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Idle No More: Indigenous Uprising Sweeps North America Idle No More has organized the largest mass mobilizations of indigenous people in recent history. What sparked it off and what's coming next? by Kristin Moe

It took weeks of protests, fl ash mobs, letters, rail ies. and thousands of righteous tweets, but Canadian Prime Min· ister Stephen Harper finally caved. He agreed to a meeting with the woman who had been petitioning him for twenty-four days, subsisting on fish broth, camped in a tepee in the frozen midwinter, the hunger striker and Chiel of the Attawapiskat Theresa Spence.

The mobilization around Chief Spence's hunger strike has already grown to encompass broader ideas of colonial ism and our relationship to the land. No, this is not normal parliamentary process. The hunger strike was a final, desperate attempt to get the attention

of a government whose re lationship with indigenous people has been ambivalent at best and genocidal at worst, and force it to address their rising concerns. The meeting, set for this Friday, January II, is unlikely to result in an major changes to Canada's aboriginal policy. Yet the mobilization around Chief Spence's hunger strike has alread grown to encompass broader ideas of colonialism and our collective relationship to the land. The movement has coalesced under one name, one resolution: Idle No More. Closed-door negotiations spark a movement The Idle No More movement arose as a response to what organizers call the most recent assault on indigenous

rights in Canada: Bill C-45, which passed on December 14. Bill C-45 makes changes to the Indian Act, removes environmental protections, and further erodes the treaties with native peoples through which Canada was created. Indigenous leaders accuse the Harper administration of"ramming through" legislation without debate or consulta·

tion. :j On December 4, when representatives of First Nations came to the House of Commons to share their concerns

about the proposed bill, they were blocked from entering . A week later, after being repeatedly denied a meeting with Harper, Chief Spence began her hunger strike. Since then, the movement has grown to encompass a hundred years' worth of grievances against the Canadian government, which is required by Section 35 of the Constitution Act to consult with native people before enacting laws that affect them. Indigenous leaders accuse the Harper ad­ministration of "ramming through" legislation without debate or consultation.

Even worse is the bill 's "weakening of environmental assessment and the removal of lakes and rivers from pro­tection," says Erie! Deranger, Communication Coordinator of Athabasca Chipe\vyan First Nation, which is direct!) downstream from toxic tar sands mining. She knows firsthand the importance of protecting waterways from indus­trial pollutants. " Indigenous people's rights," she says, "are intrinsically linked to the environment." She adds that the removal of such protections paves the way for resource extraction, bringing Canada closer to its self-stated goa of becoming a global energy superpower. This isn' tjust a native thing, Deranger says; this is something that affect everyone.

And so begins the largest indigenous mass mobilization in recent history. Native people and their allies from all over North America have gathered to peacefully voice their support for indigenous rights: they've organized ral­lies, teach-ins, and highway and train blockades, as well as "flash mob" round dances at shopping malls. With Twitter and Facebook as the major organizing tools, #idienomore has emerged as the dominant meme in the indigenous rights movement. In addition to events across Canada, a U.S. media blitz tour has inspired solidarity actions all over North America, as well as in Europe, New Zealand, and the Middle East. Mainstream media and the Harper government are taking notice. Anger at environmental destruction in Canada boils over

But why now? The answer, says Deranger, is that people are ready. Idl e No More arose at a moment of growing awareness of environmental justice issues, frustration with lack of governmental consultation, and widespread op-

• position to resource extraction on indigenous land- like the tar sands in Deranger's home province of Alberta and the diamond mines in Chief Spence's Ontario. It comes after years of grassroots organizing around indigenous rights-which are, in the end, basic human rights.

Visit almost any reserve in Canada, and you're likely to see third world social indicators in a first world country: high incarceration rates, inadequate housing and sanitation, reduced life expectancy-due in part to abnormally frequent suicides-lack of employment and education opportunities, and substance abuse. This, after more than a century of colonization by a government that refuses to acknowledge its identity as a colonial power. Meanwhile, native youth are the fastest-growing segment of Canada's population, according to Aboriginal Affairs. Is it any surprise that they're taking on repressive legis lation and using social media to organize? For Canadians-and potentially all North Americans- this is a moment of reckoning. Just as Chief Spence's hun­ger strike forced the issue with Harper, Idle No More forces us all to confront the ugliness of our collective colo­nial history, and to recognize that colonization continues today.

It holds up a mirror to our society, questioning the historical narrative we're all taught to believe. It asks: On what values was our country founded? And, because identity is created out of that narrative: Who are we, really? And who do we want to be?

and Eagles came! When almost a thousand people demonstrated at City Hall, eagles soared overhead!

A movement spavmed by First Nation activists over indigenous rights and environmental protections in Canada has spread far and wide as Idle No More's Global Day of Action spurred round dances, speeches, and rallies as thousands took to the streets across the country Friday. ' 'The goal is to raise the profi le of the movement, demonstrate our global presence, and g ive v is ibi lity to the grow­ing momentum as a people's movement first," announced one solidari ty group associated with the movement. A major rally outside Canada's Parliament bui lding occurred as a meeting between some First Nation leaders and representatives from the Canadian government began in O ttawa. The Idle No More movement swelled to international prominence over the last month as Attawapiskat Chief

Theresa Spence, now on the 32nd day of a hunger strike, gave voice to anger over new government laws that un­dermined long-standing agreements with First Nations. Though some leaders agreed to attend a "nation to nation" meeting between First Nati on Chiefs and Canadian Prime Minister Stephe n Harper, Spence is boycott ing the meeting saying it would not meet the demands declared by the Idle No More moveme nt. " I clearly stated from the begi nning that the meeting has to include both the Governor General and the Prime Min­ister in attendance," Spence said in a statement. "We continue to push for justice, equality, and fairness for allln­d igenous peoples." Despite evidence of friction between some First Nation leaders, the Idle No More movement has in many regards outgrown specific earlier demands as a broader movement for indigenous and environmental rights has grown up around it. As Canadian activists Maude Barlow and Ken Georgetti explain: "All Canadians owe a debt of gratitude to Chief Theresa Spence's and Elder Raymond Robinson's hunger strikes. These individuals are calling attention to an into! erable s ituation a mong First Nations communi ties. They are also highlighting concerns common to many Canadi­ans about dangers posed by unilateral government actions to the natural environment and the state of our democ­racy." As part of the international day of action, indigenous people were encouraged not to buy anything Friday unless they do so on a reserve. Supporters in the United States were among those across the globe partic ipating in the #J 11 G lobal Day of Action e vents. Other solidarity actions were also planned in New Zealand, Austra lia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Hawaii, Italy, Puerto Rico, Sri Lanka and the United K ingdom.

v CH I EF SE ATTLE' S PROPHECY IS CO HING TRUE

In 1854 , the Great \Jhlte Chief in \Jash i ngto n made an offer for a la r ge a r ea of I ndian land and promised a "reserva tion" fo r Indian people. Chi ef Seattle ' s r ep l y , published he r e in full, has been described as the most beautiful a nd profound statement on the environme n t ever made.

"How do you buy o r sell the sky , the warmth of t he land? The idea is str ange t o us. If we do not m.-n the freshness of the ai r and the sparkle of the wate r how can you buy them?

Sve r y part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore , every mise in the dark woods , every clearing and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people . The sap which courses thro ugh the trees carries the memories of the red man .

fhe \Jhite Man's dead f o r get the country of their birth when they go to walk among the stars . Our dead never forget this beautifu l earth , for it is the HL ~her of the red man. We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfume d flowers are our sisters; the deer, t he horse , the great eagle, these are our brother s . The rocky crests , the j uice in the meadows , the body heat of the pony and man - al l bel ong to the same family.

til ~ot 6fil g Le.s cfil VVte So, when the Great Chief in Washington sends word that he wished to buy our ll.and, he asks much of

us. The ·at Chief sends that he will reserve us a place so that we can live comfortably to our­selves. ..-.: will be our father and we •..rill be his children. So we will consider your offer to buy our land. But it will not be easy. For this Land is sacred LO us. This shining water that moves in the streams and rivers is not just water but the blood of our ancestors. If we sell you our Land, you must remember that it is sacred, and you must teach your children that it is sacred and that each ghostly reflection in the clear water of the lakes tells of events and memories in the life of my people. The water's murmur is the voice of my father's father. The rivers of my brother, they quench our thirst. The rivers carry our canoes, and feed our children. If we sell you our Land, you must remember and teach your children that the rivers are our brothers, and yours , and you must henceforth give the rivers the kindness you would give my brother.

l~e know that the white man does not understand our ways. One portion of the Land is the same to him as the next, for he is a stranger who comes in the night and takes from the Land whatever he needs . The earth is not his brother, but his enemy, and when he has conquered it, he moves on . He l eaves his fathers' graves behind and he does not care. His father's grave and his children 's birth­right are forgotten. He treats his mother the earth and his brother the sky as things to be bought, plundered; sold like sheep or bright beads . His appetite will devour the earth and leave a desert.

I do not know. Our wa ys are different from your ways. The sight of your cities pains the eyes of t he red man. But perhaps it is because the red man is savage and does not understand .

There is no quiet place in the white man' s cities. No place to hear the unfurling of leaves in the Spring, or the rustle of an insect's wings. But perhaps it is because I am a savage and do not under­stand. The clatter only seems to insult the ears . And what is there to life if a man cannot hear the lonely cry of the whippoorwill or the argumen ts of the frogs a round a pond at night? I am a red man and do not understand. The Indians prefe r the soft sound of the wind darting over a pond , and the smell of the Wtnd itself, cleansed by a mid-day rain or scented with the pinon pine. The air is precious to the red man, fo r all things share the same brea th - the beast, the trees, the man, they all share the same breath. The white man does not seem to notice the air he breaths . Like a man dy­ing for many days, he is numb to the stench. But if we sell you our Land, you must remember that the air is precious to us; that the air shares its spirit with all the life it supports . The wind that gave our grandfather his first breath also r eceived his last sigh. And if we sell you our Land, you must keep it apa rt and sacred, as a place where even the white man can•go to taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow ' s flowers.

So we will consider your offer to buy our Land. If we decide to accept, I will make one condition : the white man must treat the beasts of this Land as his brothers.

I am a savage and do not understand any other w&y . I have seen a thousand rotting buffalo on the prairie, left by the white man who shot them from a passing train. I am a savage and do not under­stand how the smoking iron horse can be more important than the buffalo that we kill only to stay alive . What is man without the beasts? If all the beasts were gone, man would die from a great loneliness of spirit . For whateve r happens to the beasts happens to man. All t:·.ings are connected.

You must teach your children that the ground beneath their feet is the ashes of our grandfathers . So that they will respect the Land, tell your child ren what we have taught our children , that the earth is our }!other . Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. If men spit upon the ground, they spit upon themselves .

This we know: the earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the earth. This we know. All things are connected like the blood which unites our family. All things are connected . Whatever befalls the ear th befalls the sons of the earth . ~mn did not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. 1./ha tever he does to the web , he does to himself.

Even the white man, whose God walks and talks with him as friend to friend, cannot be exempt from t he common destiny. I.Je may be bro thers after all. l-Ie shall see . One thing we know , which the white man may one day discover: our God is the same God. You may think now that you own Him as you wish t o own our land. But you cannot. He is the God of man, and His compassion is equal for the red man and the white . This ea rth is precious to Him, and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its Creator . The Whites too shall pass; perhaps sooner than all other tribes. Contaminate your own bed , and you will one night suffocate in your own waste . But in your perishing you will shine brightly, fired by the s trength of the Cod who brought you to this Land and for some special purpose gave you dominion over this Land and over the red man. That destiny is a mystery to us, for we do not under­stand when the buffalo are all slaughtered, the wild horses are tamed, the secret corners of the forest heavy with scent of many men, and the view of the ripe hills blotted by talking wires . ~1ere is the thicket? Gone. I./here is the eagle? Gone . The end of living and the beginning of survival."

ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS

473, RUE ALBERT STREET qt. FLOOR I q· l: l AGE

OTTAWA ON KIR 5B4 (6131 ~41-6789 telephone I telephone (613) 241-5808 fa., I telecop•eur

RNDAi\lENTAL CHAI'\GE, REI\'lEDIES AND ACTIONS REQUIRED FOR FIRST NATIONS IMMEDIATELY

Emerging from First Nations dialogue and strategy sess io!ls on Januar~y 9-lO, 2013 in Ottawa the following are the elements of consensus as reflected at the conclusion of the discussion:

• Commitment to an immediate high level worki ng process with Treaty Nation leadership for establishing frameworks \.\~th necessary mandates for the implementation and enforcement of Treat ies on a Treaty by Treaty basis, between the Treaty parties Nation­to-Nation.

• Facilitating fair, exped itious resolution of land claims through refonning the comprehensive claims policy based on recognition. and affinnation of inherent rights rather than extinguishment

• Resource Equity, Benefit and Revenue Sharing- building on treaty implementation and enforcement and comprehensive claims resolution there must be a framework that addresses shared governance of resource development and the fair sharing of all forms of revenues and benefits generated from resource development.

• All legislation must be unquestionably consistent with s.35 of the Canadian Constitution and the UNDRlP. Legislation and provi sions of legislation as in C-38 and C-45 that contravene our Treaty and inherent ri ghts mvst be reconsidered and implementation of these provisions be put to a halt. We must have an environmental regulatory regime in this country that r~spects our rights. Legislation that tinkers around the edges of the Indian Act must stop and be replaced with support fo r First Nation government and nation re-building including a mechanism for our Nations to push away from the Indian Act as they detennine. To fulfill the original re lationship, Canada must put in place an ongoing process that all new bi ll s and pol icies of the federal government must be in full compliance with section 35 and consistent with international human rights standards.

• Fundamentally transformed fiscal relationship guaranteeing fairness and sustainability and removing all arbitrary caps and burdens on the current mefficient, ineffective and unfair funding relationship for First Nation programs and services.

lmmechate Commitment to the establi shment of a National Public Comm1ssion of Inquiry on Violence Against Indigenous Women and Girls, including special focus on murdered

and missing Indigenous women, and the broader factors that lead to increased vulnerability among Indigenous peoples.

• Guarantee, as in Shannen's dream, of First Nation schools in every First Nation that each and every First Nations parent and ch ild can be proud of, that fully reflects our languages and c ultures and provides a safe and suppor1ive place to learn.

• In order to be effecti ve, prot:,>ress on these areas will require fundamental change in the machinery of government incl uding direct political oversight, a dedicated Cabinet Committee with a secretariat within the Privy Council Office with specific responsibility for the First Nation-Crown relationship to oversee implementation

Three Concerts in the Carnegie Theatre!!!

Wednesday, January 16th, 7 PM Collage singing a repertoire of vocal jazz, show tunes and pop from the 50s to the 90s

Wednesday, January 30th, 12:30 Shades of Desire from the Romantic to the Modern Era with Clifford Ridley, high baritone, Alina Khvatova, violin, Tatiana Khvatova, piano

Friday, February 15\ 3:00pm

Carnegie Classics presents Chamber music by Claude Debussy and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor Vancouver string quartet

'Four Strings Attached' and clarinetist Johanna Hauser

Save On Meats

The 'food that is being served to the tenants of the SRO's in the DTES side is barely edible. For exam­ple: When serving 75 residents & only providing eno ugh food for approximately 40; having the food delivered at about noon the container is left in a warm office where it gets spoiled; and this is ap­propriate to feed the poor & tenants with health issues.

Some of the staff had purchased meat from their butcher shop but when inspected, after they took it home, it was going bad. They took it back with the receipt showing it was purchased only one hrs ago.

Save On Meats did not reimburse and the costumer was stuck with the rotten meat. J

If Save On Meats is doing such a good job feeding the poor, then why make portions good for 1/2 of the tenants while the contract that they have with BC Housing gets the owner payment for feeding all of them?! The containers are like another form of feed­ing the pigs at a farm. There are no utensils, or sepa­rate containers in which each tenant can take the meal home or can be stored in a fridge so it will not spoil.

Save On Meats thinks that feeding the poor just by the amount of litres in a container that is placed into the SRO's and that they are doing such a good in the community. They're absolutely wrong! !!

The conversations from some of the tenants at nu­merous places that Save On Meats provides the food have stated that the food was very good for the 1st

month when they started th is service. Now the food is uneatable at times; sometimes the food is under cooked. I offer this for the public to see what is being forced on the poor at taxpayer's expense. This food is no better than the food that used to be served to the poor many years ago. The food that is being served to the residents in SRO's looks like the table scraps from a restaurant. If anyone could see what th is slop looks like and smells like, then find out how much Save On Meats is getting paid for a container. .. The people have no right to complain for they have

been all classified with mental issues and are delu­s ional. Also if they complain their tenancy may be jeopardized. If this is the way to treat the mentally ill and people with life-threatening diseases by feedi ng them uneatable food that the tax payer is paying fo r, it is totally wrong. If Oprah is in support of th is Save On Meats and giving the show, a 5 star rating she should try to eat what they're serving to the SRO's

. [ do understand that you cannot give 5 star food to the SRO's when Save On Meats is gett ing approxi­mately $2.25-$2.75 per tenant.

Dealing with people with health issues & the poor on fixed income and paying that kind of money for the support is totally wrong. In my opinion, when you add the amount per day and only give support to organizations that house people on income assis­tance, for one meal, this does not give a "raise" to people on income assistance.

By LUDVIC SKALICKY

(faux) Proposal to Dale D.

Cucumber mustache soup reverberations eventually subside on the ir own so I guess the sl ice of it in the landscape I never drew is not important. ..

Let me take you with me instead to yesterday' s el­bow farm juice bar where I can pretend, for awhile, with your kind consent, dear Dale, that we are des­tined for each other after all, or what is be ing cut fro arts reporting for?

My treat, no strings - or puppets either.

-Stephen Belkin

Regret Ontology

Liberation synapses fire against the grain until they've formed a chaos loop. Then we can meet again, Dorothy, my once office-friend, and lament amid small laughters what might have happened had we been living in a world where women can afford the luxury of taking what men say at face value ...

-Stephen Belkin

my Life my life, the dear me oh my, I keep trying I keep remnants morsels of the

-testing ground -breeding ground -feeding ground

the telepathic part holes of desires ofthe morality erratic tremendous tight wound-up bound up feet and hands the time-release is now the fraction the attraction the mentor left her specimen her heart broke into

tiny little pieces

Nora Kay

\ •

Life is precious Like a flower With flowers -a Ia mode

JEHa/1.

The Stone Cold Truth Part 2

I came to Vancouver in 1975. By 1976 I had run out of savings and had no place to live. At the Welfare Office though, something the intake worker said of­fended me so l left without applying. Th is was on the Friday of a long weekend so be early evening the following Monday I was hungry enough to pray to God for food. Small problem ... I was a rock-solid atheist. I 'solved' the problem by first asking God to come out of non-existence, then to answer my prayer 'for food and then go back into non-existence.

This happened while I was walking on Broadway.

Not thirty seconds after this sophistry I came upon a bus shelter bench on which someone had forgotten a smallish brown paper bag inside of which were five peaches.

The other shoe didn't drop until 1988, after what was described in the last issue happened ... Part 3 1 was manic for ten months in 1988. One night I

couldn't get to sleep so l went for a walk in the mid­dle of the night. I walked from the Brazil Hotel, where I lived, to Burrard Street. I saw a plastic bag, (again) on a bus shelter bench. Inside was the corpse of an all-white <!at. The only sign of trauma was blood caked on its slightly open mouth. It is mportant to understand that I had to ld no one about the peaches and also that I was not diagnosed with B i­POla 2 (Hypomania) until 2002. I had no idea what was happening to me ... just that 1988 was getting weirder and weirder and, t would seem, the devi l had just given me notice. [2 B cont. ]

-Stephen Belkin

When you tlnd at the end of the day That all you need to renew yourself is to pray You can say to yourself, there's a way To pick myself up and go on. You' ll find that the Lord will help you And your faith wi ll grow stronger & renew Even if you just believe it is true The wonder of it all is it will do and You'll find in yoursel f a wonderful new you.

Love, Joyce Morgan

News From The LibrarY Winter is here and it's cold outside. Ins ide the li­brary we have plenty of new books to offer our pa­trons. Among some of the more interesti ng titles are books about living and getting the help you need to survive in times of unrest.

The first book is Unstoppable, The Incredible Power of Faith in A ction. (248.86 V98u). By the way, this book has a great cover page. a picture of Nick the author surfing. For those not in the know Nick was born with no arms or legs. Unstoppable is a book about being unstoppable. It's about having fa ith in yourself, your tale nts and your purpose and, most of all, in God 's great love and His divine plan for your life. Millions around the world recognize the smil ing face and inspirational message of N ick Yu­jicic. Nick's challenges have not kept him from e n­joying great adventures, a fulfilling and meaningful career. and loving re lationships. Yuj icic has over­come trials and hardships by focusing on the prom­ises that he was c reated for a unique and specific purpose, that his life has value and is a gift to othe rs, and that no matter the despair and hard times in life, God is always present. Another book in the zone of survival is the title Joining Forces: Empowering Male Survivors to Thrive. (362.76 F79j). This is an inspirational new book written to empower male sur­vivors of sexua l victimization to develop skills they can use to overcome the effects of trauma and learn to thrive in the ir lives. Each chapter invites survivors to dare to dream that they can take another step in their heali ng process through leaving their isolation behind. This book is unique in that it is based on the experiences o f over 750 male survivors who have participated in Male Survivor Weekends of Recov­ery. Survivors and the ir allies learn they are not alone in their struggles. On the back cover there is pra ise for the author, Howard Fradkin, "Men who read it will find their inner strengths through exer­cises, storytelling, and a range of empowering affir­mations." This book is about looking after yourself, that's you, caring for yourself. A task that not many of us really do attend to which makes th is title a good read. Dancing in the Dark: How to Take Care of Yourself When Someone You Love is Depressed.

(616.8527 S78d). The author, Bernadette Stankard and her husband, Ed, have been married for forty 9 years, half of which was spent dealing w ith Ed's de­pression. Through his perseverance and their com­mitment as a couple, they have grown into good health together, real izi ng the gift of life they share, which could have been lost. This book is like a dip into resource of tried-and-true suggestions, helpful hints, and up-to-date resources for anyone whose life is affected by the depression of another. Our last title for these chilly winter evenings is, Tire A rt of Living Out Loud. ( 158.1 L879a). Healer and meta­physical teacher Meg Losey experienced her own life crisis in which she lost everyth ing--her house, her business, and her relationship and was forced to learn how to accept this devastating situation. In T he Art of Living Out Loud, Losey describes how she learned to live an authentic life, from this traumatic experience. She guides readers through the process o f coming clean with ourselves, accepting who we are, discovering our purpose and developing the courage to embody it. This book is like having at your fi nger tips someone who guides, cares and de­lights in 'you' finding and embracing your own power. Once we shed our fears, we can create our own perfect life right here from earth. As Losey, says "Shout it from the rooftops! The Art of Living , . O ut Loud is the way to leave behind baggage and become a whole, per fect, happy human being."

I have had the honour of working at the Carnegie Library for the past year and l have loved being here. As of the beginning of the new year, my time at the li brary branch ends and I am moving onto another location. I would li ke to thank the wonderful, kind people I have met this past year; volunteers, staff and the regular visi tors to the library. It has been one of the best times in my career and it is because of the people I have met at the Centre. I will miss you.

Megan, your librarian

A warning (required by law): Our new Librarian's name is Stephanie. The policy of this Branch, in keeping with the idea that libraries should be alive and uplifting, is to always hire wild animals as staff. Be on your guard for a smiling, friendly new face ...... .

Posted as comment on the Assembly of First Nations Let's just stop the flow of FREEEE CAS! I. They got their meeting and are still holding protests and set­ting up roadblocks. It's never enough for these peo­ple. It's all about ME,ME,ME. They obviously can't house ,clothe and support themselves hunting and fishing. lf they c hose to live away from jobs and op­portunity w hy should we have to pay for that c hoice? Get jobs a nd pay taxes . Carnegie Newsletter's response: Isn't it s imply adorable how a white person (maybe just say 'non-aboriginal' to be politically correct) can repeat the same tired crap after beating the life out of any conquered, crushed, colonialised person/people: "Okay, let's start from now with a clean slate. Forget ( i.e. don't be affected (or even c laim to be)) by any­thing done before now. Genoc ide through disease and outright murder, stealing your children for the concerted effort of killing their Spirit, destroying their abi li ty to speak their language and feel equal (while sexually abusing or torturing or murdering them), the fascist racism that all have experienced up until this moment... it never happened. And now that we've convinced ourselves that everything belongs to us, you might as well apply for jobs. Fear or uncer­tainty about getting one? hey, that's the way it goes; you've got to start at the bottom just like everybody e lse. - Jan uary I ?

Why Bother Me No More? Ask yourself sometime why should they even bother? when your own kids shy away knowing your dying day could be any day, who cares a nyway!? All you got to give them is worry grief and sadness that's all you got to give you don't care if or whether you live or die, we all know why what would possess someone to care for 'just another bum' always there when you don't need him why should they give a damn you obviously don't so don't be surprised when they won't call or write who wants to worry all night? Ask yourself sometime Ike

AI

While Europe's eye is fix'd on mighty th ings The fate of Empires and the fall of Kings; While quacks of State must each produce his plan. And even children lisp the Rights of Man; A mid this mighty fuss just let me mention, The Rights of Women merit some attention.

First, in the Sexes' intermix'd connection, One sacred Right of Women is, protection. The tender flower that li fts its head. elate, Helpless, must fall before the blasts of Fate. Sunk on the earth, defac'd its lovely form , Unless your shelter ward th' impending storm.

Our second Right - but needless here4 is caution, To keep that right inviolate's the fashion; Each man of sense has it so full before him, He'd die before he' d wrong it - 'tis decorum. There was, indeed, in far less polish'd days, A time, when rough rude man had naughty ways, Would swagger, swear, get drunk, kick up a riot, Nay even thus invade a Lady's quiet.

Now, thank our stars! those Gothic times are fled; Now, well-bred men - and you are all well-bred­Most justly think (and we are much the gainers) Such conduct neither spirit, wit, nor manners.

• For Right the third, our last, our best, our dearest,

That right to fluttering female hearts the nearest Which even the Rights of Kings, in low prostration, Most humbly own- 'tis dear, dear admiration! In that blest sphere alone we live and move; There taste that li fe of life-immortal love. Smiles, glances, sighs, tears, fits, fli rtations, airs; 'Gainst such an host what flinty savage dares, When awful Beauty joins with all her charms Who is so rash as rise in rebel arms?

But truce with kings, and truce with constitutions, With bloody armaments and revolutions; Let Majesty your first attention summon. Ah! ca ira! The Majesty Of Woman!

fThis poem was submitted by James McLean. He attributes it to the Scottish laureate Robby Burns.]

Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP)

Newsletter Read CCAP reports: http://ccapvancouver.wordpress.com Janua 15, 2013

Do we want a Social Justice Zone in the Downtown Eastside?

All over the world, low income areas are being gentrified and low income and vulnerable people pushed out of their neighbourhoods. Could Vancouver be different? If so, what could happen here that would respect the basic human rights of low income people to chose where they want to live and to have ba­sic needs met? Could we get the city, other levels of government, business and agencies to adopt a special Social Justice Zone in the DTES? If we did, would exactly would that mean?

Working definition of a Social Justice Zone

• A place where low [ncome and vulner­able people have a right to be and won't be pushed out;

•

•

A place where low income residents are recognized as the experts in matters that affect them and have control over decisions, services and operations that affect them;

A place where low income people and their basic human and social needs have priority over profit;

Ralf.v against Pantages condos, the first proposed condos in thP DEOD

• A place where residents work for social justice.

How could a Social Justice Zone be implemented?

Various levels of government, agencies, business and residents could all have a role.

For example, the city includes the Park Board, School Board, Police and Engi­neering Departments. It has power to pass bylaws, zone, and licence business and services. It can fund agencies and services. What can we think of that

and Rent controls. What could these branches of government do to help make a Social Justice Zone?

Business controls Business Improve­ment Associations as well as their own business decisions. This includes developers. What could they do to help make a Social Justice Zone?

Agencies could respond to the needs of the community as expressed by the community and the people who use them. These agencies include unions, housing providers, social enterprises,

Petitioning and organizing against condos in the DTES Oppenheimer District

each of these levels of the city could do Arts groups, health providers, chari-to help make a Social Justice Zone? ties, peer groups, Union of BC Indian

The Provincial Government controls transit, BC Housing, Health funding, MSP, Native Housing, Police, Welfare

2

Chiefs. What kinds of things could they do?

Funders could fund projects and groups

that the low income community pri­oritizes. These funder~ include credit unions, foundations, governments. uni versities. Who should they fund and for what?

The federal government could fund more social housing. It also controls immigration pol icy and has the ability to end the war on drugs and set up a system where drugs are legal and regulated. How 0

::&

can we organize to get z.. )':

federa l money for our "& desp~rately needed , l housmg? What can we ~ -. do about unfair immi- ~

gration and drug poli ­cies?

Where could we have a Social Justice Zone'!

(">

-:; .....

('> v>

c

placed with self contained social hous­ing. Neither area is flooded with con­dos yet. Other parts of the DTES have recently adopted offi cial plans which the city is unlikely to change. But the DEOD's plan was adopted in 1982 and

is ready for an update. The DEOD is the heart of the low income DTES. It has about 2000 SRO rooms and many services for low income people. Its residents have the lowest average in­come in the city, It is an area where low income people feel comfortable and at home and don ' t face the discrimina­tion they feel in other gentrified parts of the ---.. DTES like around

Woodwards and in Gastown.

What is the first thing we would need to

make the DEOD and Hastings

Corridors into a Social Justice

Zone? The first thing we'd need is for

the city to rezone these two parts of the DTES for

100% social housing. This would stop condos from gentri-

fying the area and give time for us to get the province and federal govern­me nts to fund some more social hous­ing for people who are homeless and live in SROs. Other parts of the DTES could be rezoned for lower percentages or socia l housing, as in thi s diagram of the c ircles of caring, done by Karen Ward. - JS

3

Fat Dragon failure a signal to all would-be gentrifiers: the DEOD is for low-income people We don' t read about it in the news when around Oppenheimer Park that has been low-income peoples' hotels close down or (and still is) considered a bridge too far upscale and tlu·ow low-income tenants out. by restaurateurs .. . There is a community And there was no public outcry, twitter here. and a strong one at that, but it has trend, or feature articles when Flowers to face a daily gnarliness that no other or Uncle Henry 's closed down. Not so neighbourhood in the city has to contend for Fat Dragon restaurant, a short-lived with." The community Scout Magazine Uust lO months) and boutique restaurant was talking about was the restaurant-across from the Downtown Clinic going. architect studio working and beside the ~~~ one; the majority Living Room ·• low-income on Powell St. community was Like the more recent second gentrification

the ''gnarliness" those others had to face.

When the expenstve boutique

of the Walforf Hotel thi s restaurant has received the full media treatment and analysis throughout its life and death. The media and restaurant-going class are interested in the story

Fat Dragon was next to the Living Room on .__,.,,.,c..,

Chinese fusion restaurant's closure was announced in late December these

same commentators

of Fat Dragon because it is a story of how gentrification can fail.

Fat Dragon was important to gentrifi er cu lture when it opened because they saw it as the frontier of boutique culture. When it opened in February 2012 Scout Magazine encouraged diners to go eat there even though " this section of the DTES

4

mourned. Scout Magazine (which carried 11 stories on Fat Dragon in 10 months) blamed middle-class perceptions about the Downtown Eastside as reason for the restaurant's failure. "It's unfortunate that a lot of Vancouver diners still dread the core of the Downtown Eastside as if it were an urban Hades, a place where their cars would be broken into by crack add icts and their persons robbed

by HIY-infected need le-point..."

The main point in these commentaries is that Fat Dragon was trying to serve and create a community of restaurant­goers that is different than (and hosti le to) the majority low-income commun1ty around Fat Dragon. The failure, all the newspapaers agree, was clue to the unwillingness and cliscomfon of these diners to venture into the Oppenheimer district. The remedy they suggest is the further gentrification of the area to make it more comfortable for shoppers and diners .

Introducing King Mong CCAP intern, Spring '13 Hi everyone! My name is King-mong

Chan and I'll be a practicum student with CCAP from January until early

April. Last year, I had the opportunity

to do my practicurn at First United

Church; drawn by the spirit and

inspiration from this

community, this year

I am excited to back

in this neighbourhood

again. T'm currently in the final year of

my bachelor degree in social work. I am eager to learn from

all of the people here

in this community

The lesson of Fat Dragon for would-be gentrifiers and for the DTES low·-income community is that gentrification can fail. While the failure of Fat Dragon was a tiny catastrophes for one or two investors and a handful of workers, far more significantly it protects the character of the DTES Oppenheimer District as a predominately low-income community. Vancouver has more than enough neighbourhoods that welcome and celebrate boutique restaurants and designer condos. The failure of Fat Dragon says, not here. The DTES Oppenheimer District is a social justice zone . - 10

(including those who are reading this

-like you!) as I stand in so lidarity

with you all in our fight for justice.

So enough about me . .. I want to get to know you as well! So if you see me

at Carnegie Centre or on the streets of

the neighbourhood, please stop me and

say hi; I would love to meet you and

hear what you have to say!

5

Gentrification and pipelines: What's the connection?

What's the connection between gen­trification in the Downtown Eastside and the fight against oi l pipelines in the interior of BC?

That was the topic at a town hall meet­ing at Carnegie on Jan. 8th. The meet­ing was sponsored by the DTES Not for Developers Coalition to muster support for a demonstration against the En­bridge Pipeline project on Jan. 14th.

Melina Laboucan-Massimoof the Lubi­con Cree Nation spoke by phone to the 50 or so people at the Town Hal l about what the Tar Sands projects are doing to her land. There is "no hunting cause the land is cut off or contaminated," she said, noting that three tumours were found on the carcass of a recently killed moose. "We can't access our traditional medicines and have elevated rates of

6

cancer and respiratory illness'' because of contamination. Maximo said that the tailings ponds from the tar sands are "hundreds of kilometers long and leach into the water table" with chemicals that cause cancer. Some communities have to have bottled water delivered to them because they can't drink local water.

What does this have to do with gentri­fication? When indigenous people are displaced from their land because they can't maintain their way of life or find a way of supporting themselves, some of them find their way to the DTES. Now gentrification in the DTES is increas­ing land prices and rents and displacing people again from the DTES commu­nity they are building.

Be a Starr of the Power of Women told the group that she was from the Helsiuk

Nation in Bella Bella which the oil tankers will pass if the pipelines are allowed. Bea said she didn't want to lose abalone, sea urchins and sea weed that are traditional foods of her people.

Mercedes Eng read a statement from the Not for Developers Coali­tion, 1n solidarity with people who are fight-

•:r.· ' -

ing the pipelines. "Low . . income people in the Ltstenmg to speakers at the Pipelines & Gentrification forum

DTES have never consented to condos in opposing Prime Minister Stephen and gentrification," she said. Harper's legislation and fighting

homelessness."What's happening to

Herb Varley, who chaired the meeting, noted that displacement, whether in the Alberta Tar Sands or DTES is "usually preceded by dehumanizing the people who are about to be displaced." Before contact, he said, taking indigenous land was "justified" by saying indigenous people were ''savages." "Now its ok to push people out of the DTES because they're called 'drunks,"' he explained.

Robert Bonner said he was pleased with the amount of young people com­ing out to Idle No More events, and encouraged everyone to get involved

aboriginal people is happening to every­one," he said.

Massimo told the crowd that her people were resisting the oil corporations by doing public education, speaking to par­liaments in England and Norway, edu­cating investors about how to disinvest

' lobbying politicians, having teach-ins and blockades and even one court case against Shell. "\Ve feel a lot of support," she said, "But a lot more needs to be done." - JS

7

CCAP volunteer meetings starting up again Fridays at 11:30 for lunch Third floor of Carnegie, classroom 2 Talk and action about • getting more & better housing • getting higher incomes • slowing gentrification • plus what you think is important

~llD­

Help fight for your community and have fun too! *For Downtown

Eastside residents onlv

Some websites to look at http://ccapvancouver.wordpress.com/ Virtually everything we're up to at CCAP gets posted on this blog. Click on the reports tab to read CCAP's reports.

http://dtesnotfordevelopers.wordpress.com Website for the Downtown Eastside Not for Developers Coalition and the campaign to stop the Sequel 138 condos on the 1 00-block

http://raisetherates.org/ See the Raise the Rates website for updates on the campaign to raise welfare and basic wages in BC and the fight for justice, not charity!

8

• van ·uver Vanc1ty foundation

Support for this project does not necessarily imply Vancity or Vancouver Foundation's endorsement of the

findings or contents of this newsletter

" ... a kind of formless, bizarre despair overlaid with a veneer of glossy hope & good intentions concealing a power stru­ggle- to-the-death coated with a quality of continual confusion ... "

··we must develop .:m ideology, a ~ommon theme,

"If only one person follows such guid­ing principles this is a better universe. It is never a question of justice. Just­ice requires resort to law and that can be a .fickle mist r ess, subject always to the whims & prejudices of those who ad­minister the laws. No, it is a question of fairness, a concept which goes much deeper. The people upon whom judgement

that keeps us l:ogether. Given the ~eneral feeling that Ne are losing ::ontrol over our :ives and :::ommunities ... it seems that a logical theme is that ~f democratizing :;an ad ian society."

is passed must feel the f a irness of it."

"Most discipline is hidden discipline, designed not t o liberate but to limit. Do not ask Why? Be cautious with How? Why? leads inexoribly to paradox. How? traps you in a universe of cause and ef­fect. Both deny the Infinite."

"The Spirit is more than words , more than law . Th e Sp irit must always be that inner outrage against the complacently powerful, against t he charlatans and the dogmatic fanatics. It is that inner out­rage which must h ave its say because t h e Spirit teaches us one thing above all others: that humans can only endure in a fraternity of social justice ."

"What is law? Contr ol? Law filters cha­os, and what filters through? Serenity? Law - our h ighest ideal and our basest nature. Don't look too closely at the l aw. Do, and you'll find the rationaliz­ed interpretations, the legal causistry, the precedents of convenience. You'll find the serenity, wh ich is just another word fo r death. " (Herbert)

"More and more social change groups are recognizing the need to go beyond changing govern­ments. They aim to change the whole of society: the way power is distributed, the social values, and the way people can take part in decisions that affect their lives."

"Once upon a time, there were four peo­ple named Everybody, Somebody, Nobody & Anybody. When there was an important job to be done, Everybody thought that Some­body would do it, Anybody could've rdone it, but Nobody did it. \fuen Nobody did it, Everybody got angry

because it was Everybody's job . Every­body thought that Somebody would do it, but Nobody realised that Nobody would.

So it ended up that Everybody blamrd Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done in the first place ."

VIOLATING CITY OF Vancouver bylaws by sleep­ing on the streets or doing illegal vending may be­come a lot more costly. Staff are recommending a 400-percent increase in maximum fines, from the current amount of $2,000 to a stiff $10,000. The proposed hike covers 42 bylaws. It is subject to a public hearing on Tuesday (January 15) .

While counc illors are required to remain neutral on matters being taken up at public hearings, Vision Vancouver councillor Geoff Meggs agreed to explain the context in which this measure is being deliber­ated. According to Meggs, the increase brings the c ity's fines in line with changes made to the Van­couver Charter in 2009.Meggs also noted that, based on a report prepared by staff, profits made by those who violate by laws far exceed in many cases the fines the city levies. These infractions include illegal parking and advertising on the sides of buildings.

The bylaws covered by the suggested fine increase are grouped into three categories: operation & man­agement of businesses; building safety, land use and development, and property maintenance; and use of public spaces a nd conduct of individuals. Two of these bylaws are being challenged in court

by Pi vot Legal Society on behalf of a homeless man who was ticketed by police and engineering staff several times. "Obviously $ 10,000 is quite severe and impossible to pay for a homel ess person, and so is $2,000," Pivot lawyer Scott Bernste in told the Straight by phone. " It sucks that much more, but it's st ill something that they won' t be able to pay." It's outrageous that Vancouver City Hall has made it

a Crime to be Poor! Charging a Homeless person any a mount of money much less $10,000 is discrimina­tory against the Indigent. Why not charge that for illegal parking? Because it's as ridiculous as fines in the $ 10,000 range for being poor. It's also uncons titutional I hope people and the Pivot Legal Society take each ticket they get and file a Law Suit in the BC S upreme Court for Violation of Con­stitutional Rig hts & any other violations including Discrimination. [Rolf saw this in the Georgia Straight. How many peo­ple selling stuff laid out on the sidewalk in the DE make $2K or $10K doing it?!? "In many cases" as Meggs says, means vendors somewhere, everywhere, anywhere but here ... }

Downtown Eastside Volunteer Tutor/Facilitator Conference

"Sharing and Supporting Ideas on Adult Learning in Our Community" Wednesday, January 30th, 2013; 9 am-12:30 pm

UBC Learning Exchange (612 Main St.)

This is an exciting opportunity to connect with tu­tors and facilitators volunteering in the Downtown Eastside com munity. Small group discussions wi ll allow partic ipants to share and hear different experi­ences and ideas about how to support adult learning in the Downtown Eastside. T here will also be pres­entations by educators working in the community about activities and resources you can use as a tutor or fac ilitator. Registration: The conference is free, and includes refreshments and lunch. If you would like attend, please complete the on-line registra­tion. Space is limited, and preference will be given to volunteer tutors and facili tators, as well as educators, working in Downtown Eastside community. Call for leaders of small group discussions: As a volunteer tutor or facilitator in the Downtown East­s ide community, do you have a story-- of success or challenge--that you would like to share with a small group of other volunteers and get their feedback on? If you would like to lead a 30-minute small group discussion (LO minutes sharing your story, 20 min­utes leading a discussion), please:

!.Write about an experience you've had as a volun­teer tutor or facilitator (I or 2 paragraphs).

2. Think of a few discussion questions related to your story.

3. Send your story and discussion questions to An­gelika Sellick (DTES Literacy Outreach Coordina­tor) at sellick.angelika@gmail.com by Friday, January II . (http://www.dteslit.blogspot.ca/ under 'Community workshops').

Best, Angelika Sellick Literacy Outreach Coord inator

DTES Adult Literacy Roundtable

Job Posting: Downtown Eastside Literacy Coordinator

:\bout the Position The DTES Adult Literacy Roundtable is seeking an independent contractor for the position of Literac} Outreach Coordinator in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. The role is to support action around the "Strengthening Literacy in the Downtown Eastside" plan (ava ilable at http:{ fdtes lit.blogspot.ca under 'Resources'). This plan came out of a community plann ing process around I iteracy. organized by the DTES Adult Literacy Roundtable in 2010.

The ro le of the Literacy Outreach Coordinator is about being a communicator and community builder, bringing people together, and creating momentum for strengthening literacy in the neighbourhood.

This position is funded through Decocta Literacy Solutions (http://decoda.ca). The successful candidate will work closely with diverse members of the community and extensively with members of the Downtown Easts ide Adult Literacy Roundtable.

Using the community literacy plan as a guide. the Literacy Outreach Coordinator will be a key player in strengthening literacy in the Downtown Eastside by:

Increasing communication, collaboration, partnership and awareness Fostering involvement. excitement and participation in literacy initiatives Participating in working group meetings and other community gatherings, inc luding attending monthly DTES Adult Lite racy Roundtable meetings and meetings/trainings organized by Decocta Literacy Sharing relevant information and tools with community members and groups (for example, by mainta ining and developing content for the DTES Adult Literacy website) Increas ing literacy opportuniti es and resources, including facilitating the distribution of funds made available by Decocta Literacy, and time providing, writing s mall grant proposals Preparing reports and documentations as requested by Decocta Literacy

Qualifications Respect for and di rect knowledge of the DTES communi ty-Downtown Eastside residents arc strongly encouraged to apply Demonstrated understanding of the guiding principles visions and goals of the DTES literacy plan and subsequent updates to the plan Demonstrated knowledge, understanding and experience in literacy and community-building Friendly, upbeat people person who practices a strength-based and inclusive approach Excels at creating rapport and bringing diverse groups together around a common goal Abil ity to work independently and balance focus with flexibility (previous experience working as an independent contractor is an asset) Adept at partnerships, group processes, and navigating multifaceted dynamics Ability to organize, innovate, problem-solve and stick with complex and long-term processes Outstanding li stening. s peaking and assertiveness ski lls Strong promotional, media, report, and grant writing skills

Ability to use a computer and the internet as a tool for community-building Practice of self-care and work/life balance Terms $22/hour, 45 hours per month. One month unpaid holiday, and two vveeks unpaid holiday in December. This position is for one year. and possib ly longer if funding is avai lable.

Closing date: Tuesday, January 29, 201 3 Interviews: I" or 2" week of February Start date: March 2013 Please send your cover letter. resume and the names/contact information of three references to:

Downtown Eastside Adult Literacy Roundtable c/o Angelika Sellick E-mail: sell ick.angelikal@gmail.com

PROSPECTS The messenger finally arrived kind of stoned but still alive we get to live but how many secretly hoped Doomsday Night would be tor real , that useless PM Harper man says Canad ians always help anyway we can yes we do but why does he make it look like his victory? There are 34 million people and counting who help make these deals, like loosening the Gun Laws 'one in every stroller' lots more as your senses begin to fail from getting older; what's up Harper, did you wake up to find you have no pulse? Aston­ishingly moral, blameworthiness is your stock and trade that bad day you became PM you and yours knew you had it made- those living below the Pov­erty Line mean less than nothing any and every per­son different are evil then they I mean us are a blem­ish on the Earth, as our figurehead you should give it a shake loose change future paycheques I guess those accountability checks got lost somewhere down the I ine oh well 4-star hotels are only a little better than painted-twice-yearly park benches except maybe trading your life in for death then anyone deemed " no one" is SOMEONE & the rich get richer but we get the big picture .. it's the Selfishists using their manicured hands who one day will be the ones clean­ing then clearing out- take your brood ofthug/ite kids your mistresses now make sure to do a good job (there might be a test), how quickly we slow down this maximum speed of light we are all prospects o f dust in this entity called Progress and Life; the Fu­ture is Friendly as the weight on my bra instem of some Tough Cop's knee, the poor are given S·wiss cheese & bank accounts while your fountain of mis­information keeps you up to date you ' re just notal­lowed to take any out. The Self-Harmony Symphony begins to burn and bleed, you force-feed me novacain & Abel I am just another to be labeled like that messenger back apiece l take it we are the coffee with cremation for me and you, everyone deemed useless will be gone . .. The Onepercenters who can afford to live in an apocalyp­tic zoo, they were right when they lamented the liv­ing would envy the dead (do I sense emotional de­feat?) Who will shovel the bodies like they were snow so that one percent can come and vis it you, if anyone had actually survived you'd think that they would have cleaned up a little it's kind of scary outs ide-

that was one hell of hellish year and another one starts as if nothing happened in the last couple thou­sand years but things happened and much, much more awaits yo u and me, we are the prospects of our time and this place we can help or cover it up w ith negativity and lies and 7 billion pieces of waste it's like saving thunder for a rainy day, from civil tongues to civil wars if you're going to make every day garbage day; I will pass because I've seen it be­fore for once words fail me for l can think of every­thing and have a bsolutely nothing to say. Collectively we have fiddled at the edge of effective­ness while hope and relief burn down. Once again how much longer will ignorance drive us to our end has somebody/anybody learned anything those screams of s ilence pretty we ll sum mankind up. When they s tart tearing planets up Earth will be the first to go do not ask me you yourself should know the scariest thought is that some of you think I make these horrors up ... sometimes I do don't you do it too? or can you shut the rest of everything out?? that would be cool too

By ROBERT McGILLIVRAY "He who overcomes by force has overcome but half his foe." -John Milton

My love has beautiful eyes,so dark Mine are blue. My love has skin, a golden shade of honey, mine is pale, freckled.

Our love, like a roller coaster of highs and lows. Finding in each other a common need for love,hugs,walks,talks. '

Sharing past pains. future dreams. Someone to wrinkle with, someone to be alone with.

We birth alone, We die alone.

So hold my hand, lets share , my love Lets walk my love ..

Until we say goodbye my love ..

Sheila Baxter

PUNCHING BAG PEOPLE

Look at all the black flowers that grow way up in the sky, very beautiful indeed; like being in charge of the crowd at a Middle East Honour Killing Wedding -very unsettling as guests light the human bonfire then it's time to leave, like the band playing on the Titanic to the very end kind of romantic, sad songs are the strongest sending ice-cold shivers down my spine, with a fistful of fingernails in my mouth and the scars of youth covering wrists from north to south this acidic sea of humanity sweeps across this reflection ofloss called Mankind. Mother Nature and Nostradamus have been yakking up quite a storm but in all honesty we don't need them ... we have been destroying each other since this entity called Time was born, welcome if you will to the end of the world: The Committee have invited us all with front row seats to the End of The World Ball and a free 1 Lived Here Once t-shirt! My, how neat!! Now re­member any survivors (for sure) will have their S. I.N. burnt into their skin, like a Jewish hammer & nail store our destiny will have nothing whatsoever to do with race/colour/religion or war

We are the PUNCHING BAG PEOPLE, those Tough guys in their Tough trucks staring with Tough eyes & smoking Tough cigarettes exhaling with Tough nostrils wi ll have to cry elsewhere cuz they no longer fit in; back to that excuse for a party you can have an Exhaust-Fume sandwich - urn , you can start without me I was the only one drinking cough syrup at Jonestown, no Kool-aid just my bottled si­lence that I drank every day for 15 years hey us Punching Bag People took a lot of shite did yours ever stop?

All those days with the dark turned on one person's catastrophe is another person's opportunity, days that turned into years with everyone telling you it's your problem!? Time Out: stop Stop STOP!!! We simply

have no time for ignorance like skytrain terrorists or brain-dead drug laws from Guzzling Responsibly selfishists- you know if the world stopped here I could li ve with that.

People could have jobs instead of taking up valuable space in jail how dare others tell you and me what we can and can't do, what we can and can't inhale! Your lack of common sense never amazes me when it fails, overpriced government scuz you and your kind will one day be our Unwelcome mat; future generations will read about our struggle with baited breath they'll turn the page to see what who and how we dealt with such massive turmoil and unrest the answer won't be money, land destruction or interna­tional fame but like anyone e lse my guess is as bad or worse than yours.

Now if l was a fictional superhero with all my non -existent superpowers I'd be Superficial Man of course my lair would be behind those beautiful black flowers where it rarely shines and almost always pours, there are mornings where just crawling through the broken windows of opportunity make me break out in blood (Has this happened to you (thought so)) We are PUNCHING BAG PEOPLE. I'm a bit like you and you' re a bit like me & that's the way it is, like a football referee beino taken off the

• b

field on a stretcher to a standing ovation from a sick-ening crowd of future Hannibal Lectors while we get bullied punched pushed around and how much more of this wretched drudgery can you take safe envi­ronments for people like us just don't exist...

Like the face that launched a thousand fists we all sort of fit that description it seems whatever they take if they'd asked we probably would have been happy to give .. next time a Thug Lite bully grabs you by the throat offer to cover up that quicksand with a coat; his shoe-size I Q wouldn't know a help­ing hand from a fist , now for some every day is just another dimension of Hell soon there will be flatbed paramedic-type trucks with people on top adminis­tering Last Rites (now there's a growing industry!) As for us i will say a little prayer to the gods that believe in me however fastidious remote and tor­tured this world becomes miraculousless memories sometimes remind you: "I won't get screwed up to­day." is there somewhere on your No more PUNCH­ING BAG PEOPLE and Other Maybes li st.

By ROBERT McGILLIVRAY

CRUNCH~ cl"tes Ac,kro/J :rNGulRY CoNCJ.UStoNS

- -" " '\

\

0 1<, w£ Ao~rr Py ~uT f wAS 51.-o? ' \ R£

AI L£AS1 W£ ~E . . SLOW·

• lr Carnegaec NEWSLETTER .

THIS NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION· OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION

Articles represent the views of individual contributors and not of the Association.

WANTED Artwork for the Carnegie Newsletter

Small illustrations to accompany articles and poetry • Cover art- Max. Size 17 cm(6. ?")wide x 15cm(6")high

Subject matter pertaining to issues relevant to the Downtown Eastside, but all work considered. Black & White printing only. Size restrictions apply (i.e. If your piece is too large, it will be reduced and/or cropped to fit.) All artists will receive credit for their work. Originals will be returned to the artists after being copied for publication. Remuneration: Carnegie Volunteer Tickets

Never doubt that a small group of tl:\Qughtful committed citizens can change the world. Indeed. it is the only thing that ever has. Margaret Meade

Next Issue: SUBMISSION DEADLINE

TlJESDAY, JANUARY 29th

Jenny Wai. Ching Kwan MLA Working for You

1070 - 16~1 Commercial Dr, VSL 3Y3 Pho_oe: 604-775-0790 1

Please make submissions to Paul Taylor, Editor. .... _. --- ··-'- c --· -· -- WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION www.carnoews.or~

http://chodarr.org/taxonomy/term13 · • •

Cost-effective computer and IT support fc • non-profits :r • VCN Tech Team http :/itechteam .vcn .bc~b • Call778-724-0826 _ext 2

•

AIDS POVERTY HOMELESSNESS VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN TOTALITARIAN CAPITALISM IGNORANCE and SUSTAINED FEAR

Jim Dewar has been publishing his insightful cartoons in the Carnegie Newsletter for several years and has put together some of his favorites to create a unique calendar about the issues facing the DTES. His CRUNCH CALENDARS are available for $10 and make a great gift. Contact Jim at jimdewarll@gmail.com if you're interested. You can also find them at Windows Community

Art Shop, 7 West Hastings Street.

Don Morrison, a Native Elder, phoned asking that due recognition be given to Brian Ngyen who Don names as the owner of AAA Hearing. A fellow elder was having great difficulty getting any help from established sources to pay for a hearing aid. Whether this particular aid has to be custom-made or special or is a new breakthrough in the technology, Don didn' t say; he only knew it cost $3000 and no one would help. Brian Nguyen paid $3K out of his own pocket to help the elder! Don thought the wider community should know.

Alex and I open pit-mine harper's greedy rotten guts We mercilessly dredge-out his non-conscience ruts

Whilst chief spece slowly dies of colonialism New pipeline is planned across this dying land

All to generate greedy megabucks grand Petulant, impotent power-grabs for mega Rich!

So the 2% can cannibalize our world even more Squeezing out essence of all of us real people.

Yes, Harper CAN serve even more 'terms.' As naive voters fuck themselves yet again.

And Kanada sinks like bloated supertanker Into Harper's vile ocean of Moneylust!

As corrupt politicos play monopoly with our lives And our dubious polluted Orwellian futures.

So tuck you harper, go tuck queenEiizabeth'sjeweledMass Up her fat, wrinkled, upperclass LondonBridge Ass!

john alan douglas

Hldear friend you are amazing I know there is a carnegie when you are there at your com-puter .. holding the fort with many others .. .. . There is a new kid on the block the new paper, which has its own place, does a good job,,,brings out the issues. For me though, how I enjoy the simplicity of our

news letter, a place for new poets to be discov­ered .. .. A person feeling powerless has a letter printed ... brings on a really good feeling ..... . may 3o ~ears later I still get excited to see my writing pub-lished by you ...... lt feels like HOME .. .. ... hugs sheila ps you can publish if you want,,,hugs and best wishes to you and yours ... ----- Original Message -----From: Paul Taylor To: 'Sheila Baxter' Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2012 4:41 PM Subject: RE: to paul taylor from sheila baxter ...

Thanks Shei la. The coloured section in the December 15 issue is called "Volunteers of the Carnegie Newsletter." On collation-day it finally dawned on me that the non-contributors didn' t have their due recognition in that listing- those who have done the collation/stapling/folding and distribution over the years were not included. There were also some peo­ple whose names weren't in there, and the people who have donated money deserve recognition as well. In the January 151

h issue another insert will be incl~ded to get everyone 's name. Even when making the list and then typing names into the computer, it was only then that I realised I'd bad 'senior's mo-ments'- under J no Jean Swanson; under B no Bud Osborn. Good thing we 're all imperfect! That's where the beauty of being human really shines.

Paul

~. ~ry price war may be in the cards with Target coming

[Editor's note: The next page completes Volunteers of the Carnegie Newsletter. 1986-2012, printed in the December 15,2012 issue.] Experts from the University

of Guelph believe that Canadian grocery store chains will engage in a price war over the next few years, particularly due to the ar­rival of'l'arget in 2013.

"Grocery store chains

are making preparations, because Target will also be selling food, and Walmart is opening super-centres in order to sell more food," says Dr. Sylvain Charlebois, an economics professor. According to him,

Loblaws is the grocery storechainthatwillfeelthe most pressure, as Sobeys, which owns IGA, will be the supplier for Target, and because Metro already has. high profit margins.

-CARL RENAUD

Donors of Money CCPA George H CEEDS George Y

Abby K Celeste W Glen B Ad busters Cement Masons Glenn & Shelly Adult Ed. Census workers Gram Agnes Charles F Greta P Alastair C Charley B Guy M Alayne K Charlotte F Harley R A let Christopher R Harold & Sharron D Alexandra L Cindy C Harvey B AliciaM Colin C Hazel M AmyE Community Builders Helene S Anita S Connie H Herman L Ann T CoV Planning Dept. Holden Hotel Anne CoV Social Policy Huddy R Annette R cs Humanities 101 Archie M CUPE Local15 I MacL Art VL Dara C IUTW Audrey Darren L Jancis A AW Dave M Janet W B Dreadlocks DavidS Janice P Bake sale BC Cancer DE Literacy Roundtable Jaqueline L Barbara & Mel L Debbie Jasmine G Barbara M DERA Jay H Barry M DevonS Jaya B BC PLURA DEY AS JB BCCW Diane MacK JE BCTF Donald F Jean B Bea F Donald M Jennifer M Ben C Doug S Jenny K BertT Eleanor B Jerome Beth B Eleanor K Jill I Beth L Elizabeth M JimG Biii G Ellen W Jo's Mom Bill S Elsie MeG Joan D BobS EmilE Joan T Bonnie F Eric E Joanna N Bonnie McD Essop M Joanne G Bonnie S Ethel W Joanne H Brenda B Etienne S JohnS Brenda P Eve E Joy T Brian EveS Judy E Brian H First United Church Julie B Brigid R FLAWs K'lemG Bruce D Forest Lawn Cemetery Kay F Bruce G Four Sisters Co-op Keith C Bruce J Frances Kyla R Bruce MacD Francis Laila B Bryce R Gabor M LaurieR Buss Gail C Law Library

Lazara Press PEACH The Edge collective LBT Peak House The Fire Bug Leah H Peggy The Kettle Learning Centre Penny & Tim The Old Sailor Learning Centre tutors Penny G The Rockingguys Legal Aid PeterT Thomas B Leslie S Phoenix W Tim S Libby D Phyllis L Tom D Lillian & George Phyllis T Tri-City Capital Linda F PRIDE U'mista Linda K Rape Relief Val A Liz S Ray Valerie B Liza E RayCam Vane Mental Patients Assoc. Lome T Rene F Vane Moving Theatre Lou Rhinos VanCity Chinatown Louise's Mom Rhizome Cafe Van-MtP NDP LSS Rich P VEDC Luba P Richard M Vishva M Luis P RickY W2 LV Rob D Wendy P Maggie R Robert MeG WesK Margaret D Roberts ALC Wilfrid B Margaret P Rolf A Wilhelmina M Margi S Rosemary Z William B Marilyn S Rotary Club of Chinatown WilliamC Marion S Sabitri G William F Marsha D Sage WillisS MaryC Salvation Army Chilliwack Wisconsin Historical Society Matt Sam R X Maureen K Sam an Yukiko T Maureen R Sandy C Yvonne S Maxine T Sarah E

Publication Crew Megan L Sarah K Mennonite CC Sharon J Bill Loiselle Michael C Sheila B Harold Asham Michelle C Sheila K Harold David Mike B Shyla S Jackie Humber Nancy H Shymala G Willie Miles-Harriman Nancy J Smithers Secondary School Mary Ann Cantillon NancyW Solder & Sons Cafe Miriam Naomi N Sonia M Videha Nathan E Stephen H Liu Lyun Chan Neil M SteveR Red Neil N Stuart M Lisa David Oly (Sven) Sue H Dan Feeney Pad ely Sue K Jean Swanson Pam B Susan S Sandy Cameron Patrick F Susan S Nick PaulO Terry & Savannah Robyn Livingstone Paula & Mendel R Terry T PauiR Tavlor