Aaron Jasper, Chair of VPB with light installation and Canadian flag
OK here we go, The 2010 Winter Games have started. Buckle up for all the feel good events that are going to fill you with national pride in the days to come. Pivot has launch its Red Tent Campaign to build support for a national housing plan today.Pivot Legal WebsitePivot has 500 red tents that they are going to distribute to folks who cannot find a place in a shelter.Tyee Story about red tentsAlthough the city has open a number of new “emergency shelter” this year there still is not enough spaces for everyone who is homeless in this city.
Vancouver is a city of contradictions, great wealth and geographic beauty mixed with extreme poverty and homelessness. While everyone wants to be proud of our home town and national, we also need to remind ourselves that we still have a long way to go to being a just and equitable civil society.
The Olympics is going to be an awkward mix of national pride and shame all balled up to a blur of two weeks. The city already seems to be buzzing with visitors starting to arrive and the distribution of big “ask me” buttons at the community centres.
Today we light a big flag in Stanley Park, but also many folks will be sleeping in Pivot red tents tonight.
Inaugural Lighting of Canadian Flag Installation
at Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park on Monday, January 25
In the spirit of the upcoming 2010 Winter Games and to show off our national pride, Park Board staff have designed and installed a Canadian flag display for Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park. The public and media are invited to the inaugural lighting.
Inaugural Lighting
5:00 pm
Monday, January 25
Lost Lagoon
Best viewing from in front of the Nature House
(at the foot of Chilco Street)
The display features a 12 by 6 foot Canadian flag on a 52 foot pole surrounded at the base by a bed of white energy-efficient S.L.E.D. (seasonal light-emitting diodes) and three 36 watt L.E.D. spotlights. The location was chosen because the Stanley Park Causeway is a primary gateway into and out of the City. The display will be lit every night from dusk to dawn during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
The Board wishes to thank Coca-Cola Bottling Company for funding the project through the Park Board’s Corporate Sponsorship Program.
At the next City of Vancouver Council Meeting of January 19, Councillor Raymond Louie has a motion on notice on the agenda that will, in effect, rubberstamp the control of the Empire Field from the PNE Board to PAVCO. What is curious about this motion is that there is no staff report attached to it. In effect, Councillor Louie is asking City Council to approve a “proposal” when there has not been any public disclosure of what the proposal is and how it is a benefit to the Vancouver citizens.
Empire Field Motion Continue reading Empire Field →
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. →
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 →
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.
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? →