FREE - Donations accepted. .

\ S T -.- -4 . -- - -- r6,eL-J N E W S L E T T E R &

6 7 Main St, Vancouver V6A 2T7

SEPTEMBER 1,2005

Govmmnt mlfare sUs prove what we knew . . and they denied

The BC government says that about 1 O7,OOO fewer people are on welfare now than when the NDP was in power. Andrew M B c L ~ , who writes for Monday Magmire in Victoria and The Tyee on line has an htemtiq article about exactly how the government is cutting tbe numbers of people on welfare. You can read the whole article at

MacZeod rmes information obtained &om Freedom of Information quests. He says, 6mt of all, that between June 2002 end Jan. 2005,6,065 people left the welfare rolls because they died. Naturally the Ministry doesn't koep staQl an why they died $ d o n ? Hopeleam~? Homelqams? ~ L G o d a a y a t h e ~ Q e s n * t \ w e t h s p ~

"denied weIfmn when leseping its statistios. Instead

they apply for welfare

~~ (*01fi0db9 Fy 2005, d- . test: 764

eta without

Person under the age of 19: 175 Non-compliance-job search: 1 1 1 Quit/Fired/Refusd employment: 54 Fails to m& employment obligations: 20 Nm pursuit of hmme: 7 Nmampliant with employment plan: 2 :

udent in school--sewn* and post secmdw, In prisonhalf-way house: 22 On reserve: 18 Non-mmpliance--refused request for informa- --.I

tion: 90 No Social Insurance Number provided: 23 No identification provided: 10 Infixmation false--no contact: 24 Immigration status is non-Canadian, non perm- '

nent resident or not protected (refugee): 13 Immigration-sponsorship breakdown: 7 By client request--mm unknown: 122

If these numbers seem really low, it's probably be- cause the Ministry doesn't even count people as ap- plicants unless they've completed the mandatory 3 week wait and job search. An article in Mon* I

Magmine last year reported that about 3000 people a I

month who made initial inquiries about welfare did- n't continue their application after the 3-week wait. Here is the list of reasons people leave weIfare,

againfkomtheMimstryviaMaoLeod: I !

No resrponse to cheque hold or letter: 50,850 1 Cheque rehpned, no client contact: 5,865 Obtained employment: 37,404 Moved out of province: 6,325

i Person deamd 6,065

nent resident or not p r o w

In other words it appears that the government was bending the bur)l when it claimed that welfare rolls were lower because so many people were getting jobs. In f q MacLoal says that Victoria research- ers Peter Adam and Cathy Tait say that the number of people on weIfare who are expected to work has declined sharply "because of changes in government policies with respect to eligibility and benefits."

By Jean Swanson

Takin it down to $hi@ hall gonna tell em off y a'll

summer been here almost gone drugs on Hastings East dusk till dawn

bring yer yoyo's bring yer dolls come complain to shitty hall

takin it down to $hitty hall get ta geta one and all

Can't buy food past 1 am children sold 112 price way past 10

drink ta 3 am have a ball ya know ya slay me $hit@ hall

Takin it down to $hitty hall show our poverty at da 201 0 ball

throw all poor in da street rich visitors have forest cake to eat we1 less jump off da wall

Ig . stop shitty hall

wn to $hitty hall pohuc; .,, Ie in films spring ti1 fall

police car movie show on Carrall street Hastings and Nain da dealers ya meet

Carnegie patrons beg your gall stop this stop this $hitty hall

Takin it down to $hit@ hidl PNE yer new slave now

people got no where to live slot machines have more to give

satan rules yer iron ball dance and prance at Shitty hall

Takin it down to $hitty hall yer promise on deaf ears fall

drug dealers don't face da court $hitty hall is a pillar short

dey broke der word no trust y all see ya in November: up yers Shitty hall

Carl MacDonald

The day Mom I wrote this 6 people ded of heroin overdoses. 25Aug-05

FREE Workshops for-and-by ~boriginal Women

ession 20 clcbn panb

' Privatization slowly eroding Medicare

On June 9, the Supreme Court of Canada struck down, in a 4-3 decision, a Quebec law that prohib- ited people from buying insurance to cover certain medical procedures which already were being han- dled by Medicare, but in the court's opinion, were being delivered so slowly as to endanger lives. (Procedures like CT scans, hip replacements, and other minor tasks are those under consideration; ma- jor works, like surgeries, cancer treatments, etc. are too expensive for most people and are therefore still administered by the public healthcare system.)

"This is the end of Medicare as we know it," vowed John Williamson of the right-wing Canadian Federation of Taxpayers.

Prime Minister Paul Martin moved quickly to dis- pel fears. "We're not going to have a two-tier healthcare system in this country. Nobody wants that. What we want to do is strengthen the public healthcare system." (As if to bear this out, another Supreme Court decision went 3-3 (unresolved) as to whether long wait lists for healthcare were a viola- tion of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.)

Certainly, Martin's actions at the last Premiers' healthcare meeting seem to indicate that: his gov- ernment committed $4 1 billion over 10 years to- wards improving healthcare in Canada. But what people seem to forget is the billions of dollars that Martin, as former federal frnance minister, chopped out of healthcare spending in the early 1*0s, in the name of slaying the deficit. The provinces were left holding the bag, in trying to make up for the funding slashed out of transfer payments. It seems like the

extra money, even in addition to other monies previ- ously committed for the same purpose, isn't enough to make up for the damage done by federal bean counters.

Allowing private concerns like insurance provid- ers, for-profit clinics, etc. to creep into the healthcare system is contributing to the erosion of public healthcare. As Toronto Star columnist and author Linda McQuaig put it ("As public care declines, it serves only the poor," June 13), the people who fi- nally end up with the short end of the stick are those with low-incomes: in Australia, which has allowed healthcare privatization to a greater extent than here, doctors gravitate toward more lucrative private prac- tice, and refuse treatment to those who can't pay, for formerly covered procedures.

Also, writes McQuaig, the ultimate result of healthcare privatization is that the rich typically re- sent paying taxes for a system they no longer use, and therefore they press for, and usually win, tax reductions, leaving less money to fund the public system, meaning inferior care for the remaining low- income users.

Privatization of medical services is a growing con- cern in provinces other than Quebec. In BC, for example, we've had contracting out of hospital cleaning and food services (with no appreciable gain in efficiency or cost effectiveness, as promised; just a lot of misery to the workers who lost their jobs, and to the patients who've suffered due to deteriora- tion of service).

Privatization has reared its ugly head in another area in BC: the administration of the Medical Ser- vices Plan. Currently, that work is contracted to a US company, Maximus, which has been fined twice already this year for failing to meet contractual agreements. (This company has been cited in five US states for questionable practices, and one con- cern about them operating in BC is that confidential records become available to the US govenunent un- der its Patriot Act, that infamous infringement on civil liberties imposed on US citizens after the Sep- tember 1 1,200 1 attack on the World Trade Centre, in the name of combating terrorism.)

I've seen conflicting opinions on the effect that the Supreme Court ruling will have on Medicare. From the CBC story, "Healthcare ruling called 'stinging indictment"', June 10, (www.cbc.ca), CMA spokes-

y one of the jewels of Canada's social democratic owning achievements.

By Rolf Auer

I

3 person Albert Schumacher said the ruling "could substantially change the very foundations of Medi- care as we know it." However, Sharon Sholzberg- Grey of the Canadian Healthcare Association said she could not see private interests setting up separate cancer treatment or heart surgery centres in Quebec, 'because the astronomical cost would be beyond the means of all but a few patients.

At the annual meeting of the Canadian Medical Association on August 16, two-thuds of 200 dele- gates voted down a motion calling for them to work against the development of a parallel private health care system. This was a startling development, be- cause previously, the CMA had always supported Medicare. Apparently, a majority of doctors with the CMA are no longer confident that the govern- ment can improve Medicare to the point where there aren't such long waiting lists for treatment, for ex- ample. In the Vancouver Sun article reporting on this ("Doctors still back private health care," August 17, Mark Kennedy), the closing sentence stated: "An association of young doctors expressed concern that the CMA had passed up an opportunity to take a strong stand against privatization, and has taken the first step towards endorsing a two-tier medical sys- tem that will harm many Canadians."

One thing is clear: unless we're careful about where we're headed, privatization will creep into the healthcare system to a greater and greater extent, and hat surely does not bode well for Medicare, argua-

"FOOD AS MEDICINE" WORKSHOP 5

"Food As Medicine" is the next workshop in Gallery Gachet's monthly Introduction to Alternative Heal- ing series. The workshop runs Sept. 13, 1 Oam-Noon, at 88 E. Cordova St. Admission is by donation, but please pre-register at 604.687.2468.

The workshop presenter, Nancy Cameron, has ex- tensive credentials in her practice. She is a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu in pais. She is cedtied as a macrobiotic counsellor and cooking instructor, and her traditional Chinese medicine practice is based on this dietary wisdom. Macrobiotics is a Greek word that means "1argeAong life." It is based on the suggested dietary and iife- style recommendations for health and longevity in The Y e h Emperor's Classic of Internal Medche, the oldest known book of Chinese medicine.

Cameron also has a Masters degree in Traditional Oriental Medicine, in addition to being a registered acupuncturist and Diplomate in Chinese Herbology. The Introduction to Alternative Healing series is

funded through the Consumer Initiative Fund and Vancouver Coastal Health.

he Parent-Tot Drop-In has moved

You can frnd us more centrally located at 245POWELIl

(half a block west of Sunrise Market look for our balloons & sidewalk sandwich board)

10 a.m. - noon Tuesdays & Wednesdays

Bring your youngsters for play and activities with an early Childhood Educator and meet other

DTES parents over healthy snacks

Organized by DTES residents in partnership with Gordon Neighborhood House

A ~ l THE HEART

"J~ix a d ~ricwis - 'Party 'ti1 the b a y runs dry '

(Co& won 't let me say puke)

Friday, September 2"d, 2005 7-10pm in the Carnegie Theatre

EVERYONE WELCOME - ESPECIALLY YOU! Refreshments served to the thirsty

Roger Brouillette, Kitchen Roger, our true Quebequois cashier - what would we have done without you in these past months? Your strong work ethic, your compassion, luridness and patience with which you treat others makes you an example of true community spirit. Tres bien, Merci Beaucoup!

Woon Chin, Kitchen

This is one dynamo of a little ring leader! She's brought along many of her cohorts to work tirelessly in the kitchen. Besides that, Woon is well known for her integrity (her 6iends all look up to her)), sense of humour, generosity and GREAT BLUEBERRY PANCAKES! Dojw gentle spirit of Woon.

Volunteer Proaram Committee Meeting Wednesday, September 1 4 ~ , 2:OOpm

Classroom 2,3rd Floor All Volunteers welcome. Voice your ideas and co cerns or just sit, listen and learn.

Volunteer Dinner Wednesday, September 2 1, Back in the Theatre, 4:30pm SHARP! ! !

This is a dinner for all Volunteers with a minimum of 16 hours service for the month of August. This dinner is one way Staff can show our appreciation to all of you for all that you do for the community.

Volunteer Chili Dinner Monday, September 26,5-7pm 2"d Floor Concession

cam^ Fircom: Se~tember 12-16'~ The Camp Fircom Participant list is now posted. Pack your bags and join the fun on exotic Gambier Island! Meet at Info Desk Sept. 12 at 9am SHARP!

Congratulations to the Winners of the Carnegie 8-Ball Tournament Mark Denbak, Albert Homenchuk, Rick Pelletier, Solomon Sinclair. There were 16 players competing in this tournament. This was a challenge to deter- mine the four players who will compete against Eve- lyn Saller's (#44) four players. The CamegielSaller Challenge will be held @ Evelyn Saller #44, Sep- I. tember 1 o', 6- l0pm I Pool Room Meetin I

Wednesday. Septemier 14', 1 1 am (...for all Pool Room ~ol&t&r Monitors) z

We are building up a library of songs to suit every- body's musical needs and desires. If you have a par- ticular favourite that we do not carry, please let Col- leen or Darrell know, and we will see if we can add it to our list. Talk to us for assistance in choosing the right Karaoke song for your particular voice range.

Refreshments sersed to uat your whistle

KA Wokt? with our Karaoke Kmg, DarreN

Friday, September 9tb 7pm - lOpm in the Carnegie Theatre

3 ri 1

MICHAEL McCARTNEY Mqv 11, 1956- August Y. 2005

We had a Coffee House Memorial last Friday (1 7*) ;o remember and revive the best of Michael in the spirit we believe he would have dug. I want to thank Mark Oakley for pulling the music together and Marguerite for preparing the most beautiful food trays in his honour. , Michael was adopted by a fanlily in Montreal in

1956, an extraordinarily abusive family whom he I

ran away from as soon as he could. Enter - his gypsy I lifestyle throughout North America for many years. 2 In those years, Michael's drug of choice was alcohol,

$ an addiction he over-came for ten blessed sober-free

, years. Soon after he relapsed in Calgary he came to $ Vancouver 4 '/z years ago which is where Crack en- $ tered his life, where his drug of choice became f "More", more of anything and everything hc could

get. As we all know, addictions are cunning, baming and powerful - too often bringing down one's body 1 and soul. I have seen it too many tlmes and it breaks my heart, over and over and over. How 1 wish we

I could learn from other's mistakes. but life isn't like that.

The Music Program at Carnegie meant the world to Michael! He often said that music was the only thi~ig 1 he had left in what he considered the rubble of his

life. My personal thank you to all the musicians who played with him and all those who enjoyed listening to him, for giving him the most precious times he had in the past year.

Damn it all Michael, I missed you before the reality of your death even quite hit me; it still hasn't, not really. Today's the day of the week you always came bounding into my office filling me in on what's up, what's down, so today is particularly mel- ancholic. We would laugh so hard together tears would almost run down our legs, you with your Jerry Lewis imitation and funny teeth in sideways. But sadly, in your case, niy cherub, laughter bubbled from the well of your tears, and at the bottom there was blood.

Michael left everyone who knew him with a legacy of sorts simply because you knew him. He is not gone, he has just gone on ahead. And some day, we will all catch up.. . see ya Michael. Bonjour Monsieur, Je t'aime,

Colleen

Butterflies are free..

Sparrows dart from here

to there.

My heart shines like this . .

I sing a song ever so joyfully for my relations.

RG

Happu Rirthday to collcc~. on September 1( ..421q -- --- L.-4 &I.--.. *-:&I. A- - - - ~ A - - L

I personnel files can even hazard a guess: which one? the child follows the path in kind A belief. a trust, a willingness mild

Becoming

I am becomingmy own woman: no one owns me; No one decides ,he colour of my hair, Or the perfume that 1 wear. 1 am becoming my own woman.

While sometimes I miss the temporary-comfort that dependence brings, 1 no longer bear a rage that in my hear sings Unprintable names; outrageous desires.

Anger that cleansed the spirit, but brought shame For letting go -- letting it get to me - Letting your approval turn me into the Worm You already suspected I was.

That ancient story about the man, the woman, and the snake: Maybe the matter lay with the apple and the worm. Your guess is as good as mine, Pilgrim.

Ne'er could await the betrayal to find itself alone, fearful, ever a mockery Too suddcn learned the truth, the t r e a c h e ~ .

The Bass Player

He was only a Chocolate Chip cookie but I loved him

I met hitn at a party. There he was at the end of the buffet - a loner, the last one on the plate. He had a certain something - a sweet sensuality. He was one hot cookie.

I felt as if I'd always known him, always hungered for him. When he looked at me with those warm brown eyes, I melted. Before I knew it I had my hands on him - in public! After that night we were inseparable. With him I could be myself. He didn't seem to care

what mood I was in, how I looked, even if I gained weight. No one satisfied me like Chip. Then things changed. My friends said he was no

good for me. He started to give me heartburn. I felt crummy. It had to end. Now we've gone our separate ways - oh, if I see a

certain TV commercial, a particular magazine ad, a coupon for 10 cents off.. . that old longing returns. And when we run into each other in the supermar- ket, we nod. We're friendly, but it's over.

-Anon.

2"6 Sunday of the month, 2-4pm Carneeie's Gvm

) Word for the dw from Col1een: I Poverty is an expensive luxury. We cannot K ~ G it r impl i !~on9t complicate the crap out of

a polka dot. It's had for your health. afford it. Elerrrtor Roosevelt

I ART OPENING FRIDAY SEPT.9

l:00 TO 3:00

THIRD FLOOR GALLERY

During the course of a day we're bombarded with information, ideas and images from all sides. This can be both stimulating and overwhelming. In an effort to make some sense of chaos, we're learned to discard a lot of what comes ow way. Making a col- lage is a way of seeing and incorporating "garbage" and a steady stream of words into a creative art form. It gives those of us who love to collect things an outlet for our obsessive tendencies. Anyone can make a collage - a word which comes from the French word colle which means "glue". For seven weeks this summer, a group of us have been creating some fabulous art! Join us Friday September 9 to take a look at these original pieces and talk with the artists. The show ends Thursday, October 20.

Contract Postinq: Arts Researcher in DTES, 9 Deadline: September 6,2005 From: Community Arts Initiative (CAI) & Heart of the City Festival

Are you interested in working in the Downtown Eastside arts community? This year's Heart ofthe City Festival in October

will include a 2day forum on how artists respond to gentrification. We are seeking six people to conduct and present research about successful art projects from around the world involving artists facing the pressures of gentrification. In particular, we want to showcase initiatives that can inspire efforts in our DTES community to protect marginalized artists. This is a capacity-building and empowerment pro-

ject, and you will be paired up with a professional artidmentor from our community who will give you support in research strategies, presentation format, sharing analysis, etc. You will create a 10-20 minute presentation to be presented to about fifty people on October 20 between 1 and 5pm. Selection of the 6 researchers and guidelines for what you research will be done by the CAI Forum Sub-committee by September 12. The 2nd Annual Heart ofthe City Fe tival is a Community Arts Initiative (CAI) project.

Remuneration: $250

How to apply: Submit a one page resume or letter of interest that shows your interest in the arts in the DTES. Drop off or send to one of two locations: (1) Dan Feeney, Carnegie Community Centre, daniel.feeney@,vancouver.ca; (2) Irwin ~ostindie, Gallery Gachet, gallery@gachet.org, fax 604-687-1 196. Deadline 12noon. Tuesday. Sevtember 6.2005.

Eligibility: you are a marginalized artist living in the DTES. By "marginalized" we mean class, gender, ethnicity, ability, health issues, etc. "Artist" can be anyone who is creative as a hobby, part-time or full- time, and it could be with writing, carving, dance, painting, photography, video, or-something else.

Dear Mayor Larry Campbell, August 23, 2005

As an employee of the Vancouver Public Library (CARNEGIE BRANCH) , today was the most chal- lenging day for me since I started to work here over 30 years ago. Knowing the dynamics that are in- volved with working in the downtown Eastside, I have coped with the challenges pretty well. Today was a horrifjrlng experience for me when I

literally had to step all over bodies on the main step to enter my work place. I had a confrontation with a young native woman who was high and was giving an injection with a needle in her hand to another woman who was lying down on the top step leading

--to the front door of the Carnegie Centre. I had to knock on the glass door to get someone inside to let me in, and this disturbed her very much to the point where she was swearing at me and was yelling because I was interrupting her injection procedure to her fiend's neck. I was so scared, because while she was screaming she was waving this open needle towards me. My heart was racing with fear, then the janitor opened the door, let me in and I called the police. The procedure in getting Police help was unbeliev-

able, the woman at the other end to 91 1 non emer- gency was asking me all these questions about my- self(!) my name, my birthday, all of which I felt was not necessary at that time. What I wanted was police intervention to move the masses outside of my work place. Finally, another colleague within the centre hailed 2 police officers who where in the back alley and came to the scene. By that time the masses had

dispersed and the girl went away from the scene. I told the officers what happened. Why I am writing to you is that you should be made

aware of our work conditions here at Carnegie. Paul Taylor, the editor of the Cnrnegie Newsletter, wrote a letter to you pleading that something be done about the situation here in regards to the drug scene at the front door in the mornings and the need for a police presence. I am also begging, please do something about allowing me to come to work without having to feel that I have to fight for my life in order to en- ter my work place, so I can continue to serve those really needing help here.

Thank you Lia Caruso Carnegie Library

Shine a Light For Litcraaj Thursday, Sept. 8', is International Literacy Day. Shine a Light on Literacy, a new aboriginal literacy initiative, and the Carnegie Library are holding a Celebration of Literacy by walking from the Carne- gie Centre to the downtown core and back again in time for a celebration in the Theatre at 7pm. The highlight of the celebration will be a performance by the Childrm of the Rainbow Drum Group.

Celebrants are invited to come to the 3rd floor gallery from 2pm onwards to make signs for the walk. The walk will leave the Carnegie Centre at 4pm.

Tastv New Books for Seutember: Suffering from diabetes? Diabetesfor Dummies by Alan L. Rubin (616.46 RUB) gives simple, plain- English advice on what diabetes is, how it affects your body, and what you can do about it. The same author co-wrote Diabetes Cookbook for Dummies (641.56 RUB), which tells you what you can and can't eat, how to manage your diabetes, and what to eat when you eat out. There are also 200 pages of recipes to drool over and make, fiom simple &shes like Vegetable Omelette to adventurous cooking like Squab alla Piemontese and Grilled Red Snauwr with Black Bean-Roast Banana Mash. There are also some wonderful recipes in Elders from All Nations Cookbook, created in collaboration with the Abo- riginal Diabetes Awareness, Prevention, and Teach- ing (ADAPT) program. My favourite? Ron Wilson's Athletic Sandwich (spread bread with peanut butter, top with cheese, canned fruit with sugar, then broil for 2 to 3 minutes). Summer may coming to an end, but the library has a

way of holding on to the taste of sunshne Preserv- ing, by Oded Schwartz (64 1.4 SCH) is a beautifully illustrated guide to drylng, canning, curing, pickling, potting, salting, candying and hundreds of other pre- serving techniques. Always wanted to cook raccoon? New fiom the

"Queen of Soul Food" is Sylvia's Family Soul Food Cookbook: From Hemingwav, South Carolina, to Harlem, by Sylvia Woods and Family (641.59). This book includes wonderful soul food recipes from Sylvia S Restaurant in Harlem, and from Sylvia's family, and also tells Sylvia's life story. And yes, the recipes include one for raccoon (according to Sylvia, it tastes a little bit like dry pork, is great over rice, and even better made into sandwiches the ncxt day).

The Wmdom of the Chinese Kitchen: Classic Fam- 11 ily Recipes for Celebration and Healing by Grace Young (641.59 CHI) is a lovely, gentle combination of cookbook, philosophy, tradition and superstition. In this book, and in the author's life, the preparation of a meal is part of the joy of life, and the proper creation of a dish can have a favourable influence on health and good fortune. According to Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food

Nation (338.47 SCH), fast food "has hastened the malling of our landscape, widened the chasm be- tween rich and poor, fuelled an epidemic of obesity, and propelled American cultural imperialism abroad." This book's been out for a while now, but it's become a modern classic. If this won't put you off your Big Mac, nothing will!

Beth, your librarian

Do you have trouble reading small print? Thanks to a very generous donation, the library has just received an Optelec Reader, which magnifies books, newspa- pers, or any other printed material.

Come in to the library and give it a whirl - it's right next to the door, alongside the photocopier.

September 10 is shaping up to be an amazing day for Oppenheimer Park. Our community is all too familiar with all kinds of brutality, from nights on the street and hunger, to the boot in the face as well as the more subtle brutalities that we experience from the system and pass on to each other in our pain and isolation. When we feel abused, insulted, trivialized, misrepresented, dehumanized, or dis- missed, the predictable response is to explode in outrage or implode in depression. We can try to ease the pain by any means, we can choke on it, or we can learn how to channel our moral indignation in more effective and creative ways. One of these ways is art.

Art Against Brutality is a day to address all of these things. From the stage we will sing it and speak out to testify to our shared experience. At the Arts and Crafts pavilion there will be opportunities to express ourselves and co-op radio has been in- vited to help us document. We are still taking sub- missions for displays, ideas, installations and works of art, right up to the day. Decorate a table, a chair, an ironing board, a walker, a pole, a panel, a poem, a triptych, an alter, anything that will help you express yourself on this theme in your life. Prizes will be awarded for the best bicycle cart design and for decorated walkers, wheelchairs, and carts. Bring a stone for the medicine wheel and an open heart. We also will need servers for the sit down feast, and do- nations, to make it all more wonderful. We are encouraging free standing displays that will

fit into the labyrinth pavilion that we will be build- ing that morning. Art~sts and presenters are invited to arrive at dawn for the elders blessing, up until noon, when we will be open to the public.

For more information and to ensure a spot on the main stage, call 604 682 3269, extension 8068 to leave a message. Be sure to leave us a way to con- nect with you, as that number is only a message box. We want to hear from you and see what we can do to make a strong statement.

If You were I

Dry your eyes once, oh again, please What's the name that you last gave? Do not be so down upon yourself Try not to cry nor misbehave Yes, you're the one who controls what you do Day after day, to do it your way And please come out of your trance Snap out of your sad and deep malaise.

Hey, what's the easiest way to the door that will open up your turmoiled mind To expand those far horizons, what to seek for, miss a beat, and then to find And do not be discouraged nor despair, You are strong: lies do indeed quite bind. Do not be dissuaded from the aims you've set As you can know, all will be fine.

What's the way to your Utopia If that's what your heart's desires now require As I see you tiptoeing through the ashes, around the muck and upon the mire By the way, who is the crude partner you hang with? Are matters that dire? Some so-called friends can be deceitful, They may be devilish to conspire.

When the veiled curtain is slowly & precisely drawn Up from down, and away, The dreary, cloud-crowded yet awesome skies Will open wide again to sunny days Then it shall be your turn to make changes of mind, . . . you do have, you know. . .

the final, absolute and astonishing say! . . . come what may.

Robyn Livingstone

starting Saturday, Sept. 3 for 8 weeks. 2 hours from 6 to 8 pm

every Saturday except fnr Poetry Saturdays -from 6 to 7 pm

in the Atrium (3d Floor)

Far, far awqv, in an oncient land ....... Once upon o lime ........ . . . .. . .. I remember when .......

\ Who told you your first story? Who told you the

: last one? All the time, we are relating stories - it is how we communicate. We are natural tellers of tales; each of us the main character in the story of our lives, and narrators of the lives of others. There are all our attempts to plunge within and soar out- wards: the story is our "getting there".

Poverty is Violence against Children

Art Against Brutality is an idea; thoughts of how to mak- cfntements, whether written, verbal or ex- pressed through another medium, on the injustice of almost all aspects of life that degenerate into vio- lence and brutal reprisals are ever in our minds. What to me is most vicious and insidious is how

economics are now being used as a weapon orl a global scale. Right here the consequences of cut- backs and the brutal regression in welfare policy are having gross effects. How long can true stories of "been cut off, have no money for bills (hydrolphonel even rent) coming due, lost my place, no crisis help, the doctor didn't f i l l out.. . , told to go to UGM, the Sally Ann, the FoodBank(?!) to eat for the next 4 to 6 weeks untillif my welfare is restored.. . ." be heard from people you know? How long until you, what, 'explode'?! Poverty is so easily dismissed by those who aren't

existing in it. The chimera that 'everyone enjoys the good life' only gets shaken on some news broadcasts and more often than not the hot spot is located in some Third World pit. The really brainless bastards point at those images, those stories and say "people here aren't poor7', refusing to see their own hands and minds covered in the filth of "I've got mine so screw you Jack."

Little wisps of wisdom, cups of common sense, seem to be a lost cause on such as those affiliated with the Fraser Institute, the governments of most cities and provinces, when you say "Poverty is de- termined by the standard of living in each place." "Poverty is violence against children." "Poor- bashing is what makes the politics of exclusion safe to eat." Poverty is brutal.

Each of us can learn the why's and how's of our situations; the stark truth to the phrase cornorate welfare bums, how legislation and regulations are used as a seemingly civilized blanket of words to cover the cannibalistic force of those who have too much and, because they don't want to share, they don't have to. A first step to justice would be to limit the amount

of wealth that any one person can accumulate unless he or she has the clear permission or approval of the collective body. There are an infinite number of pos- sibilities to advance towards social justice. Each of us can start by taking those we know and meeting others on the same path.

By PAULR TAYLOR

"Increase incomes for people who live here," Carnegie Association tells City

We don't need more rich people living here to "revi- talize" our neighbourhood. That's what the Carnegie Community Centre Association (CCCA) told the city's planning department and councilors in an email sent August 10. The 3 page email made rec- ommendations about the city's Downtown Eastside Housing Plan. "Our neighbourhood is vital right now," said Muggs Sigurgeirson, vice-president of the Association. The city has a theory that if people who can afford

more expensive condos start living in the DE, they ,will have money to spend in local shops, more stores will open up and the neighbourhood will be health- ier. But the CCCA disagrees with this theory and doesn't want local low-income residents pushed out of the neighbourhood. It wants to restrict market housing and get the city to lobby fiercely to increase incomes of the people who already live here. Over the past 30 years the purchasing power of people who depend on low wage work, employment insur- ance or welfare has fallen drastically. The CCCA wants city council to work hard to get federal and provincial governments to increase minimum wage, drop the $6 training wage, increase welfare rates and end the barriers to getting on welfare, and make more people eligible for employment insurance. The draft Downtown Eastside Housing Plan does

say that any single room housing that is demolished in the DE should be replaced by new, affordable social housing. Unfortunately, federal and provin- cial governments aren't funding ths type of housing lately, so a lot of pressure has to be put on these gov- ernments to get the money for the housing. Mean- while the city is using various programs to encour- age new condos and expensive rental housing. The CCCA told the city it should restrict this new market housing and "ensure that the number of new social housing units is at least twice the number of new market units on a year by year basis." The city's plan divides the DE up into various sub-

areas. It proposes to concentrate most of the social housing in the section of the DE around Oppen- heimer Park, leaving the Gastown, Chinatown, and Victory Square areas to absorb mostly market hous- ing. "Every effort and city tool should be used to ensure that new social housing replaces old SROs

(single room occupancy units) 1 for 1 in every dis- trict of th Downtown Eastside including Chinatown, Gastown, and Victory Square," says the CCCA, "Otherwise, low-income residents will be dispropor-

tionately crowded into one sub-zone." Other points made by the CCCA include:

* the city should not allow new small suites (320 to 275 square feet) because the smaller size is not con- sistent with standards for livability; * there is a huge need to increase the number of units of supportive housing and Special Needs Rcsi- dential Facilities; * the city should use every tool in its power to en- sure tenants have the right to proper maintenance standards and that this does not result in evictions; * the city should immediately focus on a campaign to get some of the $1.5 billion for housing that is part of the federal NDPLiberal agreement on the last budget; * the recommendations about residents' income in the Housing Plan should be made consistent with the stronger recommendations on income in the Home- less Action Plan. The final Housing Plan should be on the city's web-

site by September 7&. The presentation to City Council will be on the afternoon of September 15&. Members of the public can speak at that time but they should register first by calling the City Clerk at 604 873-7419.

By Jean Swanson

Tell City Hall what you think about housing in the Downtown Eastside Check Out the Capital Plan

Will low-income residents of the Downtown East- side be kicked out as richer condo owners move in? Should new social housing units be smaller than the existing standard of 400 square feet? Should we en- courage business in the area by bringing in condo owners with money or by lobbying fiercely to in- crease minimum wage and welfare and improve employment insurance for low income residents? On Sept. 15th, City Council will be hearing from members of the public (that could be you!) about its Downtown Eastside Housing Plan. Your voice is important. To learn more about the city's Housing Plan check

out the city's website after September 7h (go to City of Vancouver, then departments, then housing centre and click on Housing Plan for the Downtown East- side). Andlor read the article about the Carnegie Community Centre Association's position on the Plan in this newsletter. To s ~ e a k at Citv Council:

Phone the City Clerk at 604 873-7419. Tell her you want to sp&& to council when they deal with the Housing Plan on Thursday, Sept. 15th. Then she will put you on the speakers list. Write down or think of what you want to tell City

Council. Check out the points made by the Associa- tion in the article about their submission to the plan- ning department;

If you'd like to see the city's Housing Plan on pa- per, or check out the Association's submission to the '

city about it, come to the Art Gallery on the third floor of Carnegie on Wednesday September 13th between 1 and 3; Gather at the information desk at Carnegie at 1:30

on Thursday, Sept. 15th. The Carnegie Association will have bus tickets so you and all of us from Car- negie can go to City Hall together.

By Jean Swanson

Along with activism needed to get safe, affordable and decent social housing, people with the Down- town Eastside in your heart could also get ready for the November Civic elections. Right now, in the Carnegie Reading Room and likely all other Public Library branches in Vancouver, there are many cop- ies of the proposed Capital Plan that gets voted on. The Capital Plan is what the City government sets

out to prioritize spending for the next 3 years. There are over 2 do7m items up for inclusion but, need it be said, only so much money. On the back page of the Capital Plan booklet is a form that asks each voter to list what they would like to be high, to be included in the final Plan. For the Downtown Eastside there are several pro-

posals that would really affect the livability in and of our neighbourhood: a new library in Strathcona (in addition to Carnegie's), programs and better safety and health for residents; affordable social housing.. .

Like a lot of newspaper cartoons say at elections - 'only 1 vote' + 'only 1 vote' + 'only 1 vote' + ... And like a lot of people who do vote say: "If you didn't vote you've got no right to ~ o m p l a i n ! ~

PRT

S a d Walk 5 through b

I I $ A SOcenturyald living museum I Carnivorous $ 5 giants 1 cranberry frelds forever I Ice Age s u m 3 5 vors I For peat's sake I The biggest landfill west $ 5 of Toronto I The highly-prized Carnegie free 5 ; picnic lunch! I

I : I I

8 Friday, September 9,9am to 4pm 5 5 Open to all who have Carnegie memberships. $ I Re-register at fdfloor o f f~e : I bmumnnmmmmmmnmrmmmmmmmIumm~uxmmmuummmImnmI

I Grew Up with Bed Bugs

My mum went to spirit ths year at 94 years old. She was in N.B. I am 118 Micmac, thanks to her grandmother in P.E.I. They say I don't look it, she did though. I remember her teaching me to light those long wooden matches to scare the beejeesus out of the bedbugs, by putting them in the springs of the bed, pulling it out just as my flesh starts heating, and blowing it out. Not sure if that was to fry the eggs or sizzle the bugs. I remember some running like they were joining a marathon in a hurry. The bed bug welts on my young body were enough to make me willingly light matches. Between that and the head lice frequently going around at school, I was not a happy camper. Still not, minus the bugs, now that I sit down and think about it. But do I want to sit down and think about it? Ho-hum!? Poverty has its pluses and minuses, I guess.

I grew up in the slums. Since going to University and becoming a feminist and a hippie with a bad haircut, I have been told not to call it "the slums". It is not politically correct, I am told. But they weren't there at the time!!! I say it with a sarcastic humour, just as my sister used to say when anyone came from another area, "Oh, slummin' today, are ya? 'We survived with humour. I still do.

I did a "pig adoption" outside Carnegie last week, all stuffed animals. "This little piggie went to mar- ket, this little piggie stayed home, this little piggie had corn beef, this little piggie had none." My mum used to say that rhyme while wiggling my toes. The last line goes "and this little piggie went wah wah wah all the way home." So I'm trying to change the tears to smiles, still, after all these years. It always bothered me, even at age 2. They always said I had a heart of gold. It is money in the bank, I figure. Say wha? ! !

Then there's the story of the Woodwards Building, where I now see another tent city starting. Wonder '"

if people will "go missing" from that one like all the others? Whoops, better not say or print that. They are now hylng to pick me up as a pedophile for try- 5 ing to identify and stop the pedophile ring. Who are "They"? Go figure. Don't wanna be the "crazy 5 one" today, cuz I ain't. Makes me wanna cry, the isolation imposed by all the networked goons and their lies. So I might as well go whole hog and say I ,

-the Woodwards Building stolen by Jim Green and gang. Pivot Legal Society.. . as bad as the rest of the goons. (all alleged) Just makes me wanna cry. +

It ain't gonna rain no more It ain't gonna rain no more So how in heck can I wash my neck If it ain't gonna rain no more?

Tears from the heavens, or sayings like: 1 have an attitude and I know how to use it. Do not start with me, you will not win. Behind every successful woman is herself.

Folks please believe me this time, I have said it so many times for so many years, I own Woodwards. Reclaim it. I wrote a plan for it starting with a long house - no computers - self-governed - health ori- ented. A good experiment.

NO, I am not the "crazy one", I am the one stolen from a m a n y times. I think Carnegie has printed all the poetry I have submitted over the years. More than once it has been edited. Others have told me it has happened to them too. To edit poetry is like going up to a painting on the wall and saying

"I don't like that red, I will change it to blue."

Bv Beth Buchanan

e Employment ions Due: September 16,2005 Hockey Event Coordinator : Employer: Community Centre provides a range of

social, recreational and educational programs for the residcnts of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. It is often described as the community's living room - a place where people can come to participate in pro- ' grams or to simply relax and socialize with others. 1 @, About the P o s j l d :

I The coordinator is entrusted with all details regard-

( .' ing the Floor Hockey program at Carnegie Centre. This position is open to DTES residents and it is a great opportunity to be able to contribute to our Rec- w a

reation Department and become a part of a great team here at Carnegie Community Centre. You will have the chance to learn valuable leadership, organ- izational, communication and time management skills that you will be able to transfer to all facets of your life. This program is adult oriented. Duties Include: WO1"S THIS? - Be at every Floor Hockey game (approx. 28)

' - Recruit players and supervise play WOTS stands for the Word On The Street - Set up /take down of equipment is an annual one day festival, held at the ' - Work in cooperation with Recreation Programmer Central Library and on the streets bordering it

~d Security Staff on Sunday, September 25. It celebrates Hosting visiting teams reading and writing with free exhibits, Set up all poster signage performances, readings and hands-on Assist in organizing event promotions activities. Last year Vancouver's WOTS Maintain communications log book and equipment attracted an estimated 40,000 visitors, with Request supplies when needed hundreds of participating exhibitors, authors Manage and facilitate fairness regarding game and performers. ~les and regulations.

leal Candidate Should Disvlay the Following halifications: Valid CPR/lst Aid Certificate Responsible, independent, energetic and creative Ability to work cooperatively in a team setting Previous knowledge of the sport Strong organizational skills

".,a,.. . . c/o Sa Carneg 401 M, Or: sa

rqsume, and cover letter: ndy MacKeigan. Community Programmer lie Community Centre ain Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6A 2T7

1vancouver.ca ndy .mackeigan(?,

Music Program: R&UO(om Notes

I was hying to think: ofjust about everything and absolutely nothing all at the same time when I real- ized it's the same thing. Don't believe me'? That dosen't matter, 'cause it's probably already happened in one form or another. Yeah sure, just give it a name and the precept is playing somewhere's out there. As if ths here isn't a precept, or a concept someone here, there, or anywhere would find inside- out of one of those precept thingys that wasn't here there or anywhere; Or up against That fence over there, bending back towards a picture that's up to the old tricks we've been told are the old tricks. Old Trick # 1; There's gold in them there hills ..... Old Trick # 2; !fit's too good to be true, then it probably is .....

I was going to include a bunch of old sayings that are sorta lrke those ones I've been quoting, and 1 started to remember people at Mike's memorial, sayin' things to each other that are like old sayings that one sez when there isn't a whole lot more to say. Why? I'm not sure, but it might have something to do with that feeling of the memorial being an Irish wake without the wh~skey. Or maybe it's just one of those coping mechanisms we all use when faced with the unexpected, and part of 'life going on', is the process that, more often than not, displays as old sayings, and Irish wakes.

Speaking of old saylngs, Murphy's been a pest this past while, and the scheduled musicians' meeting for the 26th of Aug. had to be cancelled. Yes kiddies a busy theatre, and busy people make for the odd conflict in schedules. So, we'll reschedule for a day when the music program has the theatre booked on a regular basis. How about Wednesday, Sept. 14'h t ~ t two o'clock? (two hours of music, two hours of nieetmg.) This nicet~ng will be mainly focused on the proposed CD project, as the last meeting on this

subject left a few unresolved issues, and undelegated project responsibilities. If time allows we'll also in- clude a general music program discussion. Thanks go out to Dave B. who helped in getting ap- ropnate computer software for recording our little project, by the way. (Now if the music programs only had a permanent computer ) I've a couple of other kudos to cast about like rose

petals, but they're for people who can help us out (the music programs) with a thing that led to the last meeting being cancelled. Namely, space. Yeah I know, 'the final frontier', but these aren't the voyages of the Squid Ship Blenderprise, hell no.. .. As any- one who has done any recording can tell you, re- cording is a time consuming process, one where set- ting up and tearing down, settillg up and tearing down, isn't something you want to be doing every day. So, if anyone out there has a suggestion con- cerning a space we can convert to a recording envi- ronment for reasonable lengths of time,(2 days, 3 days at a time.) Please let us know. Oh, and we have no budget for renting a space, so when I say 'help us out' you could say I mean it li erally. .Till next time

"The Carnival Band In WONDERLAND"

A Masquerade Dance Party with THE CARNIVAL BAND, a 30-member funk and worldbeat orchestra - Sept. Sth, Labour Day Monday, 8:00 - midnight. This month's costume theme: "Alice in Wonder- land". El Cocal, 1037 Commercial Drive. Info: www.thecarn iva lband~. (778) 232 - 7462

We're a 30-member groove orchestra, playing carni- val music of the world on stages and streets around B.C. Our stage show'? A hybrid of runk to punk, samba, calypso, jazz originals, even medieval dances - wjth a massive horn section backed by driving rhythms from drums and bass. We've opened for Garaj Mahal, Spearhead, Vinyl; featured on CBC's ZED-TV - and recently appeared at Public Dreams' Illuminares at Trout Lake; dressed as chickens in the Chinese New Year Parade; and touring locally to such BC outposts as Mission, Nanaimo, and Lasqueti Island. In 2003 we took Eng- land & Germany by sto rm... We're just back from the Komasket festival (Vernon) and playing the Gay h d e parade on Co-op Radio's 30th Anniversary float ... see us next at our monthly costume party at El Cocal - *EVERY * FIRST Monday for over six years - the wildest Monday

, night in town!

September 7 - October 2 Opening Reception, Sept 7, 6:30-8:30

Artist Talk 7:30 pm

Britannia Art Gallery Britannia Library, 1661 Napier St

MonNVedlFri 8:30-5 TuesIWed 8: 30-9 Sat 9-5, Sun 1-5

nfo: 604.71 8.5800/www.britanniacentre.org - 1 3 t - i t t ~ n t ~ i ~ k ..i 4 1 a ~ A f l R f i f f - r f i f i b m r ..,,,,,,I ( , , 4 # , \. ... 1 . -. < < 1 1 1 1 .

It happened just like it was yesterday. On a warm summer's morn in August, Colleen and Marleen, our Volunteer and Seniors coordinators, took a group of us from the Carnegie community centre for an out- ing to Alice Lake via Britannia mine, Shannon Falls. For you that lack imagination let me emphasize the outing was for us to bring our own teddy bears, not rent-a-bear. Our volunteer of the year, Bonnie Ste- vens, even wore a Poo Rear shirt.

Our bus driver judged the bears and other so-called creatures for their worthness. I had brung a ruby red (my own) teddy bear wearing h s heart on his sleeve Other entries included a talking fed& m p i n bear. '.There were so many winners including origiinal cadiness for the most ripped off bear. I think Andy won that one although i don't remember. All know is my bear didn't win even though there was a short search of worthy witnesses. All the other bears and toys (yes even toy-town toys) won a prize. Anyway they all started laughng at my teddy bear calling him "loser bear" and "non- winner bear" my poor bear nearly drowned hmself in Alice Lake but found some comfort in some of the nature squirrels. He now is in therapy and does not want to be re- ferred to as therapy bear. I will keep you informed. Cards and all donations can be sent to get well bear c/o Mr. McBinner 401 Main St Vancouver V6A 2T7 or carlm04@hotmail.com

Carl MacDonald

MOVE IP The 2-week all ages dance workshop put on by Joe Ink. honoured this community this year by taking place here in the DTES, for free. Thanks to the Firehall neat re for making the space available. For two hours a day, five days a week, it was a

strenuous commitment that saw us go from an amorphous, tentative mass to an amazing unit. This was a lot do with to the creative and very focused direction of Tara and the able and groundmg assis- tance of Jackie. They made us sweat, and love it. The two weeks culminated in a performance at the

Firehall, a unique event in the life of this city. Let's hope they will be able to offer this again next year, perhaps at Carnegie.

Kudos to Joe Ink, Tara and Jackie

Theatre In The Raw's

Play Writing Contest The Play must be: An original one-act play unpublished & unproduced

No longer than 25 double-spaced typed pages equal to 30 minutes, with no more than 6 characters, presented in proper stage-play format, and scripts must have page numbers. (f'lease include a USE for return and send copies only ofthe script. mOr@nal ntanuscripfs) ::: There is an entry fee of $25cdn for each one-act submitted to Iheatre In the Raw. (For 2 plays $ 4 0 ~ ) Make cheques payable to Theatre In the Haw, bear- ing the date and name of play entry and author on cheque memo line. ::: Contest Deadline: December 3 1,2005 : : : Winners will be announced on March 3 1,2006

The winners will receive: First Prizc: A $150cdn cash prize; At least one dra- matic reading or staging of the play at a Theatre In the Haw cafelvenue or as part of a mini-tour program for the One-Act Play Series Nights. Second Prize: A $50cdn cash prize. Third Prize: A $40cdn cash prize. Honourable Mentions: No cash prize, but short con- structive critique returned with note of appreciation. lhentre In the Haw reserves the right to workshop and to play-edit, on consultation with the playwright, before production or presentation.

Forward submissions to: '/hearre In the Raw Artistic Directorlone-Act Play Contest 352 1 Marshall Street Vancouver, BC V5N 4S2 office phone: 604-708-5448 e-mail: titraw(u!vcn.bc.ca

et's Do Lunch

ey, let's do lunch 'e'll talk about the madness of love nd I will tell you a story about the secret treasure idden in the forgotten temple, le jewel in the crown be found in the heart of the soul

t by true love's light, secret door to a luminous tavern where tipplers ink the immortal wine, lured by the hand of the divine, Lover.

, who cares now, how long the night. y soul has been set free and all I know is light. . . ave after wave after wave,

spiritual light resonates from tip to toe. A harmonic song is singing in my soul. Love is not something rational, something intellectual, it is not a thing to be reasoned. Love is a special madness, like a wann breeze that blows over the frozen tundra gently melting moisture seeps beneath your skin tickling the unsuspecting heart, the sleeping seed of the soul, forgotten in the dark.

Vibrating, resonating, germinating, awakening, stretching, reaching, breaking out of the dark boundaries, released into the light

,. ..a

Lulr vet 7

swef LOVI a SP' can-

A once desolate panorama now sparkling abloom, +rant carpet of wild flowers.

~inous purple yellow orange blue green red vel- liolet, singing, :t honeyed scented essence fills the air. e is a special madness that over takes reason. ecial breeze that sweeps over all our senses and ies us away.

Aw r lumi Arm mad and For and

ty from our desolation and wraps us in a sweet inous embrace. IS without a body, space without time, ness without a mind, I don't mind at all. I don't fall into love, I rise up into it, with it find the freedom I never knew.

ho can tell how sweet the fruit divine, yet hidden le blossom.

Who can tell when we shall find the ripe sweet fruit. whose bite, whose juice, whose essential nectar, is immortal loving. And there revealed the secret elixir.

But of course your diatribe is based on the presumption that there is a god. Until that is proven everything stemming from that belief becomes the ramblings of an unhinged maniac ....p ure madness my friend !!

0, tell the intellect to seek the madness of love. BUT PLEASE, do not say that I am unhinged, like some useless shutter banging in the wind, making some useless noise, unless you know, the wind to be the spirit of creation, and I announce his presence.

Unhinged?, unhinged like the Hawk from the tether of its task master. yes, fine. Unhinged like the winged caterpillar that has given up its 32 feet that give it such a firm grip upon reality. yes, h e . Unhinged like the sweet essence of the bound bud beginning to open, revealing wings of light for the souls flight, in love. yes 0 yes.

unhinged? UNHJNGED YOU SAY ? Even the hinged have a story to tell, but they are bound and their squeak is a yell, their task master oils them with some material goodie, they are easily satisfied and shut up, quickly returning to work, pacified.

We be all anaesthetizcd, the earth cracks but we hear not the cries, paralyzed we reach for the pipe and pretend it will be all right, there is a drought in the soul and our tears fall dry,

why not do lunch.??? We'll talk about the madness of love.

Brian Michael Nelson 0

ART EXHIBIT EXPLORES WOMEN'S SAFETY IN DTES

A community art project at Gallery Gachet, 88 E. Cordova, running from Sept. 9 to Oct. 2, hopes to

- raise awareness about women's safety and promote change. SAF'FJNOT SAFE is a group photography exhibition featuring the work of 30 women who live and work in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. Women have taken photographs as they've worked

and roamed the streets, as they've found refuge and shelter there. They describe, in their own words and through their eyes, responses to the dangers they face daily.

"This community art installation gives a visceral account of these women's often precarious existence on the streets," says curatorlproject coordinator Karen LeBeau. "It serves as testament to the spaces and places in their lives where women can feel safe or at risk of violence from one moment to the next." SAFEYNOT SAFE is about awareness as an impe- tus for societal change, big and small. It is about lives lived in a part of Vancouver that many citizens are unwilling to consider, witness or visualize. We can all relate to safety, as it affects our daily lives; but these SAFE and NOT SAFE images of the DTES allow viewers to enter spaces and fragments of lives that we might fear, willfully ignore, or com- pletely misunderstand. The installation is a visual catalyst for challenging assumptions about some of Vancouver's most vulnerable citizens.

While the DTES receives considerable attention from the media, politicians and general public, little consideration is given to making changes to provide a safer existence for those who live and work there now. To date, no harm reduction measures have been initiated to improve the safety of women in the DTES, despite the fact that since 1985 well over 100 women from this area are missing and orldead. SNTYNOT SAFE is a privately funded project that relied on the expertise, talents and passion of several volunteer collaborators. The project was coordinated out of the safe haven of the Women's Information Safe House (WISH) in the Downtown Eastside. Karen LeBeau has been a Registered Nurse since 1988 and has been employed at St. Paul's Hos- pital since 1996. She is currently near completion of her BScN and is also in her second year of studies at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design. LeBeau worked in St. Paul's Emergency from 1996 until 1998. She credits this experience with exposing her to the lives and hidden beauty of the many people who live in the DTES of Vancouver, and also as the inspiration for this project. SAFFJNOT SAFE is showing in Gallery I1 at

Gallery Gachet, in conjunction with the larger show "synes thesia : a concomitant sensation. "It

runs Sept. 9 to Oct. 2, with an opening reception Sept. 9, 7-10pm (admission by donation). For more information, stop by Gallery Gachet Wed-Sun, Noon-6pm, call 604.687.2468, or visit the website at www.gachet.org.

DOWNTOWN FIXED EXCHANGE SITE - 5 E Hastings EASTSIDE NEEDLE EXCHANGE VAN - 3 Routes: YOUTH 604-685-656 1 - 5:45pm - l l:45pm ACTIVITIES Overni~ht - 12:30sm - 8:30am I s O C E W Downtown Eastside - 5:30pm - 1:30am

d 4 9 W.Cordovs b 604-251-3310 ll(D2,SlFM C X D - ~ ~ RAdNIQ

*., _.*"'I*. 9 .,_). . - - .*I"'*. - - .*'"'*._ -.*

FREE - Donationa accepted. . .?d. . ' 9 - 3 . . . ' 9 2 ' '

Definition of "charity": (pre-socialist usage) <in an exploitative society> [a well-to-do person or institution] which gives donations to selected 'poor people' in a humiliating manner while using philanthropic and religious

THIS NEWSLETTER IS A PUBLICATION OF THE CARNEGIE COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION

slogans in order to conceal the necessity of radical Articles represent the views of individual social changes. contributors and not of the Association.

Editor: PaulR Taylor; cover art & layout, Diane Wood. 2005 DONATIONS Libby D.-$40

;e Submission Deadline for next issue:

f , Monday, September 12 I t - - - - - - - - - - - - q

We aclmowiedge that Carnegie Commrmity Centre, and thls N-letter, are happeninl on the Sqoamish Nation's tcdtorg. 1 - - - - - _ - . . _ v

I I -

Downtown Easts .t 12 East Hasting!

Contact Jenny .

Wai Ching Kwan MLA

Barry for Dave McC.-$50 Rolf A.-$45 Margaret D.425 Christopher R.-$50 Mary C-$30 Bruce 5.-$30 U'mista - $20 Heather S.425 RayCam-$30 Gram -5200 Paddy -$30 Glen B.-$50 John S.-$80 Penny G.421 Jenny K.420 Dara C.-$20 Sandy C320 Audrey-$20 Wea K.-$50 Joanne H.-$20 Rockingguys -$20 The Edge Community Liaison Ctt -$200 Pam B.-$25 Wm B-$20 Janice P.-$20 Michael C.-$50 Sheila B.-$25 Beth B.-$20 Anonymous-$2.50

c Program nl.

dividual ciation. :k or relegate

POETRY NIGHT

At 7 pm in the Carnegie Theatre Come and rl your fill of the

DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE POETS, SHlT DISTURBERS,

HISTORIANS (HERSTORIANS), BALLADEERSANDRAPPERS