Big game hunt planned for Dunbar, cull the coyotes.


The Ecology Society of Stanley Park is giving a talk next week atthe Dunbar Community Centre to educate citizens on how to co-exist with coyotes in an urban environment. Apparently folks in Dunbar think there are too many coyotes in Pacific Spirit Park and they want there to be a cull of the poor creatures. It is unclear how this cull would work; would professional hunters be contracted or would each resident be allowed to kill a certain number of coyotes? Regardless, the idea seems fairly unworkable. Vancouver’s Humane Society does not euthanasize animals at its shelter, but we are going to have some Dunbar residents hunting coyotes? Could you imagine Stongs selling orange hunting hats, vest and guns ammo with delivery services included.
Stongs Continue reading Big game hunt planned for Dunbar, cull the coyotes. →

Still waiting for a response from Dr. Fry MP

me and Dr. Fry last year at the Pride Parade

I don’t know for sure, but it seems that my Member of Parliament, the Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry, is not going to support Bill C-304. Why she is not going to vote for the bill when it comes back to the House is not clear to me. As of yet I have not be invited to have a sit down with her to talk about this nor have received a reply to my letter.

Check out this statement below that she posted on Facebook on Tuesday this week where she calls Libby Davies participation in the Homelessness Hunger Strike, “Laughable”. It is so not cool to slag off someone doing a fasted for a week. I did this same fast last year to bring awareness to the need of national housing plan and I can tell you it is no joke, the fast takes a real toll on one’s head.

The real disappointing part of this for me is Dr. Fry seems to be all to ready to play cheap partisan politics with an important issue. If she does not support Bill C-304, let her speak to the merits or lack of in the bill. I tried of all the talk about the need of a national housing plan and then when a real chance comes along it is not supported because of party politics.

Here is Dr. Fry’s posting from Facebook and I will put the link to the page below so if you want you can go to the page and make a comment. Continue reading Still waiting for a response from Dr. Fry MP →

Dr. Julio Montaner, HIV/AIDS, Feb. 10 at St. Paul’s

Letter to Dr. Hedy Fry about Bill C-304

Here is the letter that I sent to my Member of Parliament , the Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry, asking her to support Bill C-304 an Act to ensure secure, adequate, accessible and affordable housing Canadians. Here is link to the Act which would operationalize Canada’s international commitments to provide housing for everyone in this country.Bill C-304

11 January 2010

Honourable Dr. Hedy Fry MP
Denman Place Mall,
106 – 1030 Denman St
Vancouver, B.C.
V6G 2M6
604.666.0135
fryh@parl.gc.ca

Re: Bill C-304 An Act to ensure secure, adequate, accessible and affordable housing.

Dear Dr. Fry:

Homelessness and affordable housing is one of the most critical issues that face the City of Vancouver. It is estimated that there are over 1600 people living on the streets of Vancouver. As we move into the cold winter months the city is again opening emergency shelters to house the homeless. These shelters represent a temporary response to a problem that clearly necessitates a more sustained response.

The issue of homelessness and affordable housing needs a comprehensive national strategy. In this regard Bill C-304, “ An Act to ensure secure, adequate, accessible and affordable housing for Canadians” represents a excellent opportunity to develop a national housing plan that is going to house all Canadians. I am requesting as my Member of Parliament that you support this bill when it comes back to Parliament for final reading.

Yours truly
Brent Granby

Here is the response that I got from Dr. Fry’s office. If there is any fast breaking develops of this issue I will keep you posted. It is important to let your MP know that you are following this Bill and are going to keep track on how they are going to voted one it.

“Dear Mr. Granby,

Thank you for your email regarding Bill C-304. Dr. Fry appreciates your concerns in this serious matter. I will bring your letter to her attention.

Kind Regards,

Office of the Hon. Dr. Hedy Fry, P.C/Bureau de l’hon. Hedy Fry, C.P.
Member of Parliament for Vancouver Centre/Députée de Vancouver-Centre
Chair of the BC Liberal Caucus/Présidente du caucus de la C.-B
Room 583, Confederation Bldg/Pièce 583, Édifice de la Confédération
House of Commons/Chambres des Communes
Ottawa, ON, K1A 0A6
Tel/Tél: (613) 992-3213
Fax/Téléc: (613) 995-0056
Email/Courriel: fryh@parl.gc.ca”

Democracy is a beautiful thing.

Libby Davies-Homelessness Relay Hunger Strike

Does your Member of Parliament support Bill C-304?

On Sunday, January 10, 2010 Libby Davies, Member of Parliament for Vancouver East, will start the Homelessness Relay Hunger Strike, a week-long fast to bring attention to the lack of a national housing strategy. For the past year different individuals have completed a week-long hunger strike initiated by Am Johal last year.Hunger Strike

While most of the individuals who participated in the hunger relay strikes have done it as a symbolic gesture to bring attention this important issue, Libby Davies has introduced a private members bill in the Canadian parliament to address the lack of a national housing program. The bill is C-304, an act to ensure secure adequate, accessible and affordable housing for Canadians. Continue reading Does your Member of Parliament support Bill C-304? →

Matt Hern, Common Ground in a Liquid City

Winter Solstice 2009

Am Johal: the right to the city

Am Johal: nomination for news maker of the year

am johal

Every year the Courier has a “news maker of the year” edition where they ask various people in the city to nominate worthy candidates for the title. Below is my nomination for this year in the unedited version that I submitted.

Am Johal for news maker of 2009

The key issue that the city of Vancouver is challenged by is housing affordability and how this relates to homelessness. The one person over the past year who has worked relentlessnessly and selflessly on this issue is Am Johal.

As an organizer for the Impact on the Community Coalition, Am has been a constant force to keep a national housing plan as the main legacy of the Olympics.

Am has organized countless public forums on the Olympics to encourage a public dialogue about the its potential to be positive social force for our city and what the potential negative effects that Games could be in Vancouver. While some have viewed the discussion of the pros and cons of the Games an attack, it is evident that Am has facilitated an important community dialogue with integrity, extensive research, eloquence and respect.

As the progenitor and the first hunger striker of the Homelessness Hunger Strike. Am has created a powerful tool to communicate and advocate for a national housing policy that will end homelessness and develop more affordable housing.

Am has accomplished this with creativity and intellectual rigour that has been an inspiration. While Am is no stranger to the media and captures his fair share of it to do his advocacy, what is not widely known is how often Am effectively facilitates the wide breadth and diversity of Vancouver civil society to promote their voice in the media. These efforts have demonstrated his ability to promote and encourage diversity, gender equality, youth engagement and respect for older persons.

While I was gathering my thoughts on who I would nominated for newsmaker of the year the following comment was posted to the WERA website and I am including it here as another testimony to Am’s status as Media Man for 2009.

VANCOUVER 2010 HOMELESSCHAMPION AM JOHAL A TRUE CHAMPION OF THE HOMELESS

A TRUE SAINT FOR THE HOMELESS IN BC

AM JOHAL has tirelessly fought for the rights of
homeless here in B.C. if ever there was a righteous advocate for the homeless he’s the man. Earlier this year he started a Hunger Strike for the homeless here in Vancouver as a awareness campaign. He and a few friends fasted for a week without food that’s right he gave of himself, he went without. In the last year there have been many rallies for the homeless here in our beautiful city but nothing to me has had the impact that this cause represents.
There have been countless people lining up to support his fasting chain and to me he deserves a medal. I attended a forum on homeless policies and to tell you the truth if this is all the lost souls in the dtes have for representation they had better pack their long johns it’s going to be a long cold winter. here is a video describing his cause and a link to a website about some of the participants.
2010 hungerstrike