FEBRUARY 1, 2025
carnegienewsletter.org
a.a.iEiar8i ed NEWSLETTER
_
carrmews@vcnbcca
401 Main Street Vanf.ntjver Canada V6A ?T7
r604\ 665-??89
``THEIR SPIRITS LIVE WITHIN US"
34th Februairy 14th Annual Women's Memorial March
Downtown Eastside Women's Memorial March The Women's Memorial March is an annual event that occurs on February 14th, in honour o±` murdered and missing Indigenous \`romen and girls (MMIWG) across Canada and the [Ji`ited States. This event is also a protest against class disparity, racism, inequality and violence. The event originated in 1992 in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside following the murder of a local Indigenous wol`ian, Cheryl Ann Joe. Beginning as a small memorial t`or one wonian, it has since grown to become an annual march to recognize all MMIWG.1n the Downtowli Eastside, the March begiiis at the intersection of Main ai`d [lastings and proceeds tTirough downtown, pausing at bars, strip c]ubs> alle}'s, and parkiiig lots where women's bodies were discovered. The name of each \voinaii is read aloud along with the name(s) ot`direct family members (e.g.3 "daughter of..." or "mother of...") bet`ore the family and sup-
porters pause to grieve
Significance Participants ot`the Women's Memorial March believe that it stands for survival and resilience. and symboliziiig the reclamation ot`dignity that has been deiiied to many-marginalized womeii in Caiiada. Ai`othei. impoi`tatit role of tliis movemelit is the restoration of.public discourse in media. Tlie Womeii's Memorial Marcli aims to challeiige stcrcotypes aiid misi-eprcsentatioiis of Indigenous \`'oiTien in Vancouver's Do\`mto\\in Eastside` \`.Iiich ha\ie liistoricall}' excused igiiora]ice aiid discriminatlon by the police and I)ublic.
Dai.a Cullianc. Pi.of.essor Emeritus of Anthropology al Sinion Fi.aser Univcl.sity emphasizes a quote from a fl\'er distributed at tlle Womeii's Memorial Marcli in 2001 at the beginniiig of ller ess<i}' Thcil. Spirits LI\/.e Within Us. Aborigiiial Womeii in Downtowii Eastsidc Vai`cou\/'er Emci.gmg into Visibilit}',
''Wll ARE ABORIGINAL WOMEN. GTVHRS 0F LIFF,. WE ARE MOTTIERS, SISTF,RS, I)AUGHTERS, AUNTIES AND GRANT)MOTHERS. NOT JUST PROSTITUTES AND I)RUG
ADDicTs. NOT wnLFARE cHEATs. wE STAND oN OUR MOTHF,R EARTH AND WE DEMAND RnspECT. wE ARE NOT THEiRE TO BE BHATEN, ABusED, MURDERF.D, IGNORED." History of tlie Marsh On January 20` 1992, Cheryl Ann Joe` a 26-}Jeiir-old Indigenous woman` was found murdered on Powell Street in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES). Weeks later. on February 14. her mother` Linda Ann Joe and famil}', aloiig with several others living in this area` gatliered in the same parking lot wliere Cheryl 's bod}J was found to grie\'e their loss. Linda Joe and other woiiien from the communit}J decided to host an annual grassroots event to show compassion and recognize all \vomen in the DTES as well as lionoring the missiiig and murdei.ed women.[3] Each ,vear, Vancouver organizers publish a list of names of.the woiiien and girls who have bccn murdered or remain missing ill the Do\\/ntown Eastside. Since the first marcli in 1992, mcire than 970 names have been added to this list, ii`cluding 75 new names t`rom 2019 alone. The Women's Memorial March now draws thousands of people in Vancouver everty' year ai`d has gro\`'n as a movement` spreading to other provinces in C`anada. Many cities across Caiiada now stage similar eveiits to honor and bring `'isibility' to missing and murdere(I lndigei`ous woinen in their comlnunities.
Violence against Indigenous women in Canada By the }'car 2009` close to 67,000 Indigenous women who were aged 15 and above reported being subjected to \riolencc within the previous 12 months. About 63% of these were aged 15 to 34 years old. Seventysix percent of the incldents reported \vere non-spousal violence and were not reported to police, as is the case \`iith incidents of violence against liidigenous woiiien. Although many of these crimes against Indigenoiis woli`en ui'ere not rei)orted to police or other service organizatlons` such as slielters, etc.. 98% of women victimized told an informal source such as a friend or t`amily member. [Wikipedia]
WISH
DT-OP-Ill
CentT-e Society
• Starting February 7th, the WISH Drop-ln Centre will be temporarily closed for a minimum of 2
months. • lnreach and other select programming will still be available but folks can come by the office for more information. • WISH Shelter will remain open 24/7. • WISH MAP Van will now only be available 11 pin-5am every day. They will still continue to pro-
vide referrals, food, harm reduction supplies, clothing and distribute Red Light Alerts
SOLO AFtT SHO`^/ I\/lontana r<ing
Opening: Friday February 7Eh, 2025
5 -7:30 p-
Famous Carnegie Centre -3rd floor February |Sf -28Ch, 2o25 "GFtlEF CIF2CLE GulDEBOOI<"
as well as "THE AFtT of DYIIUG"
Tea-coffee-lo+s of yummy snacks GRIEF CIRCLE
ZERO BLOCK
Grief Circle is conducted at 382 Main Street, The Listening Post, weekly cm Tuesdays. Ear Acupressure is also available. Everyone
welcome. Starting Tuesday Jariuary 7[n, 2025
SOCIET
drop in 5-7pm and Grief Circle 7~9pm THEZEROBLOCK.ORG
Mayor Ken Sim Announces Major lnitiatives to Revitalize the Downtown Eastside
at Save Our Streets Forum VANCOUVER, BC -Today (January 23), Mayor Ken Sim addressed the Save Our Streets Forum to unveil a comprehensive plan aimed at transforming Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (DTES) through measures focused on accountability, dignity, and public safety The announcement marks a pivotal moment in the City's approach to addressing addiction, crime, and housing challenges in one of its most complex neighbourhoods. '.The Downtown Eastside reflects our city's resilience, but also its struggles," said Mayor Sim. "For too long, hundreds of millions of dollars have been spent without delivering meaningful change. It's time for a new dlrection -one that prioritlzes recovery, inclusivity, and public safety while integrating the DTES Into the broader Vancouver community." At the forum, Mayor Sim outlined three key proposed policy shifts:
#g:::#::B:#{:::E:SIS:a:Aj==f:::toencourageam,xofhous,ng,bus,nesses,and services. This approach aims to break the cycle of hyper-concentrated servlces in the DTES, including supportive housing, shelter services, and social services. Thls allows for the lntegratlon of the DTES neighbourhood into Vancouver's broader community, ensuring a more balanced, supportive environment for residents, businesses, and visitors. ortive Housin Pausin Net New Su Vancouver currently houses 77% of the region's sup portive housing, despite comprising onl.y 25% of the region's population The Clty arso faces the challenge of managlng thousands of deterlorating Single Room Occupancy (SRO) unlts. By pausing the constructlon of net new supportlve housing units in Vancouver, the City can focus on renewing and revltalizing the current ageing housing stock to better meet residents' needs untll supportive housing availability in-
creases across the region.
Fnr::#baopa:%:#thGtahneqv#verpoiiceDepartmen"hecitywHllaunchacitywldecrackdown on organized crlme and gangs operating in the DTES. Thls initiatlve alms to address street-entrenched violence by dismantling criminal networks that exploit vulnerable residents and undermine community safety. Mayor Sim highlighted progress made under his leadership, including fully fundlng the Vancouver Police Department for the flrst tlme in 15 years, introducing the province's first lndlgenous Crisis Response Team, and announcing a new Community Policing Centre to serve the Gastown and Hastings Crossing area, achieving a significant reduction in crime rates across the city. However, he emphasized the need to address systemic challenges in the DTES. "We need to prioritize accountability, dlgnlty, and recovery," sald Mayor Sim "We owe it to nelghbourhood resldents, Vancouverites, and all British Columblans to do better, and we will."
The Save Our Streets Forum brought together civic leaders, communlty members, and advoGates united by a shared goal of tackling the systemic Issues related to public safety and street dlsorder affectlng nelghbourhoods across British Columbia. Mayor Sim's speech reaffirmed this Mayor and Council's commitment to driving meaningful change through collaboration and action.
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Mayor Sim and Vancouver City Councillors The Carnegie Community Centre Association is opposed to Mayor Sim's recent announcements about the Downtown Eastside, particularly his stated aim of a) pausing net new supportive housing, b) dispersing the concentration of social services in the Downtown Eastside, and c) possibly opening up Downtown Eastside zoning to allow 30 story towers.
The importance of supportive housing cannot be overstated. Every year for decades, Vancouver has been losing ten times more affordable housing than is being built. In the 1970s, it was rare to see visibly unhoused people on the street. It was only in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as funding for social housing was cut and the city promoted condo development, that homeless-
ness became so prominent in the Downtown Eastside. What is necessary is more affordable social housing, not less. And it is just as necessary in Vancouver as it is in Surrey or Burnaby. As provincial Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon has noted, the choice not to build more affordable social housing will only result in more pec)ple ctn the street
lf Mayor Sim is serious about having the other municipalities pitch in, something that the CCCA supports wholeheartedly, he would be better off leading the way by destigmatizing affordable social housing and the people who live in it
The mayor is also concerned to disperse the concentration of social services in the Downtown Eastside. However, it would be more accurate to refer to a concentration of suffering. Dispersing social services may disperse the suffering, but it will not end it ln fact, it will likely cause it to bal-
loon. This is because the Downtown Eastside is not simply a place where people suffer-we are a community who look out for each other, a community that predates the worst of the present crises and will hopefully outlive it, too.
The reason for social services to become so concentrated here is that the Downtown Eastside so often Initiates projects for our own needs. That's true of Carnegie, which owes its existence to a decade-long local campaign in the 1970s and 1980s ln trying to disperse these servlces, the mayor would be in effect dispersing the community Itself, attacking it at its heart This would not lead to a deeper integration with the rest of the city: we already bring the city to our community with our many celebrations such as the Powell Street Festival, the Heart of the City Festival, the Culture Crawl, and the Downtown Eastside Writers Festival. What the mayor suggests would rather be nothing less than the disintegration of our community. Ultimately, what the city is in charge Of is zoning. It is the province that supplies the funding for supportive housing. As ABC councillor Rebecca Bligh has noted, if Mayor Sim Insists on us-
ing the power of zoning to prevent new social housing, that amounts to refusing the province's money. Likewise` upzoning the Oppenheimer District and the Downtown Eastside for condos and expensive rentals would force the province to pay more for the land on which to build social housing, thus transferring provincial taxpayers' dollars to the hands of private investors with no public benefit. Meanwhile, SRO owners would be incentivized to sell their buildings, the last resort before homelessness, to developers, evicting hundreds of low Income residents into homelessness.
The fate of a neighbourhc)od is something we must all take seriously, and it starts with taking seric)usly the voices and experiences of the people who actually live here
On behalf of the Carnegie Community Centre Association, Maggie Lord
President
Jean Swanson Hello councillor(s),
l'm concerned about Mayor Sim's proposal to pause net new supportive housing and would like to know if you agree with this plan.
Supportive housing is an integral part of the housing continuum. It provides a safe place for women, queer and trans people, youth, and Indigenous people to get the help they need. Sup-
portive housing will help decrease street disorder and overdose deaths. We need to be building more of it, not less-both in Vancouver and in the region Whlle I agree that other cities should also do more, Vancouver must lead by example. Holding out on what we can do today to end the homelessness crisis doesn't sound like real leadership I would much prefer to see Vancouver's leaders demonstrate how to provide abundant, dignified, supportive housing so that our neighbours are Inspired to follow suit. I'd like to know.
• Do you support this policy shift? • Do you believe holding out on supportive housing shows leadership? • When will I have a chance to voice my concern at a public meeting?
Sincerely,
Clara Prager (she/her) Manager of Civic Engagement & Advocacy, Women Transforming Cities
We need to talk about the border idea. Try to show the public how ridiculous it is to suggest that Vancouvers is doing more than its share. This is kind of like holding homeless people hostage until the other municipalities build housing. Some year. Which will likely be reserved for people who actually live in those municipalities. I was homeless when I came here. I still had a right to arrive. This is such a reverberation c)i right wing talk permeating the air waves right now. I'm flabbergasted. Maybe we should meet to make a response from the board What do you think?
[The following writing is found on Wiki|)edia under Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls) Cheryl Ann Joe (1965 or 1966 -January 20,1992) was a member ot`the Shislialh Nation on British Co1umbia`s Sunshine Coast. She was a single motlier of three young boys. She had lived in the Sunshine Coast before challenges with housing, finances, and alcohol led her to sex work in Vailcouver's Downtown Eastside. She was trying to Cam money. lo visit two of. her childreii in Alberta who were living with their father. Joe had planned to become a police officer to help protect the city's vulnerable and \\i'ould frcquentl}' encourage younger women in the sex trade to get off the street and better their lives. On January 20, 1992, at the age of 26> Joe's inutilated body was found murdered neai` a wareliouse loading dock on Powell Street in the Downtown Eastside. Within liours of discovering her body, detectives had 36-year-old suspect Brian Allender in custody and charged him with first-degree murder. According to police reports, Allender assaulted Joe for up to two hours bet.ore she died. In 1993, ajury coi``i'icted AIIeiider of first-degree murder and he was senteiiced to life in prison Allcnder curreiitly ser\'es his sciitcncc in Mountain liistitiitioii in Agassi.I. BC.
Violclicc agi`ii]st Indigenous women in Canada By the year 2009, close to 67,000 l]icligcnous women who \iiere aged 15 and abo`/'e reported being stibjected to \'iolciice \`'ithm the pi`evious 12 moiiths. About 63% ot.these were aged 15 to 34 years old Sevent}'-six pel cciit of the incidents repoiied \\ ere moll-spousal violeiice and were iiot reported to police` as is tlie case \\ith incidents of violence against lndigeiious \voiiicn. Altliough maiiy oftliese crimes against liidigenous \lyomen M/ere iiot 1-cpoi.ted to police or other sei-vice orgaiiizatlons. such as slielters` ctc.. 98%
of` women victimized told an iii formal soui`ce such as a frieiid or famil},I member.
Police response ln Canada` Indigenous women constitute 4% of the female population and 16% of female murders. In 2014, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) reported that more than I `200 Indigenous women were missing or had been found murdered in the last 25 }Jears` \\'hile Indigenous women's groups selfreported this iiiimber to be o\`er 4`000. This di.screpaney between numbers is due to a lack of evidence and attention given by authorities. Between 1983 and 2003, more than 61 women were filcd as "missing persons" from Vancouver's Dowiitown Eastside. Over ha]f` were liidigeiious woinen. As families and friends tried to draw {iuthorities attentioli to the matter` Philip Owen. who was the mayor of Vancouver from 1993 to 2002. refused to offer a reward or further investigate the missing women` and stated that he believed public funds should iiot be used to create a "location service for prostitutes." Culhane states that authorities used categorizi`tions of Indigenous \fyomen as related to sex, drugs, crime. violence, murder and disease as exciises to ignore and take little action into in\iestigating the root of these disappearances. The jiistification was that these \`romen inflicted this harm on themselves by liviiig ill the Downtowii Eastside and living the lifeslyles that they did. Vancouver's missing woinen became a publ ic issue as more women disappeared. Academics, advocates, journalists and the women's families came together. It became publicly recogni7.ed that a serial killer may be active in this neighbourhood in ]9`)9. Public discoiirse and the media ]n tlie inimediat€ post-\`'ar years. violcncc experienced by lndigeiious women in Canada was kept oiit of mainstream piiblic discoiirse. it w'ds not iintil the 1060s that these ilicideiits were gi\ien attention in the media. News stories rationalized the violeiice by focusing on poverty, disease, criine, and sex work in the Do\\into\m Eastside. The photos ot`the victiiiis used ill the media \`Jere often mug shots from previoiis arrests preseiiting these women as crimiiia]s. In her article, "Indigenous W'omen as Newspaper Repi.esen-
tations: Violence and Action in ]960s Vancouver", Meghan Longstat`fe says that media outlets used racist {ind stereotypical language which reinf-orced negative representations of Indigenous women. In her tliesis, "You Will Be Punished: Media Depictions of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women"` Caitlin E"c>t observes a pattern where reporters sensationalized and made a spectacle of the injustices which were occurring with undue t`ocus on crime while avoidii`g topics ot` sex aiid race prejudice and colonialism.
The use ot`tropes and stereotypes has been a tactic of scttlcr colonialism since before the 19th century. Negative tropes regarding Indigenous femininity, sexuality, and motherhood pit Indigenous and white women against each other a]id protect white men from punishment and accountabilit}' for abuse against Indigenous women. The I.Skid Road Gil.I-. was a trope that appeared in the media as the experiences of liidigeiious women t`aced in Vancouver's Dowiitown Eastside becaiiie more publicly recognized. Due to the surplus of singlc men, drug use, and crime in the area, "skid road" became a commonly used symbol of the Downtown Eastside. The "Skid Road Girl" refelTed to women living in this neighbourhood and came with negati\'e connotations referring to poverty, addiction, violence` and corruption. Accordii`g to EI]iot, tliese categorizations iiiformed the idea that `/`iolence w{is a natural conseqiieiice of liviiig in tliis
area aiid victims were at fault t`or their owii sufferiiig. Accoi`ding to Longstat`f`e` Vai`cou\Jerjouri`alists "combii`ed post\\i'ar discourses about ''skid roa(1" \`'ith
stel.eotypes about Indigenous \vomcn to ci.catc a spccifical]y f`emale version of`tliis i`ari`ative." Headlines
sucli as "Skid Road 'Killed My Girls" and "Where Were Yoii Going` Little O]ie? Bubble of city Glamor Burst in Bundle of`Death" chai`acterized victims as youlig and helpless. yc77/c(7i/+.c7. Swj7joiimalist Simma
Holt used statemeiits such ass "[Slie] \vas dl.unk.just aliotlier cut and bruised Indian girl, aiid iiobody took much intci.est in tlie complaiTit" and ''The \\iay she died is typical and so comiiion, society hds accepted jt Just as it (]ocs ininor traffic accidents." In an attempt to bl.ing a\`i.ai.eiiess to tlie iiiactioii of the police, the language iised ill these repoi-ts normali.led the \/'iolcncc lndlgei`ous woinen were expei`ieiiciiig and allowed
the piiblic to turn a bliiid eye to the iiiatter. Ill Ddra Culliane's \\''ords`
The annual Valentine's Day Women's Memorial Mai.ch gi\Jes political expression lo a complex process (hrough which Aboriginal women here are struggl ing to chaiige the language` metaphors. and images through which they come to be (re)known as they emerge into public visibility.
Case studies Some spccific cases which illustrate the depth of the problem of violence agaiiist aboriginal women in Canada were highlighted in a report by Amnesty lnternational in 2004. They Include the murder of 19year-old Helen Betty Osbome \`'ho v,fas killed November 12,1971, after a night out with friends in The Pas. Manitoba, a town of 6.000 which was segregated between lndigelious {iiid lion-lndigeiious Canadians. Slie was accosted b}J four non-Indigenous men at 2 a.in. \\i'hjle walkiiig back to her house. Osbome ret`iised to have sex with the men, and \vas then forced iiito their car where she was beaten and sexiially assaulted. She was then taken to a local cabin. beaten some more and stabbed to death. The police who were assigned to the case failed to act on specific tips that pointed to the four likel}' perpetrators. The car that \\'as iised diiring the crime was not searched until a }Jear later (1972). By 1972, police concluded that they did not have ei`ough e`'idei`ce for the case. Only 20 years later did all iiiquiry by Manjtoba Justice conclude that the murder was indeed fueled by racism and sexism. Charges were eventually brought in October 1986 when new e\'idence was released. D`\'a}ine Johnson was foimd guilty in 1987 and sentenced to life in prison. Among the other men, one was acqiiitted and the others \`'ere never charged. All example of the perceived indifference to the disappearance of lndigenoiis womeii is seen in the case of Shirley Loiiethuiidei`, a Cree woman t`rom the White Beai. First Nations reser\'.e ill Saskatcliewan who was last seen by famil}' in Dcccmbcr 1091. At the time, shc was a 25-year-old mother of`two. She \+i'as a drug user dncl occasionally \\/'orked in the sex trade, according to family members. The famil}i bccamc
aware that she was missing in March 1992, wlien Lonethundcr's attorney contacted them to say she had missed {i court date. According to Lonethunder's relatives, Saskatoon police in\'estigators showed li(lle interest in the case. Six months after filing a missing person report t`or his sister, Lonethunder's brother contacted the police [o ask about progress on the case. only to be told thc}' had no record of the report.
Robert Pickton case ln 1978 the RCMP and the Vancoiiver Police Department Missing Women Task Force joined forces to orga]ijze a list ot` missing women froin the Downtown East Side. B}i 2002. this list accounted for at least 65 \`i'ctinen In 1992 \\'hen the first Women's Memorial March took place and families were demanding thorough investigations into their missing lo`i'ed ones, the Vancouver police refused to col`cede that there may be a serial killer preying on the Dowiitowii East Side despite the frequent disappearances, mostly because Jlo bodies had been found. Tn March 1997, a woman escaped Robert Pickton's farm and was taken to Royal Columb]an Hospital in New Westminster. Picktoii was a part owner of his famil}i .s pig falm in Port Coquitlam, Bi`itish Columbia. Pickto]1 ellded up jn tile same hospital for injurles the \`ro]iien iiiflicted ill self def`ellce al`d the key t`or the ha]idcuffs al`ouiid the \\'ctmaii's wrists \vas foiind in Picktoii's pocket. He \vas charged with attempted
murder: assault wlth a wcapoli. iind forcible colifiiiemeiit, all of which were evei`tually dropped. The Woman, whom Picklon claimed to be a hifcliliiker that assaulted him: was shown to be an incoiiipete]it witness because of a drug addictioii. Man}' woi`kers alid t`rieiids of` Pjckto]i's made reports to the police of suspicious beliaviour, sightjngs of \`''omell's belol`gil`gs on the fai.in and even a v`omaii's body spotted jn tlie slaughterhouse. Nolle ot`these reports came fl.oTii a first hand witliess thei-eby djsabliiig the police from obtajiiiiig a seal.ch wari.ai`t. Fj-
nall}''` in Februar}' 2002, Pickton \\/'as art.ested t`oi. a weapoiis charge allo\`Jiiig the pol ice to conduct a Search waiTalit oil his fai.in. This seai`cli re\'ealed humati reniaitis and otlier evidciice conliccti]ig him lo 26
i
of the missiiig womeii from tlie Dowiitown Eastsidc. In Febi`uary 2002. Pjckton was charged with the murders of 26 of tlie \\'onie]i listed by the Missing
/ '
Women Task Force. Pickton often came to tlie Dowiitown East Side to dispose ot`waste and used the opportunit}' to offer \\'omen money or drugs to lure them iiito his car and take them to his farm. In a convcr-
sation with an undercover RCMP officer in his cell. he admitted to murdering 49 women and wanting to make il an even 50. Due to a lack of evidence aitd attention. howcvcr, many of the disappearances were not officidll}' connected to Pickton. Many of the women went missing unnoticed. Sherry Rail, who disappe{lred in 1984` was not reported missing until 1987 when d team was initiated b}r the RCMP to investigate unsolved cases of sex trade workers. This team made little progress and was dissolved in 1989. Tl`e provincial government initiated all inquiry into the case in 2012 which concluded that this "ti-agedy of epic proportions" was caused by "blatant failures" of the police. Failures surrouiidiiig incompetent criminal investigative work coiistituted by prejudice against sex triide workers aiid lndigeiious womeii. The Pickton case brought piibl ic awareness to the ongoing issiie of missing and murdered li`digenous women and girls in Cai`ada, as many of his victims \vere IIidigenous womei`. A natictnal government inquiry was initiated in 2016.
History im tlie I)owntown Eastsidc According to the 2021 cens`is (released in 2022). Vancouver is home lo 63,345 Indigenoiis peoples. makiiig the cit}/' the third highest population of urban Indigenous people in Canada. Vancoiiver's Downtown Eastside has been I-eported to have a disproportlonatcly high population of Indigenous people.[ 13J As of 2013, the Indigenous popiilatjon made lip 2% of Vancoiiver as a whole and 10% of the Downtown Eastside. The Do\`'i`town Eastside is one of vancouver.s oldest neighbo`irhoods, and one of canadas poorest. It has bccn marked with high levels ot` addictiori, sex work, homelessness, among other social issues that piit
its residents at risk of` violence.
Despite the large numbers of missing and murdered \iJomen from this neighbourhood. Meghan Longstaffe says, "The historical processes that shaped this nei.ghbourhood's social location and the experiences of the women and girls who lived there. however, remain poorly understood." Vancouver's Eastside llas historically been a destination for immigraiit3 working-class families and migrant workers. In the 20tli century, this area was largely populated by lc>ggers, miners` fishers, railway u'ctrkers and otlier single male labourers who resided in cheap hotels and boarding rooms. Due to categorizations of this area as working class. and dominantly masculine, tlie Do\untown Eastside u as deemed` as Longstaff`e writes, a zone of "iminorality' and physical decay." In the 1950s, a rapid increase of Indigenous migrants began to join the Coast Salish peoples of British Columbia from across North America. This pivotal migration was due to varioiis circumstances in northern and reserve communities concerning economic and social inequity and dislocation. Longstaffe says, "Multiple factors, including the impacts ot`residential scliools, colonial land alid resource policies, technological de\Jelopments, changes to subsistence and capitalist economies, and growing populations contrib`ited to o\Jercro\`iding,1iousing shortages3 unemplo}'mcnt, poverty` welf`are dependency. alcohol addiction3 and pooi` health."
As a result, man}' Indigenotis mcl` alid women moved from reserve communities Into cit}i centres. The city provided better social alid health services in cases of refuge from violence: eiiiploymeiit opportuliities and in some cases govemmeiit-spoiisoi-ed 1-clocation programs. Tliese conditions \`'cre compounded by the provisions of coloiiial le.gislation. Accordiiig to the Indian Act, foi-example, Indigenous \voiiicn \`Jlio in;n-icd meii who did iiot liave legal Indian status w'cl.e refused theii. o\fy]i s(atus, along with that of thcil` "illegitil"te" childi-en's Before 1985 when the liidian Act was aiiieiided, thousands of w'oiiien without legal status lost theii-baiid memttcrship aiicl thcil. I.ight to li\Je on
reserves, and \vcre f`orced to mo`i.e to city centres
Rumours and Strategy
get ricl of all the poor. \'o\`i uJith Ken Sjni sitting in the n`ayor.s chair we get the iiewest vcrsjon.
Mayhe a dose of rc.ility is \`i'h.it wc need to showln both the P7'o``;jjcc' and the y¢7icoif`.t'r S%„ 2 vir-
t`i{`ll}' identical articles appeared over the last few
(]a}'s. It's part tlf`the plan to ha\re a few people decide what is `nccded' in the Downtown Eastside. Tlic first article w'as headl[ncd \\ ith the statement that tl`e \\'ood\\ii`i.ds de\,elopment liad failed, tliat thi`
entire complex `vas on life siipport and b(tth London Drugs and Nesteis were thinkjng of pu[ling out. Whci` the people living l`eri` occupied the \/.acar`t Woodwards biiildiiig. it \\ as `t` deimnd that housing f`tir lo\\'-ini`ome pet)I)le be a i"`jor part of Liiiy redcvcloi)me]it. The famous Wood\\'ards Squat \\''cnt on for 3 mi)iiths. Durilic: that time, busi.Iie`f;s ititcrcsts a}id
variou` groupings oF` A sii`all tiumbe] of uieiiltliy I.esi-
deiits lubbied to make tlie cntjre complex lii`Rh-end stores \`i-ith a shop-lil-you-drop 1``icus, alolig \`'ilh only
expensi\Je colidos. Tlie sai``e intel.cs(s ill.e beliii`d tl\cse runlolirs being
flogged in tlic mediti :md io 1)I.es` lhcir allies on the
ABC C\1`u`i`il lcl bri]i! the hammi`r do\Mi oil the thou-
sands of ]ow-incomelesidents in lli€ area The strategy include`` starting tlie riliiioui` tliat Li`]i-
don Drugs and Ncstei.a a ill clc)se. citlng the (l{ingei. of
the \,'ioleiit locals and the `instoppahle theft of gi)ods
in both stori`s. The CEl) of London Drugs is sa.viiig they've lost millions of dollars whili` offering nc` iiroof, but ni`tTlects to mention th:`t both his stol.a and Nesters got €i I 0-}'ear tax-free lease to `encouragi`` tlii`m to st,iii there in the lirst place. Certainly tlicre are problems. But thi. writing denigr{ites everyone who goes there. mahi`s e\`er}. lou iiii.ome person oiit to be a \'ic`1cli` thief` and uses aii-
ecdotal e\-idenie to mat`e uS all crimimils.
This kind of ``tereotyping find populist rhetoric is
pall of the scam oiigoing ir] the States imder Trump. If I,ondon Drugs alld Nesters don't get another taxfree le<ise` the.\J \\iill m{ike it sound like iii)thing can lte
doiii` biit to i.lose dowii. The .tame way that Sim's r€cei`t announcenieiit of stoppiiig mor`e supportive housiiig and dispersing the sc`r\`ices on o(Tei. in i)iii-
comm tinit}. will stimehc\\\' ``iiplift.. tlie I)o\\'ntown Eastsi{1e.
This began with Cordon Caii`pbcll who uianted to tiirn valico`iver into an "execiitive cit}J" -niealiing
er hit)I with.
8}, PAtTLR TAYLOR
I do my best The best part of` Sundays is the dinners served at the C{rmegie Cafeteria. Tliis week was roast pctrk and vegetables ``'ith mashed potatoes. The kind of food I couldn't afford to buy jn a supennarket riow even if I still had a kitchen to prepare it in, which I don't.
I take il back to my SRO room and serve it to myself on the good china dish from a life I had before, in,v fork and kiijfe \`irapped in a linen i`apkin to present a meal this fii`e to myself as it deserves to be plated. I do my best to make do and appreciate lhcsc small gifts that I have in my life alid give a prayer
of grace for this good meal. I do m}' best even as my world keeps shi inkilig, backiiig nie into a comei., the pi.ice of bread at Lobla\`rs doublillg then cloublil`g again withill the
space of a motith. I do my best ar`d try not {o resent that I Ilo longer can at`t`ol.d the fare for the skytraiii but still ti),' to remain pragmatic a]id accept }'ou caii't get blood froiii a stoTie. Still it`s hard to remain stoic being issiied a ticket witli a $ 173 fine for fare evasion den`anding I do just that. Being issued by a police
officer with a six figure income (that's increased to adjust for the cost of inflation) which onl}r widens tl]e gap between the reality of each of` our lives. I'm not a revolutionary. I don't want to defend the police or bum dowli the houses of parliament. But is it too much to ask for a little common seiise? It seems that it is. The only other logic to justify this fine is a declaration that poverty is a crime in itself` being commited due to a failure of moral character` a lack of virtue and a lack of money simply cause and effect. It's unjust and it's not true and I tell myself I do my best and to not to feel the shame of being fined t`or a crinie that's just a tax on the poor. But I can't help biit to feel it anyways. I bite ii`to the pork and it's perf`ect. The flavor runs down lily throat and soothes the bitterness that remains when telling myself I do my best isn't enol,gh.
Michael Conlon-Sismey
From trie Library, As this is the first "FT`om tile Libr:11.} " of`2025. oil
behalf of`tlie Vai]couvei. Public Library. \ve liope evei-}'one had a good Ne\`i Year and Ja]iuary.
The beginning of a new year is often a slow time f`or new books but here are a couple wc have received recently.
Beneath the Surf ace Of Things .\s 'a. coTlc;c;hon oF essays written by Samuel Johnson Prize winner, and UBC Anthropology professor` Wade Davis. Themes in this collection include \var. race, mountains` climate, and exp]oi.ation. Wade bees the world through an anthropological lens that reveals insight to what lies beiieath the surface of things. C/icr.. 7l/ie 114lc"!o/.r, Pflr/ OHc. is the rirst of a multi-
part meliioir that recounts Cher.s childhood, adolescence, early career and relationships. We follow her throiigh her upbringing and her early da}rs in Los Angeles, and we meet t`amoiis miisic figures such as Phil Spector. David Geffen. Gregg Al]man and Sonny Bono This leads `]p to the brink of the next chapter of her life` u'hen she pursues a legendary acting and recording career. For these and more new books, please visit a Vanco`iver Piiblic Library branch ne{ir you. Happ}' Readiiig, Daniel
Easy to use, simple to navigate!
Provides access to income generating opportunities that improve well-being
Great for non-profit staff, referral agencies etc. Organizes supports for clients in one place For the DTES, By the DTES!
parallel lines Like parallel lines
We live together Single or couples We gather in(under) a shelter
Rooms are private Kitchen and washrooms, share Asian couple are polite and a little shy
Young European, but indifferent, may be shy my husband and I try to be friendly, polite Single Asian boys
Seems to be cold-blood But Latina couple Easygoing, a little loud lt's not my country yet Sc), I shouldn't repine
We meet each other, any time Saying only. hi, good morning Saying only: hi, good night
We live together, but like parallel lines, alone
Without connecting Without cross
I should tolerate bad days But strc>ng, without cry
I should respect everything, Specially, unwritten laws I should continue my way
without my sweet hearts Sarah Arvahi
A rebel is someone who has understood all the ab-surdit}J of society and simply escapes from it. He does not fight against it, on the surface, he even continues to pretend that he belongs to this groiip. He is an intelligent person. lie is intelli-
gent enough, neither orthodox nor revolutionary -he is simply rebellious. But his rebellion is so intelligent that he knows that it makes no sense. If society tells him to walk to the left. then he wall(s to the left because it makes no sense to fight in this area lt makes no sense. Deep down she.s got out of it. Deep down, she.s startiiig to li`Je lier own lifeShe docsn't go to llie marketplace tct show off be-cause it.you fla`iiit youi. happiness in tlie iiiai.ket-place, ttiey're goiiig to kill you. They 'i-e goiiig to ci.ucify you. They did the same thiiig to Jesus` to Socl.ates, to Monsoor . . thcy' re not goii`g to lea\'e )lou alo]1e.
It's iiot ]ieccssai?'.
Whe]i }i.ou're sittiiig witli uiihappy peop]c,
keep an uiihappy face -even more unhappy than them -because it's just a game you`re playing. You.re not unhappy. Yoii can do better than them. They`re real-Iy unliappy` so keep a longer face than them. When }'ou're alone, laugh! Don't start fighting with societ)J or you'll get into trouble and happiness will be far awa}J again, as far away as before. If }.ou follow society `it' throws you injail. crushes yoii -and }Jou're unhapp}J again. A rebellious person is a ver}/ intelligent person They escape so silently that they don't create an}' ripples on the surface. . . aiid they start living their private li\Jes in
theirownway.
OSHO
[Editor's note: Self-isolation slows change to a crau/l. Social justice is not achieved alone.]
Is nuclear energy the solution to climate change? By Jean Swanson The answer is a resounding ..no" from M. V. Rama-na, a UBC prot` who kicked off the Carnegie Learn-ing Centre's monthly speakers series on Jan 14th in the Leaming Centre„ Ramana
hps wrL.tt_a.I a book.called:Nucletir is Not the Solution: The Folly Of Aloinic Power in the Age Of Clilnate Change..' In spite of being given by an academic, the talk was very clear and succinct. Ramana went through 5 reasons why nuclear energy is not a solution to cli-mate change: 1. It's a very hazardous way to produce electricity. Accidents like Fukishima and Chernobyl can hami millions of people and are hard, hazardous. and expensive to clean up. 2. There is Ilo safe place to store nuclear waste from the production process. Even when the waste is buried in the ground it can seep into water tables and drinking water and bc dangerous for hundi.eds ol` thousands of years. 3. All ]iuc]ear po\\,'er plants produce plutonium which is used t`or nuclear bombs. The u]ore
places that pr()duce this the higher the risk that we`ll have more nuclear bombs. 4. Building nuclear reactors is very expensive because {tf all the daligci-s that have to be accouiited roi..
5. We need to ai`t iiow to slo\`/I climate change aiid nuclear power plants take 10 years and more to build. In fact, many that are an-iiou]iced don't actually get built. Talk about a]]eged nuclear so]utioiis only postp{tnes climate action.
Ramana said that by 2030 solar and wind power will bc the cheapest to produce. The onl}' challenge with them is that sun and wind don`t happen all the time. This can be dealt with by having a large connected grid so electricity is being produced soine-where all the time. Better batteries and changing electricity use patterns can also help. Ramana also noted that Artilic`ial Intelligence companies suck up a lot of electricity and asked if that should be allowed. The solutions won't be eas}.' but are possible, Rama+iia said. "It's a political problem, not a technical one .... a problem with a capitalist system that VIiants to grow and grow on a finite
planet." Not only did we get to leam about the evils of nuclear power, we had delicious sandwicli u/raps and cookies during the talk. The next talk will be on Feb. 11 at 1 pin. Kelscy Timler, a chef. recently completed a beautiful PhD dissertation about a project with women who had been jailed. They cooked together. and the talk is about food and food justice. On March 11 Elisa Baniassad` a prol`essor in computer science. is giving a talk titled "GenAI -- What is it and wli}r is it a big deal? "
AOQ
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