JUNE 1, 2024
carnegienewsletter.org
€a:EiEjiioRapgie€ carmews@vcn bc.ca
401 Main Street Vancouver Canada V6A 2T7
(604) 665-2289
VACANCY CONTROL IS BACI(!!
PRESS RELEASE
May 15th, 2024
Downtown Eastside SR0 Collaborative applauds landmark provincial legislation
that protects low-income tenants from homelessness Today (Ma.y 15), eighteen teriant leaders who live in Single Room Occupaiic}J (SRO) buildings in Van•ou`'cr.s Downtou'n Eastside (DTES) and Chinatown. as \`/ell as other community members aiid al[ies` are in the BC Legislature in Victoria to cheer on the passing of a new bill. Called tlie Municipalities Enabling and Validating Ovo. 5) Alnendment Act. 2024. this decisl\.e action b}' the provil`ce immediatel}' restores ke}/ protections for up to 3,6()0 of the region's lowest income tenants. including pensioners. The core purpose of this bill is to restore a laiidmark City of Vancou\'er b}'law. v,ihich was enacted in 2021 but was tied up in courts since that time. Now back in ful I cnforceability, the SR0 vacancy control byla\`/: *Resti.icts how much reiit can be raised bctuieen teiiaiicies in SROs:
*Imposes stiff penalties on landlords for iioncompliance, and saw 100% complialice for the eight nionths it was in force: *Allov`Js proacti\Je eliforcemcnt by tlle Cit}i. takilig thi` onus off the tenants to report vlolations ot` the b),law; *Allows for u'histleblower protect.Ions for teiiaiits who c()Iiie fol\\'.11.d to rep()rt violations of the by-
law; *Ultimatelv reiiioves the economic incenti`Je to e\Jict the lowest income tenants` meaniiig iiiore people v\/ill be able-to keep their homes.
This ls a historic monicnt f`or the DTES neighbourhood. The SRO CoHaborative started \`'orking on this issue in 2015, and some ol`the tenants have been working on it even longei.. "In 2007 we realized thcre was a direct connection between tlie loss of low income SRO rentals and hollielcssness..` said Richard Sch\`rab. SRO Coll.iborative Presidei`t and long-term tenant of tlle Arlington Hotel. "1`11 sleep more Soundly thanks to the city and the proviiice 1 look forward to v`/hat`s ilext, working to get all le\'els of government on board for ii`vestmeiits, get landlords on board, get SRO buildings bought and rent)veted. And make plans, v.Jith the tenants included. for the construction ot-iiew apartments lJltiniately, at the SRO Collaborative wc believe that it is possible for homes in tlie DTLS to be communityiriendly places to ljvc where we can get the ser\Jiccs \`ie need, work together on projects in our hotels
and work towards ollr big goal of regaining our agency to govern our space. We have alread.v started wol.killg on this ill some hotels and people call conie see it in action.' I.Housing. homelessness, and being forced Into encanipmeiits or onto the streets` are huge and devastatlng iss`ies in our comimunity`" said Wendy Pedersen. F,xccutive Director ol` the DTFS SRO Collaborative Society. `.SRO vacancy conti.ol is the cl.ucial first step to prevent more people from slipping into the lit`e alterlng chaos tlia{ people e,`periciice \\/hen they. lose their h{)mcs We`re encouraged by the progress we
have made toda}i with SRO Vacaiicy Control -and there is still lots of work to bc done I Many ii`di\'iduals and organizfllions ctintributed to the adoptiiin or this important legislation. The SRO Collaborative thanks the maliy individuals \`/h(1 wrole lcttcrs in support orthe p{)Iicy` along with the 16
groups. both DTES-based and proviT`ce\`'ide, listed below. Not{ible thanks are also extended to: *Former Vaiicouver Cit}' CoimciHoi-Col.inci[1or Sv`/'aiisoii who put the first motion forward to ('it} C{)uncil in 2()19 and g(it nearly unanimous s`ippoil fi)I it. *Vancouver Cit}' Councillor Coiincillor 81 igh for her continiious leadership to the present day to ensure
that MEVA vlJas passed.
*Mayor of Vancouver Ken Sin, I]ousing Minister Ravi Kahlon and the Premier of BC David F,by for this recognition ai`d support to keep this \iulne].able population more safe and housed.
"A heartfelt thank you to every single person \\'ho helped make this liappen with {ind I-or the teiiants of the Downtown Eastsjde," said Pederseii. "Togethei.` \fye can make meaningful change and wc look forward to working together with you and our community. to make the Downtoun Eastside a better place for a]].' ']`hank you to tlie fo]]o\\i'ing letter writing organizations:
BC Povcrtv Reduction Coalition BCGEU Building Coinmimities
Carnegie Community Centre C`L^S
DTES SRO
First United
I ]astings C`rossing BIA
La Boussole Potluck Powe]] Street Festival
Collaborative
TAPS UGM Vancouver Tenants Union Vancouver I_,Tnitarians Vaiicou\'`ei` V,''omen's I Iea]th Col lective
VDLC
'Thomas de Grey Memorial Act `
Reinstated bylaw is a major victory for Vancouver's SRO tenants by Ezra Bloom on May 27th, 2024 at 6:22 AM
Georgle straight
As titles go, tliey' don`t get much catchier than .Munjcipaljtics Enatling and Validating (No. 5) Amendment Act, 2024." That is the official name of the bill passed by the BC legislature last week. on the last
possible day, to protect single room {recuparicy SRO tenants b.v restoring tl C`ity of Vancouver bylaw. Okay. maybe it`s a bjl of a moutlifu] -here at the DTES SRO Collaborative. wllich advocates for Vancouver: s SRO tenants. we just call it the Thomas dc Clrey Memorial Act. Let me explain why. I never met dc Grey. but he was a bit of a legend. IIe was a poet, carpenter, philosopher, and father. Hc loved historyt and spent many hours in the library and in the Cit}' of Vancouver Archives as a member ot a group of t6nants, organizers` and researchers fo.r ain collcctjvc working to supporl the SRO Collaborative. For many .years` he \iias a tenant at a smal I hotel-one of Vaiicoiiver`s SRO buildings~in Strathcona. His rent was originall} at what was Then The shelter rate ($375). and hc fought back multiple attempts to evict him while watching other units jn his bL]jldjng climb [o i)vcr S I,000. Becailse \,'acancy control didn`t exist, all his landlord needed to do was evict de Grey. ai`d thenjack the rent as much as they \\'anted. This ci.eated an enormous financial inccntivc to evict de Grey', and he ofteli said he felt like he \vas living \vith a `arget on his back. De Grey v`ras also aware that he was far fi.om tlie onl}/' one in this situa[io]i. In just the past few }'ears.
rent in privately-owned SROs climbed 21 per cent, and at least 500 lou/,income tenallts lost their
homes-the majority of them ending up on the streets or ill shelters. So. alongside 300 ottier volunteers, de Grey took action. Tn 2018, he dropped fl} crs at ever}/ house in Strathcona to get a local renlei.s candidate, .Tean Swanson. elected to city council. Once she \\ion, he spoke at a council meeting with dozeiis or othei. tenalits, askiiig the City to pass the bylaw Swanson had introduced to inake vacancy' coiitrol a re.ality for SROs. Armed with knowledge accuinulated fi.oin years of research` de Gre}i aiid his tenant col]cagues attended numerous coiisultatioils with the Cit}.I and de Grey
3:,'i::,tat::Pt:rea`S:n:::::I:#::::::::%:i;,:1?all;:::'bDeetcheemdba:]r8£5ii:Pv::|°gn?;t:fy]:eel::i::t:I,iro°rdvuoctt,[n°:Oftlle agailisl` the Vancouver vacanc} control b}'law was passed into law. Sure enoiigh, de Cjrey had been right: duriiig that pressurized time. thei.c tlyas a spike in evictions as soine bad-faith laiidlor-ds rushed to cash in before the iiew regulations took effect. De Gre}`'s wariiings helped get Cit}' staff to act quicker to close this loophole. meaning iiiore ]ov`i-reiit homes \\/ere sa`ied. Once implemented, ttie b}Jlaw' was, as SRO Collaborati`re executive director Wendy Pcderseii piits it, "a thing of beaiity... Not onl}` did it outright lestrict ttie amount 1.ents could go up t)el\i`/een tenancies. bu` it
also included proactive enforcement measures and u'hislleblow'er protections. The w'holc thiiig was full}/ funded and stat`fed` and for eight months it worked perfectl}' wiith full compli.ince from tlie la[`dlords. BLit in Augl`st 2022, tlle BC Supreme Court decided tllat tlie City of Vancou\ier lacked the jurisdiction to implemeiit such a policy, and quashed it. Fast-forward t() Ma}i 15 of this }/ear. tind the provincial go\Jcrmnenl granted the Cit}' the jiirisdict[on needed to 1-eauthorize the bylaw. De Clre}i died `laniiar} 2` £024-less than five months t`el`ore the campaign he liad u'orked on for so long finall}
achieved true victoi}'.
I.in not sure where the idea came 1`rom to call tliis bill lhc Thomas de Gre.y Memorial Act lt secms to
have spruiig up ol.galiically I-rom mail}i differeilt seeds, to the point that many ol` de Gre}''s fellow tenant organizcrsaiidfricndstliroughouttlieDTESarerefefriiigioitbythattitle.Ithinkitfeelsrighttopeople
because it humanizes this moment and shows tliat this \vas a liomcgro\i'ii polic}/. not si)mething deli`'ercd to us from up higt`. No matter liow excellel`t a law might be. it hits different wlien it.s from the communlty \\/1ieTe tlie im-
pact is bemg felt. The staff and politicians at both the pro\Jincial aiid municipal levels worked liard to get this thiiig done uirder a very' tight dcadliii€` and they get full ci.edit for that. But this isn.t a stol-.v of the cal\rary ridmg t() the rescue at the ele\'enth hour. This is a victor}J fought in the trenches` day after da} , }icar after }'ear, by people like Thoiiias de Gre}/', V+''hell people in the commu]iit}i hear about this bill. they should know that it's lhcirs. Just like de Grey
was oi`e ot`theirs And if sometime in the I-uture` another organizer is jn the archives looking back at how vacanc}` control \va` v.loll for Vancouver's SROs` 1 want them to see his nan`e and know the story. I wan them to kiiow that all that work really does niatter. I want them to knov`/ that it. s possible to \`'in.
If residents have questions about the vacancy control policy or concerns about vacancy control in their building, they can contact City staff at the following: vacanc control vancouver.ca 604-829-927
3rd Annual Downtown Eastside Writers Festival The Downtown Eastside boasts a rich tradition of writing that cha.mpious activism and aniplifies the voices of marginalised individuals From the stories of urban residents to the artist]c expressions of lndigeiious peoples and peoplc of co[our` from those residing in SROs to these navigating substance use and mental health chauenges. and from individuals reclaiming their llves from adversity` our written words serve as a potent fomi orhealing. Writiiig acts as a balni to our wounds, forging a profound connection to hath inner and outer consciousness3 fostering unity within our communit}'. ` With these words the restival Program greeted people and encouragec! participation. the Opening Ceremony in Camegie`s Theatre had Gilles Cyrenne. President of the Carnegie Community Centre Assocjalion` acting as MC. One ot`the ongoing .cvenLst was introduced b} Paula and called Typewriter Tales, wliereby anyone could access an old manual machine and add their words, poetr} . prose. to a growing tale of the t`estival and whatever secmcd appropriate. Umted for Literacy liad a table with many free books. Fiona Tinwei Lam, VaneourJer's Poet Laureate (2022) shared the foHowing poem by Joy Ha,Jo, PerhaDs the World Ends Here
The world begins at a kitchen table. No matter what, \^/e must eat to live, The gifts Of earth are brought and prepared, set on the table. So it has been since creation, and it will go on.
We chase chickens or dogs away from it. Babies teethe at the corners. They scrape their knees under it. It is here that children are gi`;en instructions on what it is to be human. We make people at it. At this table we gossip, recall enemies and the ghosts Of lo`rers. Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our children. They laugh \^/ith us at our poor fall-
ing-down selves and as `^/e put oursel`/es back together once again at the table. This table has been a house in the rain, an umbrella in the sun.
Wars ha`/e begun and ended at this table. It is a place to hide in the shado`^/ Of terror; a place to celebrate the
ternble victory. We have given birth on this table, and ha`re prepared our parents toi. burial here. At this table we sing `^rith joy, `^/ith sorrow. We pray Of suffering and remoi.se. We gi\/e thanks.
Perhaps the `^/orld will end at the kitchen table, while we are laughing and crying, eating of the last sweet bite.
Tlie audience v\;as treated to a perfori"nce froiii the diio ot` Doshine and Talon.
Photos by Jeff Wilson
The flrst evcl`ing v\/as a Poeti.}/ Cabaret \+'ith host Diane V`/7ood. Dianc
1]as been gathering local poets once a month for 20 years. aiid there are al least 3 collections p`iblished.
On rTrida}' people chose bet\vccn all introductory \\ioi-ks]iop on Al and
ChatGPT \\iith Dionne Pelan at the Leaming Exchange and a Chapbook workshop ot`fercd by Hari Allllri in the I,earning Ccl`tre Heather Lamoureux ga\'e a lot f ideas and .hov`/ to. nl grant writing. Gettuig funds to li\.e while creating or per±`orming is something all artists need.
Fiona Tinwei L.iin, again sat \\Jith local poets in schediiled meetings to ctinsult with wi-itei's ot-both prose an(I poctr}J and to v\/ork on edits
and impr(tvcments. RIind Tiger Comedy had a v,JorlLshop on lmprov, \\ ith laughter and creative iiiput t`rom e\`er} one in the theatre.
Jim Sands helped poets to rcall}i liold r`orth in hi.s workshop on How to Read Your Poetry in Public. This \\/as well-tinied lo
precede the l'oetr}i slam that eveiiing \vith RC Weslowski and over a do7cn hopefuls. The nanies of participants are not here to pr(}tect children from wanting to become poets! Saturday was t`ull with Suzanne So Lan Chan teaching Chinese Ca]ljgraphy in the Leal.lljng Centre and Joseph Kakwinokanasum. the VPL Stor}/teller-in-Residence sharing
with others in the theatre Penn}/ Goldsmith brought several writers togethei. to talk about sc.1f-publislilng. Myra had a collection of her poetry, Diane V\''ood had three small books or poems fi.om both the Poetr}` Cabaret and work from over the }iears in the learnmg ceiltre, and Kel\ in Bee spoke about his work-in-progress and the work of just tellilig it his wa.y.
There was Vl'ritiiig with Drag Qi]eens in the aftel.riooll, and the challengc of expressil]g yourself when people are against
your form of`expression. Gilles C.\ renne and Danic]le LaFrance gave people i)n the street the chance to make simultaricous poetry -tell }'olir story or give an idea alld the`i` two would v\irite poetry abt)ul il oil the spot ! Daiiielle then gavc a workshop b{ised on the book ln Praise of Risk-Poetry Oy Aniie Dufourmantelle. People \i'ere asked to
write about personal risk-taking and show how this changed them.
The evcning began with a book reading and talk by Sam George, who is turning 80 next month. Sam has written a book titled I/ic F/.rtJ Sr;//J}wr#s, and explores his lifc in both residential school and prisoii. This was fo]1owcd by
a showing of the film Wrha/ 1 Want Mw W()rdM To Do To Yoii. made b}i Eve Fmsler aboiit a writing workshop she conducted inside a prison in New York alld \\'-hat tt`e \vomen tliere had to say to the world. Suiiday had a book binding \`rorksliop in the Leaming Centre, then a Festival Wrap Party at Rise-Up Cafe on Vcmon Drivel wliich was a close encounter with ever}Jone due to raiii.
Thanks to ever.yoiie \\;ho helped orgailise, volunteer and participate in the many events Ass it also sa}'s in the progl.am guide { We ha\`e } more writers per square root [han ally communit},' in Canada..`
By PAUI,R TAYLOR
CRUNCH Reconjecture „a short note from a peculiar Newsletter contributor
Last issue. editor PaulR Ta,vlor publislied the rirst fr.ime of a two-frame strip. This cart(ion ls coiisidered b,v me, Jim Dewar, creatoi. of the C`RUNCH feature. the first real CRUNCH cartooii, though it was not titled Crunch or even originally published in the Carnegie Newsletter Tlie second t`ranie coiiipletely jllusti-atcs the wry irony I 've t`/itiicssed and tr}i to convey \`'ith l`unlour
tl`rough CRUNCH. Tlie scene illustrated is the coriier orpei`der and Abbott, one raiiiy eveiiing. in 1999.
'BOuRHOOD .......... iT.s A HOn_E._ \'o cmbellishment liere. I really saw the scene one night, he{aded honie to all SRO (no complaint) from the Sk),train.
Hope Paul can print that second fi`ame this issue. The iss`ie t`or me presentl.y is l'm a real hurlin` unit` on the injur}/` list. sick leave .... essentially Fin bliiid in
ny right eye with all illfection. Gratetu]]y I call still see witli my .wi.ong' eye alid fliid sonlc huiiiour in tlie
:irculllstance5 and challeiig€s facing man}' in our communit}r. Hiipe to be back, in full, Jiil},I I ` 2024. For now it.s going to be like \`i'atchiiig reriins on late-night television. )h well. Tliaiiking you all. Stay Tuned
Note. Due to space squeeze, poetry by
Typewriter Tales
Karen Thorpe, From the Library and a
Gentle raiii meets Ezirth Raindrops sparkle, life beckons Spring's vibrant. . . embrace
presentation by Jean Swanson to City Council will be in the June 15 issue.
Stay Tuned I I
Fireflies alight
Flou'ers v`Jhisper in the wind
Spring's graceful waltz Surpiise awakens the Earth New flowers bloom at new plants Spring hath wakens life There is beauty all arollnd There. s ]ioThiiig on the page. . .yet On rain}J da}'-s I think of-dl.oiights to ha\'e
gratitude for the rai]i and grey i`louds Tl1€ quick clever jn some
Ljkjei dckdj khi lih hi I-in sam, is Sam When I was ii child the light was so much biighter` but the t`utilre is so dark In poetry every line is a festival` a celebratit)n of` discovei.}
A friend just said Poets are the astroph}'sic]stq ot`the writiiig profession -I like that Amino acids. building blocks of protein. come i-rom the stars Alld another day to risk it all And we least expect it` the light reappears
'l`he words buoy my spirits
Connecting me with community Everyone loves a t}ipewriter Cl ick clack of-my ]ieail on lhe page. Click clack` evci.}/'one loves a typeuiTiter even wlien they jain. And so it goes, this festival so full of life, creativity. joy reall.v, I lumanity shared in woi-ds And I am always delighted by the challenge and tlie oppol.tuliity to sliare
from m}' heart and soul in this commuilit}'. And to liave this opportiinity to t.ypc vi/ith impiinity a little bit of lunacy ls that a u'ord iir tunancc? I think you wil] forgive me aiicl sliare this little intimacy
A moment ol`i`oiiiplicity as I try rh)'.me mysell` And typing \\'ith mucli glee. . . av`/a}i from thee.
I ant always late
and here I aii` right iiow
Perfecll}J on time
t.vpewritcrtalespl.oject@gmail.ciwn
Carnegie Housing Project Housin
Town Hall comes u
with wa s to fi ht for the housin we need
By Jean Swanson
Folks at a packed Camcgie Housing Project Town
I Tall meeting on r`1a+ 22 came up with lots of Ideas
on how to push forward to: -stop the loss of affordable housing; -get new housing that rents for $500 a month: -have humane solutions like tiny homes in tlie meantime. We also celebrated the SRO Vacanc}/' Control Victory \\iith balloons and noise makers ! Ezra Bloom of the SRO (`ollaborative` told us how the Collaborative worked to get the iiev`/ law/ whicli will prevent private SRO landlords frt)in 1.aising rents as much as they like wheii tenants leave or are out. Hc told us about how a group ot` about 20 SRO tenal`ts weiit to Victoi.ia to listen to tlie debate ai-ouiid the iiew law, aiid celebrate its passing.
At the meeting we had three worksht)ps. At one \`i-orksliop, folks told stories about theil. hoLising: how staff` could come to their roo]iis without no-
tice: how electrical systems didn't work \\Jell; how niaii}J folks have a hard time advocating for theniselves. Folks in a second wohshop worked on songs and Skits for supporting actions to get more housing. Could we have politicians dressed as soccer players kicking down homes when FlrA collies to VanL couver? Could we have .1 homeless FIFA World Cup like t]ie}J did in Bi.azil? Could we parody the new definition of shelter by suggesliiig a garbage can \` ould v\/.ork? Meailwhilc pcoplc attendi]ig the 'l`own Hall took turns wearlng our cockroach hats `o make fun of t]ie kinds ot` lioiising that many DTES folks have to live in. 1 he largest u'orkshop worked on sti`ategies to get t)ur recommendations iiiiplemented Could we ask the United Natlons to intcrvcne in our homeless situ.ition? People shouted out names of`other groups we
might bc able to woi-k.with jn a big coalition Lo push for broader vacancy control and more social housing that low income people can afford. Should we have all all candidates meeting before the election? Could we have a letter writing campaigii and tlien use the letters to get meetings with politicians? Could we have a big housing march in July or August bcforc the provincial electic)n?
Notes from the meeting will be sent to all the folks who signed in legibly. And folks at the Carnegie I Iousiiig Project will take all these ideas and come up with fu[urc actions and events to hopefully push us in t]ie direction of more housing we can at`ford. Thanks to F,Ider I,cs Nelson for doing the Land Ackl`o\\/'ledgement, and to Breillea JITreeman. Laiii-al Claudette, Dave I Iamm, Phoeliix Winter. Maddy Andl.ev\Js` and Ke\'in Conrod for hcl|i facilildting. sign up, set up ai`d take down! And thanks to so many VANDU members for attcnding!!
Poetry by Karen Thorpe
::,.::i.::`-:.:-,:`:.:i;::r-i:,.:.`:`:::-.1=:`.i---.
" Respectful Relations" (For Dummies) D(tii't sweat the title. It's written that way to get yoilr atteiition. Now tliat I havL` it, I might suggest that .You read the entire article. It concerns botli }Jou and your community, and onl}/ gocid things can come rroni its message.
The summer of 2l I was a paiticularly tough yea]., as we peeked out oui t`ront doors, Iiiasks timily clenched in our fists, worried that COVID or some otlier metamori)hosing \Jarialit could bc lui.kin` around the next corner I,ife as I knew it changed in ways I can't begin to explai.ii or e\ en iiliderstand for tliat matter. I \vas not immunc to the madness` as my world became vciy very complicated in the spring of that } ear, (a bit niore than I could liaiidle I think). You see, ni.y Mom got sick with something she just couldn't shakL' off Hit m}' Dad pretty hard. He p`]t up a stole frolit, biit he's not doing that well. As a paramedic ft„ I 0yrs. followed by 25yrs as Regiolial Paiamedic Chief. you might think that he Would have acquired the skill.` necessary to na\,jgate throilHh these types {)f eiiiotional minefields. But it's different wheTi it's happeni]ig to }Jou. M,v Mc)m` oblivious to re;1ity, fades slowl}J awa}i t`rom her high school crush and hushaiid of` 54}rs. while my Dad's vast understanding of niediciiie and medical procediiies is all but lost to him no\`'. uiiable to bi` t7l`help to a man so conimittcd ttt lielping otliei s. wlien hc needs help the most. The iroiiy of my Dad's situatioii is lost on him loilci;„ nio]e pressing conL`cliis 1'11 bet, but I saw it, and my heart broLi` for him. helpless in m}/ o\vn right to intervene. So, <ifter cal e-
ful coiisideration of none of the facts, and a bucketful ot`unfounded concliisions. I made <i dccjiioii. I decided to rlln.
Problem wJas, I had Ilo idea exactly ''where" I was riinning to. I just knc'w that I coiildii'1 be "there" anvlirol.e.
Sol when the .vou]ig iiian at the bus station asked for my dcstiliatioii point. I puHed out m} last S loo.0.0 bin and "As far West as that \\'.ill taki` me"...
said
Oh bti}J...I shoulda said East!
I uias boin in Alberla, duril`g the free speecli movc`Iiiei`t of the 196()'s. No\\, Albcrta call be somewhat coltsei.\/'ative in iiature` school orhard ki\ocks i(Dnie might say` and m} youth viras iiothilig short ot` "coi`tained cha-
os" out of o]-der. But ol' skt)ol ethics was the standard of the time, so throLigh o]' skoc>l ethics we were raised. It wasli't long before those ethic` resoiiated in L`verything uie did. as they we`ri' seared iiito our hearts through tiiit daily i]iteractions witli others. I think d lot of the readel.s can relati` t(t this. as we are all born with a sense of right & wrong. .v,re just don't alu a} s foHou it. After all, ]t'` tlie choices that \ve make that steer us away from "Respet`l Relations", v,rtiich certainl} e\plains the current state of affairs on tlie Dciwntov,rli Eastside The niost egi`egjous...a blatant lack of respect for others.11 \\ould seem that a majorit) oftlie DTES residents, and a health}' number ot`average c\/Cryday normal beha\ ing niembers t)f `(7ciet}'` liavc ft]rgotten the basic niceties and coinnion Courtesv's that v,ie used to bestow upon friends and strangers alike ..reiiieiiiber? 1. Please, thank-yoii. etc; 2. Respect ,vour elders; 3 Doii't [ie: 4. Doii't steal; 5. Doii't trash talk others. You lia\'e an issiic with soineonc, tell them (Rcspectfull}J) nt>l ine. Words can be \iery helpful` but the}J call also be \.er}' harmful` as the}' echo in the hallways of our miiids, wlien we are alolie and vul]ierable. 6. Mind }Jour our t)usjnesL`. What clthers thiiik of yoii, is of no concern to you
7 When some(iiie needs help. HELP l`HEM WITH()UT EXPECTATION OF COMPENSATION 8. Be kind. It .osts you nothiiig` yet the rewards are cnd[ess.
Nou ` ht]ld on` I gel I.t Opilijons are goiina vary regarding tlie definition of Respect. but at the end t]f the da}', our clef-initions ttf this word should matcli up fatlier v,Je]I. as \\,e are all seeking tlie same thing..."Respectful Relations".
So, lctmespellitoiitfoi`}'-'all:
R-E-S-P-E-C-'r
Reasonable Expectatioiis Sciciet}J Places on Every Cltizen Tt`t]a\
A poweTrul word tliat r]as been absent from the DTES for quite some time now. WTF happcncd? I have spent tlie last I 5mos rimning t`rom my responsibilities. Ii\/ling in the DTES, ai`d in all that time. I have seen
great acts of altruism. fttllo\\/ed by nialicious acts of harmful intentions, often committed by the same person on the same given day. alm(tst ever}/ dai]m day I'\;e been down hei.e. Consequentl}/, inany' have come to believe that society's rules don't at7t]l}' to tliem. That somehow the world has given them a pass on accolintabjlit}J, manners, ai`d respect. But reali[}' says that we arc dl] ac`c(tuntable foi. tlie clioices that we ]iiake` i`egai`d[ess of our be]jef or disbelief in such matters. Karma always seem lo sort out the good and bad pt)jnts of.the ch(iices uJe
make and evens out the score. Adinittedly, the choices being made on the DTES are nothing sliort of horrific, leavi]ig busted and broken lives tci clean up the ph}Jsical` emotional, and psychological ''sllafu's" those choices make. And v,ihile post-COVID concerns have society scrambling for answers. tr}iing to fiiid t]`eir v`'.a}' back to the way things used to bet liavi]ig this Respect issue, or lack thereof` overshadowiiig our lives. onl}J forces us apart. leaving in its wake feelings of mistrust, dishonest}J, and in more cases than I care to recall, an outright dislike ofsomeone based so[cl),. upt]]i stc]-ct)typing. Aiid thrt]ugh all the coiifusittii. ttur "RcspL`ctrLil Relations" tirc`` qujetl}`
being pushed aside b),' a more cimning adversar}i. One that Respects no one and destroys the lives of maii}J: TIIE NEVER ENDING QUEST FOR DRUGS. How much Respect/selt`Respect ha\Je you lost to it? How much of your lit-e has it destro};ed? Man...I shoulda gone East! So there's the elephant in the rooni. Doesn't mattei` if you agree or disagree, the t`acts stand sti.ong. Thei.e is a problem lo(h} in how v`Je treat one aiiother` and fi.om what I'\Je seen` peoi)le liave lost their wa}i when it coniL`s to Respectf`u[ Relations. In ol.der to fix these issues, tlie values that v`/e used to exercise in ()iLr lives, each and e\rer}' day. iiiust ()nee again be a]]{)wed t() reign t`ree in our intei.acti()ns with others.
L'pslanding citizens of vancouvel.: stop walking past prostrate bodies l}/ing on our cit.v sti.eets` sidewalks and allc}'s. You`re walking by hiiman beings..."your" brotliei.s aiid "}'our" sistei.s. And there aii]'t a siiigle oiie
that deserves to die .c{iuse they wanna get high. The thought aloi`e js deplorable. DTES residents: stol) smoking and i]sing drugs in f`ront of \`orking bu`ines,`i`> .ind lci\\ ilnl`it:Leme:i,I p€rsclnnel. Your actions expose their families, frieiids` custome].s aiid cc`-\\(`rlcJr` tit Jru= Lisc
=ru5 Farafl`I€n`.```lia. pro-
fanit},I, aiid violence. Not to mention the slap on tile Face }iiil present .Li` .` \ er} u i\rlir,g Go\ I ot`1`iclal \``ho sees
you, and evel.y police officer }/ou eticouliter. There are c`oiiseqiienl`|`± I(tT ac:ing in this manner. Just because y()Li can'l sL'e them, doesn't mean that they`re not there. V\'i` ni`i`d to stop promoting the negative side of drug use. In this quest \\'e.re on3 it's easy' to become obli\Jious
to the rights and considerations of others. Often ignoring. or e\'en disregarding them completely, in fa\Joi. of` other considerations. I would also suggest that you check }Jour eiititlemcnl meter. Too many people think that the world o\ves them something f`or things they've never done. Sitting in my room, dodgiilg expectatioiis, isn't my idea {)f a I)I()ducti\7e da.v. To be cledr, y(tu are enlitlcd to what you work for, and \\/hat },lou pay for, and nothing else. The rest ol`your needs can bi` round within "Respectful Relations" Through the cries for equality. and the hu.`tle and busllc that constitutes our dail}i livest I can still l]eal. the call out for respect to be shown to all3 regardless of state or stature. But the ones yelli]ig the l{tudcst, are usually tl`e ones sho\\'ii`g the least. Hey. just p`ittii`g it out there for eve[`yc>i`e to see. It's up to you how }J(tu choose to process the information. Jf }'{}u waiit Respect` lead. teach, aiid educate others by beiiig an cxamplL` l`or them to follow. If you want Society to be niore acceptiiig of your drug uses sliow tlieni that }iou fire tlyng to manage these issues in a prodirotive and prosocial iiianneT. It could open tlie d(}i)r t() better c`ommunicali()ns, a lot less judgements, alld a cleal`er understanding orfl v,ioi.Id that iiiost t]fthem dttn't yet fully c()mprehend. Lt)ok. Ri`spi`ctriil Rclatitjns (for Dunimics) is in Ilo wid}/ idciitifiable. There are man}J intelligent people living in the DTES. It's the choices that were inade that have brought us here. and jt doesn't bode wel] t`or future endea\iors. Balallce what you've read agaii`st the choices you've made aiid see wliere Y()U fit int(} this I)icture...then act accordingly. It's a determiiiatjon you must aiTive at o]i }/(tur ttwn. But I can sa.v lhis with absolute clarity/': the beliefits t`ar outweigh a ]it`e of Respectt`ul Segregation ill the I).ITES.
As for me, I'm headed E,ast. Have tl woiiderful journey and remc`mbel .-... be Respectful.
€s!LtjiiRafigi'e€
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