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NEWSLETTER

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40 1 MOl in s e.. VanCO..Quver, 6C V6A 2T7

PIVOT HOUSINGAFFIDAVIT CAMPAIGN

Become part of the solution and help to improve your situation

Drop by and swear an affidavit on yourhousing or homelessness experience

Pivot will use these affidavits to bring about real change

EVICTIONS, HOMELESSNESS, DEPOSITS, GUEST FEES, HOTELCLOSINGS AND MOREl

Summary of thc Homclcss Action Plan Rcport:

This report says we can end homelessness if we fixa broken system of socia l housing and income pro­gra ms. The report says 500 to 1200 people sleepoutside in Vancouver depending on the season.Many have health issues . The first priority fo~ reduc­ing homeless ness is to end the barners to getting on

welfare.The report uses this astounding series of statistics,

gathered by city workers who have visited homcle.sspeople regularly, to show that welfare cuts are a bigcause of homelessness : By summer 2004 , more than75% of homeless people were not on welfare. Thespecific welfare changes that cause homelessness

include:-A complicated application process that takes atleast 3 weeks;-A' two year time limit that denies wel~are to. peopl~if they are considered to be not complying with theirso-called "employment plans. "-A rule which requires applicants to prove that theyhave been financially independent for 2 years.

The report also recommends that welfare supportallowances be increased from $185 a month to $230a month for single employable people. In all thereare 86 recommendations for action by 3 levels ofgovernment in the report. The two ot~er priori.ties.arc developing 3,200 units of supportrve housing 10

Vancouver and increasing funding for addiction andmental health services.

The City report quotes a Provincial report sayingthat it is actually cheaper to provide housing costing($28,000 a year) than shelter and services which cost($40,000) for homeless people.

A number of Recommendations have been made byCity Council and Comments from the public :-That the data in back of the report be disaggregatedby gender, age, cultural backgrounds and, most i~­portantly, First Nations People - there is a large dIS­proportionate number who are homeless and at veryhigh risk for being homeless !§. ,; "

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-That the Income Priority with the Homeless Actionbe modified to include not only Reducing Barriers toAccessing Welfare bythe Homeless, but also CreatingJob Opportunities for the Homeless-(also) " the City of Vancouver to work with the

Vancouver Agreement to ensure that job opport un i­ties are available to the homeless, throu gh suchmeans as including employment objectives as part oflarger projects permitting, where appropriate, andsupporting the Vancouver Downtown Eastside Eco­nomic Revitalization Plan and the Vancouver FoodCouncil" .

Additional consultation needs to be done with theFirst Nations Community and " People who beco mehomeless are always clients of the publ ic systems ofcare & assistance, e.g. mental health, publi c health .welfare, people with disabilities, criminal j ust ice andchild protection, including foster care."

Youth , those between 19 and 25, arc not immune tothese changes; this high-risk group makes up almost20% of the people counted as homeless by the SocialPlanning and Research Council (SPARC) a fewweeks ago .

By Maril yn Youn g

Shaldon HotelI want to let students or working people and income

assistance e1ients know that we have clean . afford­able rooms here at the Shaldon Hotel . We want quietpeaceful tenants. We have daily, weekl y an ' monthl yrents available in an old historic building that has .showers, baths and kitchen down the hall. Pleaseinform those who are looking for accommodation -

thanks very much for your assistance.

Manager, ahjahla nelson 604-6&9-1293

"Unless there is loving kindness in our speech, it '.'i

going to come out wrong. "

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. Why I don't think Woodwards will save, the Downtown Eastside neighbourhood

The City has a theory about redeveloping the Down-. . town Eastside. Larry Beasley, the head city planner

in Vancouver, explained it in a TV documentaryabout Woodwards. Basically, the city thinks that youneed to get purchasing power into a neighbourhoodby creating housing and activities for people who arericher than the average Downtown Eastside resident.Then, the theory goes, they will buy things in theneighbourhood, businesses will open up and thestreet scene will improve.

I don't think this theory will work in the DE. Iworked at DERA from 1974 to 1981. At that timethe DE was a poor neighbourhood but a healthierone than it is now. Most of the businesses alongHastings were open and people frequented them. Inthose days, like now, residents got their income fromold age security, unemployment insurance, welfareand working. In those days the purchasing power ofthose sources of income was much higher than it isnow. For example, in 1980 the support portion ofwelfare for a single employable person was $191 amonth. Today it is $185 . According to my calcula­tions with the Bank of Canada inflation calculator aperson on welfare would need $471 a month in sup­port payments to have the same purchasing powertoday as they had in 1980. In those days people onwelfare could buy their food at Woodwards. Theycould eat the odd meal in a restaurant. They couldbuy cheap and used clothes and bus passes . Theycould afford phones if they were thrifty.In 1980 if you were in need, as defmed by the gov­

ernment, you could get on welfare. That's because

the federal government paid half of the province'swelfare costs. But, in order to get that money, theprovince had to agree to pay welfare to everyone inneed. Today, we don't have that rule . Instead wehave the 3 week wait, the 2 year independence test,and the two out of five rule that all deny welfare topeople in dire need.

Back in the olden days, like today, some DE resi­dents worked. In 1975 the minimum wage in BCwas 122 per cent of the poverty line. That is, if youworked full time at minimum wage and you weresingle, you would eam 22% more than the povertyline. Today the minimum wage is about 80 per centof the poverty line for a single person. Yes, you canwork full time and competently at the minimumwage and still be way below poverty. Ifyou rely andthe $6 an hour training wage , you will only eam 60per cent of the poverty line if you work full time .And, of course, a lot of the available jobs are not fulltime or permanent.

Or take UI, now called employment insurance. Be­fore 1990, about 90 per cent of people who lost theirjobs could get VI. Now only about 35 to 40 per centcan. The rest depend on relatives, savings, or welfareif they can get it. And, the amount you get from VIis a lower percentage of your (now lower) earningsthan it used to be. I can remember getting 75 % ofmy earnings from UI because I had children to sup­port. But I think the regular percentage then wasabout 65% . Now it's 55% or less .

Old age security and Guaranteed Income Supple­ment are about the only sources of income thathaven't been drastically cut. Their purchasing powerhas been reduced, but not as much as the others .

As a result of all these cuts poverty in the DE hasdeepened. All the studies show that poverty is ahuge cause of poor health, bad experiences inschool, addictions, and interaction with the so-calledjustice system. How much does not being able tosupport one's self on minimum wage, UI or welfarelead people to try selling dope or sex? All of us, re­gardless of our income,.are constantly bombardedwith our society's idea of success: big cars, fancyhouses or condos, brand name clothes and electronicgadgets.. What does it do to a person's sense of selfwhen he or she looks at their income and situation inlife and believes that they will never afford any ofthose material things?

I say if the city wants to get purchasing power into

the area, they need to restore the purchasing powerof the existing residents.

Admittedly, this is hard to do. The provincial andfederal governments have most of the control overwages , welfare and unemployment insurance. Butthe city's Homeless Action Plan does call on the cityto lobby other levels of government for increases inall these areas. I think that's where the city needs toput its energy, not in luring richer people to buildcondos and live in the area.

By Jean Swanson

Nanai 's WorkillD Group on Hmnelessness IssuesFirst Homelessness Census Released

Affordable Housing Kev to Solving Homelessness

NWGHI's April 21 count turned up at least 149homeless persons, said John Hom, Chair of the or­ganization. "And this number is only the tip of theiceberg , It doesn't include all the "hidden ho~eless"

who are couch surfing, living in their cars or In

temporary, unsafe and substandard housing." .Affordable housing and more shelter topped the listof what respondents suggested would most help thehomeless , and lack of money was the most oftenmentioned barrier to getting a place of one's own.Armed with a two-page questionnaire, more than 50volunteers fanned out between 9 pm and midnightApril 21, with each group assigned a designated areain the downtown and in several other Nanaimoneighbourhoods. They interviewed 110 persons;their family members, partners, and companions,

also homeI ss, brought the total to at least 149. This 5was the first-ever census of the city's homelesspopulation.The census documented the many and diverse faces

ofNanaimo's homeless population. One of the mostalarming trends, according to service providers, isthe increase in women living on the streets. Almosthalf the homeless people counted were women,some with young children. Also counted were youth,First Nations, and older Caucasian men. What'smore, contrary to opinions about homeless peopleflocking here to utilize services, the average respon­dent had been in the city for 8.6 years. The averageFirst Nations respondent had been here even longer ­10.7 years.The brutal reality of homelessness was confirmed

by the census, which showed 32% of respondentscurrently sleeping outdoors, 17% not having had ameal the day of the interview, 66% not earning anymoney that day , and a quarter to a third describingtheir physical or mental health as poor. Also wide­spread was alcohol and drug addiction, with manyrespondents frankly acknowledging its power inkeeping them from straightening out their lives .

Most of those interviewed had not been homelessvery long : the average was a little over a year .Women, however, on average had been homelesstwice as long as men. Addiction, family conflict, andeviction led the list of circumstances that led tohomelessness.

The respondents utilize a wide variety of servicesthat member agencies of the Working Group operateincluding shelters, meal sites, food banks, drop-incentres, and treatment programs. Yet , more than athird of the interviewees receive no governmentalassistance. Service providers constantly find them­selves stretched to the limit trying to meet the des­perate needs of their clients with fewer and fewerresources. Many of these crucial programs face anuncertain future as funding is sparse and short term .In existence since 2002 , Nanaimo's Working Group

on Homelessness Issues has been instrumental indeveloping a strategic plan for solutions to home­lessness in Nanaimo and distributing federal fundsthrough the National Homeless Initiative: Support­ing Community Partnerships Initiative to combathomelcssness. A major forum on identifying solu­tions to the affordable housing crunch is in the off­ing for the fall.

to her new one.Fire is the Life-Spark of the Goddess that

bums deep within each of us. Since ourearliest ancestors first learned to make fire, theflame has been worshipped as the essence ofdivinity and the source of light.

Brigit is the Triple Goddess of the Irish,Scottish, Spanish and French Celts.Sometimes She was called Breo-saigheadmeaning "fiery arrow" or "power". Her threefacets can be seen as fire operating on threelevels of being. As the Smith Goddess, Sheaided the craftspeople and smiths who workedwith fire to fashion metal. She was a poetess;She brought the fire of inspiration into thesouls of those who create with words andmusic. As the Healer, She tended the innerLife force, and aided those who worked ashealers of the sick to give back to those whowere diseased their fire of Life. At Hersanctuary in Kildare they kept an ever-burningfire.

The Scandinavian - Germanic Earth GoddessHlodyn aka Fiorgyn, Nerthus ruled the humanhome. Her name means protectress of thefireplace

The Slavonic - Lithuanian householdgoddess Matergabiae's name means "Womanfire". She was offered the first loaf of breadfrom every baking, which was markedornamentally for Her.

"Keep The H me Fires ur inu" taxpayers will continueHousing, along with health, education, and -. · . --- -:--~- -_;_;_ -_;_ - .• -.. _ .u...-.--- ~- .. _ .'

income security, is a core need. Affordable to i ~ th h ,1 · , 'and stable housing benefits low and moderate ': 0 pay l_,or .. e_.~1!1~~~~income families and individuals by creating ': . . ~. , ",-" 'JAI .. . .,., _

security and providing a foundation for • .' ~ . . . • • h·' - 1b dspositive change. Housing plays a central role ' . . ~ . ; - , '~ In _. ospita e -1,in social inclusion, neighbourhood vitality, ,,~". ~ _ . - - - _ •

~~~b~~i~~v::~~~:::~~f~~dda~~~I~t~ut~~~~k~ whi-Ie no+'p'-r--OY-lodiri~g~" thea:~::sSt~~~I:~r~~:~e~O women seeking ~ t: . ... _I~ - • '. . . . ..•. .1

: There are real costs associated with not ';' J~·th beds of their own, building affordable housing. A recent study in W'I , '

homelessness in BC found that governmentexpenditures on health care, criminal justiceand social services (excluding housing) for thehomeless were 33% more than expendituresfor individuals with homes. This studyshowed the cost of supportive housing withmedium support to be $30 ..$40 a day,compared to $155 - $250 a day to maintain anindividual in a provincial correctional institute,and approximately $380 a day for a stay in apsychiatric hospital. Hospital admissionsamong the homeless are 5 - 12% greater thanthose with homes, and the homeless remain inhospital on average 4 days longer per stay thanthose with a safe, clean place to recuperate.The public cost of homelessness andsubstandard housing is clear. If our taxesdon't pay for housing, we will be paying tokeep the homeless in hospital beds while notproviding them with beds of their own.

How do we escape from, rise above or healfrom a lifetime of poverty, depression,violence, crime and imprisonment, substanceabuse, anxiety, self-abuse and low self-esteem,hopelessness and homelessness? Everyoneneeds a place to call their very own. Ourspirituality can provide a safe place, a sacredplace and a site of subversion, where weacknowledge or practice the Old Ways. Invery culture are the ancestral roots of a FireGoddess who rules the home, as well as theprocess of baking bread. Traditionally, awoman needed to bring fire from her old home

7

By Chyrse Howe s

To City Council - Will they hear?

I began working for the Ministry of Human Re­sources 25 years ago. I have worked in almost everyoffice in Vancouver. As a receptionist, I knew thatfor every client who walked through the door; thebuck stopped here.

Even if the least that could be done was some mealtickets and a voucher for a hostel , each one at leasthad a warm bed for the night and some food.

I have always felt that the best way to judge anygovernment or bureaucracy is the way in which itsmost vulnerable citizens are treated.

Twenty-five years later the welfare system haschanged. I stand ashamed at the state it is in.

I completely endorse the Homeless Action PlanI) reducing barriers to accessing welfare by thehomeless;2) developing 3200 units of supportive housing;3) increasing mental health and addiction services.It is imperative that City Hall bring as much pres­

sure as is possible to bear on the Provincial and Fed­eral Governments, for much of the implementationof this plan depends on their support, participationand money.

In purely economic terms one of the most startlingstatistics regarding this issue is that it costs up to$40 ,000 to provide services and shelter for a home­less person . It costs only up to $28,000 for servicesin supportive housing.As for what City Hall can do on its own, I highly

endorse a pilot project with MHR to coordinate out­reach to those who are street homeless and to assisteligible people to apply for welfare.The City must develop a cohesive rental housing

strategy which includes:I) encouraging the private sector to create more af­fordable housing;2) preserving the existing rental stock.Tourism Vancouver would tell you that Vancouver

is one of the most beautiful cities in the world . Youwould not have this view if you lived on the City 'sstreets . Let us make Vancouver a more beautifulspot for all of our citizens.

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Holdja, Hilda lived in the roof beam; yougreeted Her as you entered to ensure goodluck. She traveled with you if you moved andbrought a log and ash from the hearth of theold house

The Siberian mother goddess Poza Mamalived in the hearth fire, and kept the familytogether. They spit the first mouthful of everymeal into the fire as a prayer to Her. She lit theway to the Afterlife, and was asked byshamans for help when mediating with theOtherworld .

Extend this a little farther and She is theGoddess of the Soup Kitchen and Soup Line,with Her cauldron. Her colour was always red,representing passion, fire, and the blood oflife: female menses and childbirth. A primarycolour, red is associated with the base chakra,the chakra of survival and security. Red isused in magic ceremonies to strengthen,empower and ward off negati vity.

The Hawaiian Volcano goddess Pele wasboth "She who shapes the land" and "Eater ofthe land". She is not only a destructive forcein Her volcanic eruptions; the lava also createsnew land. And in that, She reminds us thateven in the midst of fiery eruptions anddestruction, there is change and the coming ofnew life. She is the passionate, creative forcein our lives that cleanses, transforms andrebui lds.

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You're invited to a workshop on the City's

Housing Plan for the DowntownEastside

Time: 11 am to noon, Wednesday, June 15th

Place: Carnegie Art Gallery on third floor

• Learn what the plan says about housingin the Downtown Eastside.

• Will the plan push low income people outof the Downtown Eastside?

• What can we do about it?

Sponsored by the Carnegie Learning Centre andAssociation

The Fortune Coolie

My good inner health always finds a way to test meAn awareness of higher standards -It's there, it 's fre elOn the table, I was thrilled with the sight of a single packaged cookieThere, as if placed carefully, at Carnegie Centre, for one and all to seeA delicious homemade cookie ,just lying there, seemingly beckoning to meNot a soul around to accept it, seriously, no one else there but me!A delicious and tasty treat, the timing seemed like it was perfect fateI hesitated; I yearned, but in the end I decided to observe it -'To wait.'

Then I was anxious and reminded_ofa communityattentivenessA simple consideration and in fact, in reality, a warmth and kissThe homemade, lingering cookie, which I did not in truth needLeft with me, a straightforward principle. a growing of a humanitarian seedThis one cookie could become a beneficial statement for all in the public eyeI hope to pass along an intimate, worthwhile feeding . a service we all need to cry!Mom's words follow truth: ' Don't be a Taker; be a Giver" offer what you don't need.'Someone else's actions today demonstrated this effort and I, as well, pass this creed.

Who would think a single cookie could bring all our heart strings to a neighbouhood bindAs the quote goes : 'What goes around , comes around--' Let's rememberto be kindRecalling my own trials : my several years of undernourishment and homelessnessSearching for a free, hot and decent meal , always searching my organizations ' listPraying and wishing for life to be made easier. - A hot mea], and definitely a warm bedInquiring where to go? - Which businesses help? Thinkingof hungerl - Where to be fed!One cookie, at no cost, at Carnegie Centre. Perhaps one of the staff len this day 's treatThe concert of everyone's events , the experienced understanding- is hard to beat!

S. Sharpe

Getting a new bed

Trepidation - I think that 's what it's called whenyou' re kinda scared to do something. Today I was abit leery about going back to work. I hadn't been tothe newsletter office for about 3 or 4 months . It'sbeen so long that I can't even remember. I was won­dering if I would be welcome. It's newsletter dayand I used too show up pretty well every time forabout a year or so. I had suddenly quit coming, backin January or February. I had developed some "eye"or was it " i" problems . Anyway today as I said wasnewsletter day and I thought that I'd stop around andsee if they still wanted or needed my help.

I was like the prodigal son and everyone had apleasant smile and hearty welcome. Sure made mefeel good . I guess another reason for my leerynesswas the fact that I had been sleeping on the floor. Iwas sore all over and hadn 't got much sleep thenight before. The night before that, I had been keptawake by strangers in my bed. You know, the littlebuggers who come out after dark and suck on yourblood. When I got up. i destroyed my bed. I had in­tended to throw out the mattress and save the bed Ihad built for myself out of an old pallet I found oneday. I had actually built a futon bed because I hadbeen given a futon mattress. It even converted into acouch when I wanted it to. All I had to do was say"Abracadabra" and poof I had a couch or "Presto"and wham I had a bed. You know how these thingswork. But as I pulled it apart, there were so manybugs crawling out of the woodwork that I decided toget rid of everything, so I hauled it all down to thegarbage room. I took it apart so no one else wouldput it into his or her room.

I told my manager and she arranged to have myroom sprayed right away. Now I had no strangers inthe night or a bed for them to inhabit , which left mewith just a floor to sleep on. It's cement and sure ishard to get comfortable on. I have about 4 blanketsand a little sponge . My next quest was to get a bed.

I was off to see my worker and hope for a littlecompassion . That's the wrong thing to look for inthis neck of the woods, especially from someonewho has total power over your welfare. I should ex­plain something first. When I first moved into myplace, I had moved out of an SRO (single room oc­cupancy) , so I had nothing to move into a new placewith. No bed or furniture of any kind . My workerwas kind enough to allow me a bed from WRAGS -

9

cost $90. It was delivered about 3 weeks later so Ihave experience sleeping on the floor. What pissedme off was that the bed was supposed to be new, butit had springs sticking out of the side and it used toscratch the back of my legs when I got in or out ofbed. Both sides were the same. I even took a pair ofwire cutters to the damn thing so that it wouldn 'tscratch so much . It sure was a poor excuse for aNEW BED. My worker didn't believe me that sucha bed existed. He told me I was a liar, but he said hewas sorry he couldn't believe me. WRAGS wouldn 'tdo something like that. Too bad that I hadn't takenpictures of it or something.

On my way to see my worker I stopped in at a few2nd hand stores and found I could get a decent bedfor $50 from St. James. I thought great it'll save him$40 and I'll have a bed tonight. After explaining myself to the little king of my particular kingdom I wastold I could have a bed from WRAGS take it orleave it. What choice did I have? Sleep on the floorfor a couple of days or until I could get a bed on myown. I choose the WRAGS bed. I thanked him andleft. I only hope this one is in better shape then thelast bed I got and that it gets here a lot sooner. In themean time I'm kinda grouchy most of the time. Youknow - lack of sleep and the sleep I do get is veryuncomfortable. Please bear with me and I'll try notto be a bear. - Hal

It's a few days later now and I got my bed. It's notnew but it's a long way off the floor and I fell asleepfor about 8 hours as soon as I lay down, even thoughit was 6 in the evening. Now it's the middle of thenight and I can't sleep so I thought I'd add a little bitto my story. Hope you found it interesting.

By Harold Asham

News from the libraryNew books :The Vancouver stories: west coast fiction fromCanada's best writers -intro by Douglas Coupland.(FIC V) A lovely collection of 14 stories with Van­couver as their setting, ranging from years ago to thepresent , from authors like Pauline Johnson, MalcolmLowry, Lee Maracle and Shani Mootoo.Sundogs : a novel by Lee Maracle. (823 MAR) Setin 1990, this novel (Maracle's first) is about thestruggle of a First Nations family, and heroineMarianne, in the year surrounding the downfall ofMeech Lake and the Oka crisis .

. Beyond the pale: dramatic writing from First Na-. tions writers & writers ofcolour. (822 .8 BEY)

This is a unique collection of short plays by play­wrights of different dialects, different experiencesand perspectives in Canada - telling us of the pains ,sorrows and joys of people with different lives.Looking for La Bomba: the Cuban adventures ofamusical oafby Richard Neill . (917 .29 NEI) Thisis the hilarious story of a would-be British musicianfollowing an impossible dream to play music inCuba . Problem is, he can 't play, has no musical tal­ent, and doesn't know any Cuban bands!The Indian Lawyer: a novel by James Welch. (823WEL) This mystery-thriller, though not a new book,is a vivid tale of the American West. The hero, Syl­vester Yellow Calf, was raised in poverty on aBlackfoot reservation and is now a prominent lawyer- and is not at home in either world .The Official Fahrenheit 9/1 I reader by MichaelMoore. (79 1.437 MOO) The movie was the firstdocumentary ever to win the Best Picture award inCannes (2004). This is the companion reader to themovie, complete with the screenplay, articles, lettersand very funny cartoons. A must-read for thosewho don 't love Bush.Sorry everybody: an apology to the worldfor there-election ofGeorge Jv. Bush. Website,www.sorryeverybody.com. by James Zetlen,(973 .931) Here are 1,000 photos from citizensaround America, apologizing profusely for the restof the country's having re-elected George Dubya.It's funny, outrageous, sometimes silly and sad .So - come on into the library, in order to read these

books and many more new ones like them! Or, justcome in and use our Internet computer, to see theX-Bush website!

AJOlARN5Y of HDP5

An influence from pain, and wastings said "it's easyto get a person off the streets, but the work is to getthe streets out of the person."

One's integrity comes from the balance we build:Mentally, emotionally, physically and most of allspiritually.

Our journey is from our heads to our heart, to putthings in the place of acceptance so we can grow anddevelop into strong individual - fathers , mothers,brothers, sisters and, most of all, friends.

Our connection to the Creator is to remind us: Weneed not think our way into healthier living, but rmember to live our way into healthier thinking.

All My Relations,Dwayne K Haluk (NWT)

Legal Services Society Tries to Cope

I am pleased to advise that the LSS Board of Direc­tors has extended the term of the LawLINE legaladvice service to March 31, 2006. In the comingmonths it is expected that the LSS Board will put a2006/2007 budget to government which will includethis service as a permanent program.In the fiscal year April 2004 to March 2005 the

LawLiNE opened 14,661 cases (7532 information!referral cases ; 7129 legal advice cases). Case cate­gories included 39% family ; 16% debt or consumer;II% criminal ; 6% health and estates, 6% housing ;4% income security; and 4% employment. Callscome to the LawLINE roughly in proportion to thepopulation distribution around the province; 64% ofcallers were female and 36% male.The demand on our service is growing. We appre­

ciate there continues to be waits for callers to getthrough. We are reviewing our ability to providedirect services to community advocates, outside ofour phone queue. For the moment, this is somethingwe are not able to offer but there are various stepswe are taking to make our resources as available aspossible. Once we open a particular file, we do havea voicemail system for these existing clients to leavefurther information for us so the queue can beavoided after an initial call. Several LawLiNE staffmonitor and post to PovNet or may do off-PovNetfollow up. Our staff is participating in LSS regionaland provincial training conferences for advocates,and we also contribute to various PLEI materials.

Allan A. ParkerProgram ManagerLawLINE, Legal Services Society of BChttp://www.lss.bc.ca/default/Default.asp

Artificial intelligence: No match for natural stupidity.

Carnegie Community Centre AssociationElects New Board of Directors

At its Annual General Meeting on June 2, theCCCA AGM (how 's that for acronyms) hosted over30 people - members - to hearing reports from allorganized groups under this charity umbrella: Fi­nance, Programs, Volunteers, Seniors , Publications,Oppenheimer Park, Library & Education and Com­munity Relations. oh yeah, there wasan electiontoo..

While the executive was voted on later, the 200512006 Board of Directors is:

President - Margaret PrevostVice-President - Muggs SigurgeirsonTreasurer - Peter FairchildSecretary - Gena ThompsonMember-at-Large - Robin Cole

Chris Laird Robyn LivingstoneStephen Lytton Mathew MathewJoyce Morgan James PauDora Sanders Bob SartiGerald Wells Ernie Williams

HBIIa. Hell aaaa .Based on a survey of 1,512 formerwelfare recipients, B.C. HumanResources Minister Murray Coellclaimed that the government'sdownsizing of social assistancewas resulting in people findingwork. However, only a third of thesurvey population actually com­pleted the survey and nearly halfcould not be contacted becausetheir phones were out of service.

Coell said most of those wereyoung, mobile single people whogo where the work is, which isprobably why their phones weredisconnected. "We assume theyhave found work and their life hasImproved ."

The Tragic Death Of OlafSolheim

Remember Expo '86?A World's Faircame to Vancou verto cele bratethe city's 100th birthday.The event inspired developersto continue buildingthe corporate, skyscraper city,a machine effectively designedfor making money ( I)and for excluding thosewho don't have the moneyto live in it.

In anticipationof the tourist invasionabout 500 to 600 tenantswere evicted fromDowntown Eastside hotelsin the spring of 1986.Owners reno vated the roomsand increased the rents .Another 1000 to 1500lodging house roomswere switched from monthly rentalto tour ist rental status .Aller all, "TIle world runs by greed,"Michael Walk er of the Fraser Institute,and he also statedthat displaced tenantswould "save everyonea lot of troubl eif they wereall put on busesto the Kootcnays." (2)

The people being evictedwere mainly older menwho were long-term residents,and who had workedto help buildthe province of British Columbia.Some were retired.Others were unemployedand disabled.Most of them were poor.The y thought oftheir hotel roomsas home .They had a circle of friendsin the neighbourhood,and they belongedto the communityof the Downtown Eastside.They didn't wantto be thrown outlike garbage.They didn't wantto become refugeesin their own land .

Olaf Solheim wasone of these men .He was a gentl eeighty-seven year oldwith a long white beard.He had workedmost of his lifeas a loggerin British Columbia,and he had livedat the Patricia Hotelfor over forty years.Olaf was from Norway,and in NorwegianSolheim means sunny home.

' f-, .

'r-'.'

Olaf was thrown outof his homein the spring of 1986to make wayfor Expo '86 tourists .DERA helped himfind another place,and even hired a homeworker10 help look after him.His world was broken, however ,and he was disoriented .He wandered the stree tsfor a few weeks.He refused to cat ,and then he diedon April 18, 198 6.Dr . John Blatherwick,the city' s medical health offi cer ,said, "The spark wentout of him after the eviction .He just stopped living."When the managerof the Patricia Hotelwas asked whyhe didn't let Olaf stay,he replied,"Wc' re not a nursing home." (3)

Olaf wasn't the only personto die because of the ev ictions.Tw o men committed suic idesoo n after receivingtheir ev iction notices,and Jim Green,who was the man ager of DERAfrom 1981 to 1991 ,said that elevenExpo-related evicteeshad diedas of March, 1988 . (4).,

II.

': J •.'

In the year 2005gentri fication is stilla major problemfor the Downtown Eastside.The development of Woodward'swill increase the pressureof gentrification,as will theWinter Olympics of 20IO.Not onl y docsthe Downtown Eastsideneed thousands of unit sof social hou sing ,as Jim Green pointed outin 198 5, (5)but the welfare ratesand minimum wageneed to be rai sed.When people have no money,they can't pay rentand they can't buy food .Th ey arc excludedfrom their own community .

Solheim Place on Union Streetwas built by DERAas soc ial hou sin g.It was named in memoryof Olaf Solheim.He wo uld want usto con tinue the fightfor a just society,so that what happened to himwon't happen to residentsof the Downtown Eas tsidein the next f ve ye ars.

Sandy Camero n

( I) "11w Develope rs;" by James Lorimer, pub. by JamesLorimer & Co., 1978, p.79. . .(2) "Economist backs busing evictees," by Terry Glavin, TheVal/couver SUI/, April 23, 1986. .(3) "Ten Years And COlUlting," by Joe Armato, CarnegieNewsletter, April 15, 1996. . .(4) "Urban Mega-Evcnts: Evictions and Housmg RIghts: theCanadian Case," by Dr. Kris Olds. On the Internet. Lookunder Olaf Solheim.(5) Carnegie Crescent, 1985.

SPRING PIDGINS

The Pidgins outside my window,

they are really not all right.The noises they make would do for the

sound track of a blue movie for a whole night.

What they are saying I do not know.

What they are doingit would not be nice to show.

I understand it is the spring,

and they must do their thing .However I sit here alonewithout a shred of lust.Feeling like a voyeuroverhearing all, their fuss.I wish they'd get those damn eggs laid,

Before ideas of spring in my head are made .

Once those eggs are hatched,They'll have so much to do,

I'll no longer have to listen to

their suggestive coo.Their little ones will be a needing

And they'll be kept busy a feeding

.Their ideas of spring will then be snatched.

By Colleen Carroll

THE RETURN OF THEDOWNTOWN EASTSIDE POETS

(July edition)

June's poetry night was a huge success. We

haven't had so many people get up to read

since out sensational "Folk Festival and Poetry

Reading" last summer, which turned into a

Love-In Costume Party!We usually have our show on the first

Saturday of every month. However, the first

weekend in July most of us will be going to

the free outdoors Jazz Festival at the

RoundhousefDavid Lam Park. It's like a

smorgasbord, for those of us just wading into

the shallow end of the Jazz tradition. With

four stages, you can sample something you

might never otherwise hear, and if you don't

like it, get up politely at the end of a song and

go to another venue and see what's there. The

more "mainstream" music - blues, funk,

African and Latin - plays in the park, with a

rubber dancetloor set up in front of the stage.

See you there! And we'll be having our poetry

night on the next Saturday, which happens to

be July 9th• Regular time, 7:00 pm.

The Book - a collection of the writers who

read here - is in the works. It will be dedicated

to Paul Wright, a well-loved poet and

community activist who died last summer. If

there is anything of his that you particularly

like, let me have a copy. We still haven't

settled on a title; any ideas? Poetry from the

submitted work was selected by a jury of four:

myself, Paul Taylor, Gena Thompson and

Maryann Cantillon. We will be publishing the

words of Brian Nelson, Carl MacDonald,

Colleen Carroll , Delanye, Diane Wood, Gena

Thompson, Goh Kagan, Leith Harris, Louisa

de Plume , Mary Duffy, Maxine Gadd, Muriel

Marjorie, Naomi Narvey, Sandy Cameron,

Sophia M. Freigang and Stephen Lytton.

Need I add, the stuff is brilliant!

By Diane Wood

Men are from earth. Women are from earth ..Deal

with it.

A STITCH IN TIME

The ambulances go by many,the fire trucks too.The cops show up eventuallyas do me and you.One drunk down, one 00, one homicideon the Downtown Eastside beat.Robberies, not just a few.

Pack him up into the ambulance nice and neat.Off to the hospital or morgue he goes,one more off the street.The cost to the hardworking taxpayer for hisshow of care?Let's just say it's something upwards aboutthere.The amount sure it's not cheap by all accounts.This is the end cost,For a soul that has long been lost.That our society is forced to share .Oh how we lament itThe taxpayers' money, how they mis-spent it.All on a bloke who in society gave nothing inreturn.Why we cry and rage,In our taxpayers ' cage.Why did he not his share earn?The answers to this are many,and to the powers that be we must turn.

You see they thought theywould save some money.Time has proved them all wrong.And money, your hard earned money,they must now a plenty burn.We must all dance to the tune of their song .Had there been prevention,we'd of saved ourselves the cost of detention,than eventually more in turn.Poverty and depression, but produceonly an obsession to escape the status quo.To crime, booze or drugsan escape often chooses to go.A wish to stop this human crimeCan only be met by spending money on time.A minimum livable income for all,Might not prove an order too tall.

When we take into accounts you seeOf what's become of our present methods insociety.They only encourage a wish to escape,Rather than one to partake.In the end the more we now pay,to listen to the sirens day after day.

By Colleen Carroll

Omega

The world ends with crackhead monsters all you seeat the break of day.. When bank managers wear ear­rings and you take dope so you don't take dope.. itends with a whimper, as you wish you'd been luckyenough to die before these days when the world ends

Coyote

Alices in Wonderland?!Alices of all shapes and sizes are invited to the 12th

Annual "Alice in Wonderland Mad Tea Party andCroquet Picnic" - Sunday, June 19th, 2005, from 1-4p.m. at Trout Lake Park (15th & Victoria, West sideof the lake) . Come in costume as any character fromthe story (the curious and curiouser are most wel­come - even if there's NO ROOM) and bring a pic­nic blanket, a flamingo , and a tasty treat. Play cro­quet with the Queen, consult with Humpty Dumpty,chase the Dodo in the Caucus Race! With music by'Toot-A-Lute' and 'The Carnival Band' .

Contact: Dan Vie, OrganizerThe Community Arts Workshop Society(604) 253 - 3207

The Storm

The heaven covered by blankets of haze ,Grey to the eye and eerie to the heart ,Though oddly tranquil.Her children of the sky run along,The force of their feet shakes the very clouds.Sound echoes across the land .

The fear of the storm is what mystifies the willing,And the power of her cowards the strongest man.Her power lights up the skyHer breathe is forceful but steady .Heeding warning to the coming rains .

In the end the grey skies are parted,Heaven's light ines through, lighting the path.But the storm will return ,Covering Gaia's blue eyes once more.Bringing the stormmistress back.For she is endless and eternal.

Jason M Tizzard

One Turn

When in the windHold on tightly to somethingConsidered preciousFor if it's takenYou may never hold it again .

Greg Lesnick

Happiness is a relative termI'm relatively happy these dayscompared to the guy next door3 days after welfare day and he's bummin'says he only blew 50 but it's bullshitit all went up a pipe and nowhe's lookin' at a long long month

seems like you can always find someoneworse ofT, poorer in some regardnot much of a way to feel happycomparing yourself to the dregs

so even tho ' my fridge just brokeafter I spent a whack of cash on foodand even knowing happiness is never perfectwithout comparing apples to oranges,dogshit to cat,I guess I'm happy.. as happy as is legaleven without counting all the pleasure I getfrom just being me and not anyone elsethat's something in itself, I guess

Al

SMILE

Evcrytimc you smile, things begin to changeAll my wrongs are somehow given hope

to rearrange

Everytime I hear you laugh sounds becomein tune

All your words leap out and sing like music fromthe moon

Everytime I walk with you people disappearAll the world believes in us whenever you

are near

Everytime I think ofyou and everything you areI smile, laugh. and walk along - your love is

never far...

Amanda Mitchell

~e

ie

ar

Carnegie Community Centre & Vancouver Moving Theatrewith the Association of United Ukrainian Canadians

and in support of the DTES COlJUllunity Arts Initiativ epresent the

2 nd Annual DTES

Heart of the City Festival27 October - 6 November 2005

DOW NTOWN (i\IT~jDr

* community arts * cultural treasures * music * theatre * poetry * dance ** visual art * performances * live radio broadcasts * workshops * films *

The Shadows Project * Breaking into the Biz Forum * Festival Gala* urban barn dances * historical wa lks and talks * forums * ArtTalks

* profiling and celebrating the richness of our neighbourhoods and cultures* sharing ideas, vis ions , art and more . ..

With a focus on the rich and diverse communities of the Downtown Eastside,the Heart of the City Festival celebrates the creative and committed art istsand activists that thrive in our community. The festival launch part y at theCarnegie Centre on Oct 27 th is followed by eleven days of play readings,musical showcases, coffee houses, cultural centre open houses, dance, spokenword, writers writing, processions, forums, workshops, discussions, galleryexhibits, mixed media viewings, art talks, history talks, and history walk s.

A feature event of the Festival will be the first phase ofa new community artproject - The Shadows Project - a shadow theatre production for the wholefamily on the theme of addiction and recovery. The play is being written byRosemary Georgeson, James Fagan Tait and Savannah Walling, with a teamof Downtown Eastsi de involved writers. The music will be directed byJoel ysa Pankanea, and Tamara Unroe is the shadow designer. Up to thirt yDTES musicians, actors and shadow puppeteers will be involved.

Watch for further announcements of the Heart of the City Festival program.For more information on the Festival please contact Rika at 604-665-3003.

A HitThe musical play "Crime and Punishment" has been

nominated for 13 Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards,

including Outstanding Production in small theatre,

the Sydn ey Risk Prize for Outstanding Original

Play, and the Critics Choice Innovation Award.

(The show was co-produced by NeWorld Theatre

and the PuSh Festival in association with Vancouver

Moving Theatre.) You may remember that the cast

of the show included several five performers from

The Downtown Eastside Community Play: Grant

Chancey, Klisala Harrison, Kuei-Ming Lin, Stephen

Lytton, and Elwin Xie . Community play alumn i re­

ceived special mention for direetion (James Fagan

Tait), lighting design (Itai Erdal) and sound design

and musical direction (Joclysa Pankanea). The

awards will be announced at the Commodore on

June 20. Congratulations to the whole cast and artis­

tic team!

DANel NC; YOUR. ~C;6with Delayne

goes monthly

ReletUle bloclredenergy

COIl1leCIwith your deep lie{(

Come into your.freedom(have fun!!)

2nd Sunday of the month, 2-4pmCarnegie's Gym

Fine Dining in the Downtown Eastside

The Harbour Light Centre, on E.Cordova between

Main and Columbia, has been serving plates and

bowls of slop (in a polite way) for more than fifty

years. Now, however, very hungry men and women

with their options very limited line up in droves day

after day, year after year.

TIle hours arc II -I 1:55am in the mornings (what

an eye-opener at the crack of dawn for many folks)

and dinner from 5-6pm in the raucous evenings.

Breakfastllunch and supper are terms used quite

loosely - for good reaso n

Breakfast is particularly hard to describe, partly

because it is perfectly undescribable - what I can say

without literally gagging from the memo ry. It is cer­

tainlya dish worthy of being gobbled up by the

mouthful on an episode of Fear Factor in the food

segment: To chow down on Harbour Light's world

famous liquefied roadkill - unidenti fiable rottening

fish, of dub ious origin.. from parts unknown .. .

' A marriage made in Sally Ann 's heaven of the sea ' s

and highway 'sfire in hell cuisine.'

If fear is not a factor, you can again partake of this

same rancid, bubbling and reheated concoction when

it is once again scooped out of the rusting cauldrons

in the early evenings.. curiously and, as always,

quite generously (the humanity of it al1! ).[Go figure :

with getting about $2 for every plate from the gov't]

Lunch is served - or picked at - or dumped out - 7

days a week, and Monday, Wednesday, Friday and

Saturday evenings sees Dinner. Takeout orders are

•,..

ANARCHY TO ACTIVISM.Local authors discuss the subject, it's FREE, and allare invited to attend! Carnegie's own Bob Sarti willbe presiding.. .FRIDAY, June 24, 7 pm: At Carnegiell

supplied to the downtrodden and down 'n out, tooweak or too intoxicated to stagger into this sanitized,tightly controlled, unequaled in its depravity forsuchfine food: This establishment of the Straight &Narrow.

I might add that the decor is based firmly on pre­and post-modern San Quentin and Alcatraz Islandpenitentiaries. i.e. No sharp or metal objects, likecutlery, are allowed, and only plastic forks are givenout- only one each - upon entry. The maitre demaison says quietly that it's easier to count that way .There is no stuffy dress code. Come as you are!

It is preferable to have the grunge, lived-in look ,with no jacket or tie required.

Plenty of free parking for shopping carts .Bon appetit!!!

Robyn the culinary critic Livingstone

POCO LOCOSRETURNS AGAINIII

Friday, June 17,7 -10pmCarnegie Theatre

Come out and dance dance danceto tile Latin beat

It is a lie. It is not true that we have to take part inthis lethal market.It is not true that the only options are betweendifferent kinds of war.It is not true that we must take sides with one or an­other stupidity.It is not true that we must renounce intelligence andhumanity.

It is possible to have another world, different thanwhat the violent supermarket is selling us.It is possible to have another world where the choiceis between war and peace, between memory andforgetting, between hope and resignation betweenthe gray tones and the rainbow.It is possible to have a world where many worlds fit.It is possible that from a "No!" will be born animperfect, unfinished, and incomplete "Yes!" thatgives back to humanity the hope of rebuilding, everyday, the complex bridge that joins thought and feel­ing. Viva life! Death to death!

Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos

Music Program Random Notes

Yeah, I finall y got about half of that load of laundry

done and I was pondering those Elizabethan where­

fores ' and whatever's that were creeping into a dis­

cussion Dean '0 and I were havin' about grammar,

and proper this , and proper that, and t~en it s~ck

me that those critters who came up WIth musical

notation were probably wonderful linguists; Poetry

Rogues, or defrocked clergymen who'd s~en the

light they weren't supposed to talk about 10 pr~per

company; The one that sa id the churc~e~ banning of

particular intervals in musical composition was a

load as tall as the great pyramid,Yeah the churches of the middle ages banned 6th,

7th, and other harmonic relationships in the ~usic of

the time for reasons you'd have to be a forensic psy­

chologist to begin to understand what or why har­

monies common to folk music, or more modem

blues music, were banned from earshot if the gig

was in a church.

"Brother Maximillian, your music wi ll be the

death of us all! The church has no other choice than

to excommunicate you and your evil harmonies!" or

somthin' like that. And old Bro Max hits the road

with a band of gypsies and starts writing down all

those previously unrecorded tunes. Meanwh.ile the .

inquisition gets wind of old Bro Max, and his previ­

ous gig playin' one of those big old church org~ns,

and they decide that educated men have no business

preserving the music of common people.(especially

all those bluesy harmonies that tend to elicit emo­

tions in people that the church disapproves oj).

Yeah the Inquisition can't have music that gives

people feelings being preserved in musical notation

so old Bro Max gets put on the Inquisition's most

wanted list.Poetry Rogues, gypsies, vagabonds, lowlifes: ex­

communicated and reviled. Kept to a lower social

order by the social politic of the day that was dic­

tated by pious old windbags who claimed to speak

for a god no one has ever seen. Well, no one who

ever sat in judgement over someone hauled in front

of the Inquisition anyway. If I was God I wouldn't

talk to those bozos. I'd be talkin' to old Bro Max.

teIIin" him to hop that ship in the harbour before the

next tide. Course, he'd probably have to go as a

deckhand or somthin' cause poetry rogues are always

poor of coin.Their coin was their muse, and that muse is as

imbedded into culture as a genetic trait is to one's

own person; One doesn't exist in the same way

without the things that have combined to make you

yourself. So, contrary to the social cant of the day,

the devised system for notating music was a way for

their muse to speak in the physical across space, and

time. It's as if some spirit had whispered into their

ears about a sometimes whenever, where music

would be as appreciated as breathing itself. Giving

the culture we live in its mulatto; its diversity that

stodgy old farts ofevery era hate in equal portion to

their hatred of the feelings certain kinds of music

can elicit.I guess we can thank all the old Bro Maxes for lis­

tening to their muse, and hopping that boat way back

whenever. I mean, can you imagine a Friday night

dance at the Carnegie with nothing but Gregorian

chants to wiggle your hips to?

Till next time, M .

Music Program Random Notes

Yeah I finally got about half of that load of laundrydone 'and I was pondering those Elizabethan where­fores' and whatever's that were creeping into a dis­cussion Dean '0 and I were havin' about grammar,and proper this, and proper that , and t~en it s~ckme that those critters who came up WIthmusicalnotation were probably wonderful linguists; PoetryRogues , or defrocked clergymen who'd s~en thelight they weren't supposed to talk about ID pr~per

company; The one that said the churc~e~ banmng ofparticular intervals in musical composmon was aload as tall as the great pyramid.

Yeah the churches of the middle ages banned 6th,7th, and other harmonic relat ionships in the ~usic ofthe time for reasons you'd have to be a forensic psy­chologist to begin to understand what or why har­monies common to folk music, or more modemblues music, were banned from earshot if the gigwas in a church.

"Brother Maximillian, your music will be thedeath of us all! The church has no other choice thanto excommunicate you and your evil harmonies !" orsomthin' like that. And old Bro Max hits the roadwith a band of gypsies and starts writing down allthose previously unrecorded tunes . Meanwhile theinquisition gets wind of old Bro Max, and his previ­ous gig playin' one of those big old church organs,and they decide that educated men have no businesspreserving the music of common people.(especiallyall those bluesy harmonies that tend to elicit emo­tions in people that the church disapproves of).

Yeah, the Inquisition can't have music that givespeople feelings being preserved in musical notationso old Bro Max gets put on the Inquisition's mostwanted list.

Poetry Rogues, gypsies, vagabonds, lowlifes: ex­communicated and reviled. Kept to a lower socialorder by the social politic of the day that was dic­tated by pious old windbags who cla imed to speakfor a god no one has ever seen. Well , no one whoever sat in judgement over someone hauled in frontof the Inquisition anyway. If I was God I wouldn'ttalk to those bozos. I'd be talkin' to old Bro Max.tellin" him to hop that ship in the harbour before thenext tide. Course, he'd probably have to go as adeckhand or somthin' cause poetry rogues are alwayspoor ofcoin.

Their coin was their muse , and that muse is asimbedded into culture as a genetic trait is to one 'sown person; One doesn't exist in the same waywithout the things that have combined to make youyourself. So, contrary to the social cant of the day,the devised system for notating music was a way fortheir muse to speak in the physical across space, andtime . It's as if some spirit had whispered into theirears about a sometimes whenever, where musicwould be as appreciated as breathing itself. Givingthe culture we live in its mulatto; its diversity thatstodgy old farts ofevery era hate in equal portion totheir hatred of the feelings certain kinds of musiccan elicit.

I guess we can thank all the old Bro Maxes for lis­tening to their muse , and hopping that boat way backwhenever. I mean , can you imagine a Friday nightdance at the Carnegie with nothing but Gregorianchants to wiggle your hips to?

Till next time, M.

C£SIG~ -

(~J~J~t?-\

~--\ "

c..

~

s

s­:k

Little Things

Have to be thankfulfor the little things I gotcan't take things for grantedthey can always disappearsooner than not

Children out there dyingin the streets of Amencaolluain the streets of Iraqbeen a whole lotta horror goin' roundand a whole lot comin' back

Got to be thankfulfor the little things I securethings can always get worseof that I'm sure

So don't feel sorrydon't cry for what you have notjust be thankfulfor the little things you got

AI

Happy Endings?

The more things change the more they stay the samethe more you struggle the deeper the quicksandthe more you try the worse it gets ; funnyyou'd think we'd learn but we never do

Only thing matters to me anymoreis the bright sunny smile of my daughterwhen she bounces up bringing solaceto an old man, tired and worn outby swimming against the current all the timeI wish there was a happy endingI keep praying that it'll work out that wayyou do your best. .. sometimes it's not good enoughsmile while you canstock up against the game getting rough

Only thing keeps me hereis wanting to see how it all plays outscared to death of living but too chicken to diethis body hurts me through time and spaceand I am just holding onto the ride

RALL

DOWNTOWNEASTSIDEYOUTHACT IVIT IE SS OC IE TY49 W .Cordova604-251 -3310

FIXED EXCHANGE SITE - 5 E HastingsNEEDLE EXCHANGE VAN - 3 Routes:

604-685-6561 City - 5:45pm - II :45pmOvernight - 12:30am - 8: 30am

Downtown Eastside - 5:30pm - 1:30:1111\ .,.""v"'.,./'V"'V""v""'v""..., 'V , .A /' "'\. '/................ '-'''v<,~, "-"'- """'-'""J"V~"""-, ..,,- , <, ,:

< 1lA1.'IIA YOf'Jll\-\\;th Annabelle on Mondays< More mats & more space : 111cat re 11-12:30,~""v""v"'.. """"" """" V· -.../"'v " ~' ,,'.. ~ . ". ...,"-..""'-/"""" ...... "',",

T11F. NF.WS I. F.TTF. R IS A Pt 'RI.I (',\ nON OF TtlF.C \ RNF.GIF.("OM~tI'NnV CF.:-rrRF. ,\ SSOC I.\T IO N

Articles represent the views ofirKlividlL,1contributors :tnCI IKll of the Association,

~d i t o r: PaulR Tayl or; cover art & layout, Diane Wood .

2005 DON ATIONS Lihh)' 0 .-$40Barr)' for Dave McC.-SSO Rolf A.-$45Margaret 0 .-$25 Christopher R.-$SOMary C-$30 Bru ce J.-$30 U'mista - $20Heather S.-$25 Ra~'Cam-$30 Gram -$ 100Padd)' -$30 Glcn B.-$50 John S.-$80Penn)' G .-$21 Jenny K.- $20 Dara C. -$20Sand)' C.$20 Audrey-$20 Wcs K.-$50Joanne H. -$20 Rockingguys -$20Thc Edgc Community Liaison Ctt -$200Pam 8.-$25 Wm 8 -$20 Janice P.-$20Michael C.-$50 Anonymous-$2

ContactJenny

'Vai ChingKwan MLA

Working for You1070-1641 Commercial Dr. Y5L 3Y3

Phone: 775-0790 Fax: 775-0881

EGOS at The DugoutDelivered Wednesdays: $2.50 I dozen

Submission Deadlinefor next issue:

Monday, June 27

FOR THOSE

For those I've hurt pleaseForgive me

For those I grew up with upLees grow back together

For those that I do not knowLet's get to know one another

For those that are coming behindUs I welcome you 10 this

WorldAnd for those who feel lost

You are not alone .

Sandrajim

, -w-; II-;;-kn~\\kdge i'i13tC;;;t1 ;gi;C~n~lll7it y-Ce~t;, ;;;;dthi;;- '1

I Newsletter, lire happening on the Squarni sh Notion 's territory. I._- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -Tbe Downtown ElUl.!ide Re3idenl.! A"OcUltioD

DERA belps with: Phone &: Sife M.lIbote'Welfare problems;Landlord dlsputes;flowing problems

Unsafe IIrlol: coodlllolU

At. 12 E Ha5ting~ Street, or call (,o.t -(, R 2-0~31.

NATIONAL

I al day!art and cultural celebration

Scheduled Events June 17-June 21

At the Vancouver Art GaDerv Friday - JUNE 1710:00 Arts, Crafts & Food Market12:00 Traditional "Mothers & Grandmothers

Dance Society - Traditional PrairieI :00 Red Blanket Smgers & Drummers

Traditional Medicine Songs2:00 Mooshum 's Little Metis Jiggers &

Shaganappi Metis Fiddlers3:00 Raven Reflections

Haida Fashion Designing4:00 Arlette Alcock

Metis - Contemporary Folk5:00 Old Elk Powwow Troupe &

Black Fish Singers6:00 DiggingRoots (Toronto, ON)

BlueslJazz/Reggae7:00 Pamyua (Anchorage, Alaska)

Music & Yup'ik (Inuit) Dance

At the Vancouver Art GaDerv Saturday - JUNE 18

10:00 Arts, Crafts & Food Market12:00 Dancers of Damel ahamid

Westcoast Traditional Dancing/SingingI:00 Insignia (Contemporary)

Progressive Rock Music2:00 Children of Rainbow Drum Group

Toddler & Elementary Students3:00 ArtNapoleon

Aboriginal Roots Music4:00 Old Elk Powwow Troupe &

Black Fish Singers5:00 DiggingRoots (Toronto, ON)

Blues/Jazz/Reggae6:00 Nisga'a Ts'amiks Dancers

Westcoast Traditional Dancing/Singing7:00 Pamyua (Anchorage. Alaska)

Music & Yup'ik (Inuit) Dance

At the Vancouver Art GaDery Sunday - JUNE 1910:00 Arts, Crafts & Food Market12:00 Urban Heiltsuk Dancers

Westcoast Button Blanket Dancers1:00 FaraPaJrner (R&B/Pop) &

OEO (Underground Rap)2:00 Mooshwn's Little Metis Jiggers &

Shaganappi Metis Fiddlers3:00 DiggingRoots (Toronto, ON)

Blues/J azz/Reggae4:00 Sandy Scofield Band

Metis - Contemporary5:00 Old Elk Powwow Troupe &

Black Fish Singers6:00 Marcel Gagnon (Prince George, BC)

Contemporary Singer/Songwriter7:00 Pamyua (Anchorage, Alaska)

Music & Yuplik (Inuit) DanceSpecial Closing Performances Billy Joe Green &

Derek Miller

YALE BLUES CLUB - Aboriginal BluesMonday - JUNE 20, 2005 @ 7:00pm

Proposed Entertainment: . :II :00 pm - Derek Miller Band (SIXNations, <?N)9:30 pm - Billy Joe Greene (Winnipeg, Marntoba)8:00 pm - Marcel Gagnon (Prince George, BC)7:00 pm - futellifunk (port Coqui tlarn, Be)

FREE Workshops fer-and-by

Aboriginal Women

Fridays, 1 - 3:30pmEvery week to September 29, 2005

Downtown Eastside Women's Centre, 302 Columbia St.

For infor and registration, call Carol at681-8480 ext 233Light snacks and bus tickets provided

Session 10MHRRole of the financialaIdworker.Steps to appealingadedslon.July 22ncf" 2005

Session 9MHRUnderstanding andapplyingforwelfare,

disability-land ILJuly 15th,2oo5

Session 11MHRChildtax benefits andchIldsupport orders,when on assistance.

July 29th,2005

Session 6CrIminalLawWhatI need to know If I

am assaulted (my role+flll!rig out V\S).

June 17th, 2005

Session 7CriminalLawWhatI need to know If the

police comesto my door

(what are myrights) .

June 2..th, 2005

Session 8CrimInal LawWhat I need to knowIfIam charged with a alme

(Includes Info on how

.to apply for pardOn).Julyath, 2005

Pancake Breakfast: 9:00 am -11 :00 am VancouverAboriginal Friendship Center 1607 EHastings

PARADE:11 :00 am -12:00 pm: up Commercial Drive to

Trout Lake Community CenterAboriginal Day Festivities atTrout lake Park:12:00-5:00 pm: Performances;Arts &Craft Booths; Info

Booths; Food Concessions; Family, Youth &Children's

Activities; Canoeing; Feast (Rain orShine; Bring chairs!)

at Oppenheimer Park - Tuesday JUNE 2111:OOam - 3:OOpm

BBQCraftsMusicDrumming and Dancing

Help always needed with planning and run­

ning the event. Call Oppenheimer Park for

more info: (604) 665-2210

3350 Victoria Drtve

Watch for posters with more details!

VOGUE THEATRE - AboriginalMusi~

Production & CommunityAward ShowTuesday, JUNE 21,2005

Opening by Elders - Chief Bill Williams (Squam­

ish), Mary Charles (Musquearn), Leonard George.

Hosted by: Tina Keeper (North of 60) and Chief

Leonard George (Tsleil Waututh)· Janet Rogers - Spoken Word (Victoria, BC)

· Children of the Rainbow Drum Group (Surrey, BC)

· Dalannah Bowan (Jazz)· My Girl & Friends (House Band)

· Aboriginal Youth Theatre Proj eet

· Pamyua (Yup'ik - Inuit). . Spakwus Siolem - (Squamish Nation)

I .at rout Lak~'Ji-

JUNE 212005