one or two days a week, for they I blood of the Carnegie kitchen. are the lifesaver, especially when we are From the dishwasher to the cashier to busy (always !) . the sandwich makers to the people who go Then, of course, we have the sandwich to the grocery store for things we're ou makers. They come in at 8am every day & of, they really do work their buns off make those tasty cheese, ham, tuna, egg for the patrons here at Carnegie. & even tofu cheese or avocado sammys. Two of the most stressful jobs are the Sometimes as many as 200 are made & sold cashier & dishwasher. If you've ever bee in a single day. Our Mary Brogan is the in the lineup at dinner you'll no doubt ' sandwich artist ' Tues .,Wed. ,Thurs . , and have observed how well the cashiers hand Bill Kwas does his bit Fri. through Mon. le our varied & sometimes inconsiderate There you have it : Great food, Great crowd, who want their goods usually righ prices..from people who work for virtual- now or sooner. It can be very unnerving, ly nothing in order that we can keep our to say the least, buc our volunteers do prices way down & nutrition & health is an excellent job of dealing with all. If not denied someone because of a lack of you've ever thought it looks easy please spending cash. go find Marty or Nat & sign up for a Next time we'll talk about hours of training session. We can use the help. operation & s%ecial training that we the Dishwashing is very tough simply be- staff here at Carnegie provide for inter- cause of the volumn of cups & dishes & ested patrons. 'Ti1 then, happy eating ! pots that go through that tiny area in poetry Calendar of Greater Vancouver The Canadian Poetry Association-Vancouv- er Chapter, invites poets, poetry events organizers, bookstores, writers' groups 6 anyone else to be part of a dynamic new Calendar listing poetry 6 related events in North Vancouver, West Vancouver, Burna- by, Richmond, New Westminster &Vancouver. Outlying districts may also submit events, which will be published if space permits. THE POETRY CALENDAR OF GREATER VANCOUVER (Issue No. 1) will be appearing with the CPA-V newsletter: "SPOKES" on March lst, 1993, and April 1st as 'Poetry Calendar Remorseful, it's very dirty of Greater Vancouver Update.' Deadlines Half Moom Boy are the 15th of each month, but phone us World's smallest waterfall anyway if the information is late. I must be crazy 4 The calendar will be inserted in "SPOKES It's a game every other month 6 stand on its own in Bay at the moon intervening months. Bay Beefs how I love thee Mail events with the following infot "Can you hear mett? *Title of event A sence of its power "Date Phones 'govt the environment *Time Press 2 if you want to know more 'bout *Name of venue 4 address Re: Cycling 1 *Cost 6 where to make reservations or buy Leaking batteries -0fmercury6poisoning 1 tickets battery acid but I found an empty cup *2 phone numbers to call for more info. to hold the worst orM ' Send information to : primary so~tation POETRY CALENDAR OF GREATER VANCOUVER street level environmental diligence Box 74026, Hillcrest P.O. V5V 5C8 On guard! a swamp or a marsh? or call Rudy Penner at 874-9139 a bog on a foggy night Keith Daniels: 222-4012 almost close/almost far dark in the rain The "SPOKES" newsletter is free at book- re cycle on and on stores or can be mailed to you regularly. Blueberry pancakes (shrove) Yea~lypostage is $10. Make cheques payab- Holly tree and logan bush le to Canadian Poetry Association - Vanc- Brier Patch Hobb Camp ouver Chapter. We will drop free copies Poor People's Pickers' Patch for distribution at your business, centre Hasten at the end of the line ' or restaurant. ork from dawn to dusk Information will also be plugged into Seagulls crow (cack) , Break o' DAY! I the Vancouver Public Library computer sys- Taum / tem - 'Community Events Calendar' file. s.T.E.W. NEWS! 13. & The- energy-- co-operation among members of this is remarkable. Appearing below may be the fiist draft..it may be at any stage of completion. NO ,time. to sleep for the previous 32 hours left me unable to stay awake at the STEW meeting. The following script was passed around , authored by MARIUS. jusps: 3 fp TAX THE RICH

*The set is dark save for two waving spot lights (or equivalent) for about 15 seconds when the Announcer booms: "And Now, the television game show everybody's been waiting for, TAX THE RICH' (Game Show Music is played) ANNOUNCER: "And Now, here's our Tax The Rich host, Starving Artist !" (APPLAUSE sign) *STARVING appears at the centre podium & waves to the audience. After a few moments the music fades. STARVING: Hello everyone & welcome to Tax The Rich, the show where All the economic wealth is shared equally. Our Lawyers have seized wealth of the 3 very rich people who will be our Rich contestants for today. Our Poor contestants will try to prove that they've illegally evaded fair taxes &. if they do the Rich will be taxed & put into prison! Doesn't that sound like fun? You bet it does! Okay, let's meet our contestants. Representing the Poor today are: College Student ! Single Mother ! and Environmentalist ! *As STARVING says their names the contestants appear from the audience &.excit- edly move toward the podium on STARVING'S right. (APPLAUSE, sign) STARVING: Our Rich people today are: Pope John Paul II! Queen Elizabeth II! and (former) Canadian Prime Minister Lyin' Brian Mulroony ! *As STARVING says their names the contestants appear from the audience & excit- edly move toward the podium on STARVING'S left. (BOO sign) STARVING: Okay College Student, why don't you tell us a little bit about why you want to tax the rich? STUDENT: I think that education is a right & not a privilege. The Rich are making it seem like there's no money to pay for the education system but in truth they're hoarding all the public wealth to themselves. Now that's theft & I want to see the Rich pay back what theylve stolen. (APPLAUSE) STARVING: hat's the spirit! How about you Single Mother? MOTHER: I have 3 children & believe me taking care of them is a full time job in itself. I had to ask the gov't for help. Do you know what? They tried to force me to work, with 3 kids, & they threatened to cut me off if I didn't go look for a job! Those greedy Rich have caused so much suffering & death in the world by ignoring the fact that we need medical &social programs more than we need weapons&automobiles! They're not only thieves, they're murderers & they should be brought to justice1 (APPLAUSE) STARVING: I say Amen to that ! ,Environmentalist? ENVIRON: The Rich are getting all their wealth by depleting the Earth's resources & polluting the environment in the process. If we continue to allow them to destroy the Earth, all life will die! We have to stop them NOW, before it's too late! (APPLAUSE) STARVING: That sounds like reason enough to me to Tax The Rich, but first, let's see what our Rich have to say about beiing taxed.; Prime Minister? BRIAN: Well I'd just like to say what a good feeling it is to be around so many proud Canadians & I'd like to say how wonderful it is just to see everyone's smiles &--(BUZZER. Brian gets shocked.) STARVING: Sorry Brian, but time a factor on our show. Your Highness, are you happy about being faxed? QUEEN : Absolutely Not ! Imagine that, Queen of the Commonwealth, being treated like a commoner! You've got a lot of nerve to bring ME here! Why, you should all be down on your knees, worshipping--(BUZZER. Queen gers shocked.) STARVING: Sorry Princess, you'll have to refrain from commanding your subjects during the show. QUEEN: How Dare You? I've got my face on a lot of money young man! STARVING: And on a lot of dartboards too I'm sure. How about you JP? Do you thtnk the Vatican should pay its fair share of taxes? -POPE: Taxing the'church would be like taxing God. (BUZZER. Pope gets shocked) STARVING: Wrong! Taxing the church would be like taxing a whole bunch of homo- phobic, hypocritical, self-righteous chauvinists who are no .better than most Television Evangelists! (APPLAUSE)

STARVING: Okay. Our first question of the day is: Who caused the World's poverty, the Rich or the Poor? (Bell) POPE: It is written that the wicked borrow & do not give back; the Poor are poor because they are wicked. (BUZZER. Pope gets shock) STARVING: So sorry there Your Eminence that is in-cor-rect. You see it also says to forgive ones debtors so that ones own debts can be forgiven. The Rich do not do that. They keep the Poor in debt & make it impossible for them to pay back because the Rich already own everything. And then what about the ,debt the Rich owe the rest of us for stealing what by right should belong to us all? Next question: Whois responsible forthe World's pollution problems, Rich or Poor? (Bell) QUEEN: Oh, those :Poor are so filthy. Always digging through the trash. I'm certain they are all covered in lice & rats most of the time. We Rich are so clean & tidy, why just look at our huge palaces mansions always kept so neat. I'm sure that all the filth in the world is the Poqr's fault. )BUZZER. Queen gets shocked.) (Bell) ENVIRON: The Rich have all the control over industry & they are the ones responsible for marketing cars, disposable & other env- ironmentally hazardous products. (BELL & then BUZZER. All Rich get shocked.) STARVING: Absolutely Correct! Now a Canadian for Lyin' Brian. Who owns 51.3% of ~anada'seconomic wealth? 51.3% of the population or lo%? (Bell) BRIAN: As Prime Minister of one of the World's most beautiful~countries I often think about all of the wonderful people who live there and it makes me feel so full of--(BUZZER. Brian gets shocked.) STARVING: You sure are full of it today Brian & you're also out of time Let's see if one of the Poor can pick this one up... (sell) STUDENT: I say more than half of Canada's wealth is owned by only a tenth of the population! (BELL & then BUZZER. Rich all get it .) STARVING: That's right ! Isn't that in-ter-est-ing? Okay. Who controls & cens- ors what we see on television, read in newspapers, books,-- (Bell) BRIAN: .Why, the media in Canada is for public access & the right to freedom of speech--(BUZZER. Brian gets shocked.) STARVING: And is there for all who can afford it I'm certain. Who owns the World's arsenal of nuclear weapons? Rich or Poor? ell) QUEEN: Well, as to who actually owns what, (even though I am the all- -powerful Monarch you should all be paying tribute to), the people are the real owners of the property & I just manage it for them,in their best i interests of course! (BUZZER. Queen gets shocked.) 0 STARVING: Sorry, Queen E, that's just NOT the truth. The Rich own the weapons of the world. Now, can any one of the Poor tell me why the Rich built all those weapons? (Bell) MOTHER.: They built all of the weapons in the world to keep the Poor under their suppression! (BELL & then BUZZER. Rich all get it.) STARVING: That's absolutely correct! Very Good! Okay. In the world today, the U.S. is the foremost military power. What percentage of the U.S. tax dollar is spent on the military? 60% or 2%? (Bell) ENVIRON: I say 60% gets spent on the military. (BELL-BUZZER. Rich get) STARVING: And you are absolutely correct; 2% of the American tax dollar is spent on education. Well, it looks as if the Rich are getting worn out so let's go to our final question of the day. If you had all the money in the world, how would you spend it? STUDENT: I'd spend more than 2% on education, that's for certain! (BELL and EDUCATION sign revealed.) MOTHER: Food and. Medicine for all the Earth's children! (BELL and FOOD & MEDICINE sign revealed.) ENVIRON: Environmental clean-updeffective legislation that will keep our Earth clean ! (BELL and ENVIRONMENTALISM sign revealed. ) All POOR: And we'd all Share The Economic Wealth! (BELL and SHARE THE ECONOMIC WEALTH sign revealed.) STARVING: Well, that's what our Poor would do if they had all the money in the world. Now let's ask the Rich what they %.doing with all the wealth in the world! Pope? -POPE: The Vatican has always been a big factor in trying to end poverty and will continue to do God's work in the way we see fit. (BUZZER. Popegets)

STARVING: Sorry, Popey, that's not what our facts say. ' Queen? QUEEN : ve always spent MY money on the best interests of MY subjects. IUZZER. Queen ge ts shocked.)

STARVING: Who are You kidding? Brian? BRIAN: I know deep down inside that I've always acted in the best interests of the Canadian people. (BUZZER. Brian gets shocked.) STARVING: And I know that deep down inside you're lying! Let's see what the Rich really HAVE spent their money on! (ENVIRONMENTAL DISASTER sign revealed) (BUZZER) (OPPRESSION VIA THE MILITARY sign revealed) (BUZZER) (STARVATION AND POVERTY sign revealed) (BUZZER) *All the while the Rich are silently protesting by shaking their heads & trying to gain sympathy from the crowd.

STARVING: It's time for the Rich to pay their fair share of taxes & then, go to prison! (APPLAUSE sign) *STARVING pushes a button & the Rich appear to fall down a trap door. Sound Effects: 3 voices falling & fading. *Lights flash, Music plays, bells ring as the Rich get taken away. The Poor are showered in money..They jump & smile happily as all good game show winn- ers should. The sign above them is lit up & flashing. STARVING: Well, thank you for joining us here on Tax The Rich. I hope we've given you a taste of true justice & a cause worthy to fight for. Until next time, I'm Starving Artist and this was Tax The Rich! More Music, Lights and then dim and fade. I Rich Dine On Tax Deductions programming, newspapers & magazines. It cut $3.5 M from a program to promote self-care In a restaurant in Toronto's fashionable & mutual aid among seniors G $1.6 M from yorkville, four men, impeccably attired, the Secretary of State Women's program sip cocktails 6 make small talk. They sit which will result in the closing of more down to a lunch of smoked scotch salmon, than 80 women's centres. foie gras en bloc, truffle soup, roast Thus, while the gov't indirectly subsid- veal, baked apple slices, glazed carrots 6 izes the frivolous lifestyles of the rich ,auteed grean beans. Thls rPch fare is G powerful, it robs the poor & powerless washed down with champagne, a bottle of' of their dignity 15 the means of maintain- vintage wine, and port. ing their communities. Later, high above the playing field, air What is the sense of this? What compell- ong with other associates, the four watch ing arguments justify such an apparently a Blue Jays game. Sitting in a luxurious outrageous perversion of collective moral- skybox, behind tinted glass, they lounge :&.." ILy: comfortably in suchy swivel chairs, watch NEIL BROOKS / This Magazine replays on- high-resblutiin television, and munch on a served plate of hors d'oeuvkes. Occasionally they reach for a beer from their private bar 6 adjust the climate control 6 two-speaker system. All of this might sound like harmless self-indulgence, but the sad truth is that all Canadians are picking up part of the tab. Under Canadian tax law, 80% of the cost of business meals & entertainment is tax deductible. Each year the gov't loses about $1 billion of tax revenue on account of these deductions - a loss that must, of course, be collected from other taxpayers. Ironically, at the same time that Ottawa ATTENTION: First United Church Board provides open-ended tax deductions so that FROM: Kate Wallace & Margaret Prevost business people can enjoy the luxuries of REGARDING: Pbt Oskey's posit ion at the Dugout life, it feels compelled to cut back on We understand her (Pat's) term of employ ltwasteful't govlt spending by takfng money ment is coming up soon. away from the neediest members of society. This letter is in support of Pat Oskey's In the Feb.'91 budget, for example, the position at the Dugout. As everyday users govtt increased lodging charges for hospiv of the Dugout, we have noticed quite a talized veterans In long-term care, E re- change in people's attitudes & their well- duced the domestic & nurseing help for being. Plus the way in which Pat is runn- veterans living on their own, for a saving ing the Dugout in general has shown us of about $18 million a year. It cut $9.8 P that she is capable of keeping this work. from the funding of Native Canadianst radic Furthermore she's open to any Call needs of people using the faeilities. Pat's frame of mind has always been pleasant as well as being open to suggestions. In addition we feel that Pat has the expertise G know- ledge to carry out her position as management of the Dugout. In closing we would like to congratulate you on winning the Heritage Award & for keeping the Dugout as a heritage building. The government insists that the North American Free Trade Agreement simply adds Mexico to the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement, 4 that, consequently, our opposition is a tempest in a teapot. Not so!

FACT governments f TOW directing these enter- prises to act as agents of govlt policy NAFTA extends & reinforces the anti-demo- (like conser8ation) 6 will require Crown cratic provisions of the FTA, further er- Corporations & agencies to behave like oding.Canadian economic & political sove- private f iqs. reignty & further eroding rights of gov- FACT ernments to act on behalf of their popul- ations. NAFTA removes none of the onerous NAFTA adds coverage of transportation provisions of the FTA; it only reinforces services, signalling the clear intention of creating an integrated North American them. FACT transportation system over time with a NAFTA panels will be established to set single set of standards regarding health, standards & rules for the continent,& final safety & sustainable development. say over the legitimacy of any govlt pol- FACT icy, federal, state or provincial, will rest with these panels. They will be clo- NAFTA enshrines deregulation in telecomm- sed to the general public & their reports unications, granting foreign corporations will be confidential. "national treatment" access to this industry E limiting Canada's ability tm imp- FACT ose terms & conditions on these companies NAFTA requires federal governments to en- FACT sure its terms are implemented by the provinces. This will affect provincial NAFTA includes an extensive chapter on practices, like supply management boards, patents Gcopyrights ahsent from the FTA. employment equity programs, environmental It allows private companies to claim own? regulations or local sourcing rules. ershipof living matter. Tt makes the legislation extending monopoly patent Tights FACT to foreign drug companies irreversibl~de- NAFTA requires that all gov't-run opera- stroying the~gesezi.adrbglindustryin Canada. tions, f~ompension plans to garbage col- FACT lection, must be open to competitive bids from the other countries. Provincial prac- NAFTA failed to get a Canadian content in tices that favour local firms, or promote autos to supplement the overall rule of local hiring will be subject to challenge origin, leaving us vulnerable to product- from NAFTA panels, as will government- ion shifts to Mexico & the US South by subsidized training programs. auto companies. FACT FACT

NAFTA Article 1106 contains further pro- NAFTA includes the disastrous proportional . hibitions against any future Canadian gov- sharing provision of the FTA for Canada. ernment setting conditions on the behavi- Mexico won an exemption from the proport- our of foreign companies. Another Auto ional sharing clauses obliging the contin- Pact would be impossible to negotiate. ~alexport of scarce natural resources FACT even in times of shortage. Canadian negot- iators did not even push for a similar ex- NAFTA includes new provisions that impose empt ion. a commercial definitron on Canadian Crown Corporations, both federal & provinc5al. FACT These will likely be used to constrain llAFTA&the FTA would be violated by any Canadian move to restrict or diminish for- no outright prohibitions or sanctions inc- eign control of forest lands, but Mexico luded. That Mexico currently ignores its won an exemption & will continue to rest- own regulationsisnowhere mentioned. ~ictforeign ownership i-n the forest:sector. * FACT - FACT NAFTA's Chapter 19 effectively cancels the ~t'ssignificant that the Canadiangov't nev- process for negotiation of a subsidies er seized the opportunityofthenaftanego- code, established in Chapter19 ofthe FTA. tiations to insert a Canadian prohibition This means that the process of coming to of water exports. common definitions of what constitutes an FACT unfair practice is qow effectively dead, Jules Katz, chief US trade negotiator boa- NAFTA trades away the right to establish sts that the FTA commitment "has just been additional supply management commodities, basically wiped out. If a system which is already under intensein- ternational pressure. As well, all remain- FACT ing agricultural goods will seettiegradual NAFTApermitsthe inclusionoftheothercou~ elimination of import controls, encourag- triesoftheAmericas intotheagreemelltprov ing open competition among the farmers of idedtheyadheretothe strict termsofit. It the continent, regardless of thewagesithey wouldnotl~kelybenecessarytotakeNAFTA pay their employees, their environmental back toour Parliament toincludethese count- practicesortheirhealthsafetystandards. ries. So we are essentiallysigninganagree- FACT ment for an open economic arrangement contairr fng no standards with Chile, ~acti,all count - NAFTA does not include enforceable envirom mental protection. It simply states that ~iesin thehemisphere. This will bethe law- est trading bloc in the world & it has been n;- 'count~ies"should not" waive environmental rules to attract industry, but there are gotiated mostly in secret.

KATHIE LEROUX: Mother of three, Educator DERA elected an almost entirely new and Solidarity worker for twenty years. Board of Directors at its annual general IAN MacRAE: Vice-president of Four Sist- meeting at the end of January. A list of ers Co-op, Chair of Housing Working Group names appeared in the Feb.1 issue, but (Downtown ~astside/StrathconaCoalition). unless you knew the people it might as well have been a photocopy out of a tele- ALICIA MERCURIO: Solidarity worker, comm- phone book. The following short bios are unity activist, outreach & organization better of programs for Native communities. Foun- - der of the Human Rights Coalition. Co-op ROSALIND BRECKNER: Certified Management Accountant (CMA) with Dragomir/Breckner, Radio programmer. Strathcona resident, member of Strathcona JOHN NORTON: Student, child-care worker, Community Gardens, Strathcona Residents' former Carnegie worker, former Youth Ser- Association. vices worker doing street work in Down- ANNE CHAPMAN: Volunteer at Downtown South town South, DERA Co-op resident. employed by Unity House (service for ex- psych patients), former job steward. MARGARET PREVOST: Vice-president of the Carnegie Association, Chair of Community PETER GREENWELL: Tenants Rights Action Relations Committee, advocate for physic- Coalition Co-ordinator, former City Relo- ally challenged, active in Native commun- cator & Relocation Services Co-ordinabor, ity and CRAB Park access. president of DERA Co-op. TERRY SINCLAIR: Volunteer at Carnegie, TERRY HANLEY: Union negotiator & organizer, Student at the Native Education Centre, resident & past president of Four Sisters DowntownEastsideresidentforman~y~ar~.3 Another group calling itself Crosstown PAUL TAYLOR: On the following boards - Camegie, Four Sisters (Treasurer), TRAC, is comprised of artists for the most part. ELP, Action Canada BC (Treasurer).. Editor They have 'renamed' the 4-6 block area id- of the Carnegie Newsletter. entified by the city, calling it Crosstown & wanting to retain the older nature of ALFRED0 VALIENTE: Concerned about issues buildings & heritage structures. It sounds in Latino community, resident of Princess good but, as DERA's Community Organizer Rooms, originally from El Salvador. Barb Daniel said after attending several Teacher of University English. of their meetings, "These people are pret- JIMMY WU: Outreach worke~,Downtown East- ty naive when it comes to consequences.'' sidelstrathcona Coalition, interpreter They want the City to relax the buildings! (Cantonese/English), ESL teacher in D.E. standards so owners won't have to spend money upgrading & artists can then use the There are 4 standing comnjjttees of the cheaper accomodations for studio & living Board - Finance, Personnel, Restructuring space. The consequence, obvious to the co- and Community Issues. This last is new 6 mmunity but not to Crosstown people, is first in the unanimous agreement amongst that cockroach hotel owners & anyone else board members E the hard-working staff at renting out property or rooms would also DE RA... to have a real forum for input & be exempt from having to properly maintain involvement of the residents. The others or upgrade their fleabags. Making the area are equally important in operating an or^ around Victory Square into an arts/culture ganisation that now employs over 40 peop- mecca may have good point but long-term le & has an annual budget over $2 million community issues like maintenance by-laws Board Officers - 1993 enforcement, gentrification, street safetx rising losses of affordable housing/rising President - Kathie Leroux numbers of condos 6 high-priced apartments Vice-president - Tan MacRae & on & on are concerns that must be dealt Treasurer - Paul Taylor with. The Crosstown people are being awak- Co-Secretaries - Alicia Plercurio ened to these realities. Jimmy Nu As Vaisbord continued it was soon made At the DERA General Membership meeting plain that the residents of the Downtown (held regularly in the Carnegie at 10:30am Eastside want any kind of planning process on the last Friday of each month), one of to include the entire community, not just the main issues raised was the area surr- one small area. ounding Victory Square. Peter Vaisbord was Marg Green asked that community groups present to give information, saying that in the neighbourhood get all information the closure of businesses in the neighbour on both the City's plans, the Crosstown ing blocks had been identified by the City agenda, & business input, so we can make of Vancouver 2 years ago as a situation strong recommendations to Council on what that the Planning Dept. needed to look at. is required. We repeat our demand for a People at the meeting were quick to make Downtown Eastside Plan that is built from light of the total absense of a Downtown the grassroots of the community. Eastside Plan or even a planning body. No- The meeting of City Council at which the where is the D.E. identified as a communi- report of Planning will be presented is ty or a distinct neighbourhood by the City set for March 25th at 2pm in City Hall-Be- F, years of pressing this lack to Council Fore this DERA's Community Issues Committ- has gotten nothing but refusals. se will meet to discues isbrategy. .*: Vaisbord said he'd met with reps from By PAULR TAYLOR different business groups (Gastown Merch- ants, owners of property & so on). Their idea is to tear down most of the buildings & start from the ground up to "redeveloptf.

'DOlVN'TOIVN STD Clinic - Monday through Friday, 9am - Spm. EASTSIDE FREE MEDICAL CLINIC - Mon, Wed, Friday: 5:30-7:30pm. YOU'PIi NEEDLE EXCHANGE - 221 Main; every day 9am - 'Spm. . ACTIVITIES Needle Exchange Van - on the street Mon-Sat evenings. SOCIETY N.A. meets every Monday night at 223 Main Street. Out-to-Lunch Bunch meets daily at 59 Powell, 10-2:.30.

1992 DONATIONS: Cement Masons-$100 Keith C.-$20 Paula R. -$20 NEXT ISSUE Nancy W.-$100 Colleen E.-$25 Luba P.-$10 Stuart M. -$50 Robert -$I0 CEEDS -$SO Rotary Club of Chinatown -$767.15 Four Sisters Co-op -$SO0 Joyce M. -$I0 - DEW - $500 The bld Sailor -$40 Tom-$5 Legal Services -$950 PLUM -$a00 llazel M.-$25 Etienne S.-$50 Cecile c.-$20 Forest Lawn -$25 Bill T.-$20 Yvonne c.-$10 Roberts ALC -$30 Jean F.-$15 Eric E.-$10 Smithers S.S.-$45 Ken-$5 TIE NEWSLEXBR IS A PUBLICATION OF ~IE FAWS -$55 Mary G.~$25 h.B. -$20 JOYT.$20 CARNECI E COMNNI.TY CENrRE ASSOCIATION. Anonymous -$I8 George Y. -$20 Articles repre3ent the views of individual contributors and not of the Association. John K.-$50 Bert T.-$10fi Pam F.-$20 Wayne -$2.50 The ~ettle-$I6 NEED HELP ? The Downtown Eastside ~esidents'Association can help you with: * any welfare problem * information on legal rights disputes with landlords * unsare llving conditions I+ income tax * UIC problems * f lnd ing hous lng fc opening a bank account

Come into tlie DEIU office at 9 East llastlngs St or plwne us at 682-0931. DERA's General Membership meet.ing is on tlie l.ait Friday of every month in Carnegie Theatre, starting at lO:30am. DEIW IIAS nEEN SERVING THE DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE FOR 19 YEARS environmental protections or to limit thc exploitation of resources because the The Carnegie Newsletter went to press governments now responsible for such wil on Peb.13th for the last issue, at 8am. be baeahkng the law to do so, At 9am on that day a meeting was held at Larry Kuehn, of the BC Teacherss Feder. the Maritime Labour Centre, an education- ation, discovered that teachers E other al for activists: "Why we need to say NO professionals will have their standards to NAFTA." "harmonized" with those in the US 4 Mexi- Information, reports 4 analyses have co; that tests & exams now prepared by been appearing in these pages for months, local educators will be contracted out tc yet the more said the more it seems needs the lowest biddex, even if they live to be said. The North American Free Trade south of the border & have no idea (or ir Agreement will change everything if it terest) in what we want ~OTour children. becomes law. As one of the hacks at the Fraser Institute, that bastion of corpor- Jim" Sinclair spoke from his experience ate good citizenship, said, "Free Trade in the fihhing indust~yhere & what he deals limit the extent to whicH govern- saw in Mexico in the Maquilladora zone. ments can respond to pressure from their He wasn't trying to frighten people but citizens." He thinks this is great. From what has 6 is happening has made him one the rest of us, every social program - of the strongest 6 clear voices to speak medicare, unemployment insurance, welfare on the insensitivity of the transnationa: seniors1 aid & so on - is the result of agenda. citizens putting pressure on democratic- Colleen Puller echoed some of what Jim ally elected governments to make life said as it's happening in the Health sec- better for all. tor, then spoke of actions taken by the Mulroney gov't to continue the destruct- Nancy Riche, Vice-president of the Can- ion of medicare E change Canqdaqs health adian Labour Congress, started. She let care system into the nightmare that op- her experience with the rich & powerful erates now in the US. If you don't have tell, with examples of how various cabin- the money there, you don't get care - in et ministers (John Crosbie for one) have emergencies, you get what's needed to go no idea of what life is really like for on living, but every aspirin is charged people who actually work for a living. to you. Health insurance is so expensive She spoke of the co~porateagenda E their that over 40 million adults have none. plans in the same vein as people spoke of With bed closures, lay-offs 4 screaming Nancy Reagan when her comatose husband about "no moneyu we're well on our way to was president; she couldn't relate to you a two-tier system where those who can pay or even talk unless you were a million- get health care & those who can't die. aire too! Crosbie was raised in a mansion with 7 servants (who weren't allowed to Frank Tester started calmly, calling . use the front door) 4 now makes decisions NAFTA empty in terms of the environment. affecting the lives of thousands of fish- Most of the laws 6 regulations now appli- ers & their families. ed will be illegal. We're locked into providing energy & resources tothe:States Jean Swanson followed Nancy. Jean has on a percentage basis; it's irrelevant if her share of experiences with poverty 6 people want certain kinds of exploitation the legislation that ensures its growth. to stop or be regulated or have controls She spoke of NAFTA in terms of how it'll on pollution because only the least exp- make gov't powerless to better the lives ensive methods will be permitted with the of people; NAFTA makes vtrtually every NAFTA. aspect of society acceptable only in During lunch a video called "Postcards terms of the bottom line..dollars 4 cents from Mexico" was shown, where several of People will be unable to demand laws on ' BC's people went to Mexico 6 asked quest- z s ions of workers there. They were in a Ma- town with over 300 transnational factories, all brand new, 6 filmed the SOCIAL PROGRAMS & HEALTH mud & paper shacks that thousands of the - campaigns 6 educdtion/plain language people working in these factories have to - occupying MPs offices when NAFTA intro- live in. There was no electricity, no duced in Parliament; also ring bells 6 Tunning water, no toilet facilities, no - beep horns to focus awareness on NAFTA garbage pickup, & their wages averaged $5 - doctors opting out of medicare should a day. One woman was the only person wor- be permanently opted out king independent of the govlt-controlled WOMEN union t6 organise people to dmand better =cation using all media; appearance conditions in over 300 factories. ... on W,radio, news, to show lies of Tor. In the afternoon, the people present - b$g picture highlighted with national (over 100) split into different workshops day of protest to discuss 6 come back to the main meet- T black armbands, window signs ing with plans for action. - May Day (mayday distress call) ENVIRONMENT - Women's st~ike - coalition building,'nationally & tri- - disrupt all corporate propaganda nationally, globally POVERTY - national day of protest mtions4 networks to show relation - massive education on environmental sys- between welfare, UI, social security tems dynamics - media input, phone tree, co-ordinate - boycotts, plain language info actgvities, national day of protest - anti-NAFTA political platforms - fire MPs; occupy offices/CBC - referendum on NAFTA; caravan to Ottawa People eve~ywherewant to do something. JOBS & MANUFACTURING "On to Ottawa" starting. ~taytuned! job action re ports 6 exports - national day of protest - By PAULR TAYLOR Times may have hit us tough, And our skin may have become rough, But wesve weathered the outside And we've endured on the inside undulating radio static We haven't given q hope she pronounces articulately Somehow we've managed to cope with wide eyes emphatic We still know how to love such precise and unaffected We still know how to care derision Even though we've had so much despair It's not something we want to admit That at times it feels Like no one .cares And at times some don't But there are 6therswhomaketk.difference That difference is in us That difference that we see That difference that we feel Andhowthewhole experienceof our lives have made us feel, made us feel so real For we've done more than just survive, We 've learned to live, We've learned to rise, To rise above those who don't care, To rise above the lonely streets we share, To rise above the depression we could so easily bare, To rise above the anger that could so easily pull out our hair. ICvebeen but a witness to your lives And I've written through your eyes as best I can - I commend you all for your strength I Refuse I commend you all for your resiliency "Work here alone," he said, I commend you all for your ability and I refused. Some of which you are just beginning to The place was an old adit, understand. /I cold and wet and dangerous. The air within was foul, the rock was rotten, the timbering had long since disappeared. "It's suicide to work here all alone,'! I said, and he, not knowing me, but knowing well the law, said nothing. WANTED "Work here," he said, PIANO FOR RESIDENTS OF "Work here at Thetford Mines .It And I refused. THE PORTLAND HOTEL, A DOWNTOWN Asbestosdust ismurderous to men's lungs; EASTSIDE RESIDENTS' ASSOCIATION itos suicide to work in such a place. HOUSING PROJECT. No, r'll not work here without a guarantee of dust free air. Ring Brenda on 683-9073 Sandy Cameron couver's schools and that some schools appear to have particular problems with youth violence. It said the school system hasn't properly intergrated its ESL (English as a second language) students into school life, although these students make up 40 per cent of the school population. The report said prostitution is a major source ofcriminal activity and violence on Vancouver's streets, but rejected the idea of setting up brothels as a way to control prostitution, or of prosecuting prostitutes.

I\ / * MARCH through the neighbourhood. We will try to go back More police sought to the places where the bodies of women we know were found. for safer streets Citizen involvement urged to head off crime y\ GERRY BELLETT problems and unless safety issues Vancouver Sun are addressed immediately . . .Van- Vancouver needs more policing couver will become a centre of and more citizen involvement in greater criminal activity." crime-fighting to head off a threa- The report recommended that the tened outbreak of violence on city police be given greater resources to streets, according to a report enable them to combat those who released-Thursday, "view Vancouver as an easy target to The Vancouver Safer City Task conduct serious crime." Force, headed by former provincial It also said the city could be made Likening the sex trade to slavery, court judge Nancy Morrison, spent safer if citizens joined block watch ;Morrison wrote: "What we are say- 16-months preparing the report, organizations, kept their porch ing is, attack the problems that lead which will be presented to council lights on at night, didn't own weap- people to prostitution. cod knows March 2. ens, and kept an eye on their neigh- how efl'ective we'll be with some of The report found the streets of bor's property. the prostitutes on the streets today, Vancouver are "relatively safe," "A lot of this we can do ourselves," but we should set up special social saying: "For the mJority of individ- it said. "If an immigrant family services to help these women and uals using the city there is little moves into the neighborhood, go children and others who might fall chance of being subjected to per- over and meet them. Get to know into it." sonal assault or aggression by a your neighbors and look out for one The report also said the public stranger." another." should apply economic pressure But it said recent increases in Morrison's report said lighting, against companies that are asso- crimes against property and media sexual harassment, bullying and ciated with programs depicting vio- coverage of random acts of violence racism appear to be common in Van- lence or pornography. (*Editor's Note: The following article is a draft, meaning it's not the final What appears to be occurring in the report going to any level of the judicial Strathcona/Downtown Eastside community is. system or the government-. It's presented that the number of people with problems here E now to get as much input as possi- has reached the critical mass, where the ble from as many people as possible. Any main-stream residents are unable to supp- responses should come in by March 11th.) ort, guide or have a positive effect on their less able neighbours. Numbers - No author's name - what follows is the * 102 Juvenile Prostitutes apprehended('92 first public relation of police on this.) * 3500 charges for Engaging in Prostitut- ion under S.213 since 1986,(Customers & ''. Clients) * Approximately 1000 drug trafficking charges'in '92 (75% of trafficking charges laid in Vancouver) * 480 prostitutes identified as working STRATHCONA/DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE the Strathcona area (Task Force Survey) COMMUNITY IMPACT STATEMENT The residents feel that the courts can Over the past few years, the community take action, in both the area of release of Strathcona/Downtown Eastside has chan- E sentencing, to reduce,?the impact of the ged quite rapidly. It has become a neigh- street trade on their sensitive E problem- bourhood under siege from the impact of atic community. With this information in the street trade in Drugs 6 prostitution mind, the ~ancouverPolice Department is and its destructhe effects on the qualt- requesting that area restrictions for this ty of life of its residents. Discarded co&unity-be imposed as conditions of rel- used condoms E syringes litter streets, ease, for those released on bail or as lanes E the school yard. Noise, traffic, terms of Probation Orders, for those conv- violence, drunkknness 6 unseemly behavi- icted of drug & prostitution related offel our that inevitably accompany street pros ces. The area restriction requested is: titution 4 drug trafficking, combine to Gore Avenue to the west have a dramatic effect on the quality of "the waterfront" to the north life for the residents. The residents are Prior Street to the south appealing to the courts in the hope that Campbell Avenue to the east the Judicial System can help reduce the It is believed that this might reduce rapid deterioration of the community. the number of repeat offenders who return The Strathcona/Downtown Eastside inc- to the area to continue their illegal act- ludes 3 schools with a combined student ivities. The idea of attempting to keep population of 1000 children. It'al$o:house! persons, who are actively engaged in ille- an unusually large percentage of elderly gal activities associated with prostitut- residents -approximately 25% of a population drug trafficking, away from the most ion of over 8000. Both of these groups arf sensitive 6 stressed communities makes particularly vulnerable to street crime, sense. Certainly, most people would accept though of course the detritus of needles t that if the activity is to continue, it'd condoms, the noise, the increased rates of be logical to have the activities in the breakGentry, Ethe intrusive &threatening area that causes the least problems. Al- behaviour of drug dealers, prostitutes 4 though some degree of displacement is ine- clients, disturbs all residents. In addit- vitable, it is important to appreciate ion, businesses & property owners complain that when displacement does occur, it is that they are being forced out of the com- with some degree of fragqentation, thus muhiey by these deteriorating conditions, resulting in a reduced impact. which is evident in an ever increasing va- cancy rate on the business corridor. (* Your comments & suggestions please.) .. .a powerful E moving account of recent history. . .a portrait of Annie Mae Aquash, who paid with her life for her involvement in the American Indian Movement (AIM) & in the human rights stand at Wounded Knee, This film deals with the mystery of her death E draws a picture of her life ANNIE MAE - BRAVE HEARTED WOMAN through those who knew her - friendg,col- leagues, political adversaries. .. through At : Pacific Cinemateque her eyes the struggle of a whole people 1131 Howe St., Vancouver emerges. On: Sunday, March 7 "Annie Mae was a Micmac Indian, born E International Women's Day raised on a tiny reservation in Nova Sco- At: 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. tia, not far from Halifax. Though she For: $5.00 or $3.00 low income. lived in Canada, 2000 miles from Rosebud, Advance tickets for assured seating av- her life was almost a copy of mine, or of ailable at the United Native Nations, 8th that of thousands of other young Indian floor, 736 Granville. Tel: 688-1821. girls or women. Instead of on a reservat- Aboriginal organizations E the NFB are t ion, she lived on a reserve. Instead of a sponsoring this viewing. All proceeds Bureau of Indian Affairs interfering with will be donated to the "SisterhoodlJ - a her existence, it was a department. The self-help group of inmates who are Abor- white boss lording it over the Micmacs iginal women - we give to ourhealingpgtb was an agent, not a superintendent. The learn a bit of history E meet old friends men who harassed her were mounties, not Sponsors: United Native Nations, The state troopers. Otherwise everything was Spirit of Thunder, Professional Native the same north of the border." Lakota Wo- Women's Association, the Union of BC Ind- man, by Mary Crowdog with R.Erdoes 1990. - - - ian Chiefs and the National Film Board. Premier Mike Harcourt, Legislative Buildings, VICTORIA, B.C. V8V 1x4 Dear Prenlier Harcourt: I am writing this letter in support of Shaughnessy Hospital &thespec%alized care which it provides to the surrounding community & to the province of Brit- ish Columbia as a whole. In the last 4 years the gov't has invested over $10 million in Shaughnessy Hospital to provide some of the most advanced & specialized health care avail- able boday to British Columbians. These areas include the new Spin91 Cord In- jury Unit, the Intensive Care Unit, the Urology O.R. Suite, the Women's Health Centre, the Emergency Department, a Medical Genetics Department & EEG & ECG Departments. This hogpital has a team of qualified specialists & support workers who provide services which are not only unique to this institution but also are not duplicated in the province of BC. As examples, the plan to close Shaughnessy fails to recognize that the high risk pregnant women of this province referred to Grace Hospital will no longer receive hhe dare they'urgently require when non-obstetrical complications develop. A recent external review of the Spinal Cord Unit recommended that it remain at Shaughnessy Hospital. I STRONGLY URGE YOU TO KEEP SHAUGHNESSY HOSPITAL OPEN.

NAME :

ADDRESS :

C.C. Elizabeth Cull Linda Reid Emery Barnes Uj jal Dosanjh Val Anderson Dr. Tom Perry Darlene Mazari Art Cowie Gordon Campbell Kim Campbell Mary Collins Dawn Black

(*These letters, with your name & address on one, can be handed in to the Carnegie Newsletter for bulk mailing.)