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SURVIVING AND TIIRIVING - SINGLE MOMS AND I'OVEIU'Y

C a r o l , come i n t o t a l k a b o u t a m e e t i n g w i t h t h e S t u d e n t S e r v i c e s Committee o f t!ie Burnaby S c h o o l Board. They want t o k a b o u t t h e need f o r l u n c h programs i n t h e low income s c h o o l s i n Burnaby, b u t t h e y a l s o want some h e l p i n f i g u r i n g o u t how t o g e t t h i s c o m m i t t e e t h i n k i n g a b o u t making a l l t h e s c h o o l s i n t h e m u n i c i p a l i t y more a c c e s s i b l e t o low income c h i l d r e n and t h e i r p a r e n t s . We go t h r o u g h ELP's b r i e f t o t h e Royal Commission on Educat i o n i n 1989 and p i c k o u t some o f t h e most i m 2 o r t a n t p o i n t s : - S t u d i e s show t h a t p o o r c h i l d r e n , w h i l e o f t e n d i f f e r e n t than middle c l a s s c h i l d r e n , c a n b e i n d e p e n d e n t , s p o n t a n e o u s , ope n , c r e a t i v e , h i g h l y c o o p e r a t i v e and unpretentious; - Poor c h i l d r e n show t h e w o n d e r f u l human c a p a c i t y t o a d a p t and c o p e w i t h t h e i r environment, y e t i t ' s t h i s behaviour, along w i t h l a n g u a g e d e v e l o p m e n t , which i s s o o f t e n c r i t i c i z e d i n low income c h i l d r e n (Gordon, 1968; Edwards, 1 9 7 9 ) ; - The i s s u e s o f c l a s s i s m , r a c i s m & s e x i s m a r e n ' t a d d r e s s e d i n t h e c l a s s r o o m and c l ~ i l d r e nwho a r e t a r g e t s o f t h e s e oppr e s s i o n s a r e made t o f e e l l i k e f a i l u r e s . B e f o r e t h e y l e a v e , A n t o i n e t t e h a n d s me a l i s t o f 1 5 names, a d d r e s s e s & phone / / ' s of s i n g l e mothers s h e g o t a t a s i n g l e p a r e n t camp i n C u l t u s Lake. T h e s e women w e r e keen t o s t a r t a s u p p o r t g r o u p f o c u s e d on p o v e r t y . I ' m e x c i t e d . L a s t week a s i n g l e m o t h e r i n C h i l l i w a c k phoned and wanted t o s t a r t a g r o u p o u t t h e r e . The name s h e t h o u g h t o f was g r e a t : S.M.A.R.T. - S i n g l e M o t h e r s Are R e a l l y Tough The e v i d e n c e o f t h e work t h a t k e e p s u s w h i r l i n g is everywhere. Steven, a volunt e e r , i s making o u r F i g h t i n g P o v e ~ t yK i t s which w e s e n d t o a n y o n e who w a n t s t o know more a b o u t t h e c o a l i t i o n . A n o t h e r v o l u n t e e r , Dave, i s g e t t i n g o u r m a i l i n g o u t . W e have 3 monthly p u b l i c a t i o n s : o u r ELP Newsletter t h a t goes o u t t o people i n f o o d b a n k l i n e u p s ; FLAWline t h a t g o e s t o BC w e l f a r e a d v o c a t e s ; a n d t h e ACTIONLIUE, a n e w s l e t t e r f i l l e d w i t h a n a l y s i s o f pove r t y i s s u e s and what we're doing. We're p r e p a r i n g a workshop on t h e econoOxfam my & t h e r e a l c a u s e s of p o v e r t y .

g a v e u s money t o d o t h e s e f o r g r o u p s . I n t h i s m o r n i n g ' s m a i l a r e two l e t t e r s from m u n i c i p a l c o u n c i l s who h a v e p a s s e d o u r resolutions: - minimum wage s h o u l d b e r a i s e d t o a t l e a s t t h e same p e r c e n t a g e o f t h e p o v e r t y l i n e a s i t was i n 1975. T h i s would b e o v e r $7.50 a n h o u r . ( E d i t o r ' s n o t e : T h i s f i g u r e was c o r r e c t when t h e r e s o l h t i o n was f i r s t w r i t t e n i n 1990. New S t a t s Cana d a f i g u r e s show t h e minimum wage t o d a y n e e d s t o be $ 8 . 2 6 a n h o u r t o h a v e t h e same p u r c h a s i n g c a p a c i t y a s i t had i n ' 7 5 ) - t h e w e l f a r e r a t e s should be r a i s e d t o t h e poverty l i n e ; - t h e p r o v i n c i a l government s h o u l d l e t s i n g l e m o t h e r s on w e l f a r e d e c i d e w h e t h e r t h e y want t o s t a y home w i t h t h e i r c h i l d r e n f u l l t i m e o r work o u t s i d e . S e v e r a l towns, c i t i e s and g r o u p s h a v e p a s s e d t h e s e . You c a n u s e them t o t a l k a b o u t p o v e r t y i n y o u r area. J e a n i s t a l k i n g w i t h Debbie, a s i n g l e p a r e n t and ELP Board member. T h e y ' r e p l a n - 1 n i n g t h e d e t a i l s o f a n e v e n t w e ' r e organi z i n g i n a c o u p l e o f weeks. B a n n e r s t o =I , . sew, s t r e e t t h e a t r e t o c r e a t e , a c t o r s t o f i n d and r e h e a r s e , l e a f l e t s t o w r i t e up & copy, media r e l e a s e s t o compose and f a x . The i d e a h a s come f r o m t h e s i n g l e m o t h e r s i n t h e Forced Employment Committee, a g r o u p who a r e a f f e c t e d by t h e M i n i s t r y o f S o c i a l S e r v i c e s & Housing p o l i c y o f c l a s s i f y i n g s i n g l e m o t h e r s w i t h c h i l d r e n 6 mo. / o r o l d e r as e m p l o y a b l e and f o r c i n g them l o o k f o r work. I l o o k a r o u n d . Jean and Rose a r e b o t h on t h e phone, Rose t o Karen i n Nanaimo, coo r d i n a t o r o f o u r member g r o u p , t h e Associ a t i o n f o r B e t t e r Communities. K a r e n , anot h e r s i n g l e mom, s a y s s h e was o n t h e f r o p p a g e o f t h e Nanaimo Times. Her g r o u p o f s i n g l e p a r e n t s have been working together f o r 3 y e a r s r a i s i n g t h e i s s u e of poverty. They h a v e s u c c e e d e d i n f o r m i n g a 15-membe a n t i - p o v e r t y c o a l i t i o n i n Nanaimo. The w a l l s h a v e l o n g brown p a p e r s h e e t s s t a r t i n g c l o s e t o t h e c e i l i n g and g o i n g a l m o s t t o t h e f l o o r , c o v e r e d w i t h newspap e r a r t i c l e s a b o u t p o v e r t y . ELP a n d o u r member g r o u p s a r e e v e r y w h e r e . T h e r e ' s an a r t i c l e a b o u t l u n c h programs i n V i c t o r i a , .3

w i t h q u o t e s from t h e s i n g l e moms i n t h e V i c t o r i a C h i l d P o v e r t y A c t i o n Committee. Beside i t i s a n a r t i c l e i n t h e Ottawa C i t i z e n q u o t i n g J e a n , from a s p e e c h s h e gave a t t h e N a t i o n a l Symposium on Women and t h e Law. I s i t down t o c a t c h my b r e a t h , b u t two groups of p e o p l e come i n t o t h e o f f i c e . Three h i g h s c h o o l s t u d e n t s a r e d o i n g r e search about poverty f o r papers they a r e d o i n g , and a TV Crew from Radio Canada wants a n i n t e r v i e w . We have t o keep i n f o r m a t i o n a b o u t p o v e r t y and s o c i a l j u s t i c e i s s u e s c u r r e n t . We s p e a k t o g r o u p s , and keep a c t i v e i n n a t i o n a l g r o u p s l i k e t h e N a t i o n a l Anti-Povert y O r g a n i z a t i o n and t h e A c t i o n Canada Network. We a r e funded by u n i o n s , c h u r c h e s & law g r o u p s l i k e t h e Law Foundation and Leg a l S e r v i c e s S o c i e t y , United Way & o t h e r s . I o f t e n t h i n k I ' m s o p r i v i l e g e d t o be on s t a f f h e r e . G e t t i n g p a i d t o do t h i s work s t i l l amazes me. I ' v e been a s i n g l e p a r e n t s i n c e S t e v e n and Melanie were 1 and 3 and now t h e y ' r e t e e n a g e r s . A l l t h o s e y e a r s . . : m o s t l y on w e l f a r e . I c h o s e p o v e r t y on welf a r e o v e r a s l i g h t l y h i g h e r income working a t a j o b o u t s i d e . Melanie needed e x t r a a t t e n t i o n , h a v i n g Down's Syndrome. Looking back, o v e r t h o s e y e a r s , w i t h bad o r no housing (one summer s t a y i n g w i t h a f r i e n d ) not enough money and t h e overwhelming bone t i r e d n e s s . I wonder a t myself - a l l t h e o t h e r work I d i d . I h e l p e d s t a r t a w e l f a r e r i g h t s group i n S u r r e y , a c t e d a s a n advoc a t e t o more t h a n 30 p e o p l e a month o u t of o u r home, and l e d t h e P o v e r t y Game workshop d o z e n s of t i m e s . I was l u c k y t o o . I d i d n ' t have t r o u b l e w i t h t h e l a w o r have a n a d d i c t i o n o r h e a l t h problems t h a t would have f o r c e d me t o d e a l w i t h a u t h o r i t y more t h a n I d i d . While I was d o i n g advocacy, I t a l k e d t o women whose c h o i c e of working on t h e s t r e e t made s e n s e a f t e r t h e h u n d r e d t h harassment by w o r k e r s a t , t h e w e l f a r e offi c e . S t e a l i n g food i s sometimes more d i g n i f i e d t h a n ' w a i t i n g h o u r s i n a food bank l i n e u p f o r s t a l e buns and canned peas. G e t t i n g d r u n k o r s t o n e d i s sometimes a v a c a t i o n from a n u g l y r e a l i t y .

I s e e myself come i n h e r e t o t h e o i f i c , ? ' o r h e a r my v o i c e on t h e o t h e r end of t h e l i n e e v e r y day. Keeping your f a m i l y t o g e t h e r and h e a l t h y i s a l m o s t i m p o s s i b l e , and i s i m p o s s i b l e sometimes. The s i n g l e p a r e n t s we s e e who have t h e edge t o s t a r t f i g h t i n g poverty usually l i v e i n p u b l i c h o u s i n g o r h o u s i n g co-ops, w i t h t h e worry of h i g h r e n t s and crummy h o u s i n g gone. Some p e o p l e pay 70% of t h e i r income on poor s h e l t e r , no y a r d s where t h e k i d s can p l a y , no q u i e t p l a c e f o r them t o s t u d y , c o l d i n t h e w i n t e r , w i t h bugs. There may b e no p l a c e t o do t h e l a u n d r y s o you end up on t h e b u s w i t h k i d s t o t h e c o i n l a u n d r y , where a l l t h o s e q u a r t e r s c o u l d pay f o r a washer, i f you d i d n ' t do l a u n d r y f o r a year.

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WHO OWNS THE M O S T I N CANADA? DIVISION OF PERSONAL WEALTH I N CANADA When working people are accused of greed end causing inflation w ~ t hwage domonds. perhups those doing the accusing just don't like to share. The government's own puljlications show t h ~ the t top 10 porcent of Canadians families have more wealth than the rest of the people combined. The top 2 0 percent have well over double what the remaining 8 0 percent have. Working people fall in the 8 0 percent group. while professional and middle management domineto the top 2 0 percent. Tha corporate elite would be the top one or two percent. The actuid breakdown of wealth as of 1984 is 8 5 follows: % share of wealth poorest 20â€˘â€šh -.3% 2.4% 2nd poorest 2 0 % niddle 2 0 % 9.3% 2nd to richest 2 0 % 19.8% r~chest2 0 % 68.8% richcst 10%) 51.3% !Source: Statistics Canada Cat.13-588;. G Oja Changes in tho D ~ s t r ~ b u t ~ofo nWealth In C ~ m a d a 1970.1984." , Juno, 1987).

The memories I have of b e i n g on w e l f a r e are grim, p u s h i n g t h e two k i d s up t h i s huge h i l l w i t h them and 5 c a s e s of empty b e e r b o t t l e s my new l a n d l o r d had g i v e n m e t o c a s h i n and g e t money f o r supper.Waiti n g i n a 20 m i n u t e l i n e a t t h e w e l f a r e o f f i c e t o make a n a p p o i n t m e n t t o see my worker and t h e r e c e p t i o n i s t i n s i s t i n g I c a n o n l y make a n appointment by phone.

(I used a q u a r t e r and c a l l e d from a phone b o o t h r i g h t o u t s i d e t h e o f f i c e .) B r i n g i n g t h e k i d s t o o n e of M e l a n i e ' s h u n d r e d s of d o c t o r ' s a p p o i n t m e n t s on t h e bus and seei n g u s n e v e r as c l e a n and unrumpled a s t h e p e o p l e who packed t h e i r k i d s i n t o a c a r and d r o v e t h e r e . These d a i l y s m a l l h u m i l i a t i o n s t h r e a t e n t o p e r v e r t t h e l o v e I have f o r S t e v e n and Melanie and t u r n i t i n t o i m p a t i e n c e . I c a n f e e l t h e r a g e and f r u s t r a t i o n as I w r i t e t h i s b u t t h e b i g g e s t memory, t h e o n e t h a t comes back t o s h a k e m e , i s shame The h a r d e s t , most c o n f u s i n g t i m e I s p e n t h e r e was t r y i n g t o s e e myself as a worker d e s e r v i n g of a paycheque. 1 f e e l t h e - t e n y e a r s of w e l f a r e b e a t my p r i d e and t h e t r u s t I had i n my t h i n k i n g r i g h t 0-ut of me. To g e t i t back was a f i g h t . Support of my f r i e n d s was a b i g h e l p . Another element t o h e a l i n g my s e l f - e s t e e m w a s s e e i n g myself as p a r t o f t h e h u g e movement i n Canada and around t h e world working t o g e t j u s t i c e f o r women, o u r c h i l d r e n and poor p e o p l e everywhere. T h i s i,s what I am l u c k y t o s e e e v e r y day i n o t h e r s i n g l e p a r e n t s . The f i r s t s t e p is t o get together with o t h e r s t o s h a r e s t o r i e s and s u p p o r t , and p r a c t i c a l h e l p . Then I see women change and grow, d o i n g t h i n g s t h e y n e v e r t h o u g h t t h e y had t h e c o u r a g e t o do, m e e t i n g p o l i t i c i a n s and t e l l i n g them what t h e y and t h e i r c h i l d r e n need. I s e e s i n g l e p a r e n t s go t h r o u g h t h e p r o c e s s o f working t o g e t h e r , f i g u r i n g o u t w h a t ' s wrong and why and what t o do a b o u t it. ~ t ' s e x c i t i n g t o watch. There a r e powerful consequences: f e e l i n g b e t t e r and s t r o n g e r s o you d o n ' t blame y o u r s e l f f o r your p o v e r t y ; l e a r n i n g s k i l l s l i k e w r i t i n g and r e a d i n g ; o r g a n i z i n g and r u n n i n g a meeting; making a s p e e c h ; g i v i n g a n i n t e r v i e w on TV o r r a d i o ; k e e p i n g a group g o i n g - i t ' s v e r y empowering. Sometimes I t a k e low income p e o p l e t o one of t h e s c h o o l s i n Vancouver t h a t have l u n c h programs. I n a b u s t l e of 300 c h i l d r e n e a t i n g , (of t h e 1500 Vancouver k i d s who a r e f e d a n u t r i t i o u s , h o t l u n c h e v e r y d a y , i n a program t h a t d o e s n ' t s t i g m a t i z e t h e low income k i d s ) I always f e e l s o hope

f u l . End L e g i s l a t e d P o v e r t y , low income p e o p l e , d i d t h i s . We b r o u g h t p e o p l e ' s a t t e n t i o n t o t h e problem of p o v e r t y and worked h a r d t o g e t k i d s f e d . I ' m reminded of a doubt q u o t e from Margaret Mead: t h a t a s m a l l group o f t h o u g h t f u l , concerned c i t i z e n s c a n change t h e w o r l d ; i n d e e d , i t ' s t h e o n l y t h i n g t h a t e v e r does."

ever

THE EDITOR The '~ditor, ~arnegieNewsletter Dear Sir,

I am writing with regards to the current situation at First United Church. I was a social work student at First United from September, 1990, to April, 1991. I have several concerns I wish to raise publicly and your newsletter seems to be the best format for this. I should begin by saying that me experience with First United's advocacy program was excellent thanks to Allan Alvere (my supervisor), Chris Downing (an outstanding community activist) and Georgina Marshall (also an outstanding and caring worker). I grew to know the downtown eastside community and better understand the unique and extremely difficult living conditions of many of its residents. I sincerely hope I did my best as a student advocate to support those people who came to me for help. Unfortunately there is more to working in an agency or organization than the actual front line work with clients. There is also the work environment and the way in which different levels of an agency interact. What I found and could not ignore at First I1n! ced was an extremely "dysfunctional" environment in which the "top" did not

appear to sbpport thei!imitiative land' ideas of the "bottom". Needless to say this was a great surprise and disappointment to me because I felt the grassroots at First United was involved in some wonderful work (eg. native programs run by dedicated and energetic native people). Most of the "dysfunction" at First United took the form of quiet anger and disagreement. The upper echelons of the Church did not seem interested in the grassroots' views or opinions. I cannot be specific because I do not wish to name individual people but suffice it to say that it appeared that people were sometimes actually punished for expressing their views when those views differed from the views of those in charge. I have rarely seen such a top down approach to managing an organization. It reminded me more of a bank or a large multinational company than a social service organization. Shortly before my practicum was complete the Board of First United and * the superintendent decided to "fire" Chris Downing (this is my interpreta, tion). The termination occurred suddenly at 9:OOam while I was on front line. At 9:20am I was informed of Chris' termination and because the reason for the termination was Chris' particular approach to community development I felt it was necessary to protest the termination by suspending work. Both myself and another social work student walked off the job at I 9:30am. The UBC School of Social Work supported my job action. The Superintendent of First Church asked to see me two days later because he felt my action was inappropriate and ill-conceived. During the actua4 meeting he said, "So, you wanted { to ses me?" In my opinion the Super- 1 intendent's confused approach to my

7. Seems the "dysfunction" is becoming a challenge to his authority was symptom- matter of intense concern for United atic of his difficulty in dealing with Church Headquarters. All United Churthe "dysfunction" of the Church's ches get a "Visitation" once every 3 organization. years or so by a quasi-independent perI feel I am free to raise these con- son who just sort of looks things over. cerns because I am a member of First FUC is getting a special visitation due United Church and not an employee and to the amount of crud & garbage visited therefore am not subject to the unruly on our community in general and on the discipline of the Church's Board. I employees, both past & present, in parfeel the community work of First Unit- ticular ed's employees has been excellent and (For those of you unfamiliar with DE I am both angry and sad to see it in definitions; 'crud' is a synonym for such disarray. It is my sincere hope the work used to describe the product that by naming the "dysfunction" of of a bull's bowel movement.) First Church I will thereby speed up In the last 4 or 5 issues articSes 6 the change that must occur as soon as letters have brought light to what FUC possible. administration has tried to keep in Sincerely, the dark. Each time a public response has been asked for from FUC. Our commJohn Richmond unity has a crucial need for unity'and committed, caring and effective activists..people whose integrity & manner lead to progressive and beneficial change. The FUC administration (this Oversight Board) continues to ignore the issues that resulted in 3 highly , respected community workers leaving. The welfare advocacy role is crucial; FUC seems to be passing this off with a casual shrug, having spent a fruitless year trying to find a person with the proper 'theological' background to do advocacy & community work. Rumour has it that FUC is now doing "other things"; maybe they should just close the building on Hastings and move somewhere where these "other" are priorities. You see, there's no way the FUC administration is going to start the inevitable public meeting (Editor's note: The situation at FUC - over this crap with "What's wrong?") acronymical connotation, vis-a-vis the Oversight Board & Hillson & Elliot, definitely intentional - remains unaddressed. Hillson is the head of the Oversight Board & Elliot is the head Rev., so either one could be the superintendent referred -to by John Richmond.

" I n s i d e e v e r y man t h e r e i s a w i l d , savage b e a s t t h a t i s a t t h e c o r e o f t h a t man..oppressed, s u b l i m a t e d , y e t t h e r e ready t o be unleashed t o . . . . Well, i t s t a r t e d o u t a s a q u o t e b u t i t sounds t o o much l i k e t h e p l o t f o r e i t h e r a p l o t f o r a L a t e L a t e Show B movie w i t h t h e urban wimp suddenly t u r n i n g i n t o Tarzan w h i l e o r d e r i n g 25,000 more doohickeys f o r $1.49 Day and s a v i n g t h e world OR maybe w h a t ' s on t h e c o v e r of t h e b r o c h u r e a d v e r t i z i n g an ' i n t e n s e p r i m a l workshop t o uncover and r e l e a s e your hidden power' - t h e wet dream of e v e r y g i r l - t h e WILD MAN! Yes V i r g i n i a , t h e r e i s a s t o r y somewhere i n h e r e ; Bob had a n i d e a . . o r i t might have been J e f f ( d o u b t f u l but s t r a n g e r t h i n g s have happened)..or Dan (no, Dan r e a l i z e d he was a l i v e i n 1960 o r s o and g o t confused s o h e decided t o s t i c k t o the d e t a i l s ) Donald had h i s i d e a i n 1973, C a r l exclaimed t h a t h e ' d been shanghied by nepotism, Ed g o t t a l k e d i n t o i t ("you always want t o g e t o u t of here!") and Wayne t h o u g h t i t was a l i t t l e weird b u t s a i d s u r e , what t h e h e l l . I was t h e l a s t s t a r t e r b u t I have an i r o n c l a d a l i b i Your Honour. Various and sundry o t h e r s copped o u t so finger-pointing is f u t i l e . D e s t i n a t i o n - CEEDS farms i n t h e Cariboo. I d e a t i o n - g e t m i l d . P o i n t one, we g o t t h e r e (we a l s o g o t back h e r e b u t t h a t ' s anodder s t o r y shweeth e a r t ) , and t h e 6-hour d r i v e o n l y took 8 o r 9 h o u r s . P a n i c w a s n o t t h e o r d e r of t h e d a y , b u t g e t t i n g f o u r mild men p e r v e h i c l e t o a g r e e on t h e d i f f e r e n c e between l e f t & r i g h t i n a matter of seconds can be h a r d .

....

., "

I f any of t h e above l e a d s you t o a q u i e t c h i c k l e o r , worse, you j u s t end up s h a k i n g your head..and you d o n ' t f e e l i t ' s your week t o be saved..you might j u s t be a mild man (assuming no woman i n h e r r i g h t mind would s t i l l be r e a d i n g t h i s c r a p )

CEEDS i s okay. A f a i r number o f p e o p l e g o t i t t o g e t h e r and have more o r l e s s kept i t together with organic f a r m i n g & g a r d e n i n g & animal husbandry & Trooper Power and o t h e r good s h i t .

A c o l l e c t i v e agenda was t h e f i r s t j o k e and p e r s o n a l agendas were s l o w l y t o r t u r e d o v e r slow f i r e s . J e r r y & Nic & Greg & Terry were ready t o u s g e t mild w i t h an a c r e & a h a l f of garden i n need of weeding. The 8 of u s had s p e n t about an h o u r a f t e r b r e a k f a s t b e i n g s a r c a s t i c about s a r casm t h e n a c c e p t e d t h a t t h e world was

weeding went on f o r t h e n e x t 5 o r 6 Seeds f o r h o u r s w i t h 9 o r 10 p e o p l e . CEEDS were s i f t e d on t h e s i d e w i t h mouncing mishmash composed f o r compost. Time t o t a l k , walk, work t a l k w h i l e w a l k i n g t o work. I t soon g o t through o u r c i t y f i e d minds t h a t

...

e a r l y e v e n i n g and Carl, who was g r o s s i n g h i m s e l f o u t w i t h no shower f o r a few d a y s (weeks?) d i d t h e r e l a t i v e l y w i l d t h i n g of washing i n t h e l a k e b u t had t o change o u t o f h i s s h o r t s when he f o r g o t h i s knees. Rain n i x e d t h e d i n n e r o u t d o o r s and Music of t h e B i o s p h e r e c a r r i e d on ins i d e t h e farmhouse. Word h a s i t t h a t supper was served at 2 a.m. P a r t of t h e l a s t day and t h e t r i p back was s p e n t i n a t t e m p t s t o a g r e e on a s t o r y f o r a l l t h e f a i n t - o f - h e a r t ( s p o u s e s , f r i e n d s , t h e v a r i o u s and s u n d r y . ) who would a s k , "What d i d you do?" Nothing w i l d man.

By PAULR

TAYLOR

THE WEST VANCOUVER CLAN

The West Vancouver Clan (WVC) h e l d a c o n f e r e n c e t o s i d c u s s how b e s t t o p r o t e c t and expand t h e i r nouveaux r i c h e s . I t was d e c i d e d t h a t t h e g r a c e of Aurora would be bestowed b e n e a t h them, and t h a t t h e Melman conquest would n o t come t o p a s s .

Summoning a q u i c k s e n s e o f honour, t h e Melman Conquest l e f t t h e WVC and (FIHBC), c h a n t e d " u n i t y " as i t marched t o t h e Fire-In-Her-Belly-Camp where t h e y were welcomed l i k e a n i c e - c o l d a l k a - s e l t z e r . Now t h e WVC was under t h e c o n t r o l o f t h e Nineteen-Ninety-Nine S h u f f l e Video Club (NNNHKSVC), and t h e FIHBC w a s n o t .

Hong Kong

So t h e WVC, knowing t h e y c o u l d n o t soon b r i n g i n t o b e i n g t h e i r own band of puppet power b r o k e r s , d e c i d e d t o s u p p o r t t h e i r most dangerous enemy, t h e Whose-Side-Are-You-On-Coalition (WSAYOC), l e t them f i g h t i t o u t w i t h t h e FIHBC f o r 4 o r 5 y e a r s & t h e n s t r i k e w i t h t h e red-hot i r o n o f NNNHKSVC.

And from a l l of t h i s came t o p a s t u r e t h e g r e a t Middle Of Road B r i t i s h Unity L i n g u i s t i c L e g i s l a t o r s ' S o l i d Heavy Economic T r e a t i s e (MORBULLSHET).

I J u s t a reminder t h a t I ' m s t i l l a v a i l a b l e - no c h a r g e - t o h e l p C a r n e g i e p a t r o n s w i t h problems of TV r e c e p t i o n . Your s e t s t a y s a t y o u r home. As a "TV Handyman" r a t h e r t h a n a t e c h n i c i a n I ' m o n l y s u c c e s s f u l i n a b o u t 50 percent of t h e cases. I might a l s o be a b l e t o o f f e r a d v i c e about where t o buy a low-price, c o l o u r TV w i t h a w a r r a n t y . I f you t h i n k I c o u l d h e l p , l e a v e a message f o r me a t C a r n e g i e ' s I n f o Desk. T h i s i s a v o l u n t a r y Carnegie program. ERIC ERICKSON

FAUlLI C A W LS.

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CANADA'S CRIMINAL GOVERNMENT M.BEAU0RY (0 PARENT)

R.BOURASSA GfMrTONnAF RENIE RE CAlSsE OEPOT

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Editor, For t h o s e who a r e i n t e r e s t e d i n o u r freedom I a s k you t o w r i t e t o your MP t o protest the d i c t a t o r i a l infringeNew Democrats

B.C.

ridings -

DAVE BARRETT M .P Iim 914, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg.

DAWN BLACK M.P. &n 379, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg. J O H N F , BREWIN M.P. Iim 430, West Block.

L i l F r i e d r i c h & W.B., McLure, BC SVEND J. ROBINSON M.P. Rm 386. C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg. ROBERT E . SKELLY M.P. Rm 748, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg.

I A N WADDELL M P Rm 759, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg.

The o n l y L i b e r a l MP i n BC: RT. HON. J O H N N . TURNER M. P. Rm 409-S, C e n t r e Block.

J I M KARPOFF M.P. Rm 639-C, Centre Block

LYLE KRISTIANSEN M.P. Rm 900, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg. J O Y LANGAN M.P. Rm 640-C, C e n t r e Block.

P.C.

(Tories)

B.C.

ridings -

ROSS BELSHER M.P. Rm 238, West Block. MARY COLLINS M.P. Rm 624, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg.

NELSON RIIS M.P. Rm 437, West Block.

RAYMOND SKELLY M. P Rm 747, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg. DAVID STUPICH M.P. Rm 928, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg.

J A C K WHITTAKER M.P. Rm 903, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg. J I M FULTON M. P. Rm 754, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg.

BRIAN L. GARDENER M.P. Rrn 742, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg.

LYLE HUNTER M .P Rm 760, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg. LYLE DEAN MacWILLIAMS M.P. Rm 658-D, C e n t r e Block

HON. J O H N A. FRASER M.P. Rm 229-N, C e n t r e Block.

AL HORNING M.P. Rm 158, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg. HON. THOMAS SIDDON M.P. Rm 121, E a s t Block.

STAN WILBEE M.P. Rm 252, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg. K I M CAMPBELL M.P. Rm 434-N, C e n t r e Block. CHUCK COOK M .P Rm 534-N, C e n t r e Block.

BENNO FRIESEN M.P. Rm 172, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg. HON. FRANK OBERLE M.P. Rm 576, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg.

"MARGARET ANN MITCHELL M.P. Rm 385, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg. SID PAEXER M.P. Rm 9 ~ 7 ,C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg

ment of t o o many of o u r r i g h t s i n t h i s give s o - c a l l e d "democracy". Act now them t h e message t h a t Enough i s Enough.

ROBERT L. WENMAN M.P. Rm 235, C o n f e d e r a t i o n Bldg.

DAVE WORTHY M P Rm 276, W e l l i n g t o n Bldg.

A l l : House of Commons, OTTAWA, O n t a r i o .

KIA 0A6

o r t h e Exander-Smith Publtic Review P a n e l . I remember t h e 1 9 7 0 ' s G o a l s f o r Vanccu" p e t r o l e u m b a r g e s o p e r a t i n g i n Vancouver V e r s t u d y w h i c h f o u n d t h a t 10% o f a l l j o b s i n t h e Lower M a i n l a n d are d i r e c t l y o r i n Harbour c a n b e c h a r a c t e r i z e d a s s i n g l e s h e l l h u l l e d v e s s e l s , which a r e unmanned & d i r e c t l y l i n k e d t o t h e P o r t . We h a v e t o P r o t e c t t h o s e j o b s b u t we a l s o h a v e t o enu s u a l l y towed by a w i r e r o p e c o n n e c t e d t o e i t h e r a wire o r c h a i n l i n k b r i d l e . The 10- s u r e t h a t o u r e n v i r o n m e n t i s p r o t e c t e d . c a l Vancouver f l e e t c a n b e c l a s s i f i e d a s m e major o i l s p i l l could destroy beaches a g i n g - few a d d i t i o n s h a v e b e e n made s i n c e f o r q u i t e Some t i m e . I m a g i n e E n g l i s h Cay o r Lighthouse P a r k c o a t e d w i t h a b l a c k goo; the early seventies." thousands of s e a p l a n t s , b i r d s & f i s h dead. No, t h e a b o v e s t a t e m e n t i s n ' t from a n I n . s h o r t I b e l i e v e we h a v e t o e n s u r e t h s t o p p o s i t i o n p o l i t i c i a n . I t ' s from a g o v t . t a n k e r s e n t e r i n g Canadian w a t e r s a r e s a f e r e p o r t , "A R i s k A n a l y s i s o f T a n k e r T r a f f i c Can b e , ' t h a t government i s p r e p a r e d t o klovement w i t h i n t h e P o r t o f Vancouver" respond e f f e c t i v e l y should a s p i l l o c c u r , t h e 3 r d s u c h g o v t . r e p o r t i n t h e l a s t COUt h a t t h e r e a r e adequate i n s p e c t i o n s of p l e of y e a r s . I h o p e a l l C a r n e g i e Newslettznkers, t h a t p e n a l t i e s i n place f o r viot e r r e a d e r s w i l l j o i n w i t h me i n u r g i n g l a t i n g t h e law s e r v e a s a d e t e r r e n t & t h a t t h e f e d e r a l government t o implement t h e recommendations w h i c h a r i s e from t h i s . F o r t h e e f f e c t i v e n e s s o f t h e w e s t c o a s t t a n k e r e x c l u s i o n zone i s reviewed. whatever r e a s o n s , t h e y have chosen n o t t o implement e i t h e r t h e David h d e r s o n R e p o r t D s r r e n Lowe Editor,

&*S*** *&*&~*&*ss&*saf&rAk X**H&*** THE SCENT of SUMMER ROSES The roll of distant thunderlwith winds that bend the trees, The sounds of angry waterlout there upon the seas. Scratchings on the window-~ane/as shadows trace the wall, Faint rustles in the closetland creakings in the hall. Now time to sleep,my darlinglto cover up your head, To snuggle in the blanketslinside a soft,warm bed. It's time to hold your ~eddy/topress him very tight, He'll stay with you,my darlingluntil the morning's light. Think of baby bunnies, Good times at the Fair, The scent of Summer roses, Floating on the air. Now dream the dreams of ~den/upwhere an angel sings, Where you can ride white horseslthat fly on silver wings. Where baby swallows flutterlwithout a single care, Through the scent of Summer roses/floating on the air. Then as the misty morninglbegins a brand new day, When pretty dreams start fadingland slowly slip away. If in those passing moments/you breathe a quiet sigh, And if there comes a sadnesslwith teardrops in your eye. TSnk of baby bunnies, Good times at the Fair, The scent of Summer roses, Floating on the air. Michael James McLellan

t h e E a s t - grimy b a r - s l a n t e d f l o o r s and b r o k e n c h a i r s - b u t who t h e h e l l not ices. A few b e e r s - a few good l a u g h s , a good t i m e ; who among u s r e a l l y n e e d s a panc)vamic decorum - c h a n d e l i e r s a n d cashmere c a r p e t s - sometimes t h e music i.n t h e s e l e s s t h a n g r a c i o u s b a r s i s t h e b e s t y o u ' r e gonna h e a r a n y w h e r e ; and you know t h e g u y s p l a y i n g i t a r e t h e g u y s l u r i n g i t : and e v e r y o n e t h e r e i s l i v i n g i t somehow o r o t h e r . Did t h e j i g i n t h e BC i n t e r i o r . . t h a t Whitl a n d i s s o m e t h i n g beyond words. man o r S h a k e s p e a r e c o u l d h a v e s a i d i t b u t f o r me s o m e t i m e s w o r d s f a l l s h o r t - b u t ~ ' ms u r e a n a r t i s t o f l a n d s c a p e s would h a v e a good t i m e p a i n t i n g f o r y e a r s . . . Drove t o a f a r m h o u s e down a l o n g - f o r g o t t e n r o a d , p u l l e d up and what t h e h e l l - c a r s and p e o p l e e v e r y where and a f u l l - t i l t band c a l l e d "Coyote" s o m e t h i n g p l a y i n ' 6 p l a y i n ' good and a l l t h e l i q u i d a n d f o o d a body c o u l d consume - somewhere a f i r e was g o i n g o u t s i d e t h e f a r m h o u s e - l o t s o f f o l k s walked o f f t h a t way, n o t t o be s e e n a g a i n u n t i l morning..cone t o t h i n k o f i t I n e v e r r e a l l y knew w h e r e t h e f a r m h o u s e was.

p e o p l e b e t a l k i n g a b o u t t h e p r i c e of everything: food, housing, tobacco, day c a r e , h o s p i t a l s , r o a d s , b u i l d i n g s - n o t t o m e n t i o n a i r & water - i t ' s e x p e n s i v e b r e a t h i n g i n d i s e a s e and chemicals - i t ' s expensive e a t i n g contaminated f i s h & animals big q u e s t i o n i s when d o e s i n f l a t i o n l r e c e s s i o n END?or i s t h i s r i d e t h e o n l y ride at the fair! I t ' s a sad f a c t of r e a l i t y , but f a c t i s we g o t no c o n t r o l ' b o u t what o u r 'elected' o f f i c i a l s a r e doin' Oh, we t a l k i t up - s t o p a f e w badsmelling B i l l s , but only the B i l l s t h e o f f i c i a l s w a n t s t o p p e d - expendab l e B i l l s , u s e d a s a smoke s c r e e n t a k i n g p e o p l e ' s t h o u g h t s away f r o m t h e r e a l problems. . . t h e d e s t r u c t i v e b i l l s s n e a k by unnoticed, our l i v e s ruined, unchallenged Did t h e j i g a t t h e 01' Greyhound Bus s t o p - and t h a t was ' c a u s e i t w a s r a i n soaked c o l d I s u r e w a s n ' t a l o n e d o i n ' t h e 2s t e p a t f o u r i n t h e e a r l y m o r n i n g and a f t e r e v e r y t h i n g i s s a i d and done. c i g a r e t t e s taste b e t t e r i f everyone i s smokin' them a t t h e same t i m e l i k e most t h i n g s I s u p p o s e !

...

P r i c e s based on a b i l i t y t o pay (!) Fees based on a b i l i t y t o pay (!) So f a r , t h i s i s p r e t t y i d e a l i s t i c s o l e t ' s s t a r t w i t h a b a s i c peeve of humans everywhere: Paying f o r somet h i n g t h a t , i f you g e t complete i n f o and go t h r o u g h o t h e r , e q u a l l y okay c h a n n e l s , you g e t f o r f r e e . A guy c a l l i n g h i m s e l f J i m G . came i n t o C a r n e g i e and wanted t o s h a r e what h e ' d j u s t s p e n t time g o i n g t h r u . He had a c r i m i n a l r e c o r d a n d , t h r o u g h t h e John Howard S o c i e t y , c o u l d g e t bonded and be e l i g i b l e f o r a l o t of j o b s t h a t o t h e r w i s e were c l o s e d t o him. Fine. One o f t h e b a s i c p i e c e s of p a p e r he needed was a h a r d , o f f i c i a l copy o f h i s r e c o r d and t h e form t o g e t t h i s had t o have a copy of h i s fingerprints attached. A l i t t l e f a c t t h a t some o f u s c a n r - l a t e t o - J i m G . i s c u r r e n t l y on delfare. "Acceptable" f i n g e r p r i n t s a r e t h o s e t a k e n by t h e p o l i c e . Now comes t h e p a r t t h a t J i m G. j u s t c o u l d n ' t a c c e p t : Every m u n i c i p a l p o l i c e f o r c e c h a r g e s a f e e t o t a k e your f i n g e r p r i n t s and Vancouver's f i n e s t have o n e o f t h e h i g h e s t f e e s i n BC - $32. For J i m . . f o r anyone on income a s s i s t a n c e . . t h e t 3 2 h a s t o come o u t o f y o u r food money b u t he w a s t o l d o f a l l t h e r e s t r i c t i o n s & r e a s o n s & whatnot t h a t a l l -----seemed t o add up t o no way o u t - no money = no i n k on 'd f i n g e r s . J i m w a s t o l d he c o u l d n ' t go t o a d i f f e r e n t town b e c a u s e he l i v e s h e r e ; he l e a r n e d t h a t when t h e RCMP a c t as a m u n i c i p a l i t y ' s p o l i c e i t is tech-

n i c a l l y a c o n t r a c t (they a r e enforci n g m u n i c i p a l law) and a r e n ' t r e q u i r e d , by law, t o do f i n g e r p r i n t i n g as a public service - for free. J i m decided t o g e t t h e f a c t s of t h e m a t t e r and c a l l e d a t o l l - f r e e number t o g e t t h e lowdown on t h e law - t h e P r i v a c y Act.(l-800-276-0441). He spoke t o Monique LeBlanc i n t h e P r i I t began vacy Commissioner's O f f i c e . t o g e t c l e a r e r . Then he t a l k e d t o Robert Woodward and g o t t h e r e s t clear. Seems t h a t what h e ' d been t o l d about not being allowed t o c r o s s b o u n d a r i e s ( g o i n g t o a town w i t h a c h e a p e r f e e ) was " p o l i c y " , n o t law, and was o n l y p r e s e n t e d as c a r v e d i n s t o n e s o each m u n i c i p a l i t y ' s p o l i c e would have more income. The b i t on t h e RCMP was o n l y t r u e i f you went t o a detachment, and t h a t b i t of i n f o opened t h e r i g h t d o o r . Turned o u t t h a t a l l J i m G. had t o do - what anyone n e e d i n g a copy o f t h e i r f i n g e r p r i n t s had t o do - was go t h e t h e RCMP's E D i v i s i o n Headq u a r t e r s a t 657 W. 3 7 t h Avenue, Mon. t o F r i . from 8am - lpm and i t ' s f r e e . Not o n l y do t h e y t a k e t h e p r i n t s , t h e o r i g i n a l copy i s g i v e n t o you t o m a i l and t h e y even p r o v i d e t h e l e t t e r It g o e s t o : already addressed. David J. McCormick, C/Supt. P r i v a c y C o - o r d i n a t o r RCMF' 1200 V a n i e r Parkway OTTAWA, O n t a r i o . K I A OR2 The phone number o f t h e Commanding O f f i c e r a t 3 7 t h Ave. i s 264-2000. The i d e a l r e s u l t i s b e i n g bonded i n t h i s case. Practical results, i f you need your f i n g e r p r i n t s o r whate v e r from t h e f e d e r a l government, i s t h a t g e t t i n g t h e c o r r e c t & complete i n f o can l e t you e a t f o r a n o t h e r 10 d a y s o f t h e month. Thus e n d s t o d a y ' s lesson i n bureaucratic bullshit. By PAULR

TAYLOR

DOWNToWN YOUTH

STD LLLNLC - fl0n~ap:~Q~rpqgh~rFr.idq1~~Barp; - 5pm. FREE HEDICAL CLINIC - Mon, Wed, F r i , 5:30-7 :30 NEEDLE EXCHANGE - 221 Main; e v e r y day - 9am-5pm Needle exchange van - on t h e s t r e e t Mon-Sat e v e n i n g s . N.A. meets e v e r y Monday n i g h t a t 223 Main S t r e e t . N a r c o t i c s Anonymous (NA) m e e t s a t Dugout, 57 P o w e l l , 7 :30 F r i '

1991 DONATIONS: C h a r l e y B.-$30 Oly(Sven) -$20 Cement Masons -$175 blendel R.-$15 Marilyn S .-$36 H e a t h e r M.-$15 D a r r e n L.-$50 Herman L.-$10 F o r e s t Lawn -$20 TIITS N:..JSI.ETTER I S A PUBLICA'TZOH OF TIIT. . K e i t h C.-$30 E t i e n n e S.-$20 CXHN!..C IPS C'OEQKIN ITY CLNTRC A S 3 0 C i ZTION. Sandy C.-$35 Nancy W.-$75 Nkxt I s s u e ' s A r t i c l e s represent the views o f individvnl A r t VL -$5 T e r r y T.-$200 c o n t r i b u t o r s and n o t o f t h e A s s o c i a t i o n . Brenda -$5 Vishva A.-$15 DEADLINE E l l e n -$5 J a n e t B .-$20 FREE - Ddnntions a c c e p t e d . 1 2 August L i l l i a n H.-$20 Sue H.-$50 C i t y I n l o s t a f f c a n ' t acrq-pt Monday donations f o r t h i s Newsletter, s o C o l l e e n E.-$25 Donald M.-$5 if you can h e l p , f i n d Paul T a y l o r B i l l T .-$20 Dave - $ l o and h e ' l l g i v e you a r e c e i p t . Nancy J.-$10 A n n e t t e R.-$30 Thanks everybody! W i l l i a m B.-$20 Rhinos -$3.03 Laughing B e a r -$200 A l b e r t H.-$8 S a l v a t i o n Army C h i l l i w a c k -$30 Legal S e r v i c e s S o c i e t y -$500 F i r s t United Church -$500 The Downtown Eastside Itesidents' AGsociaUol~ Anonymous -$38

* any melfiire problerns +

* * +

+ +

lnformatlon on legal rlghts disputes w i h landlords unsilie living crsnditinns lnconle tax UIC probleins firding housing opcning a t a n k account

FOOD BANKS ARE A BANDAID, NOT A SOLUTION On July 16 & July 23, articles appeared in the Vancouver Sun reporting on Vancouver's Food Banks, Executive Director Jill van Dijk is quoted as saying that, while the Food Bank was originally set up to help the most needy through tough times, its use has steadily increased in its 9year existence. Also, "We now have a 2nd generation of food bank users" referring to one young mother. In each article, the picture presented is uniformly one of Blaming the Victim. People getting food are referred to generically as "(not) learning living skills, they learn how to accept a handout." And "shufflers - those who stand meekly, quietly & anonymously in line, refusing to make eye contact, refusing to believe they have a choice." It's a cruelly-written piece. How academic is it when you learn to

accept a handout or go hungry, when a person shuffles their feet because a walk of a mile or more is often necessary to get to the food bank when you have no money for the bus, when being meek & quiet is one of the few ways to hold onto some dignity and self-esteem because of having to rely on charity? Please remember that many single mothers just cannot go - cannot find a babysitter who will care for an infant or young hcildren for free for the several hours involved. Counting back, it seems the doors of the Food Bank first opened near the end of the 1981-82 recession. Downturns & recessions are regular occurrences. The methods in common use in business are exposed periodically, the best at them cut & wait, thousands of people get burned &, as prices fall & commodities are devalued these buzzards move in for killings on a massive scale. Fortunes were made during the Great Depression with criminals able to buy goods & real estate at up to 1/100th of the actual worth. The Food Bank wasn't an overnight miracle either. As unemployment rose and prices skyrocketed, economic pressures crushed choice with hunger & inadequate methods of dealing with it. The overall cost of living (then as now) far exceeded the meagre welfare rates. In B.C. today welfare provides incomes that are from 44-61% of Stats Canada's poverty lines. The poverty line is the level of income required by single people & different sized families to pay for the minimum necessities of food, clothing, shelter, medical aid & education. Former socred premier Bill Bennett had kept welfare rates frozen for years but inflation didn't freeze and (then as now) IIunemployment & underemployment, in which people have to work at poor-paying, parttime jobs..devastating rent increases & people spending up to 70% of their income in the last year there has on rent". been a 21% increase in the number of people using food banks. P.R. Sarkar, in a talk entitled "Psycho-Economic Exploitation" says:

not aware of the fact that the ultimate result is their economic exploit- , ation. "Today all over the world there is greater economic awareness than before. That is why the cunning exploiters have resorted to the path of either socio-economic or psycho-economic exploitation. They have spread their trap over a vaster area, hoping to reap a rich harvest."

"When the exploitation in the physical sphere is directly economic in character, even the common people can understand that; they need not Laboclr hard to comprehend it. But in the event of exploitation in other spheres the exploited people are not even aware of the fact that they are being exploited. That is why it becomes easy for the cunning exploiters to keep them in prolonged domination by creating inferiority complexes in their minds. "And the tragedy is that the exploited mass don't try to understand; they even refuse to understand even though some may try to make them understand, that they are the victims of exploitation. So. this is more dan~erous. When the exploitation is directly economic, the people can easily understand it; but when the exploitation is perpetrated in this socio-economic sphere or the psycho-economic sphere, the situation becomes complicated. The people feel a little aggrieved because they feel that they are being psvchicallv suppressed, but they are -

The Food Bank is a bandaid yet the wound it's covering is carefully avoided - the problem of hunger & poverty that is growing faster & more menacingly than any charity's ability to cope. Charity itself, however well-intentioned, is a bandaid, not a solution. Charity creates a relationship of power & dependence instead of equality & respect. It makes the giver feel good and the receiver feels humiliated..it perpetuates inequality, doesn't end poverty & lets the government off the hook. It creates the illusion that people's needs are being met when they are not. Many, many people fall through the cracks of charity. The "tough times" are not and never will be a thing of the past as long as wealth accumulation practices are permitted which allow obscene amounts to stop in increasingly fewer hands. In 1987 Stats Canada figures show that the poorest 20% of Canadians owned . 3 % of our wealth, while the richest 10% owned 51.3%. Almost 70% of those with a substantiak amount of wealth inherit it. One phone call will give anyone up-todate, almost exact numbers of people on welfare last month. Unemployment figures are exaggerated down; if you work fur an hour a week, you aren't counted - you are employed! The Stats Canada figures stated are from 1987 - the most recent available. A professor of economics at the University of Alberta did a report & video in 1990 entitled "Who Are The Real Welfare ~ u m s " and stated that it took him over a year just to weed out the grants, tax-free loans and loopholes that profit multinationals billions. Who wins and who loses?

These c o n g l o m e r a t e s , a i d e d by t h e i r poli t i c a l ' g o - f e r s ' , have f u e l e d h i g h unemployment ( a l m o s t 200,000 i n BC i n June 1 0 . 3 % n a t i o n w i d e ) ; kept wages down ( a s i n g l e person can work f u l l - t i m e a t t h e -.li.nimum wage and s t i l l be o v e r $3,000 be? o - t h e P o v e r t y l i n e ) ; made h o u s i n g t o o e x p e n s i v e & hard t o f i n d ; keep i n t e n s e p r e s s u r e on t o s h i f t t a x e s from b e i n g f a i r , (based on a b i l i t y t o pay) t o b e i n g u n f a i r ( l i k e t h e GST and c o n t i n u o u s i n c r e a s e s f o r t h e m i d d l e - c l a s s , working & p o o r ) ; p a i d something l i k e $54 m i l l i o n t o promote F r e e Trade b e f o r e t h e 1988 e l e c t i o n s ( i t ' s c o s t 250,000 j o b s s o f a r ) and c o n t i n u e t o work hand-in-.glove w i t h government t o keep unemployment h i g h ( w e l f a r e can be c u t i f you d o n ' t t a k e any j o b a t any wage), wages low

( i p s o f a c t o ) and t r a s h s o c i a l programs a l l p a r t of t h e i r s t r a t e g y t o become "comp e t i t i v e i n a g l o b a l market." With smoke & m i r r o r s & r e g u l a r b a s h i n g of t h e p o o r , middle-class v o t e r s continue t o b e l i e v e t h e s t e r e o t y p i c a l "bum", "lazy", " s h i f t l e s s " , e t c . and t h e Royal Bank o f Canada g e t s t o d e f e r ( f o r e v e r ) o v e r $140 m i l l i o n i n t a x e s i n 1987. ad nauseum.. rin independent r e p o r t i n BC c a l c u l a t e s t h a t i t c o s t s more j u s t t o f u l f i l l d a i l y n u t r i t i o n a l r e q u i r e m e n t s , o v e r a month, t h a n a p e r s o n o r a f a m i l y on w e l f a r e r e c e i v e s f o r f o o d , c l o t h i n g & o t h e r essent i a l s i n t h e same month. With E a t o n ' s p r i c i n g T - s h i r t s a t $38.. To a c h i e v e t h e same p u r c h a s i n g power i t had i n 1975, t h e minimum wage would have t o be r a i s e d t o $8.26 an hour. P u b l i c awareness i s growing and p e o p l e , e s p e c i a l l y (but not exclusively) those w i t h low incomes, know of p o l l u t i o n & pois o n s & ecology..and may have a time "choos i n g between canned p e a s & canned corn" w h i l e t h i n k i n g of p e s t i c i d e s & t o x i c chemi c a l dumps. S t a l e buns c a n e q u a l r a n c i d o i l s & packaging waste.

The Food Bank h a s g o t t e n l e s s i n donaf t i o n s p a r t l y b e c a u s e of t h e t u r m o i l o v e r S y l v i a R u s s e l l , b u t a l s o b e c a u s e o f more [ and more a r t i c l e s l i k e t h e s e a p p e a r i n g . The c a u s e s of p o v e r t y make t h e c a u s e r s angry - i t ' s l i k e g e t t i n g c a u g h t . The cause & e f f e c t connections a r e simple, but r e s p o n s i b i l i t y i s d e n i e d . The d i r e c t r e s u l t s of t h i s d e n i a l a r e increased poverty ..and food banks. his. van D i j k s t a t e s t h a t c o r p o r a t e a i d i s "ext rcmely low". People a f f l i c t e d w i t h t h e g r e e d mindset have t o blame t h e v i c t i m ; w i t h a conscierlce t h a t ' s s t o n e c o l d dead, such r a t i o n a l e i s a p r e s e r v a t i v e .

A l l t h i s is t o give credence t o t h e s t a t e m e n t t h a t t h e Food Bank c a n n o t be phased o u t o r a b r u p t l y c l o s e d w i t h o u t b o t h immediate & long-term changes i n Canadian and c a p i t a l i s t economic s t r u c t u r e s . I ' l l end t h i s w i t h a q u o t e from Dom H e l d e r Camara :

"When I . call me a When 1 they c a l l

g i v e f o ~ dt o t h e poor, t h e y saint. a s k why t h e poor have no f o o d , me a communist." By PAULR

TAYLOR

, 1

o u r problem, t h e more we more w e wan t."

3 e r e a r e t h e f i v e b i g g e s t t a x looph o l e s a l l o w e d by t h e f e d e r a l government. Any o f you e v e r c o l l e c t e d them? I

1. C a p i t a l G a i n s L i f e t i m e Exemption & p r e f e r r e d r a t e s . T h f s i s t h e loophole t h a t makes money f o r p e o p l e who buy t h i n k s t h a t go up i n v a l u e l i k e r e a l e s t a t e o r p a i n t i n g s . When hhey s e l l t h e t h i n g s , t h e government d o e s n ' t t a x p a r t of t h e i r p r o f i t . T h i s l o o p h o l e costs t h e f e d e r a l govt. $2.8 b i l l i o n .

2. Business & Entertainment Deduction. C o r p o r a t e e x e c u t i v e s go o u t f o r businesk l u n c h e s o r buy s p e c i a l s e a t s a t s p o r t s e v e n t s . With t h i s l o o p h o l e , they c a d d e d u c t t h e c o s t from t h e i r i n come. T h i s l o o p h o l e c o s t s t h e f e d e r a l $1.1 b i l l i o n . .government ,

w w -

S t a r 11 in go H a l l a t 877 E . Hastings i s our couununity bingo entertainment s p o t . B Y p l a y i n g t h e r e , w e support our l o c a l o r ganizat ions l i k e Carnegie, Ray-Cam and ~ t r a t h c o n aCommunity Centres, Eastsi.de Fam i l y place, ire hall T h e a t r e , MOSAIC and C r i s i s Centrs ~lle

3 . Dividend Tax C r e d i t . T h i s i s f o r p e o p l e who g e t money from owning s t o c k s . They d o n ' t have t o pay t a x on some o f i t . T h i s l o o p h o l e c o s t s t h e f e d e r a l government $1 b i l l i o n .

4 . M a n u f a c t u r i n g & P r o c e s s i n g Tax. T h i s loophole c o s t s t h e govt. $1 b i l l i o n .

5. I n t e r e s t D e d u c t i b i l i t y Tax. T h i s i s f o r c o r p o r a t i o n s t h a t buy up o t h e r c o r p o r a t i o n s . When t h e y borrow money t o do t h i s , t h e y can d e d u c t t h e i n t e r e s t t h e y pay from t h e i r income. T h i s looph o l e c o s t s t h e g o v t . $800 m i l l i o n . T h a t ' s a t o t a l of $ 6 . 7 b i l l i o n t h a t It t h e government g i v e s t o t h e r i c h . could b e used f o r b e t t e r w e l f a r e , h e a l t h , e d u c a t i o n & c l e a n i n g up t h e environment

Hours a r e Mon-Thur (3pm-2am), Fri-Sun (Ipm -zam) ~t has a p l e a s a n t , renovated atmosphere, courteous s t a f f , a n ~ n - ~ r n ~ k i ~ g a r e a , m o b i l e c o f f e e c a r t s , a Break-Open b a r and a new concession. an afternoon o r evenso if ingof wholesome fun. .see you a t S t a r II! !

( A message of t h e Carnegie Community Centre ~ s s o c i a t i o n )