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Saturday morning pancake at Woodwards Housing in Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES)
Delicious pancakes were cooked up by Dan, our generous chef to feed hungry residents.
W2TV: Raise the Rates MLA Welfare Challenge
Coast Salish Territory – 600 block Powell Street in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver BC. Near the local office of the BC Ministry of Housing and Social Development.
On May 26, 2011, a group named Raise the Rates launches the MLA Welfare Challenge. A Challenge to BC MLA’s to see if any will live on the province’s rate of $610 for a single person.
Raise the Rates states an MLA accepting the challenge would be engaging in real action reseach and gain some understanding of what life on welfare is like.
It has been 25 years since Vancouver MLA and later Speaker of the House Emery Barnes spent 7 weeks living on the welfare rate of the time. Among those issuing the challenge to MLA’s is Constance Barnes, daughter of the late Mr. Barnes and a CoV Parks Board Commissioner. She explained with pride her father’s act to support a raise in welfare rates.
Based on his experience, Emery Barnes stated that the welfare rate for a single person without disabilities should be $700. That is 25 years ago and equivalent to $1,290 today, more than double what is the present welfare rate.
Bob Hopwood of Raise the Rates states they will provide MLA’s support and advice and work with them to ensure the month is a valuable and insightful experience.
As the legislature is in session until June 2, Raise the Rates states after that would be a good time to start with July 1 being the latest. MLA’s have until June 16 to respond. Raise the Rates commits to provide $610 to one MLA from each party and link them to people on welfare to hear their stories and experiences.
As MLA’s determine the welfare rates, they should be able to survive on them as 90,000 BC families and individuals do. Along with the MLA Welfare Challenge, Raise the Rates also has demands as Jean Swanson explains.
By taking the challenge, MLA’s would find current welfare rates for most does not provide enough for nutritous food or adequate shelter let alone hygiene or transportation.
The average rent for a one bedroom apartment in Vancouver is $1,012 a month. Even in the lowest rent area of Vancouver the average rent is $805 a month. Raise the Rates is a coalition of over 20 organisation in BC concerned about poverty and nomelessness in the province.
For W2TV, Sid Tan reporting from the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver BC.
Health, Harm Reduction and the Law: The InSite Case and the Future of Canadian Drug Policy in Vancouver
Join us for Health, Harm Reduction and the Law
written by darcie| Thu, 05/05/2011 – 10:41
Next week, the Supreme Court of Canada will hear the Federal Government’s final appeal of the decision to allow the Insite Supervised injection facility to continue to provide lifesaving medical services and support to people who use injection drugs. We are inviting everyone who is interested in learning more about the struggle to open Canada’s first supervised injection site, the ongoing legal battle to keep it open, and the potential impact of a final ruling in this case to join us May 17th for Health, Harm Reduction and the Law: The InSite Case and the Future of Canadian Drug Policy.
Pivot board member and author of Vancouver’s groundbreaking Four Pillars Drug Strategy, Donald MacPherson will moderate an evening of discussion with legal professionals, medical experts, community activists and safe injection site users. The evening will focus on demystifying the case, celebrating the successes and challenges of the movement for evidence-based drug policy, and turning our attention to the future of drug policy in this country.
We’ll see footage straight from the courtroom in Ottawa. We will hear from the Portland Hotel Society, which operates Insite, and their lawyer, Monique Pongracic-Speier. Dr. Thomas Kerr of the Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS and Maxine Davis, Executive Director of the Dr. Peters Aids Foundation will talk about the potential health implications of the decision in this case. Plaintiff Dean Wilson will reflect on his journey through the court process as a person who has used Insite. Downtown Eastside activist Bud Osborn will share reflections on the grassroots movement for a supervised injection facility. Dave Murray will talk about the unique perspective and legal arguments that the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users has brought to this case.
We’re looking forward to a lively evening of discussion, debate and reflection on the implications of this case for people who use drugs in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside and beyond.
Making up Methadone: International perspectives on inequality, social justice and methadone maintenance therapy
This event was part of a workshop which brings an international group of researchers to Vancouver to discuss the social and cultural dimensions of methadone maintenance therapy for opioid dependency.
An evening of presentations and dialogue focused on key dilemmas connected to this longstanding but often still controversial treatment. Lived experience, inequality and social justice are themes considered from the vantage point of different global contexts.
Second Annual ROCKER FOR STREET SOCCER in Vancouver Downtown Eastside (DTES)
Vancouver’s street soccer teams are practicing hard and excitedly gearing up to compete in this year’s Homeless World Cup in Paris, France and we need your help to get them there!!!
Come meet the first and only homeless women’s team in Canada or chat with last years Team Canada players about their trip to the Homeless World Cup in Brazil
Mayhem and fun will include:
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