Save on Meats Gentrifier Pulled From BC Federation of Labour Convention

Save on Meats Gentrifier Pulled From BC Federation of Labour Convention

Shockingly Mark Brand, owner of the new Save On Meats and poster child of gentrification, was listed as a keynote speaker at the Young Worker’s Conference on the opening night of the BC Federation of Labour convention.

Harsha Walia, coordinator of the DTES Power of Women group, responded. She wrote to the federation, contacted other speakers invited to the convention and prominent unionists, and made a pitch for Brand’s invitation to be withdrawn. The result? Some major unions threatened to walk out if Brand took the stage and the other keynote speaker, Bridgette DePape, the page who famously held up the “Stop Harper” sign in parliament, refused to share a stage with Brand. Finally the BC Fed organizers quietly withdrew Brand’s invitation.

My heart in the heart of the city

My heart in the heart of the city

By Bud Osborn

Eghishe Charents, a poet who fought against the Armenian genocide and died in prison; he wrote:

“I saw how our will could

endure, rebel, and put

wings into flight; start

furnances in the breast.”

The War on Drugs/ME, the Addict

The War on Drugs/ME, the Addict

By Therese Lulf

A war on me? How could that be? Since when have I become so important?

We are generating a great wealth in high places, and that’s what’s important!

Letter from the Editors

Letter from the Editors

This is our eighth Downtown East in the last 9 months and we thought we’d reflect on what the year’s been like for us and ask for some more help from you, our readers.

Save Social Housing

Save Social Housing

By Dave Diewert

The new Save Social Housing Coalition wants government to get back into funding and building affordable housing in a major way. It is calling for the construction of 10,000 units of new social housing annually in BC. This bold approach could succeed where the market has completely failed.

Social Impact Study: What We Need vs What We’re Getting

Social Impact Study: What We Need vs What We’re Getting

By Jean Swanson

It’s been almost 3 years since the City passed a motion calling for a social impact study to determine the impact of new development on the low-income community in the Downtown Eastside.

The impact study is finally almost done. But is it what we wanted? The Carnegie Community Action Project (CCAP) had asked the city to study the social and economic impact of Woodward’s and other condo developments on the good things about the DTES community. CCAP also wanted to know if these developments were boosting property values and rents and displacing low-income residents.

In the DTES, Social Mix is Exclusion

In the DTES, Social Mix is Exclusion

By Karen Ward

I’ve lived in Vancouver for thirteen years, in SROs for seven, I was homeless for about eight months, and now I live in supportive housing at Woodward’s. I’m an artist, and I live with a mental illness. I’m on the Local Area Planning Process committee that works with the City of Vancouver to create new planning policy for the Downtown Eastside. On the committee, I represent Gallery Gachet.