Attendees:
Kelvin, Jenn, DJ, Jacek, Roland, Jamie, James O, Grant, Sara B
Proposed Agenda
Copwatch
Shelter Committee
Community Safety
Street Market
COPWATCH
Jenn - the last month the street patrols are going as usuall, and doing protest
patrols. We are dealing with the BEAT tv show in second series. We are going to
try and find people that are on the show and find out if they really consented.
In the first season, they outed a survival sex worker on TV. She even said that
she "did not want her family knowing, etc..." and they put her on tv anyway.
I am complaining to Vice that cops are exploiting survival sex workers. One of
the copwatchers got shakey footage of cops telling drug dealers that "if they
didn't talk to the cameras, they would bust them!"
Jamie - this is clearly extortion
Jenn - season 2, episode 7, copwatch is on it. The anti-police
brutality rally. No one
signed any releases. I even said that I would not allow my image to go on the
show. They showed it anyway.
Jenn - it says that police are dealing with suicides, etc... on top
of this - there
is a new group called "copwatch" that is harassing the cops in the DTES.
Jenn - Aboriginal policing committee is mad as hell, also Vice is mad at BEAT tv
Jacek - I would be very careful about talking to police, they will
tell you what they
want to hear
Jenn - which police?
Jacek - I would doubt that Vice is being honest, I would be careful.
Jenn - the sex industry is going to put pressure on the tv show to
stop exploiting sex
workers. Vice is supposed to stop exploitation, so they can help.
Jacek - if the audio is good enough on the tape, we should go to PIVOT with this
Jamie - no, BCCVL. This is better. If we can identify Toby, it is a good case
Jacek - it could be great way to attack the show as exploitation
Jamie - and... we can go after the employers - the city of vancouver
because the
employer is responsible for the actions of the employees, so we can go
after the city
Jenn - DJ - do you want to talk about your thing
DJ - appt. with linda malkin with VPD. Katrina Pacy is my lawyer with PIVOT
I put in a complaint. Gave it to my lawyer. My daughter got beaten up at the
Balmoral. I call 911. cops come. corner suite. Minute later, camera
crew shows up.
We tried to get them to leave, but the cop put his foot in the door.
The crew kept
filming through the crack in the door. I told them to shut it off or I
would shut
it for them.
Jenn - if the footage is in there, you should sue them
Jacek - good idea to make a big list and sue for all of it
Jenn - Sandy was shoved, cop was charged with assault but the charges
were stayed if
he agreed to anger course.
Jamie - VPD disciplinary hearing is going on now.
Jacek - is there any way to put the footage and make it more known
Jenn - we keep putting it on the facebook
DJ - Someone should go down and talk to sandy and find out what is happening
Jacek - this should be in the newspaper
Jenn - We need to set an example that disabled people can not be abused
Jacek - how do we get this in the media. We know, but others have forgotten
Jenn - maybe VCW should do another media event to get it into the public eye
Jamie - its been 2 years
Jacek - so we have to remind people about this
Jenn - Jenn's Kitchen was asked to participate in an investigation on Atira
Roland - I have heard so many stories about Atira, but I have not kept
up with them
Jenn - lady's number -
Kelvin - 133 Pender. Was DERA, went to Native housing, then to BC
Housing, I had to
go to 3 different agencies just to get my sink replaced. Just last
night, they rekeyed the
whole building. I had to sleep in my car because they didn't tell me
that they rekeyed the
whole building.
Roland - you would have thought that they could have just posted the notice
Kelvin - yes, basically because it was BC HOusing, and other agencies,
they didn't notify
people properly. Imagine me trying to fit into my car to sleep.
Jacek - can we protest the hearing
Jamie - it is internal
Jenn - we would need to just protest and alert the media that it is happening
SHELTER COMMITTEE
Roland - First United is now just like any other shelter, pushing
people into the shelter
shuffle. Noreen lived there for 1.5 years and now is at Triage with 7 day stay.
We met with Tuesday group at VANDU and we are planning an action
against the shelter
shuffle. Not sure of the details yet.
Lee ann - assault case.
Jamie - she can't control her actions, and now she is getting charged
with assault by staff
Jenn - Tamera is the worker, she is awful
Jacek - this is complete lack of training, we need to complain about this
Kelvin - question - there is a conference on the homeless count, I am
going on Friday
Roland, Jacek - sure we will go. We will come by AFD and find out when it is.
Kelvin - this important for people in this area, where is the money
going. Why close
beds in this area it creates stresses on the Central Shelter
Roland - and we know that these were the cheapest beds, so it is false economy
Kelvin - this is a lower mainland thing, and they are shifting people
around, and they
need to stop doing this
Roland - 211 is constantly saying the shelters are full, so this is a
big problem when
winter comes
Kelvin - I'll give you the info if you show up tomorrow at 6am to help
with making bannock
Roland - are you joking? Are you really going to be there at 6am?
Kelvin - no, I'm serious. Come to AFD at 6am tomorrow, help me with
bannock, and I'll give you the info.
Jacek - ok, I'll be there too
COMMUNITY SAFETY
Jenn - Outreach's job is to attend to people laying on the street.
Terry was trying to help, but
a guy chased her off.
It happened to me as well. A gang member came and chased me off. The
violence seems to be
escalating at the corners.
Roland - I see arguments all the time
Jenn - but it is different when they start challenging the
organizations. They never used to
do this before. The Persian kids are getting really out of hand.
Outreach workers are actually
preventing workers from helping people.
Jenn - they are preventing people from calling 911 for injured people
Jenn - I talked to the gang unit today about it, actually. I put in a
complaint with
sister watch. They have programs for people to leave that life.
Tuesday we are going to
meet with Aboriginal Community Policing about this.
James - I was trying to help a woman, she may show up today, I tried
to get her to show up
Annette Morris.
Kelvin - we should have the meeting at AFD. If you want AFD's support,
come over there and
we do a lot of talking to the VPD. We can definitly help to reach out
the the young people
out there. We have been trying to increase our drumming nights, but
young people are not
into that.
Jenn - I need to call to set up the meeting. I will tell John to call
you, Kelvin
Kelvin - We are the closest Ab. Society
DJ - I hardly ever see people being beaten out there
Jenn - they were targeting mentally ill women now.
Roland - do you think its a new group of people moving in? or?
Jenn - I recognize some of the guys
Kelvin - because it is summer, some of the girls move in from the
outskirts. One girl we know
is going through a lot of emotional stuff. We tried to get phone
numbers, etc... but she did
hear me. We did get her parents.
James - Most of those guys have been there for years. It has changed,
it is more violent now
Kelvin - we need to be very delicate about it, they trust the AFD. It
could end up a bloodbath
if we are not careful. We want to support you, but we would like to
make sure we do it properly.
Jenn - this is why we contacted the Ab. Policing, not the BEAT.
DJ - I can talk to them for you as well. We can make sure we know
where they are coming
from. I can try and get information for you.
James - There was a scuffle outside of Waves between two women. it was
a territorial fight.
Jacek - james - do you know about Lee Ann's court date?
James - it is not until September. they are still going to pursue the
assault against Lee Ann.
James - she was a handful for the workers, but the workers just used
it as an excuse to give
her the boot. An assault charge will guarantee you get discharged.
OTHER TOPICS?
Sara B - Our next generation faces many challenges. what is
underneath. We need more healing
circles. Lots of people are making money off of our people.
Jamie - there is a lot of profit in poverty
Sara - we need to stop labling. we need to stop dealing with people
through the court system. We
need to stop dividing people.
STREET MARKET
Jacek - We are supposed to be getting a month to month permit, but we
don't even have this
yet. Even with this, we need money to run the market. People from the
board do not show up
often enough
Roland - Kelvin shows up, Jamie sometimes shows up.
Jacek - the undercover cops are now harassing the cigarettes. they are
pushing any way they
can.
Roland - We are now just playing their game against them. When they
say we need to write down
every vendor's name - we are saying "sure - just give us the money".
Jacek - Rev Barry is still complaining.
Roland - Van horn building manager gave us his phone number, so they
are now playing nice. Even the
expensive donut shop is open on Sundays now.
Jamie - Seagull is from South African protest songs
Kelvin - Wings will never open on Sundays. They've been there since
the 70's. The whole family
owns the cafe, and lease it to the church. The family owns the
building in between, the boarded
up one. As long as the market does not damage the front or leave
garbage, they are fine with the
market. He can not open on Sunday due to contract with the family.
FINAL POINT
Jamie - can we get people to gift their benefits to the DNC. This
could be a way to raise
money for the DNC..?
James - DERA was setting this up, you try and find family, then it can
go to the org.
James - speaking of money stuff... a guy I know was drunk, but
signing papers refusing
to go the hospital. How is this legal?
ANNOUNCEMENTS
September 5th - Meeting regarding residential schools survivors
AFD Will be doing a big blitz on the subject, so send them to AFD
Thursday, 9 August 2012
Thursday, 2 August 2012
DNC Board Meeting August 2, 2012
DNC Board Meeting August 2, 2012
Prospective Agenda Items
DT East Newspaper Bank Account - The possibly dangerous precedent of a group forming a bank account without board approval and keeping details of bank account secret from the board and from the treasurer. - not discussed
First United - new rules, women being given end of stay letters, threatened with discharge, crying that they are being shoved out on to the street. One woman lived at First United for a year and a half and now is at Triage with a 7 day stay. - how DNC differs with CCAP on this issue and the larger issue of CCAP and DNC
The wish of some members to cancel all meetings for the month of August.
Proposed Agenda
Committee Reports
LAPP - 2min
Street Market - 2min
Cop Watch - 2min
Shelter Committee - 2min
Discussion
August Meeting discussion
Herb - Harold booked a doctor's appointment since he didn't think we
were going to have a meeting
Herb - Tami is out of town until next tuesday
Ann - we could have a W2 general meeting and report back
Shelter Committee Discussion
------------------------------
Attendees - Ann, Kelvin, Herb, Richard, Roland, Jacek, Dave H, Dave
M.- Jamie Richardson (later)
Start
Kelvin does opening
Dave H - can we move the Aug. cancellation motion to the front
Motion to adopt agenda - Roland, Seconded by Kelvin - motion passed to
accept the agenda as is
Herb - we have a potential for 4 more meetings this month alone
Ann - Let’s not do one the day after welfare - the 30th
Jacek - meetings are important, should we just cancel the meetings? We
have lots of important
things to discuss
Herb - I can agree to continue some of the meetings
Jacek - Why not just have the meetings and not worry out quorum. If no
one shows up,
it can be a short meeting.
Herb - can we continue feeding people?
Jacek - we could cut down to 15 bucks or so like the shelter committee
Ann - I'm away on 23rd
Dave M - I'll be around in the summer, but as long as the record
keeper is here - Roland
Roland - I can be here, I've committed to the Street Market already
Richard C - Another thing is Cop Watch
Dave M - Does everyone know that the BEAT tv show is out on Season 2 now
Herb - How about for the month of August - meetings will be informal,
but if we do need quorum, I will get people together for important decisions
Jacek - how about we just cut down on the food budget
Ann - how much?
Dave M - I'd be willing to buy the pop for August
Jacek - I can bring the tea
Herb - no motion is necessary, we all agree in principle that the food
budget is zero for August
Note: Dave H leaves, we no longer have quorum
LAPP Report
Herb - I am the only DNC co-chair left. Nothing much to report
Herb - Aboriginal issues sub-committee. Not only for aboriginal people. Will be
mostly focussed on the place-based concept. We have never discussed
it, never had
an explanation of it.
Kelvin - Was this by the City
Herb - No it was by Scott
Kelvin - He is cold hearted. He plays the naive. This is why I have
not been attending
because of these issues. I will be there to make sure he knows that he
is not speaking
for all native people. So that he knows that AFD is there too.
Herb - we need to get word out to Tracy and Kevin
Ann - How can we get information so that we can properly analyze what
is going on
Herb - Galery Gachet - our places workshop 6pm Tuesday 7th of August.
Meaningful places in the DTES
Jamie Richardson joins meeting - we have quorum again
Herb - if we talk about places, then the Shelter Committee experience
with First United
Street Market
Roland - We are still running out of money. 6 weeks left
Ann - Brenda is saying that they are going to give us monthly permits
Roland - its a mexican stand off
Jacek - we have votes, and Dave H is not showing up. We also find out
that we make more money
on rents because previously there has been a lot of money taken and
not reported. Other than
that, everything is working well, except that we forgot the banner last Sunday
Herb - so we are running out of money - 6 weeks. What can we do?
Jacek - just come to the market and show your support, or if you want
- call your city gov't people
Ann - I would make an announcement that there is a meeting with PIVOT
about the tickets
Wednesday, August 8th at PIVOT 3:45-4:15pm
Ann - Dave H ticket got dropped, and now we need a new strategy
Herb - how about increasing the fair aspect. If we could get a street performer.
Jacek - actually we try and try, the only thing that worked was the
Hastings Urban Farm -they sold veggies last week
Cop Watch
Ann - working with Will Damon - doing paper on conditional sentences,
may get grant to do
a full day of 'safe streets' training
Herb - When?
Ann - don't know, we'll find out. Austin TX was the model
DNFD
Richard - Today they built a new fence, I phoned to find out if they
had a permit
Herb - Ivan went to the court house to find out what is going on with
Mark Williams - went
into forclosure again. City promised it would be clean
Richard - they just built a fence
Herb - I say its time to dump some rubble on city hall
Herb - I have not been physically at DNFD meetings, but
Ann - are the DNFD meetings cancelled for August?
Herb - no they are not, Dave D is doing them
Shelter Committee
Jacek - Details about first united - 60 people, 40 men, 20 women. 8
women lost their beds, 3 of them
were pushed into different shelters. BC HOusing broke their promise to
house these people.
We are talking over ideas on how to oppose what was done
Extended Discussion - Conflict between DNC and CCAP
Jacek - I mentioned this a couple of meetings ago. When Dave H
mentioned at the general meeting that there was a 'victory', and I
also mentioned that there was a conflict with CCAP on this subject. It
is a delicate subject. There is no other way to deal with it except
telling the story.
We came out with our resolution to stop First United from closing. The
board vote at DNC
was unanimous. I went the next day to CCAP meeting, and CCAP refused
to support the resolution.
Wendy said that she talked to people at First United, BC Housing, and
Police, etc... We have
a question about whether she talked on behalf of CCAP or DNC because
the view on the issue was different. What is the expectation of board
members when they talk on subjects with other
organizations? Can we expect them to say what the DNC believes.
Jacek - Wendy never told us what the discussions were with Harsha, or
BC Housing or with First United
Jacek - when Dave H described it as a "victory" this was seen as
hurtful after all the work
that we did. We do not consider it a victory. We don't know why Ivan
wrote this without
talking to us. The DTES lost over 200 beds. Women are now being forced
into the shelter
shuffle.
Roland - it is a very dangerous situation when CCAP has different
views than the DNC on a
subject since CCAP is non-democratic, and it should not be able to
control the DNC. CCAP
has the two most capable people and together it is too easy for them
to dominate the agenda.
If they do not respect the work of the committees, then this is a
serious issue because they
have such a monopoly on the access to government officials, etc...
If a non-democratic organization can override the democratic opinion
of the DNC, then the
DNC loses integrity. It is a very serious issue.
Herb - it is dangerous, and I've seen this before. It is tough. We
need to be very clear
when we are speaking on behalf of DNC or when it is our personal
beliefs. But how do we
force anyone to tell us when they talk to people. The organizer
community in Vancouver is
small, so many people sit on many boards, so this issue does come up a lot.
Ann - I was talking to Aiyanas - and we should do it as a process, and
do it in writing.
We should be clear about when people should stand aside. I will begin
the process of
examining how to begin to approach the subject. We need to be able to
do it in a way that
does not become personal, and people's feelings don't get hurt. We
also need to ask people
to step aside
Roland - it would be too easy for someone to just say "I'm meeting as
part of a separate
organization, I am not speaking as a DNC board member". Did Ivan or
Wendy talk to Harsha, BC Housing, or the city about First United in
the past 6 months? My bet is yes. Did we get a report on this? I don’t
recall getting one.
Jacek - And if information is withheld on important issues, then this
should upset the DNC.
Herb - OK, we see that this is a serious issue. What can we do about it?
Jacek - I don’t know, but this is why we are bringing it to the board.
Herb - OK, shall we adjourn?
The meeting ends.
Prospective Agenda Items
DT East Newspaper Bank Account - The possibly dangerous precedent of a group forming a bank account without board approval and keeping details of bank account secret from the board and from the treasurer. - not discussed
First United - new rules, women being given end of stay letters, threatened with discharge, crying that they are being shoved out on to the street. One woman lived at First United for a year and a half and now is at Triage with a 7 day stay. - how DNC differs with CCAP on this issue and the larger issue of CCAP and DNC
The wish of some members to cancel all meetings for the month of August.
Proposed Agenda
Committee Reports
LAPP - 2min
Street Market - 2min
Cop Watch - 2min
Shelter Committee - 2min
Discussion
August Meeting discussion
Herb - Harold booked a doctor's appointment since he didn't think we
were going to have a meeting
Herb - Tami is out of town until next tuesday
Ann - we could have a W2 general meeting and report back
Shelter Committee Discussion
------------------------------
Attendees - Ann, Kelvin, Herb, Richard, Roland, Jacek, Dave H, Dave
M.- Jamie Richardson (later)
Start
Kelvin does opening
Dave H - can we move the Aug. cancellation motion to the front
Motion to adopt agenda - Roland, Seconded by Kelvin - motion passed to
accept the agenda as is
Herb - we have a potential for 4 more meetings this month alone
Ann - Let’s not do one the day after welfare - the 30th
Jacek - meetings are important, should we just cancel the meetings? We
have lots of important
things to discuss
Herb - I can agree to continue some of the meetings
Jacek - Why not just have the meetings and not worry out quorum. If no
one shows up,
it can be a short meeting.
Herb - can we continue feeding people?
Jacek - we could cut down to 15 bucks or so like the shelter committee
Ann - I'm away on 23rd
Dave M - I'll be around in the summer, but as long as the record
keeper is here - Roland
Roland - I can be here, I've committed to the Street Market already
Richard C - Another thing is Cop Watch
Dave M - Does everyone know that the BEAT tv show is out on Season 2 now
Herb - How about for the month of August - meetings will be informal,
but if we do need quorum, I will get people together for important decisions
Jacek - how about we just cut down on the food budget
Ann - how much?
Dave M - I'd be willing to buy the pop for August
Jacek - I can bring the tea
Herb - no motion is necessary, we all agree in principle that the food
budget is zero for August
Note: Dave H leaves, we no longer have quorum
LAPP Report
Herb - I am the only DNC co-chair left. Nothing much to report
Herb - Aboriginal issues sub-committee. Not only for aboriginal people. Will be
mostly focussed on the place-based concept. We have never discussed
it, never had
an explanation of it.
Kelvin - Was this by the City
Herb - No it was by Scott
Kelvin - He is cold hearted. He plays the naive. This is why I have
not been attending
because of these issues. I will be there to make sure he knows that he
is not speaking
for all native people. So that he knows that AFD is there too.
Herb - we need to get word out to Tracy and Kevin
Ann - How can we get information so that we can properly analyze what
is going on
Herb - Galery Gachet - our places workshop 6pm Tuesday 7th of August.
Meaningful places in the DTES
Jamie Richardson joins meeting - we have quorum again
Herb - if we talk about places, then the Shelter Committee experience
with First United
Street Market
Roland - We are still running out of money. 6 weeks left
Ann - Brenda is saying that they are going to give us monthly permits
Roland - its a mexican stand off
Jacek - we have votes, and Dave H is not showing up. We also find out
that we make more money
on rents because previously there has been a lot of money taken and
not reported. Other than
that, everything is working well, except that we forgot the banner last Sunday
Herb - so we are running out of money - 6 weeks. What can we do?
Jacek - just come to the market and show your support, or if you want
- call your city gov't people
Ann - I would make an announcement that there is a meeting with PIVOT
about the tickets
Wednesday, August 8th at PIVOT 3:45-4:15pm
Ann - Dave H ticket got dropped, and now we need a new strategy
Herb - how about increasing the fair aspect. If we could get a street performer.
Jacek - actually we try and try, the only thing that worked was the
Hastings Urban Farm -they sold veggies last week
Cop Watch
Ann - working with Will Damon - doing paper on conditional sentences,
may get grant to do
a full day of 'safe streets' training
Herb - When?
Ann - don't know, we'll find out. Austin TX was the model
DNFD
Richard - Today they built a new fence, I phoned to find out if they
had a permit
Herb - Ivan went to the court house to find out what is going on with
Mark Williams - went
into forclosure again. City promised it would be clean
Richard - they just built a fence
Herb - I say its time to dump some rubble on city hall
Herb - I have not been physically at DNFD meetings, but
Ann - are the DNFD meetings cancelled for August?
Herb - no they are not, Dave D is doing them
Shelter Committee
Jacek - Details about first united - 60 people, 40 men, 20 women. 8
women lost their beds, 3 of them
were pushed into different shelters. BC HOusing broke their promise to
house these people.
We are talking over ideas on how to oppose what was done
Extended Discussion - Conflict between DNC and CCAP
Jacek - I mentioned this a couple of meetings ago. When Dave H
mentioned at the general meeting that there was a 'victory', and I
also mentioned that there was a conflict with CCAP on this subject. It
is a delicate subject. There is no other way to deal with it except
telling the story.
We came out with our resolution to stop First United from closing. The
board vote at DNC
was unanimous. I went the next day to CCAP meeting, and CCAP refused
to support the resolution.
Wendy said that she talked to people at First United, BC Housing, and
Police, etc... We have
a question about whether she talked on behalf of CCAP or DNC because
the view on the issue was different. What is the expectation of board
members when they talk on subjects with other
organizations? Can we expect them to say what the DNC believes.
Jacek - Wendy never told us what the discussions were with Harsha, or
BC Housing or with First United
Jacek - when Dave H described it as a "victory" this was seen as
hurtful after all the work
that we did. We do not consider it a victory. We don't know why Ivan
wrote this without
talking to us. The DTES lost over 200 beds. Women are now being forced
into the shelter
shuffle.
Roland - it is a very dangerous situation when CCAP has different
views than the DNC on a
subject since CCAP is non-democratic, and it should not be able to
control the DNC. CCAP
has the two most capable people and together it is too easy for them
to dominate the agenda.
If they do not respect the work of the committees, then this is a
serious issue because they
have such a monopoly on the access to government officials, etc...
If a non-democratic organization can override the democratic opinion
of the DNC, then the
DNC loses integrity. It is a very serious issue.
Herb - it is dangerous, and I've seen this before. It is tough. We
need to be very clear
when we are speaking on behalf of DNC or when it is our personal
beliefs. But how do we
force anyone to tell us when they talk to people. The organizer
community in Vancouver is
small, so many people sit on many boards, so this issue does come up a lot.
Ann - I was talking to Aiyanas - and we should do it as a process, and
do it in writing.
We should be clear about when people should stand aside. I will begin
the process of
examining how to begin to approach the subject. We need to be able to
do it in a way that
does not become personal, and people's feelings don't get hurt. We
also need to ask people
to step aside
Roland - it would be too easy for someone to just say "I'm meeting as
part of a separate
organization, I am not speaking as a DNC board member". Did Ivan or
Wendy talk to Harsha, BC Housing, or the city about First United in
the past 6 months? My bet is yes. Did we get a report on this? I don’t
recall getting one.
Jacek - And if information is withheld on important issues, then this
should upset the DNC.
Herb - OK, we see that this is a serious issue. What can we do about it?
Jacek - I don’t know, but this is why we are bringing it to the board.
Herb - OK, shall we adjourn?
The meeting ends.
Thursday, 21 June 2012
DNC Board Meeting Minutes - June 21, 2012
DNC board meeting
June 21, 2012
Present: Roland, Jenn, Harold, Ann, Wendy, Ivan, Dave H
Guests: Jacek, Dave D
Agenda
- Street market discussion
- 1-way committee reports
- DTES Not for Developers
- Taskforce
- Tenant organizing
- Police and copwatch
- LAPP
- Committee discussions
- Board business
- Treasurer
- General meeting
- New business
- Closing
STREET MARKET
Roland
- Had a meeting with the city and it appears that they don't want to give us a special events permit anymore
Ann
- We had a good-cop bad-cop thing with the city. The police said that there are well-known dealers there, I argued with them. Roland played reasonable guy.
- If the city wants to give us 62 W Hastings then we could take it and use it as our space.
Wendy
- If we bring up that we could move to 62 W Hastings then that's all the city is going to push us to
Jenn
- I heard that the church on the park has been complaining about our market more. That they are threatening us.
Roland
- We offered that church more space around their door and they said that's okay
Dave
- Today Ivan and I were at a meeting with the city over the LAPP about communication. Maybe we could use the LAPP to support the Street Market.
Ivan
- We need to separate out the details from the general principles and problems of the market.
- Can the committee send the board reports on the meetings with the city that are objective and not about opinion? Then others can contribute to the struggle.
Dave
- My papers got stolen last weekend and I lost a lot of documents, including sign-up sheets.
- I'll white out one that was used to make a blank one.
Roland
- Could the LAPP take a position in support of the market?
Wendy
- Only if it's really important. It might be opening a can of worms because other peoples non-LAPP projects will get pushed too.
DTES NOT FOR DEVELOPERS
Ivan
- Actions we have decided on: Rubble action Tuesday, meeting Carnegie 12:30pm; Ongoing civil disobedience discussions with member groups; Preparing for Sequel presentation centre action.
- Need to talk about the specific dynamics of what demands and what to do about our “Boycott Gentrification”. I think we should do some meetings on what to do about restaurants etc.
- We decided to change the structure of the coalition to once-a-month coalition members meeting to set general direction
Harold
- We also decided to organize a townhall on the anti-gentrification fight in San Francisco, sometime in July
Wendy
- Can we add to the rubble action for the city to buy the site?
- And maybe there's only energy for the coalition when there's actions to be done.
Harold
- It's true that there's less energy when there's not a crisis but if we don't have discussions at lower points then we won't be prepared when things do happen.
Richard
- Where would we put the energy from the coalition? We could put it into a raise the rates campaign
Dave
- All the preparation work we're doing, civil disobedience, discussions, etc, is important to sustain and maintain. We don't want to just move from crisis to crisis.
- This is basically an anti-gentrification campaign
Ivan
- I think we're starting to form a general anti-gentrification campaign, after just working on Pantages for the last year.
- Next steps are to carefully define our arguments and demands about gentrification by working with the community
Wendy
- Sounds good. Keep the energy of the community in mind when planning actions; if there's big monthly actions that demand a lot of participation then it might be draining.
TASKFORCES
Ivan
- The SRO taskforce is finally going. The first meeting will be Friday, 2pm at the Wonder Rooms. The focus of the three meetings for each of the six buildings are Standards of Maintenance; Safety; and Rights.
TENANT ORGANIZING
Ivan
- Balmoral lunch this Sunday, 12noon at Balmoral bar. Focus will be on conditions and rights in the Balmoral and Regent. Who wants to come? (Dave D)
POLICING AND COPWATCH
Ann
- Jenn went on CKNW and it was very good
Jenn
- We're getting targeted by someone named Greg Renouf who has a history of targeting prominent women of colour especially. He is writing articles attacking us. I called him and asked him to lay off and maybe he'll listen.
- Ruth Meta also wrote a letter to the city critical of us.
Ivan
- Should we tell Ruth Meta that she's not welcome to work with us? She wrote a letter to the city attacking me and Wendy and DNC.
Ann
- She's mentally ill and will go after us harder if we criticize her or block her.
Wendy
- Maybe it's better, tactically, to ignore her and let her go away. (AGREED)
LAPP
Wendy
- All kinds of planning going on for the LAPP. Some of it we're involved in and some of it we're not. We might be losing control over some of the dynamics here.
- We have to remember that we're looking at March 2013 as the time that the LAPP is going to council. We should be preparing for that meeting as a target. We need to prepare outside of the LAPP too.
- We have been saying that we want 100% social housing for singles on welfare, but maybe we should all go walk by the 58 W Hastings spot and look at the mix they have in the PHS proposal on that site.
Dave H
- At the communications meeting today Tom was going red in the face with anger because he thought he was getting criticized about us being excluded from the planning of meetings.
Ivan
- The city is running ahead of us and doing planning without our involvement. We only get to have a say when we discover what we're doing. We're going to have to fight them for a say all the time.
GENERAL MEETING
THEME: Non-violent civil disobedience
Harold
- The things we talked about are “Why civil disobedience,” as well as rights, legalities, and some exercises.
Ivan
- The coalition was thinking about doing discussions on why we could do this now, the dynamics of what we're up against and fighting for. Also to do some exercises and scenarios.
Wendy
- I really like the songs that VANDU is singing and I think we should import them into DNC.
LOCATION: Dodson (if we can get it for free)
NEW BUSINESS
BOARD MEMBERS
Wendy
- We need to talk about dwindling board members.
Ivan
- We said we need to contact the people who have not been coming and get their intentions. We still need to do that.
END DRUG PROHIBITION
Dave D
- About 14 years ago there was a four-day conference in Oppenheimer under tents and people came from all over the world.
- We're moving towards doing another event like that at Oppenheimer again in on September 22nd. Aiyanas is looking into getting Deborah Peterson Small, a good speaker from the states, to come for the event. We want to organize breakout groups and themes to take on.
- We are asking CCAP to do it, but if that doesn't work then maybe we'll ask DNC. You get a discount rate to book a park if you are a non-profit.
Richard
- It's good timing. We're getting hurt down here. I know Sarah Blythe from the Parksboard and should be able to get the park.
Harold
- DNC should take this on in whatever way we can. We should get regular reports from the Drug Prohibition coalition and stay on top of the issue.
FUNDRAISING
Roland
- There is a woman named Naomi Bartz who has offered to do some fundraising for us.
Ivan
- We have met her, she seems decent. She is from Chicago but seems to be on our side.
CLOSING
- Dedicated to Rodney Schek
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