Oldtown News

I Need Your Support

2011-10-10T15:19:00.003-07:00

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

I NEED YOUR SUPPORT

Hi Friends

As you may be aware I am running for Vancouver Park Commissioner in the upcoming Vancouver municipal election on November 19, 2011.

I was outspoken regarding the 'Missing Women' and I will continue to be just as outspoken regarding the massive cuts the Vision Park Board has made to children, youth and seniors programs at Park Board. ($5.3 million in the last three years alone).

My campaign platform revolves around those draconian cuts, the continued erosion of public access to our parks and public spaces, increased commercialization in our parks and of course the denying of citizens the right to vote in a plebiscite regarding highly intelligent whales and dolphins held in captivity.

We must Keep our Parks Public!

To get my message out I need your financial support. I have costs associated with printing brochures, flyers, advertising and website cost.

I have been endorsed by the Independent Democratic Electoral Alliance (IDEA).

You can donate through my online secure Paypal at www.jamieleehamilton.ca
or

I ask you to please make a check out to IDEA campaign and it can be mailed to my campaign office at:

Jamie Lee Hamilton
Suite 402 - 2001 Beach Avenue
Vancouver, BC V6G 1Z5

Thank you for your continued and generous support of my campaign!

Jamie Lee Hamilton
jamieleehamilton.ca
778 235-3677

Keep our Parks Public Campaign Launch

2011-10-06T12:00:00.003-07:00

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

KEEP OUR PARKS PUBLIC CAMPAIGN LAUNCH

Had a lovely campaign launch yesterday in the Salmonberry room at the Stanley Park Pavilion. Great friends and great political discussion!

We even got to compost the food scraps and other materials left over. I challenge other Park Board candidates to hold their fundraisers in a local neighborhood Park or Community centre and to compost left-overs.

The Keep our Parks Public campaign supported the Stanley Park Ecology Society by utilizing their space and providing this group with some needed funds for them to conrtinue their great work!

Jamie Lee Hamilton
www.jamieleehamilton.ca

And She's Off and Running

2011-10-01T20:09:00.005-07:00

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

AND SHE'S OFF and RUNNING

Hi friends

The link below takes you to an interview I had with the Georgia Straight announcing my candidacy for Park Board. Great writing by Matt Burrows!

http://www.straight.com/article-472816/vancouver/hamilton-campaigns-parkboard-powers

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

KEEP OUR PARKS PUBLIC

2011-09-29T10:21:00.005-07:00

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

KEEP OUR PARKS PUBLIC

Hi Friends

I am hosting KEEP OUR PARKS PUBLIC on Wednesday, October 5, 2011 at the Salmonberry Room in the historic Stanley Park Pavilion.

Tickers are $30.00 and a light dinner will be srerved.

Colleen Hardwick of PLACESPEAK will be giving a presentation on her new enterprise. PlaceSpeak is an online program which allows people and groups to network and participate in sharing emerging news or events happening in their neighborhood.

Tickets $30.00 available please call 778 235-3677

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Abolition of Prostitution on Vancouver Municipal Party Scene

2011-09-25T15:11:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

Abolition of Prostitution on Vancouver Municipal Party Scene

Battered Women's Support Services (BWSS) comes out as Abolitionist at the recently held mtg at City Hall which had before it a report on Vancouver's sex trade. BWSS on questioning from Councillor Ellen Woodsworth stated that prostitution is inherently dangerous and that prostitution is violence against women. This is a standard Abolitionist position and is deeply flawed. BWSS emphatically stated to keep moving forward on the report ( their words were 'don't stop now').

The City of Vancouver report is looking at the Nordic (Sweden) model which criminalizes male customers who seek out services of sex workers. Vision Mayor Gregor Robertson wants to use social media to shame the johns and now it has come to my attention that one of Vision's Park board candidates Niki Sharma is on the Board of BWSS.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Vancouver Mayoral Candidates Plan to Shame Johns

2011-09-23T19:55:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

VANCOUVER MAYORAL CANDIDATES PLAN to SHAME JOHNS

Vancouver Mayoral candidate and City Councillor Suzanne Anton wants John School (reform school for customers of sex workers) re-started and Mayor Gregor Robertson is calling for a Shame the John's campaign utilizing social media. During the 80's these Shame the Johns campaigns displaced sex workers and this in turn created widespread violence and further harm. Robertson's approach will only drive the sex trade further underground and Anton's approach will create conflict for survival sex workers the majority who are on the street. Police will target their resources against men who frequent the DTES stroll. This will create further hardship for survival sex workers. Both Anton and Robertson's approaches are based on a moral panic perspective which infers prostitution to be immoral.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Sarah Blyth Changes Her Motion after Pressure Brought

2011-06-28T02:59:00.006-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

COMMISSIONER SARAH BLYTH CHANGES MOTION after PRESSURE BROUGHT
Why Are Park Caretakers being Phased Out?

Commissioner Sarah Blyth originally planned to bring forth a motion on June 13 which was called contentious by the Vancouver Courier news. The motion asked park board staff to explore re-using empty park field-houses for artists-in-residence. The motion asked that artists-in-residence be allowed to stay for a number of years.

Our field-houses traditionally housed park caretakers and still do and who provide 24/7 security in our parks. They open, close and clean the park washrooms.

The park caretakers are given free rent and are paid no salary. This has been good value for the citizens as it has kept our parks safe from hooligans and predators who prey on children.

Tonight June 27 at the Park board meeting, Commissioner Blyth changed her motion to include community and sports groups besides arts groups having access to the empty field-houses. Ms Blyth said she did this after hearing that many citizens were outraged that she appeared to be favouring one group over another. Perhaps Commissioner Blyth should have thought of this before bringing forth such a divisive motion that has as it's intent to pit one group over another.

But nowhere in Commissioner Blyth's motion was there any talk of park caretakers. This even though in December 2010 Park Commissioners clearly asked staff for a report on the field-houses.

Tonight when this writer asked Park Board Chair Aaron Jasper to clarify what happened to this long awaited report, he enquired from the general Manager about the status of the report. The General Manager replied that it was his understanding from the December 2010 meeting that Commissioners were seeking a report on Park washrooms. Yes folks that is what you get when someone is making a few hundred thousand a year. Nice isn't it?

Green Commissioner Stuart MacKinnon thankfully reminded the board that in fact Commissioners had previously requested from staff a report on the field-houses.Commissioners decided to support Sarah Blyth's motion which I assume was a result of her changes to her original motion.

A looming question though remains and that is why are there empty field-houses? Why when they become vacant are they not filled with new park caretakers?

A few Commissioners although they won't say this publicly, allude to that there could be liability issues for the Park board regarding park caretakers. This however, makes no sense since it seems that park board liability insurance which covers all park employees would also extend to park caretakers.

It seems very suspicious if liability were the issue would this not also be the same concern if community, sport or arts groups were housed in the field-houses?

So why is the Park board not allowing the empty field-houses to house park caretakers? Is there some plan to empty all field-houses of park caretakers and someone at Park board needs to answer this.

Even though the General Manager makes a few hundred thousand a year, I am not betting that he can provide an in-depth report on the status of the empty field-houses and why when park caretakers retire they are not replaced by new caretakers.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Election Upon Us

2011-04-08T03:18:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

Election Upon Us

There is so much happening in political life and I'm not sure its all good.

Having a federal election just three years after the last one seems like a waste since many folks believe the result will be the same.

It is estimated that around $400 million will be spent holding this election and is it worth it if the result doesn't change?

Imagine instead directing that $400 million toward addressing poverty and homelessness where many people can be helped.

Seems like our political leaders have lost their way as their priorities are screwed up.

If the election turn-out drops to 50% only then will perhaps we see some action. With only 50% of the electorate bothering to vote this clearly sends a message that citizens have lost faith in the role of government and this will need to be addressed.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

GUEST POSTING from PARK CARETAKER COLIN STARK

2010-12-21T15:12:00.001-08:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

GUEST POSTING from PARK CARETAKER COLIN STARK

I attended this meeting and was first on the speakers' list followed by JL Hamilton, activist; Kate Perkins, Trout Lake CC; and Paul Faoro, CUPE 15. Clearly many speakers cancelled after the Tuesday Council meeting added $200,000 back in to the washroom budget, and $100,000 to the sports field budget. My brief speech is appended. The atmosphere at the meeting was surprisingly collegial compared to my past experience of perhaps 10 years ago when Roslyn Cassels was the sole non-NPA Commissioner. I was asked several questions: Qu: How many women caretakers live alone and are they safe? Ans: Several, and they need to take precautions, but are just as effective as men; Qu: What do caretakers do? Ans: [Many things short of rocket science] ..., but critically "maintain a presence in the park, especially with regard to predators, one of which breed lingered in MY Ladies washroom just this past Monday evening, resulting in a 911 call. in general I felt that I received an appreciative hearing. Qu:Would I be willing to expand on my comments at a Committee Meeting? Ans:Gladly Chair Jasper called for a staff report into the status of Caretakers. Hopefully this will lead to a sincere realignment of staff's biases, and is NOT just another empty promise. There were considerable grumblings that City Hall was dictating priorities to the Board and its staff -- like what else is new? It has just happened more blatantly recently! The only other Agenda item was to approve an $800,000 Fieldhouse at Trillium Park (with showers and washrooms but no Caretaker accommodation). Trillium is a new park with several soccer fields only 4 blocks west of Strathcona Park fieldhouse, where the Caretaker accommodation has lain empty for many years, although miraculously it appears to have so far escaped the vandalism which occurred at Grandview, Pandora, and Slocan, resulting in many hundreds of thousands of dollars in repairs. My opinion was not asked, so in keeping with the status of a humble visitor, I did not offer it. Overall I am hopeful that some form of meeting with Caretakers will be held sometime in 2011. But I am not holding my breath!

Colin

VANCOUVER PARK BOARD makes over $700,000 in CUTS

2010-12-17T14:26:00.002-08:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

VANCOUVER PARK BOARD makes over $700,000 in CUTS

For the third year in a row the Vancouver Park Board has made significant cuts to Vancouver parks and recreation services.

This time the cuts were over $700,000 and this is concerning.

At the Board meeting last night I was asked by Vice-Chair Constance Barnes what I would cut.

I had already asked that no cuts be made, however, when challenged by the Vice-Chair I stated that there were too many upper managers and some cuts should be made there for significant savings.

Obviously the Park board needs to prioritize its spending and I was aghast that they are spending over $800,000 on the new Trillium Field-house which is going to be an sports house for athletes from all over the metro region. Moreover, this park when completed is about four blocks from Strathcona Park which can accommodate many more sports groups. Essentially Strathcona is under utilized.

There are going to be frills added to the Trillium fieldhouse which include skylights over the washrooms and changing rooms. Apparently the glass will be frosted (thank god) but it makes you wonder why there has to be sky-lights?

It must also be noted that there is going to be excessive expenditures for the 125th birthday celebration of Vancouver. The cost is $ 7 million and one wonders if we might scale back on this celebration and put the savings toward the park budget to maintain parks and recreation services.

We just had a significant celebration with the Olympics so I'm wondering why we need another large event to celebrate our birthday. Surely cake can't cost that much?

It is interesting that Park board cancelled its public meeting the day before Council approved their budget. This move erased the ability of citizens to voice our displeasure to Council regarding cuts to the Park board.

The Chair Aaron Jasper and Vice-Chair Barnes said they lobbied hard so that Council would provide some additional funding.

Council through Councillor Raymond Louie made a verbal agreement with the Chair that these extra funds needed to go specifically into one area of the parks budget and the Chair agreed to this. It is obvious that Council wished to be viewed favourably by the public.

The problem unfortunately is that the entire Park board did not have an opportunity to meet before Council set its budget and essentially what the Chair and Vice-Chair agreed to is a backroom deal.

Commissioners Loretta Woodcock and Stuart MacKinnon voted against the budget while the majority Vision approved it. The lone NPA Commissioner Ian Robertson said he objected to the process and therefore abstained his vote. Sadly though an abstention amounts to a vote in favour and I'm not sure what Commissioner Robertson was getting at. If the process was flawed Commissioner Robertson should have voted No to the budget.

A positive moment did come forward at last night's meeting and the new General Manager of Park board is doing a review of the park field-houses. He will report back in the new year and Commissioner Sarah Blyth has promised me that I will receive a copy of his report.

It seems to me that a terrific 125th birthday gift to Vancouver would be the re-opening of the 40 empty field-houses complete with caretakers who by their presence alone assists in deterring crime in our parks.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

More Vancouver Park Board News

2010-12-14T07:40:00.002-08:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

MORE VANCOUVER PARK BOARD NEWS

CKNW is reporting that all three female Vancouver Park Commissioners were nominated last night for Chair and all three refused their nominations.

This is sad especially since Loretta Woodcock is soon retiring from her job and is the longest serving Park Commissioner.

We want more female Leaders but the actions of the three send a mixed message to potential women considering entering politics.

I suspect the nominations were refused by the women because they came from Park Commissioners not affiliated with their parties and this shows why we need less partisanship at Park Board.

It does not serve the public interest in having these sorts of partisan games being played out.

The Chair is now Aaron Jasper who served as Chair last year and has presided over some of the worst cuts at Park Board.

On another note a Park Caretaker was sharing with me the other day how when he went to close the washrooms at the park field-house he cares for when he observed a Male in the Female washroom.

This had the potential for a female entering the washroom to be hurt and demonstrates again why we need caretakers in our parks.

The presence of park caretakers will ward off potential predators and we need to ensure safety for children and women in our parks.

With 40 or so field-houses without park caretakers it is time for this bad decision to be reviewed and reversed.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

BRING back the PARK CARETAKERS

2010-12-09T14:28:00.002-08:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

BRING back the PARK CARETAKERS

Park Board is planning cuts to public park washrooms. Please speak at Park Board this Monday December 13 at 7 pm.

To get on the speakers list you must call the Board Secretary by noon on Monday. The number for the Board Secretary is 604-257-8451.

It is time that we demanded park board caretakers be brought back to the empty field-houses.

40 caretaker positions were chopped a number of years back with Park board citing savings.

Instead Park board hired flying squads to clean the washrooms whereas the caretakers easily did the work at a much lower cost.

Isn't it ironic now that Park board wants to cut the cleaning of our park washrooms being done by the flying squads which replaced the caretakers.

Caretakers in our parks do a great service for little cost to the public. They ensure our parks are clean and safe for the children.

They live rent free and the Park board pays for the heat and electricity of the field-houses which they would in any case.

Many of the caretakers received a small stipend of about $400.00 a month which is considerably lower than the unionized wages that the flying squad receive.

It makes no sense that the Park board cut the caretakers in the first place so lets demand that our Caretakers be brought back!

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

PUBLIC TIRED of POLITICAL INFIGHTING

2010-12-03T00:48:00.006-08:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

PUBLIC TIRED of POLITICAL INFIGHTING

The public has recently had front row seats regarding the shenanigans being played out on the front pages of every mainstream news outlet regarding the old-line political parties who are engaged in battle but sadly, not in battle in support of the public.

The BC Liberals marginalized one of their own caucus members because the MLA had the audacity to challenge his Leader, asking the leader to step aside in favour of new leadership.

Just as this Liberal in-fighting was winding down, up rose the BC NDP with an internal battle of their own which spilled out into the living rooms of the people.

Jenny Kwan, the longest serving caucus member of the NDP, Jenny Kwan challenged the NDP Leader and as a result is now awaiting her fate. Sycophants within this party are calling for Ms Kwan's head and doing their best to marginalize her. So far 12 other caucus members are supporting Ms Kwan so marginalizing her will not be easy.

What has been happening for quite some time now is that these political parties which govern themselves in such a fashion as to not allow political dissent which creates major problems. You must maintain caucus solidarity vis-a-vis you must obey the Leader or else.

Screw the thought of representing your constituents. Instead you must be beholden to the party executive or the special interests which call the shots in your party.

In terms of the NDP it is big unions who seemingly call the shots and with the BC Liberals it is the big corporate elite. This also plays true at the municipal level where the stakes are even higher and big money now controls the elections and the elected representatives pander to those funding them.

Gone are the days when we thought local politics was closest to the people.

The public is well informed and sees what is going on and consequently are getting very weary of the lack of representation and the eroding of democracy.

Voter turn-out is at an all time low and we are moving closer to 50 percent of eligible voters casting ballots at the provincial level and at the municipal level a paltry 25-30 percent of the electorate bothers to vote.

A continual refrain from citizens is that it doesn't matter who you vote for now-a-days, they are all the same. After they are elected they change and break their promises is a continual chorus.

So in terms of the actions of someone like Jenny Kwan who is actually challenging her leader to collaborate and to refrain from back-room deal-making, while this is a constructive and positive move, however, it may be too late as the public have tuned out in droves.

What is needed is re-engagement with the public. The citizens interests are best served by those who first and foremost serve the public interest and stand up for the greater public good.

We must strive for real democracy. What we have is pseudo democracy and how we regain the public trust is only going to happen when we walk away from supporting the old-line political parties and instead embrace new ideas and most importantly restore honesty back into politics.

The best way to achieve fair and balanced political representation is to institute publicly-funded elections and change our system to one of direct democracy.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Community Forum on Violence

2010-11-29T15:52:00.002-08:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

MP LIBBY DAVIES, MLA JENNY KWAN and CITY COUNCILLOR JENNY KWAN

present

COMMUNITY FORUM ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN &
THE PUBLIC INQUIRY

Sunday, December 5, 2010 / 12:30pm
Aboriginal Friendship Centre (Simon Baker Room), 1607 East Hastings

A MESSAGE from PARK COMMISSIONER LORETTA WOODCOCK

2010-11-17T15:16:00.002-08:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

A MESSAGE from PARK COMMISSIONER LORETTA WOODCOCK

Join me at a wine & cheese on Saturday Nov.20 at Coal Harbour community centre between 7 to 9pm. We will be launching our U-tube vignettes 'Legacy of Park Board' where a number of past and present park board commissioners share their thoughts about the importance of the Vancouver Park Board. The cost is $20.00

The writer of this blog will be attending this fun evening and it promises to be an enlightening evening - JLH

IDEA presents OLYMPICS DIALOGUE on NOVEMBER 27

2010-11-16T14:00:00.002-08:00
IDEA presents an OLYMPICS DIALOGUE

Hi All

IDEA (Independent Democratic Electoral Activists) presents an Olympics Dialogue on Saturday November 27 from 2 pm until 5 pm at Woodwards in the Portland Ballroom.

Confirmed speakers include former COPE President Sadie Kuehn, prominent anti Olympics leader Dr Chris Shaw, former Councillor Tim Louis, past United Native Nations president Scott Clark and North False Creek neighborhood activist Sean Bickerton.

Coffee and snacks provided.

Discussion will revolve around has the Olympics benefited Vancouver citizens, affordable housing at the Olympic Village and what can be done so Vancouver taxpayers are not burdened with Olympic debt.

I hope to see you all out on Saturday November 27 from 2-5pm at Woodwards in the Portland Ballroom for a very lively, interesting, timely and important discussion as we move toward Vancouver's municipal election in November 2011

Thanks Jamie Lee

Government Stalls Olympic Housing

2010-09-30T11:44:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

GOVERNMENT STALLS OLYMPIC HOUSING

Yesterday, the British Columbia Government announced that it was rejecting all three bids to operate the affordable housing component at Olympic Village.

While one bid was to operate the affordable units as a housing cooperative and which Minister Rich Coleman properly asserts is not part of the government's mandate but why another bid from the Portland Community Services was rejected makes no sense.

The Portland has a credible reputation operating its significant housing portfolio and their buildings are safe and secure for tenants residing in them.

Moreover, the Leadership at the Portland is strong and competent. Mark Townsend and Liz Evans are well respected and known for improving community life for many.

The Portland also operates a number of business operations including the Potluck and Radio Station cafes, a low cost food store plus the successful Interurban Art Gallery.

Mr Townsend and Ms Evans have been in leadership positions with the Portland since 1990 and they have overseen tremendous growth while successfully overseeing a portfolio budget now in the millions of dollars.

With winter approaching and people in need of affordable housing it seems negligent on the part of government to reject the Portland bid and hopefully after some sober second thought will re-examine its decision and award the affordable housing to the Portland Hotel Society.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Mean-Spirited Board to close Children's Petting ZooBoard

2010-09-21T13:09:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver BC

Mean-Spirited Board to close Children's Petting Zoo

Once again our Park Board seems to have its priorities wrong. The role of Park Board is to maintain park spaces for the well-being of the citizens and which the public can enjoy.

Last night the Park Board voted to close the Children's petting Zoo and farmyard in Stanley Park yet voted to save the Bloedel Conservatory in Queen Elizabeth Park.

This move reeks of political favouritism as the Vision controlled board along with the lone COPE Commissioner are attempting to appeal to the affluent westside voter.

It is no secret that lower income children on the Eastside obtain great joy by visiting the petting zoo and farmyard. They learn a great deal about farm animals and now this little bit of oasis is being taken away from them

The Vision board cites budget constraints for the closure of the children's petting zoo yet it should be noted that the Mayor who obtained a new luxurious expanded office spends the same amount on what it would take to keep the farmyard open.

It really seems that our politicians have their political priorities wrong and this mean-spirited move by Park board reeks to high heaven.

This spiteful move against the City's children will not go unnoticed by voters.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Why the Hiring of an Executive Director for Pride Raises Concerns

2010-09-17T11:08:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

Why the Hiring of an Executive Director for Pride Raises Concerns

Reading the recent Xxtrawest article regarding Pride hiring an Executive Director/General Manager, this article I find unfortunate as former Pride board members John Boychuk and Laura McDiarmid in the article did not provide any useful context other than to say that the membership wasn't consulted or that Pride couldn't afford this expense.

Regarding the possible hiring of an Executive director/General manager (ED/GM) and why the membership has concerns over this, as a former board member this is what I heard from the membership in prior discussions related to the hiring of an ED/GM.

The membership raised concerns over the hiring of an ED/GM because we desired to keep the organization as a grassroots and membership-driven organization. It was felt that hiring an ED/GM would compromise this principle and bring other problems including the strong possibility of an Executive Director building an empire which would put control of the organization solely in their hands.

The Executive Director/General Manager would become the dominant force in the organization and like other non-profit organizations, has the opportunity to hand-select board members in back-room deal making in order to solidify control of the organization in their hands.

The ED/GM would surely benefit with their $60,000-$100,000 yearly salary along with terrific perks. Their goal becomes about maintaining control which enables them to keep their dream job.

The vision of the organization which is driven by the membership and vested in trust with the Board plays a reduced role in all aspects including policy making. This in turn was deemed by the membership to be compromising the integrity of a community and volunteer driven organization.

What Alan Herbert a past President of Pride states in the Xtrawest article is correct. That the scope of Pride requires a staff person but as a former Director I can attest that the job really only requires a Coordinator during Pride season which amounts at best to four months of full-time work.

Pride already has two part-time paid staff members so a full-time Coordinator position could easily fulfill the workload requirement during the Pride season.

I hope the above puts into context why hiring an ED/GM raises concerns from the community.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

"I believe you change the world One man at a time"

Community Inquiry Committee Demands - Laying the Groundwork for an Inquiry

2010-09-09T17:37:00.002-07:00
Community Inquiry Committee Demands - Laying the Groundwork for an Inquiry

September 7, 2010

Premier Gordon Campbell
BC Legislative Building
Victoria, B. C.

Dear Premier Campbell:

With the recent BC Supreme Court decision which upheld the conviction of Robert Pickton in the Missing Women’s case, our community coalition of organizations along with some family members of the Murdered and Missing Women and other concerned parties are asking the BC government to call a Public Inquiry to help deal with outstanding questions that remain in the community related to the Missing and Murdered Women’s case. Our view is that the recently released Vancouver Police Department’s report, authored by Deputy Chief Doug Le Pard still leaves many questions unanswered.

Hard questions need to be asked about the entire investigative process including current efforts to investigate the Women who are still missing. It is essential that any errors in process and possible jurisdictional problems be probed so that we can learn from this horrendously tragic experience.

The public inquiry should be given the mandate to make policy recommendations, and set a process for their implementation. We also expect that the public inquiry be truly that, and that its structure, be one which ensures that those most affected by these tragedies – family members of the Murdered and Missing Women, and sex workers - voices are heard.

Wide scope should be given to the many areas of public policy and how it contributes to increasing the dangers of sex work and making survival sex workers more vulnerable. The criminal justice system, policing, provincial and federal laws, to civic bylaws and various levels of institutional discrimination all have contributed to the increase risk. Institutional barriers to accessing justice need to be probed as they relate to this case, and others like it, especially as a means to prevent further tragedies.

A Public Inquiry would be one responsible step in understanding how the case of the Missing Women was handled, and allow for some closure for the family, friends and loved ones of the Murdered and Missing Women. It would be a vitally important opportunity to learn from the past, and take a hard look at the public policy framework.

We have had many discussions related to such a public inquiry, particularly in regards to its composition, and access, possible terms of reference, follow-up and implementation. It is our perspective that the following recommendations should be implemented.

Composition and Access

- safety and immunity be guaranteed for Inquiry participants
- the chair of the inquiry should be a woman, ideally an Aboriginal woman

- the committee highly recommends Mary Ellen Turpel-LaFond to chair the inquiry

- there should be strong representation from the community at every stage of the inquiry, including resources to reduce barriers for those individuals, who are most affected
- mechanisms be put in place to collect material from those who do not feel comfortable in the public inquiry venue, or the more formal, exposed setting, and ensure that important information from these processes, can be fed into the inquiry
- a community process to obtain input on the terms of reference for the inquiry be initiated, and that the Chair of the Inquiry be given latitude to expand its areas and scope if necessary

- community organizations should have the opportunity to have intervenor status at the Inquiry

Terms of reference to Include

- a review of policies related to sex workers and their impact on the safety of women and sex trade workers, dating from 1983-84 in Vancouver’s westend and onward

- a review of aspects of policing culture and the broader culture, which allowed so many sex workers to go missing without a full investigation, not only of Robert Pickton, but of other serial predators who continue to perpetrate violence against sex workers
- a review of how Aboriginal people are systemically marginalized within the policing and legal system

- a review of the role that gender and race played in delaying the investigation

- a review of the priorities that were established in the allocation of police resources that led to these tragedies. What took priority over human life, in the allocation of policing resources?

- a review of the discretionary decision-making of Crown, and the role of the legal process, in perpetuating discrimination against marginalized Women, especially sex workers, or marginalizing witnesses who live unstable lives
- a review of jurisdictional tensions between city police forces and the RCMP, and their impact in the investigation of predators of sex workers
- the role of child welfare policies and the intrusion of the state in the family lives of sex workers

- ensure that important information from these processes, can be fed into the Inquiry

Follow-up and Implementation

- ensure that mechanisms are in place for the implementation of the Inquiry’s recommendations in a timely manner
- community organizations and family members of the Missing and Murdered Women, and sex workers, should have representation on a follow-up committee, which works to implement recommendations

- an independent officer such as the Ombudsperson, or another appointed officer of the legislature be tasked with evaluation and review of the implementation of recommendations of the Inquiry

- community organizations should have the opportunity to have intervenor status at the Inquiry

We are also supportive of resources being made available for community-based groups with ties to these matters, to be able to hold consultative processes, which could relay information to the official Public Inquiry.

The Community Inquiry Committee is made up of representatives of women and sex workers service groups, family members of the Missing and Murdered Women, sex workers, and individuals working in the area of human right and anti-discrimination

We look forward to your reply to our correspondence. And further, to your announcement regarding this matter.

Sincerely,

Sadie Kuehn and Jamie Lee Hamilton

on behalf of

Community Inquiry Committee

The Press are Going Gonzo

2010-09-01T21:10:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

The Press are Going Gonzo

It is with amusement these last few days that I have witnessed a story circulating like wildfire regarding an unsubstantiated allegation that claims the ruling municipal Vision Party has a hit list on the media it supposedly dislikes.

Since this story broke on Conservative blogger Alex Tsakumis blog, other media are going gonzo over it. Especially the ones who are purportedly on the list.

Without any evidence, a number of media are exposing the story as factual and besides being somewhat amused I am also shocked that without a shred of evidence that they would present this story to the public as fact.

The only press which seems to be ignoring the allegation is the Georgia Straight which doesn't surprise me since the news editor there, Charlie Smith, is the brightest light in journalism in this City today. Charlie tends to report only on facts and this explains why he has not repeated as yet these unsubstantiated claims.

I hope though that Mr Tsakumis who has written the piece on the basis of some anonymous source provides some evidence because these are very serious political allegations and ramifications if in fact there is any truth to them.

I have been critical of Vision in the past but I would find it completely out of character if they resorted to attacks on the press, especially based on something as simple as being portrayed in a less than flattering light.

Compiling a hit list would be an act of lunacy and while I think Vision are many things, being lunatics doesn't seem to fit their profiles.

I'm holding off on judgement regarding this story until there is some clear evidence that these allegations are true.

For our media at this time to be reporting these unsubstantiated allegations against Vision as fact seems irresponsible.

But this is politics right.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Mayor Robertson and Vision Support Inquiry

2010-09-01T08:36:00.007-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

Mayor of Vancouver Gregor Robertson and his Vision team has finally announced their support for an Inquiry into the murdered and missing women cases.

This is a positive sign since it appears that Vision and the Mayor are listening to the people and public sentiment that some form of Inquiry is needed.

Last week a diverse group came together at City Hall to start the process of laying the groundwork for such an Inquiry.

MP Libby Davies attended as did representatives from MP Dr Hedy Fry and MLA Jenny Kwan offices.

Sex Workers and advocacy organizations including WISH and PACE attended as did representatives from groups Pivot, Portland Community Services and Feb 14 Memorial March Committee.

Very importantly, a number of family members and members of the Aboriginal communities were present at the meeting.

The City showed goodwill by granting permission for our group to use a committee room at City Hall to hold the meeting. Moreover, the Director of social Planning for the City of Vancouver, Maryclare Zak found time in her hectic schedule to attend. She listened intently to the concerns being brought forward by the meeting participants.

The City Manager, Dr Penny Bellam must be thanked as well as the Social Planning office since it appears we may have the opportunity to embark on a collaborative approach with the City in addressing safety for sex trade workers and other women.

The Vancouver Police Department did not attend and this is concerning since they have a sex trade liaison officer assigned to the Community. Constable Linda Malcolm relayed that only one individual from the VPD is authorized to speak on the murdered and missing women's cases and that is Deputy Chief Doug LaPard.

A call was made to Deputy Chief LaPard extending an invitation to the meeting but unfortunately he has not replied or responded to our invitation.

Our goal is to lay the groundwork for such an Inquiry. We feel that the most impacted and least listened to must be heard at any such Inquiry.

It is our hope that we can turn the page and move forward and eliminate the horrendous violence which sex workers at the Pickton property and all over continually endure.

The Community Inquiry Committee is operating in a transparent way and our meeting minutes after being approved are open to the public. Anyone is welcome to attend our meetings.

Next meeting is Thursday, September 2 at the WISH Centre from 10 am until 1 pm. Lunch is provided.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Jamie Lee Hamilton: How we can honour murdered and missing women in the wake of Pickton's conviction

2010-08-20T12:32:00.002-07:00
Hi Friends, I wrote this piece for the Georgia Straight which appeared in their online edition of August 12, 2010

Jamie Lee Hamilton: How we can honour murdered and missing women in the wake of Pickton's conviction

By Jamie Lee Hamilton, August 12, 2010

Since the Robert Pickton trial finally closed off last week, I have found myself with mixed emotions, as I'm certain many of this city share.

The trial, which I could not stomach to attend, brought such horrendous repulsion. I'm certain it did to many others and especially to those who care deeply for the less fortunate in our society.

I know that the women who were brutally murdered on that farm in Port Coquitlam will be remembered for a long, long time.

Much talk has circulated—as it did in the early days—for a public inquiry, especially considering how so many long-term residents of the Downtown Eastside could disappear overnight without a trace and with virtually no action taken.

Nothing can ever bring back these women, but we need to move forward. Just locking Pickton away for a lifetime doesn't address the outstanding question of justice for the missing and murdered women of the DTES. Further, it doesn't address how this violence can be prevented.

Sadly, the victims didn't enjoy respect and dignity while they were living. Therefore, it is incumbent on us to ensure that they receive some measure of dignity and respect after the heinous crimes committed against them.

With the closure of the Pickton file, the 20 other women whose DNA was found on the farm will not receive justice. Pickton, without standing trial, can't be found guilty or not guilty on those remaining charges.

Being attributed as the sole killer of the other 20 women doesn't provide any closure without a trial, and therefore justice has been denied. What this means is that no one else will ever be charged or implicated with killing these women.

Everyone I speak with believes that other persons were involved in the killings, and I also happen to share that belief. Tragically other murderers could now go free. Snubbing out another person's life has no consequences, and this is deeply appalling.

In fact, it is terribly obscene.

Unfortunately there is little we can do about this as the Crown has determined nothing will change by making Pickton stand trial on the additional 20 counts.

As a society though, we must awaken to the fact that change must happen. Murder victims deserve justice.

No matter what social or economic class you come from, this should play no part on the entitlement of justice. Everyone under the law is entitled to justice and this tenet of law and Canadian values must prevail.

So what can be done to ensure respect and dignity to those who lost their life through no fault of their own?

Many are demanding a public inquiry. In the early days of the disappearing women, I was one of only a handful demanding such an inquiry.

I don't want an investigation just so we can blame others. Or an inquiry to make others feel happy.

There is enough blame to go round. However, we must move beyond placing blame so as a city with interconnected communities and neighbourhoods, we can heal from the horrendous, inexcusable violence that has occurred to hundreds of our citizens.

I do have some reservations about an inquiry, because I know there will be much grandstanding. Others would like nothing else but to pin the tail on the donkey, but we can't go there.

We need an inquiry as a fact-finding mission. From this official government review, there needs to be some solid recommendations on how this violence can be prevented—and trust me, violence against sex workers can be prevented.

Currently, I work as a research assistant on the West End Sex Work History and Memorial Project in collaboration with the University of British Columbia. The lead investigator is Dr Becki Ross, is chair of UBC women's studies.

Our preliminary data collected to date demonstrates that prior to 1984, there was little or no evidence suggesting that prostitution was inherently dangerous.

Sadly, though, we have collected evidence that shows the City of Vancouver under then-mayor Mike Harcourt enacted the street activities bylaw, which targeted West End sex workers with fines of up to $2,000

In a six-month period in 1982 and 1983, the city collected an obscene amount of $28,000 off the backs of prostitutes.

Tragically, none of these fines were used to assist sex workers in exiting or providing them with opportunities.

In July 1984 to compound matters, then-chief justice Allan McEachern received an application from the then-B.C. attorney general Brian Smith, who was seeking a court order and injunction stripping sex workers of their fundamental rights.

With one quick stroke of his pen, McEachern mass-evicted sex workers from their community, forcing them to work east of Seymour Street.

After the injunction, as women and men were pushed into dark, deserted industrial areas of the city, violence and murder rates against this population soared.

No public apology has ever been offered from the city to prostitutes. Moreover, the province has remained silent regarding its role, and even though there was a subcommittee of Parliament established in 2006 to investigate this issue of violence against sex workers, no recommendations were ever made.

After Pickton's arrest in 2002, another 25 women have gone missing or have been murdered in the Metro Vancouver region. Just like in the early days of the missing women cases, these new disappearances were met with indifference or complete denial.

In fact, one young aboriginal women, Danielle Larue, was murdered shortly after the Pickton arrest, and her killer remains at large. He anonymously sent a letter to the Vancouver Police Department expressing his remorse.

At a police board meeting held at the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre, deputy chief Doug LePard denied that any women had gone missing after Pickton's arrest.

However, LePard has recently issued an apology on behalf of the Vancouver police, and this apology seems genuinely sincere.

Surely we can move forward, as the Vancouver Police Department has. We need to address this heinous violence and how to prevent it.

Mayor Gregor Robertson during his campaigning nearly two years ago promised to establish a city roundtable on prostitution and this has not yet happened. He also stated he was open to a civic apology regarding the fines levied out against Vancouver prostitutes in 1982 and 1983.

He has been silent on this front ever since.

Even now, former attorney general, Wally Oppal, who oversaw the Pickton file, has announced that he doesn't think a public review of the missing and murdered cases is necessary.

Interestingly, he doesn't say what is necessary and I would hope a man of his prominence and intelligence (he is after all a learned judge) would have some ideas on what we can do to ensure that this type of violence is eliminated from society.

Here are a few offered recommendations, which I believe will stem the violence that occurs all too frequently against our vulnerable populations:

1) A civic apology issued in memoriam to the West End sex workers who were harmed from actions taken by the city. Many of these individuals sadly are no longer with us. A memorial marker remembering their contributions and marking their history in the West End neighborhood is in order.

2) The city should immediately establish this promised roundtable on prostitution.

3) A harm-reduction approach on prostitution is needed . If I were a member of council, I would ask former mayor Philip Owen to steer this harm-reducing policy through. He has the knowledge, compassion, and expertise. Owen brought in the harm-reduction approach to drug use, and this philosophy has saved and improved the quality of life for thousands of people.

4) Many women in the DTES are drug addicted and involved in prostitution. Many also have mental-health issues, and a number of the missing and murdered women resided at the Portland Hotel. I believe that the PHS Community Services Society has the expertise needed to initiate a program to help sex workers cope and, ideally, find exiting strategies, which would greatly improve their lives.

It's the only agency in the DTES capable of doing this work , and it needs the funding so it can hire a coordinator-consultant to start assisting vulnerable women escape the harsh and hopeless situations in which they are now entrenched.

5) There needs to be a treatment, detox, and housing program designed and established specifically for women and men needing these programs to exit the sex trade. The province could really assist in this regard by funding a safe place away from the city, where men and women involved in prostitution could receive the supportive services that they need.

6) The immediate decriminalization of prostitution laws 213 (communicating) and 210 (bawdy house section), which make it impossible for women and men to be safe and out of harm's way. These sections of the Criminal Code have contributed to the continued harm and escalating violence associated with involvement in street prostitution. Any law that doesn't help citizens with their safety and security needs can't be considered a good law. These sections need to be repealed, whereas the exploitation, trafficking and violence sections related to this area of the law need to be strengthened.

What will scar me forever is that Jane Doe, whose DNA was found on the Pickton farm, remains to this day unidentified. I just can't believe that anyone, regardless of their situation in life, could be forgotten in this way.

Jane Doe signals to me and I'm certain to others that many of the missing and murdered women's problems started before engagement in prostitution. Their need to survive by making the choices they made should bring no shame.

No matter what, Sarah, Tracey, Helen, Janet, Angela, Serena, Mona, Marnie, Stephanie, and the many other victims all deserved to live. Their lives had value and meaning. Moreover, they were contributing members of society. We owe them and we owe Jane Doe.

Through their tragic loss of life, there must come recognition and acceptance that we systematically failed these citizens. There must come an even stronger commitment to ensure that we will do everything possible so that these crimes against humanity won't ever happen again.

Jamie Lee Hamilton is a Vancouver advocate for sex workers. She will speak on Friday (August 13) at 7 p.m. at the Women and History conference at the Wosk Centre

Charlie Smith a Vancouver Treasure

2010-08-09T18:54:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

Charlie Smith a Vancouver Treasure

Charlie Smith, a well respected and top notch Journalist currently the News Editor for the Georgia Straight is not as one Conservative Blogger states a 'left-wing loon'.

It also appears that a few right-wing Harperites who double as his blogging boys are royally pissed off that Charlie Smith in the recent online version of the Straight speculated about former Prime Minister Jean Chretien's health concerns. He speculated that if Mr Chretien were to die (a real possibility given the seriousness of the health matter related to Hon Chretien's brain) that the Liberals would probably get a boost in the polls as a result.

Mr Smith went on to articulate that it was in the best interests of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to wish Mr Chretien well and he believed his concern for the former Prime Minster to be sincere but that Mr Harper would also endear himself to the voters by extending well meaning sympathies to a very popular former Prime Minister.

The Bloggers got their feathers in a ruffle it seems over speculation that Mr Chretien could die but this doesn't seem unreasonable to point out.

In fact on many an occasion politicians with serious health issues have gone public. Many media outlets report on this all the time and there is often talk of impending death if the Leader has a serious health problem.

These blue-bloggers though are also calling the Georgia Straight a floundering paper but this is simply untrue.

The Straight has the highest readership in Vancouver including surpassing the declining readership of the two major dailies.

Charlie Smith as News Editor has to be given much of the credit regarding the Georgia Straight's high readership numbers so attacking him makes no sense.

In fact to add some perspective to this high readership issue, almost every Adult Industry Worker that I know advertises in the Straight because we are not dumb and realize the Straight provides the best potential when it comes to marketing of our services.

At one time the Yellow Pages carried most of the ads but workers came to realize they got the best bang for their buck with the Straight. And of course it goes without saying the best return on advertising dollars.

Another key point to mention is that the Straight has a higher GLBT readership than even the local queer press Xtrawest. This i think is also a testament to Charlie Smith's reaching out and covering stories of interest to the queer communities.

Simply put Charlie Smith is a Vancouver treasure!

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Xtra Blogger Sean Horlor Backtracks Bigtime

2010-08-09T16:10:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

Xtra Blogger Sean Horlor Backtracks Bigtime

It seems that Sean Horlor's recent piece on local right-wing Blogger Alex Tsakumis has created waves.

Mr Horlor now has altered his blog piece to saying 'just kidding' after naming Mr Tsakumis a closet case. Further Mr Horlor has totally eliminated from his original posting references to the weight of Mr Tsakumis.

Mr Horlor claims to be a communications expert but he obviously can't even stand by his own comments. How pathetic is that?

What a Sissy!

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Alex Tsakumis a Closet Case?

2010-08-08T12:27:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

ALEX TSAKUMIS a CLOSET CASE?

Well at least according to Sean Horlor the Xtra resident blogger, he is claiming that Alex Tsakumis the right-winging blogger from the Greek community is a Closet case.

Ouch.

Mr Horlor makes this claim after Mr Tsakumis attended the Pride parade and took many photographs and then made some disparaging and funny remarks about the parade and its revellers. See here www.alexgtsakumis.com

Mr Horlor goes on to claim that the only thing Mr Tsakumis is rebelling against is a healthy diet. See http://www.xtra.ca/blog/vancouver/

Ouch again.

It seems Mr Horlor should be more considerate since there are chubby chasers in the GLBT community and to disparage them and deny them visuals of big boys is kinda nasty.

I bet though Mr Tsakumis wife is laughing her head off regarding hubby being called a closet case.

Mr Tsakumis has his point of view which is that the parade should not exhibit any kind of sexuality but isn't that the whole point of the parade?

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_)foxx@yahoo.com

The New Nazi's

2010-08-02T07:13:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

The New Nazi's

I am deeply saddened over the New Nazi's operating within our communities. Canada has welcomed many people here from different parts of the world because we are an open society which supports people fleeing their homelands and provides opportunities to start over again.

This is what I love about our country but I am deeply concerned that this group Queers against Israel seem to have only one focus and that is to spread hate against the Jewish people and Israel.

To single out Israel as an oppressor state is wrong as the Queers against Israel are doing. This group has infiltrated our community (has anyone heard of them before) and in reality they are using the Muslim community in an attempt to shake off the growing suspicion that they are indeed our modern day Nazi's.

These New Nazi's gain traction because they have Muslim allies and this provides them some cover or at least they think that.

Instead of being all white, they think they can shake off the Nazi tag by working with Muslim haters of Israel.

We can not allow this group to gain traction and if you notice they are highly secretive and are allowing the Muslim dupes to do their dirty work.

But who are these people? Well perhaps the Media especially the Queer press should undertake an investigative approach to find out who they are, what their backgrounds are, what they have ever achieved for the GLBT communities and this even bigger question needs answering which is why have they just suddenly appeared in our communities?

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Hate Messaging Does Not Belong in Pride

2010-07-30T18:45:00.001-07:00
Hi Friends and Supporters

I just became aware of this Anti Israel Group marching in our Pride parade on Sunday and I am upset regarding their hate messaging. So far the Pride President Mr Ken Coolen has dove for cover on this matter and is saying Nothing. Please read my quick piece and spread the word.

HATE MESSAGING DOES NOT BELONG in PRIDE

I am somewhat displeased that a group marching in our Pride Parade instead of marching in support of rights for queer Palestinians is instead using our freedom day parade to attack a state known for supporting women and gay rights.

It seems to me that if those individuals who are in support of an Islam state which has a deplorable record of squashing women and gay rights, wishes to express themselves, they would be better heard if they chose to focus their efforts on condemning the leadership of Palestine instead of attacking Israel.

Pride has always been about our struggles and the hard fought wins we have achieved. And many of us are very proud that Israel is the only Arab state with a positive gay rights record.

So why is our Pride leadership saying nothing regarding a group in our parade whose sole purpose it seems is to spread hate, in this case, hate directed at Israel and the Jewish people?

It really is clear that the Vancouver chapter of Vancouver Queers against Israel are people from the hard left who despise Israel and are using our parade to spread their thinly veiled anti-semitism and shame on our queer media for providing a platform for this hate group and not providing any balance whatsoever.

Imagine if a group of Nazi queers marched in our parade carrying signs of Hitler. Would we also support this saying Queer Nazis have the right to express themselves even if the message is one of hate? I think many are aware how Hitler deposed many gay and transsexual/transgender people to the gas chambers, as he did Jewish people.

Our parade needs to stand in solidarity with our Israel born friends and denounce groups who are intent on spewing hate whether it is against us or our friends.

This group Vancouver Queers against Israel has an agenda and their signs which call Israel an Apartheid state is in extreme poor taste and could possibly be illegal under the Hate Crimes of Canada legislation.

Perhaps Chief Jim Chu of the Vancouver Police Department who will also be marching in the parade needs to investigate and determine whether this group is in fact spreading hate.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

"I believe you change the world One man at a time"

PARK CHAIR MUST ISSUE APOLOGY or RESIGN

2010-07-20T11:47:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

PARK BOARD CHAIR MUST ISSUE APOLOGY or RESIGN

Last night I attended the hotly contentious Park Board meeting regarding citizens having the right to vote in a 2011 plebiscite around whales and dolphins kept in captivity. Green Party Commissioner Stuart MacKinnon brought forward the motion and it was seconded by COPE Commissioner Loretta Woodcock.

While everyone expressed themselves in a respective manner last night things went completely awry near the end of the meeting. This happened when Park Commissioner Stuart MacKinnon rose on a point or privilege and articulated that his motion was in order and passed by both the Park Board Chair and Acting General Manager of the Park Board.

This point of privilege set off the Chair Aaron Jasper who flew into a tirade accusing Mr MacKinnon of everything under the sun including irresponsibility, recklessness and that his motion would surely have instigated a lawsuit against the Board, putting the citizens of the City at great risk.

Commissioner Jasper though provided no evidence of his assertions which are quite possibly false and not befitting of an elected official

The Vision Chair attempted to marginalize Mr MacKinnon and make him out to be totally incompetent and a disgrace to the board. This was simply shocking.

To his credit even NPA Commissioner Ian Robertson articulated that Commissioner MacKinnon had a principled position and he respected that.

Politicians are free to make libelous statements in the board room, however, if this was made outside in the foyer, I'm certain Commissioner MacKinnon would have grounds to sue Commissioner Jasper.

Sadly this behavior played out before the public and it cements that politics and politicians have spiraled to a new low especially when you consider the ruling party Vision Vancouver seem focused on ridiculing the citizens of the City.

Everyone remembers the Vision Mayor Gregor Robertson calling citizens speaking up at City Hall last week a bunch of hacks.

During last night's meeting I intervened from the gallery and scolded the Park Chair saying he should leave his attack to an in-camera session. When the Park Chair passed by me in the foyer after the meeting he informed me "to give it a rest", which isn't very respectful.

The Vision Park Chair must issue an apology for his disgraceful and disgusting actions of last night. If he chooses not to do so perhaps he should consider resigning.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

I'm Shocked by Mayor Gregor Robertson

2010-07-12T14:09:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

I AM SHOCKED by MAYOR GREGOR ROBERTSON

It's with sadness that I viewed a You Tube video of Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson calling a group of citizens 'fucking hacks' who came up to City Hall in order to state their concern over a proposed West End advisory committee that Mayor Robertson and his Vision colleagues are desiring to impose on the West End neighborhood.

Speaker after speaker shared their concerns regarding the hand-picked advisory committee of Council and they were disrespected in the process. Is it any wonder that citizens are disengaged from the political process when you are treated in such a shabby manner.

Some people including media think it was great that the Mayor demonstrated such candor but leveling this crap at citizens as Mayor Robertson did isn't displaying candor, instead his words displayed complete contempt for the average citizen.

The Mayor has issued an apology and while the apology will be accepted, the issue though of whether there is still going to be a West End Advisory Committee remains unclear.

I would guess that the advisory committee which was to be c0-chaired by Councillor Tim Stevenson and Councillor Andrea Reimer is now dead.

Many blog sites who have a differing political agenda than Vision and belong to a different political party (NPA) are making hay of this matter but it seems they are doing this for the wrong reasons. They have not in fact stated where they stand on this issue and perhaps they could express their opinion rather than engage in petty political attacks on the Mayor who has obviously made his biggest political mistake since assuming office nearly two years ago.

On the video, the Mayor sounds intoxicated and I sure hope this is not the case. Perhaps he was only tired.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

FEAR of the UNWASHED in our CITY?

2010-06-22T19:13:00.006-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

FEAR of the UNWASHED in our CITY?

There has been conflict arising from the Vancouver Park Board plans to close Grandview Park for one year as they embark on the re-development of this popular east end park.

This park has been home to a number of homeless people and they are quite upset that they are being pushed out of their homes. A number of these vulnerable citizens feel safe in this park which has a longstanding history of harmonious culture.

Enter Darrell Zimmerman, a homeless individual who plays the saxophone. I got to know Darrell in 2002 when we were both involved in a Headlines Theatre project. While Darrell can be annoying and sometimes difficult, he doesn't though in my opinion pose a danger to anyone. In fact Mr Zimmerman often attended council meetings but then Mayor now Senator Larry Campbell often cajoled Mr Zimmerman and showed his softer side when dealing or being confronted by Darrell.

A few weeks back Darrell showed up at a Park board meeting and he was quite animated when a speaker made remarks concerning Grandview Park. The speaker obviously had a differing opinion than Mr Zimmerman's and sparks flew. Darrell began cursing and swearing and called an approaching Park ranger Yogiberra. He was evicted from the meeting.

At last night's meeting of Park board Darrell was outside the Park board offices. He saw Commissioner Loretta Woodcock getting out of her car and apparently began engaging Ms Woodcock near the entrance to the Park board building . Ms Woodcock claims Mr Zimmerman attempted to stop her entry into the meeting and somehow the end result was Mr Zimmerman being arrested.

I picked up on this story today after Georgia Straight reporter Matt Burrows wrote an account of the happenings on the online version of the Straight.

The Georgia Straight story though confuses me.

In it Commissioner Woodcock states she has never been threatened before and this implies there was a threat made. See http://www.straight.com I contacted Commissioner Woodcock today and asked her why Mr Zimmerman wasn't charged with uttering threats and her answer was because he didn't. Also something else significant is missing from this story and that is another Commissioner, the Vice Chair of the Board Sarah Blyth went outside and talked at length to Mr Zimmerman.

If Mr Zimmerman was so out of control as this article seems to present why did the Vice-Chair stay outside with him for so long? In fact, was he ever really a threat?

Mr Zimmerman was charged with mischief and causing a disturbance. Commissioner Woodcock in the article claims Mr Zimmerman keyed her car but in fact she did not witness this.

This man is homeless and is obviously agitated because he is being forced from his home in Grandview Park and perhaps he is acting out irrationally probably due to great stress but shouldn't we have some compassion for our homeless?

As re-development increases in our City we will see more of this conflict and everybody deserves to be heard regardless of status in society. Hurling insults or swearing isn't the preferred way of engaging public officials but our homeless are in survival mode and somehow we need to make allowances for their sometimes erratic behavior in order that they be heard.

I sincerely hope that this Park board doesn't become fearful of the unwashed in our City and further denies them the right to be heard.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

CHILDREN are not SECOND CLASS CITIZENS

2010-06-15T16:56:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

CHILDREN are not SECOND CLASS CITIZENS

I have been watching the debate over children's education and the potential looming and dreaded cuts with interest as I'm certain many others have.

I hadn't written on the subject because I didn't think I qualified as having the knowledge or expertise to make comment on this subject. A friend, however, thinks I should blog something (thanks Claudia Ferris) and she is correct that I shouldn't be apprehensive to speak out regarding my feelings.

As readers may know the Minister of Education Margaret McDiarmid announced that the Vancouver School Board has a legal duty to present a balanced budget and because of underfunding from the government, the duly elected Vancouver School Board was squeezed tight by the bigger government and without making cuts, the democratically elected School board would find itself in a very difficult situation. Who after all wants to chop away at public education?

Ms McDiarmid sent in an independent auditor to assist the School board in finding efficiencies within the budget and I was a tad shocked since I thought this process would be a collaborative one but what I witnesses was far from being collegial. More like combative if you ask me.

I might be wrong but I thought the role of our elected School Boards are to ensure that each student is provided a good education and further that School Boards according to the School Act must be free and independent.

What the public is witnessing here is an underfunded School Board and how can they possibly deliver quality education if they are poorly funded?

It seems to me that Patti Bacchus, Chairwoman of the Vancouver School Board and other Trustees must go to the walls for the sake of the children of this city and province. They cannot allow our young people's education to suffer because the provincial government has underfunded it in the first place.

This issue is similar in many ways to the Vancouver School Board being fired in the 80's. That School board bravely stood up and said we are willing to be fired because we refuse to make cuts which will hurt children. They were fired, a Trustee to oversee operations for the government was appointed and in the subsequent election the COPE School Board swept every school board seat.

I spoke today with former COPE Trustee Sadie Kuehn, who was one of the Trustees who swept into power after the firings.

Here is what she said, " we are competing in a world economy and we should be preparing our young people to those challenges and we keep short-changing them with policies to save a few extra dollars and this is wrong ".

I concur with Ms Kuehn and I think an overwhelming majority of the public would as well.

I just can't understand how the government can pay out large increases for senior managers and pay raises for themselves, yet treats our young people like second class citizens. This is wrong!

To the elected Board Trustees and the Chair Ms Bacchus, please don't you dare take a chopping block to young people's education and if this means you are fired, this whole City will get behind you and make sure you are returned with an even stronger mandate.

The young people are counting on you Ms Bacchus.

Don't retreat, mobilize.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

WHY OH WHY HEDY ?

2010-06-15T13:11:00.005-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

WHY OH WHY HEDY?

MP for Vancouver Centre Dr Hedy Fry responding to criticism that Abolitionist speakers were exclusively chosen as guest speakers for this coming weekend's Liberal Women's Breakfast asserts the Women were selected due to their involvement with transitional houses.

Lee Lakeman, one speaker is a public transphobe who wrecked havoc on the life of Kimberly Nixon who was evicted from counselling at Rape Relief because she is a transformed women and according to Lakeman and others, not a real woman. Moreover, Ms Lakeman erased Kimberley Nixon female status by continuously and publicly referring to her in the press as male.

With the recent MP Bill Siksay Transsexual and Transgender human rights Bill before the House why oh why Hedy would you choose someone of this ilk as a speaker. Don't you know that any Transition Houses that Ms Lakeman is associated with have a policy of rejecting transgender people from accessing their services? This includes Rape Relief who you also have chosen to speak at the breakfast.

Another Abolitionist, Trisha Baptie is not involved in Transitional Houses and in fact is founder of Honour Ministries which is directly allied with Rape Relief and the local Grandview Calvary Church who are all allies and working with a number of right-wing USA fundamentalist christian right groups.

This is shocking Hedy. Real shocking Dr Fry!

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

HATE ATTACKS on the RISE

2010-06-14T09:34:00.009-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

HATE ATTACKS on the RISE

In beautiful picturesque Vancouver, British Columbia where we just hosted the world, we now find ourselves with the dubious reputation of having one of the highest rates of hate-motivated attacks in the Country.

Just yesterday I learned that my dear friends David and Pete were savagely beaten near the entrance to their home in the Downtown Eastside. The attack was so vicious that they required hospitalizations and medical treatment.

Stats Canada has just released a report which says that gay-bashings has doubled between 2007-2008 and these assaults are now the most vicious of all other hate crimes.

I know some people will find my comments offensive but I believe these forms of attacks are directly attributed to immigration patterns and the influx of the far right USA religious groups into our country. The latter display a complete lack of tolerance for our tolerant and liberal way of life which is based on our live and let live attitudes.

It must also be acknowledged that many of our ethnic populations are peace loving and they have contributed enormously to the betterment of our City. I include in this group our Chinese Canadians, Jewish and African Canadian populations.

What has concerned me over the years is that many of our new arrival ethnic communities choose to segregate themselves into enclaves in our City. They have created their own areas where they set up businesses, residence and places of learning and this is quite jarring to me.

When I attended Strathcona Elementary school, most of my playmates were Chinese, Japanese, Ukrainian and Italian. We happily and joyously mixed together. We played together, went camping together and celebrated our different cultures together.

Now there are separate schools for our multi-cultural groups and less integration. Many places of worship and learning have become breeding grounds for intolerance and hate.

Supposed celebratory parades are turned into fronts for showcasing and organizing intolerant and despicable actions. I include the Surrey Vaisakhi parade and a number of the temples which have spewed garbage from their pulpits where the younger people are brought up believing it is OK to lash out at people different from them.

So while it is important that we exercise caution around our changing City, we cannot though turn a blind eye, letting it go unnoticed that our City has become a very dangerous place to live.

Speaking with people I have heard over and over again the same messages of how our City has meta-morphed into a place where there are deep divisions and increased cultural conflicts. Many people state that our immigration policies and politics seem to be creating a City without respect for diversity and tolerance.

Just mouthing the words, fairness, respect and tolerance is not enough. Time and time again this is what our politicians only seem capable of doing.

Our Vancouver municipal government seems to be lost. Instead of tackling these real serious issues they have focused on other priorities such as bike lanes, legalizing backyard chicken houses and re-making City Hall grounds into vegetable gardens.

Hate and violence issues appear to be less of a priority and this is sad. Remember how the Mayor promised almost two years ago a round-table regarding increased violence toward sex workers. Well it hasn't happened and I'm not sure what progress if any the Vision GLBT mandated committee of City Hall are making. Have they even produced a report to the City yet?

City Hall welcomed the Ultimate Fighting Champions into our City and some people are saying there is a direct link between promoting this type of violence and the recent hate-motivated attack over the weekend on David Holtzman and Pete Regier.

So what can we do?

Well next Monday June 21, a meeting HAS BEEN CALLED to talk about Vancouver municipal issues. Hopefully out of this meeting a new plan can be worked on which will create more positive change for our City.

My best wishes go out to Pete Regier and David Holtzman and others who encounter violence. I know they are not alone in their pain and they will not suffer alone either.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.ccom

HATE ATTACKS on the RISE

2010-06-14T09:34:00.001-07:00

MUSINGS ABOUT VANCOUVER PARK BOARD

2010-06-10T13:36:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

MUSINGS ABOUT VANCOUVER PARK BOARD

My god our Vancouver Park Board has become the talk of the town and sadly its for their inability to do the job that they were elected to do. Yes most of them elected were inexperienced but at the mid term point of their mandate, they are exhibiting the same inexperience and this is concerning for Vancouver citizens.

Here are a number of examples.

Green Commissioner Stuart MacKinnon in voting to disallow anti Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) canvassers on park board and community centres properties cries out that it is too risky because the canvassers (public volunteers) might engage the citizens down the road in recalling a number of our politicians. Mr MacKinnon then offers us a real doozy by saying this is partisan politics. It appears Mr MacKinnon doesn't understand that politics is by nature partisan and to have a politician mouth these words is a tragedy.

Commissioner Sarah Bythe the Vice Chair of the Board with the Vision Party still appears out of her depth. She never speaks up at Park Board on issues except to inform us how she will be voting. The public is getting very weary of someone elected who can't find her voice. Is this the type of person we want setting policies for us?

Aaron Jasper who is Chair of the Board, the other night, kicked out of the meeting a participant because the individual was heckling too much. Mr Jasper said there is no place in a meeting for this type of disrespect. However, as we all know he has no problem sitting beside one of his colleague who got smashing drunk on a public beach and who then slammed into a house when she passed out cold at the wheel of her car. It seems strange that Mr Jasper can't tolerate a heckler or someone heckling (which isn't against the law but is happy to sit alongside someone convicted of breaking the law). Talk about a double standard.

Sorry Commissioner Loretta Woodcock of COPE you are not off the hook here either. You are the most experienced of the the Park Commissioners and you dropped the ball on one of your election promises which was not to allow privatization of our public concessions. So tell us why did you support the privatization of the English Bay Concession? Yes I understand you are juggling many things and as one media has observed you often appear bored and not on top of your game. May I suggest you go back to being blond as this may perk you up a bit! The public though thanks you for putting forward a last minute amendment to the HST initiative which confirms free speech in our community centres but are we not already guaranteed this by our Charter?

Commissioner Raj Hundal of Vision I can't say too much about you other than why did you vote for Sarah Blyth to become Vice-Chair and allow Aaron Jasper to steal the Chair position away from you? Didn't you know that Mr Jasper is prone to about turns? Remember as a West Ender he lobbied heavily against the English Bay Bistro but once on Park Board a short time later voted in favour of it.

Commissioner Ian Robertson of the NPA. I don't get it. You said you voted against the HST yet voted to ban anti HST canvassers from participating and engaging the public on public property. So what gives here? What was your reason for voting against it? Was it because it would hurt vulnerable and low-income people who use our Parks and Community Centres? If this is the case it makes no sense whatsoever for voting to ban people from the parks and centres who are trying to extend a helping hand to those people who will be most hurt by the HST.

Vision Commissioner Constance Barnes, your Father was revered in our City and Province. He was a principled man and he never kissed anyone's behind. He even stood up to those in his own Party. You need to find that same strength because as you know this game can be ugly and it will eat away at you especially if you don't find that fighting spirit and Independent streak that your Papa was famous for.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

NATIONAL POST SERIES on WOODWARD'S RE-DEVELOPMENT

2010-06-07T14:29:00.005-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

NATIONAL POST SERIES on WOODWARD'S RE-DEVELOPMENT

This next month Brian Hutchinson of the National Post is writing a series of articles on the Woodward's re-development and what this means for the longstanding Oldtown and Downtown Eastside neighborhood and its residents.

Mr Hutchinson is staying at the Woodward's District which was a named coined by Bob Rennie, the marketing guru who was provided the exclusive right to market Woodwards by the Woodward's developer Ian Gillespie of Westbank development fame.

Mr Hutchinson is residing at the Woodward's District in one of the pricey condos for the next month. His temporary tenancy is obviously an attempt to provide a first hand glimpse into how this big box development and the surrounding area will be affected by this mega development which as Mr Hutchinson accurately points out was spearheaded by former Councilor Jim Green who had tremendous influence in the re-development of Woodward's. He and now Senator Larry Campbell actually held all the power in the negotiations of Woodward's.

In fact Mr Green attempted to ride on the coattails of Woodward's into the Mayor's seat in 2005 and was heavily supported by Mr Gillespie and Mr Rennie who provided bucket loads of cash to his losing campaign. These two Men brought in at least one quarter of a million dollars to the campaign of Mr Green and now we learn that Mr Green is living in the Woodward's Compound and in Mr Hutchinson's piece he states that Mr Green does not own the luxury three-storey Condo with breathtaking views that he now occupies. So who does own this luxury Condo?

I recall when the late Emery Barnes, the very popular NDP MLA desired to bring attention to the plight of Vancouver's DTES downtrodden citizens, he stayed at a fleabag hotel in the DTES and lived off the welfare rates at the time. He wanted to showcase how welfare created further hardship for low-income people. To me that was a genuine act of leadership and Mr Barnes did not in any way benefit from this selfless act of kindness. This was truly public service. In fact at that time Mr Barnes said he lost a tremendous amount of weight because he could not properly eat with the meager amount he could spend on food.

In Mr Hutchinson's recent piece he paints Mr Jim Green as a black-cloaked Robin Hood.

Interesting that in 1991 Mr Green while head honcho of DERA, thousands of dollars went missing and he signed off on a confidentiality agreement with the public funders that to this day has never been disclosed. At the time that the $10,000 went missing Mr Green was an official check signer on all DERA financial accounts.

In this recent article by Mr Hutchinson, former Councilor Jim Green lashes out at his detractors demanding to know what they have ever done for the Downtown Eastside.

While some people don't want to be known as a detractor of Bossman Jim Green, I will though articulate some great developments which have taken place before Mr Green rode into town obtaining a name for himself as a man of the people.

Funny how there is an Upstairs Downstairs aspect to Woodward's and Mr Green lives upstairs and not with the people he claims to champion for. But that is a whole other story.

Affordable and supportive housing was built in the DTES long before Mr Green came along. Antoinette Lodge was spearheaded by the likes of Shirley Chan and former Mayor Mike Harcourt. The City also spearheaded development of Oppenheimer Lodge, Roeddan Lodge on Dunlevy and Victory House on Cordova was initiated by St James Services.

The New World Hotel was converted to Aboriginal housing by the Vancouver Indian Centre Society led by my cousin the late Wayne Clark who was the Executive Director of the Vancouver Indian Centre.

The proposed freeway through Strathcona was another neighborhood battle which thankfully preserved this historic neighborhood for future generations. Mr Green who lived for a longtime in Strathcona was not involved in this neighborhood movement.

The Militant Mothers of Raymur initiated the ongoing train-track demonstrations which created a safe overpass for children of Raymur in the Strathcona neighborhood who attended Seymour Elementary school and had to cross dangerous railroad tracks to get to school. Again Mr Green was not around for this battle. Neither was he around for the setting up of Vancouver's first DTES Cooperative Food store located at Raymur. This store allowed low-income families including mine to make bulk purchases for healthy foods to reduce expenses.

The saving of Carnegie Centre was another battle won by founding members of DERA including my late Mother and Father Alice and Ralph Hamilton, now MP for Vancouver East Libby Davies, the late Vancouver Councilor Bruce Eriksen who co-founded DERA and longtime DTES Community Advocate Jean Swanson and others.

So Mr Green should not throw daggers at others demanding to know what they have done for this community and neighborhood.

Jim Green's does have a record of activism in the Downtown Eastside with some good acts and some bad.

Yes he helped create two Housing co-ops and three geared-to-income Housing projects in the DTES. One is the DERA co-op which moved to change their name to what is now called the Alexander Street Cooperative. The community there dd not desire a further association with DERA for some reason.

The Four Sisters Housing Cooperative and Pendera won awards and Mr Green should be congratulated for this.

The Pendera, 14 years after it was built had extensive mold problems and envelope failure due to shoddy construction which Mr Green had to have overseen.

Solheim Place which was named after Olaf Solheim who was an Expo casualty now houses most of the leadership of the extreme radical and violent Anti Poverty Gang who played a significant role in taking over the abandoned Woodward's which speared Councilor Green into action claiming he would save it for low income people. Plus he would ensure there was a lo-cost food store built for the neighborhood.

The food store is Nesters, a boutique food market which has at least 40% higher food costs than other food stores and this is interesting since Nesters has a deal where they don't pay any property tax. You think they might lower their prices considering they were given such a sweetheart deal.

It will be interesting to see if Woodward's does re-vitalize the area without pushing people out and we may not know this for another 5-10 years but like many of Jim Green's other promises the only real benefit at this time seems to be the one that he has secured for himself in the form of one luxury sky box within the Woodward's compound.

While I recognize that Mr Green needs to eat and a place to live it just seems kinda obscene that while the people he once championed for suffer on the streets below while he is lapping up and living the luxurious life above.

See Mr Hutchinson's piece here http://www.nationalpost.com/Woodward+Project+greening+Woodward/3120788/story.html

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

DID the MEDIA and GLBT POLITICIANS JUMP on a POLITICAL BANDWAGON?

2010-06-01T12:36:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

DID the MEDIA and GLBT POLITICIANS JUMP on a POLITICAL BANDWAGON?

Recently there has been extensive media attention given to a lesbian teacher who was fired from Little Flower Academy, a Catholic Private school.

Now New Democrat GLBT politicians have jumped on the teacher's bandwagon penning a letter to the Minister of Education Margaret McDiarmid regarding discrimination.

While I believe that nobody should be discriminated against because of their gender identity or sexual expression, however, I also believe in freedom of religious rights.

It seems that no media including our progressive news outlets like the Georgia Straight and Xtra have taken a critical approach to this particular complaint.

We all know that Catholicism has core values which often puts it in opposition to other peoples charter rights but should one set of rights trump another?

I must question why this Lesbian teacher chose to apply and work at Little Flower Academy especially knowing the Church's positions on condom use, women's reproductive health & choice and homosexuality.

It seems to me that this teacher willingly went along with this repressive-based-faith community until it was discovered that she was in fact a lesbian and then all hell broke loose.

I haven't yet seen any critical analysis from the media asking why this Teacher chose in the first place to work at Little Flower.

Did she affirm this religious community's core values until such time that she was discovered to be different from them? Did she agree to teach from a faith-based perspective and in fact by applying to work at this faith-based institution did she willingly go along with their family values, core values and religious teachings?

Finally I want to say that my Mother attended and lived at Little Flower Academy, which formerly claimed to be a boarding school but in actual fact was a residential school working together with St Mary's Mission Residential School and the horror stories my Mother told me about that she suffered at these Institutions still bring tears to my eyes.

And this Teacher must have known of the history and abuses which took place at Little Flower Academy/Residential School and yet she still willingly became part of this faith-based community and one must question why?

Until such time as there is some accurate analysis to this story I'm not certain if its in the best interest of the GLBT communities to jump on this particular bandwagon.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

BC HOUSING MUST BE INVESTIGATED over DERA CORRUPTION

2010-05-31T16:01:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

BC HOUSING MUST BE INVESTIGATED over DERA CORRUPTION

Well some of my readers may be wondering whatever happened with the Downtown Eastside Residents Association (DERA) regarding misuse of housing subsidies and the ensuing corruption which was rampantly occuring at DERA.

Here is what I can tell you.

DERA Housing Society is now under a court ordered receiver-general and the executive director Kim Kerr is just slightly out of the picture.

The second in command to Kim Kerr at DERA, Sabrina Druia who kept her mouth shut during this whole time as Housing Manager at DERA has now been appointed the Executive Director of DERA.

In another strange twist, BC Housing signed a confidentiality agreement with DERA on or about May 18, 2010 that no criminal investigation or prosecution will take place.

I would assume that whoever agreed to this agreement needs to be immediately fired even if it was the CEO of BC Housing Mr Shayne Ramsey.

This whole issue of the criminal activities at DERA must be properly investigated by the Vancouver Police Department and further an investigation of BC Housing must be undertaken immediately since any confidentiality agreement signed by BC Housing with DERA now reeks of political interference. Why would BC Housing make such an agreement since it seems the VPD should be the body making the determination of an investigation.

The Minister of Housing Minister Rich Coleman must now assure the public that he is on top of this mess because as we know and which the mainstream press will soon expose there was widespread fraud and misuse of the public's money. Moreover, there was corruption at the highest level of this organization and Mr Coleman needs to state what actions are being taken to ensure these types of criminal acts are prevented in the future. Plus what other steps are being taken by Minister Coleman to ensure the fraudulent activities happening at DERA are not repeated at other DTES organizations.

Step up to the plate Minister Coleman.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

NEWER-ANNOUNCED SUPPORTIVE HOUSING for VANCOUVER?

2010-05-26T07:25:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

NEWER-ANNOUNCED SUPPORTIVE HOUSING for VANCOUVER?

Yesterday Premier Gordon Campbell along with Mayor Gregor Robertson and Housing Minister Rich Coleman announced to the media that 8 new supportive housing buildings will be built by 2011-2015 to combat our increasing homelessness. This would according to them provide an increase of 1,000 units of affordable housing stock.

In the past we have seen these types of announcements and actual purpose built housing took forever to come about and often the earmarked units have been scaled back with governments often citing budget constraints.

From 2002-2009 we saw plenty of announcements regarding Woodwards and the original affordable units promised in that development were scaled back. Ditto for Olympic Village which also saw a dramatic decrease in promised units.

While feel good announcements are often a good thing for politicians, the reality though for those who need immediate affordable housing is quite another.

Minister Rich Coleman states that the bulk of the funding for this newer-announced housing which is really questionable about its newness is coming from the re-development of Little Mountain Housing where the government turned over public land to a private developer who will now cash in big time with the selling of luxury condos.

Many of the residents residing at Little Mountain, including families, were mass evicted in order to pave the way for this massive condo development. This latest announcement says nothing about affordable family housing and again we see that none of this newer-announced housing is slated for the Westside except for one at 7th and Fir.

It seems that all levels of government are still fearful of building affordable housing in the creme-de-la-creme Westside bastions where they desire to keep these areas exclusively for the well to do, which is too bad since this really feeds the impression that we really do have two cities within Vancouver with Main Street the dividing line. Only thing missing from Main Street are the railway tracks.

So while this newer-announced housing will be viewed favourably and many politicians will gain traction from these announcements, whether the actual housing numbers cited come into being will be another matter. I guess though we can take the politicians at their word but how many times have we seen broken promises?

And this newer-announced housing will not come without some conflict.

Already a Gay Club which sits on one site slated for affordable housing will not go quietly. This club has become quite well known more for the place to purchase drugs and supporters of the this club are spitting on the idea that they need to move. Problem is no downtown area wants this club in their midst so who knows what will happen here.

Interesting though that the government chose to take this time to make this affordable housing announcement.

As everyone knows the provincial government are in the midst of a huge battle with the public regarding the unpopular Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) and because they were not able to promote propaganda regarding the supposed benefits of the HST,, one if left wondering if this newer-announced housing strategy is part of an over-all arsenal to make the provincial and municipal governments look good.

Does anyone know by chance if Mayor Gregor Robertson and Vancouver City Hall have staked out an official position against the HST?

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Sean Horlor Shoots off Mouth Again

2010-05-20T13:24:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver BC

SEAN HORLOR SHOOTS off MOUTH AGAIN
This Time at Yaletown Brewing Company

Once again Sean Horlor the resident Blogger over at XTRA can now add misogynist to his padded resume.

Mr Horlor recently had lunch at the popular Yaletown Brewing Company and for some idiotic reason thought the 2 piece Halibut and Chips was too expensive. It cost $18.99 in what can be considered a very chic Yaletown hotspot.

Mr Horlor goes on to attack the Yaletown Brewing waitress in his piece by calling her a Bitch because he feels she mislead him about the serving size.

I did a comparison and at Mr Pickwick's take-out in Marpole, the 2 piece halibut n chips was $14.98. Remember though this Mr Pickwick's has no indoor seating. Also at the Fish House in Stanley Park the 2 piece cod n chips is $17.95

So why is Mr Horlor screaming his fool head off?

Well as one commentator has said on this blog, Mr Horlor is part of the wanna play can't pay crowd. In code he wants to be seen as a hip dude at the popular spots around town but he is very cheap.

I must say that when I go to the Yaletown Brewing Company I usually have the halibut and chips, while I dine with the fabulous and handsome owner Mr Mark James and I can honestly say the serving size is very generous and ranks right up there taste-wise with the best fish n chips this City has to offer. Plus the servers and hosts are super friendly and courteous

So check out the Yaletown Brewing Company and have a great brewed Ale with those yummy Fish n Chips. See http://www.markjamesgroup.com

Oh and Mr Horlor don't call women bitches. It is very misogynistic in case you didn't know.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

WHO is SEAN HORLOR?

2010-05-07T07:44:00.006-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

WHO is SEAN HORLOR?
Blogger Overstates his Credentials

It seems that Sean Horlor, sex pig blogger for Xtra has overstated his credentials on his online CV. See www.seanhorlor.com He claims to be a Journalist yet really has no qualifying credentials to back up this fabrication.

Mr Horlor has written a few articles ok 3 or 4 poorly written ones for Xtrawest and now is the Xtra resident gay blogger.

Blogging is probably more suitable to Mr Horlor since the articles could never be considered quality pieces by most journalistic standards.

The Journalists I spoke to regarding Mr Horlor's articles said they were a joke. They were according to my sources nothing but fluff pieces probably written in order for Mr Horlor to get laid. These real Journalists said they would actually be quite dismayed and embarrassed to have any of their work appear near him. He has become the standard joke in one certain newsroom.

See this story http://www.xtra.ca/public/Vancouver/I_am_Peter_Breeze_and_nobody_else_is-5702.aspx

Here are a few comments made regarding the fluff piece written by Blogger Horlor

"More Fluff
Dime a dozen. Careful where you spread your cheeks. Can't believe, no wait I can that Xtra lets this be a part of their paper.
Fluff, Vancouver BC
10/27/08 9:34 PM EST "

"Poor journalism
This is a disappointing article. That it was the cover story makes it doubly disappointing. First of all, Sean Horlor might be considered to be an up-and-coming Canadian poet, but a journalist he is not. Perhaps it is because he was too busy being sycophantic, or perhaps it is because he is just a poor writer. There is a world of difference between, say, writing a poem and writing a profile for a newspaper. And do not believe for a moment that one is necessarily easier than the other. You either have it or you don't. Don't think for a moment I am not going to be constructive with my criticism. I shall now provide examples of where this article went wrong and how it could have been improved. Example 1: "This past August, at Peter Breeze's live concert at the Sunset Beach Pride Festival, one of his female fans screamed non-stop for the entire length of his first single 'Boy.'" Two problems. First, did the first three words need to be "this past August"? Didn't grab me. Second, it is redundant to say "live concert". Just saying "concert" would have sufficed. Example 2: "Breeze took a night off his hectic recording schedule to meet up with me in his manager's Yaletown apartment a few weeks ago." Why do we need to know he has a hectic schedule? Does this imply he is the only busy person out there? This insults the reader because it implies that he or she should feel privileged to read this. Also, writing that you did the interview a few weeks ago is fairly pointless. Example 3: "He also has an easy-going way of talking that would put the typical standoffish Vancouverite to shame." Cliche. Example 4: "He even has the word 'untouchable' tattooed on his right wrist, a suitable statement given where he hopes he's headed and what he seems to be capable of." Fluff. Assumptions. Sycophan
Martin, London Uinited Kingdom
11/06/08 5:28 PM EST "

Mr Horlor also claims to have been a speechwriter for Premier Gordon Campbell but if you actually have seen his writing, perhaps this is why he no longer is a speechwriter.

In his latest blog posting of today, Mr Horlor uses a friend using the anonymous name Steve Adams ( not a real name - talk about being a coward) to blog about the grey whale currently residing in False Creek. Mr Horlor lifted my photo which he does not have permission to use and plucked it down above his story. Pathetic if you ask me and this just demonstrates that he has no credibility whatsoever in the journalism world.

A real Journalist governs themselves by ethical standards and the lifting of someone's photo which you do not have the rights to, besides being just plain stupid, also re-enforces that Mr Horlor has no ethics.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

NB the term sex pig originates in the gay community and is not considered an offensive term. It is attributed primarily to gay males and to define someone who has made it a point of well being a sex pig or uses their sexuality in order to draw attention to themself.

An Apology to the DMS is Due

2010-05-06T13:28:00.006-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

AN APOLOGY to DOGWOOD MONARCHIST SOCIETY (DMS) is DUE

While I still have strong feelings over how a few DMS lifetime members are being treated or were mistreated by other lifetime members, however, I should not have painted the whole DMS organization with the same brush.

This is overdue and although I never harboured ill will toward Mike Murrell or Iona Whipp, last year's Emperor and Empress and you both should be congratulated for giving selflessly of your time and raising $20,000 for charity. It also remains my sincerest hope that the DMS realizes it should be more careful in its operating costs so that even more can be given away to charitable groups.

Further, I sincerely hope that the new DMS doesn't forget its past and that it recognizes that the founder ted northe, Empress of Canada and Empress 11 Mona Lee should be treated with respect and dignity because without them and our amazing first Empress Charity St Peters there would be no Dogwood Monarchist Society and we may not have gained our equality rights now enshrined in our Charter.

While some may take my apology as a sign of weakness, I however don't. I must shoulder some responsibility in the dust-up which has occured and this apology is in recognition of that.

I was called some very nasty names by DMS supporters including that I should have been fed to the pigs and while forgiveness is in my heart I just realize how heinous some people can be within our own community and so I can't or won't ever easily forget this.

I want to also thank two beautiful Vancouver, BC Empresses who sent me posts in the last few days expressing their concern over my recent misadventure with the pavement. This outpouring of concern again demonstrates to me that the DMS has some very worthy qualities to it and so I express my gratitude to Empress 1 Charity St Peters and Empress XXXV Jaylene Tyme and I hope this does not get you into trouble girls!

Vancouver is so often known for its uniqueness and while this battle among Royals was aired in a very public and nasty way, my gosh, it was even bigger than the battle in Seattle in 1981 between two factions of Royals there which were aptly named by each opposing side as the Summit Sluts vs the Belmont Beauties. Summit and Belmont referred to the streets these Queens lived on.

Somehow over time these two sides settled their differences and trust me their battle ranked right up there with ours.

I am hopeful that at the end of the day so can the Royalty here in Vancouver, BC Canada. All I know is that with so many Royalty having been taken from us and with the right-wing breathing down our necks and who would like to see us exterminated, I am hopeful that the current crop of DMS'ers which fundraises for charity don't forget the earlier DMS'ers who also are equally worthy for setting us down a path which secured us human rights in this Country and that alone must be treated with the greatest of respect.

Once again my apologies for my participation which gave rise to airing our laundry in a very unfortunate way.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

MY RECENT COLUMN TICKS OFF BLOGGER

2010-05-06T11:49:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

RECENT COLUMN TICKS off SEX PIG BLOGGER

Seems like my recent column on sex pig blogger Sean Horlor who is a former speechwriter to right-wing politician Gordon Campbell has created some waves.

Mr Horlor took pot shots at the Downtown Eastside and at a number of its residents (drug addicted ones and sex workers) when he stated that one couldn't find a clean restaurant in the area and the only things for breakfast you would find are crack addicts and prostitutes which he has now renamed working girls.

Mr Horlor is clearly upset so he has taken aim at my Blog for starting the barrage of comments to his blog which brought increased traffic so I'm not sure why he is worried.

Mr Horlor who hangs with the designer drug crowd, shills for porn producers besides working for extreme right-wing politicians has recently had some teeth whitening done and glowingly thanked porn producer Big Roger for his new beautiful mouth.

Too bad that mouth won't be seen further at the J Lounge where he hosted brunch talk which was cancelled, however I'm sure that mouth can be put to good use on Big Roger.

Funny how Mr Horlor attacked my blog around number of visitors yet his show gets canned for being unable to draw customers.

Tsk Tsk Mr Horlor.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

GAY FUCK WRITER for XTRAWEST HAS BECOME a JOKE

2010-05-05T09:32:00.007-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

GAY FUCK WRITER for XTRAWEST HAS BECOME a JOKE

Sean Horlor, who previously was a speechwriter for BC Premier Gordon Campbell is now busy promoting stupidity and sexual fluff on the online version of Xtrawest but in his recent posting he takes a shot at drug addicted people and sex workers in the Downtown Eastside for some unknown reason.

In his latest ramble where he is shilling for a new restaurant on East Hastings besides Army and Navy, he states that until his new favourite restaurant came along previously the only type of breakfast one could obtain in the area, were crack addicts and prostitutes.

Mr Horlor, a West End resident is out to lunch in his latest diatribe. Clearly if he knew anything about the area, he would know first that East Hastings has a neighborhood name and its not called Crosstown as he calls it, moreover, the Tinseltown area he refers to in his piece does not exist. Tinseltown is a group of theatres in the International Village complex and there is no Tinseltown area.

If Mr Horlor knew the area he writes about, he also would know that there are many spots serving up good breakfasts which they have been doing for years. And at very affordable prices. These include the Smile, Mitzies, the Potluck Cafe, Carnegie Centre, the lunch counter at Save-on Meats, The Ovaltine and the many Chinese restaurants along Pender with their own brand of ChinCan breakfasts which are really cute.

So just because Mr Horlor is now visiting Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside where he works out and apparently has a new fuck buddy, he really shows a lack of respect for the area and its citizens. In fact his piece is a blatant put-down of this longstanding community which ironically over the years was the only neighborhood accepting of the gay lifestyle and where the early gay bars were located and our community was welcomed.

Interesting many people are talking and wondering how a once smart man has gone from being a speechwriter to being what can best be described as a sex pig whose writing has become somewhat of a joke since his column's only focus is on self-promotion for himself,his friends, circuit parties and businesses which he promotes.

You would think though that Xtrawest editor Robin Perelle would edit his work especially when it becomes so inaccurate and disrespectful as is the current piece.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Abandoning Babies at Saint Paul's Hospital

2010-05-02T10:04:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

ABANDONING BABIES at SAINT PAUL'S HOSPITAL

This new idea in Canada of women being able to anonymously abandon their babies at St Paul's Hospital is so sad. We hear that the baby or child will be put into the care of social services and this is supposed to alleviate our concerns I guess.

Mothers and Fathers have a responsibility if giving up the baby to forward important information/history about the baby or child and especially that a child should have in their later years.

Every individual should have and deserve to know their heritage, when they were born, where they were born and important family medical history. Why would we deny children a right to know when their own birthday is? Denying a child this historical marker seems really cruel if you ask me.

Thankfully, Mary Ellen Turpel-Lafond, the province' Child and Youth Representative the other morning on CBC, outlined a number of concerns regarding this planned action.

Seems to me that there is potential human rights abuses if this policy is allowed to be put into action and I'm not sure if BC or Canada when a child is born has a Chidren's Bill or Rights and if there isn't, perhaps there needs to be.

There are many options if you can't care for a baby or child and if we need improved supports than we need to ensure all babies have a fair start in life but to throw up our hands and say it is OK to toss out your baby like you would the trash is totally unacceptable.

What has happened to society?

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

2010-04-30T12:14:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

DRUG TRAFFICKING HOUSE

Many of us have been taken back over the recent news that a Vancouver police officer has been charged with selling marijuana in the Downtown Eastside. Chief Jim Chu upon learning of these serious allegations immediately took steps to re-move the officer from his patrol duties plus he was fired. Chief Chu directed 30 officers to investigate the alleged criminal offences and the Chief Constable must be applauded for his swift action.

Now I hope Chief Chu and his new Deputy Chief Warren Lemcke also endeavor with the same vigor to undertake a serious matter in District 1 (the West End of Vancouver) in the Davie Village area.

It is widely known that a certain business which fronts as a gay club has knowingly allowed drug traffickers to sell hard-core drugs directly from its premises.

Selling drugs to many sick individuals including people with AIDS, mental illness and vulnerable street youth is parasitic and this criminality is deplorable and should have no place in a humane, civilized society.

It seems obscene that with so many homeless people on our streets that the lucrative drug market has found a home to traffick their poison with what appears so far to be absolutely zero consequences.

This property is slated to be re-developed for social housing and while desperate, sick people wait for their housing, a number of the worst parasites in society are gaining financial reward at sick peoples expense. Equally troubling is that poor people continue to freeze or burn to death on our streets and which recently happened within one block of this drug house.

The selling of harmful drugs to vulnerable people and communities Chief Chu and Deputy Chief Lemcke creates untold harm as you know. I hope you undertake the same swift action as you did to one of your own who also targeted vulnerable and very sick people. This is the worst sort of depravity and it must stop.

Currently, the City of Vancouver owns the property.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

DEAR DEPUTY CHIEF LEMCKE

2010-04-28T13:38:00.000-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

DEAR DEPUTY CHIEF WARREN LEMCKE
An Open Letter

Dear Deputy Chief Lemcke. Let me take this opportunity to first congratulate you regarding your new promotion to Deputy Chief Constable of the Vancouver Police Department. I know you have all the necessary skills to be a terrific deputy Chief and our City is fortunate to have you and Chief Jim Chu at the helm providing and overseeing safety and security to the city residents.

It is with this safety and security in mind that I contact you.

I have received numerous complaints now of drug trafficking which is happening in District 1. What I have been informed is that a certain property which holds a City of Vancouver business license is being used as a trafficking hub for illicit drug distribution and trafficking.

What is actually more shocking is that the property is owned by the City of Vancouver and it is alleged that the business license operators are turning a blind eye to the alleged criminal activity being committed right before their eyes. Also quite appalling is that the City Council has directed staff to assist this business in finding a new location for its operations.

This drug trafficking must be investigated at once. While our City embraces a harm-reduction philosophy regarding drug use, the citizens though are not willing to accept drug trafficking which harms people without any consequences.

While certain bars and nightclubs have implemented a zero policy of criminal activity in their clubs and in fact, they are part of a program called bar watch, the Club though that I refer has done nothing to curb the illegal criminal activity happening within their business operation.

I hope that because this drug distribution centre fronts as a gay club that this doesn't scare off the police from properly investigating what amounts to parasitic criminal activity. Far too many people are being harmed and I ask you to follow up in regard to the allegation set forth before you.

As you know and which I remind you that Enforcement is part of the City's 4 Pillar and overall drug policy and it specifically states that if illicit activity is creating harm to people or a community, the police must investigate.

Thanks Deputy Chief Lemcke and I look forward to hearing from you.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

MARK HASIUK IS A LIAR

2010-04-27T11:57:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

MARK HASIUK IS A LIAR

Vancouver Courier Columnist MARK HASIUK besides being homophobic, anti sex worker, against minorities and Aboriginal people can now add LIAR to his unsavory credentials.

Last week Mr Hasiuk wrote an opinion piece stating that Councilor Kerry Jang had said that prostitution was abhorrent. It is a very strong word which is certain to stir up hate and in fact Councilor Jang has stated he didn't say this at all.

It seems Mr Hasiuk is willing to do anything including lying to make his case that prostitution should be abolished. He has written so much crap but when he gets caught in fabricating lies he needs to be exposed for the type of journalist he is. In fact he has become the Ann Coulter of Canada. Does our rather liberal city that celebrates diversity and is tolerant of different lifestyles which do not harm others, do we in fact want a cowardly white guy journalist fear mongering and spreading hate?

Just for the record what Councilor Jang said was that sex slavery like all forms of slavery is abhorrent and those of us who promote sex trade safety would agree with Mr Jang 100%.

It is time if the Courier continues to have a hate monger on staff and allows him free reign to promote hate perhaps those of us who love our City for its progressiveness and liberal attitudes began to educate Courier advertisers that they can expect consequences if they choose to advertise with a paper who has a trash-talking and disgusting individual spreading filth and lies on its news pages.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Regarding Tung Chan for Mayor

2010-04-14T15:03:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

REGARDING TUNG CHAN for MAYOR
Up To Geller and Anton to Reshape NPA

While former Vancouver Councilor Tung Chan may be a nice man, if he decides to run for Mayor he will not gain much traction in the West End. He has no profile there and if the NPA is to make any comeback, they need to soften their image to appeal to more moderate voters. They can't win municipal government without carrying the West End and no offense to Sean Bickerton who is also a really nice guy but he alone as a member of the gay community isn't enough to entice West Enders.

Seems to me that we may start to see emerge more municipal parties and even prominent Independents getting elected as I think Vancouver hasn't exactly embraced the two current party system in Vancouver.

Look for COPE to strike out on its own since it has now tired of playing the poor cousin to Vision. But they will not run a Mayoral candidate if it is Mayor Gregor Robertson against Tung Chan, the NPA can expect to remain sitting out in the wilderness.

A more interesting match-up for the NPA would be either Michael Geller or Suzanne Anton up against Gregor Robertson and I think many centre left voters who traditionally vote COPE and who are turned off by Vision could easily vote Mr Geller or Ms Anton and this would ensure somewhat of an NPA comeback. Especially if COPE only runs three or four candidates for Council. But they could never vote Tung Chan and as stated earlier the sizable gay community will not embrace Tung Chan.

Plus right-wing Conservatives back-room NPA types need to stay out of the election or the NPA will once again be doomed.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

MUSINGS About NON -PROFITS and SKIMMING CHARITY

2010-04-13T12:00:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver BC

COMMUNIQUE from THE LADY HAMILTON

In recent days I have been critical of the local Dogwood Monarchist Society (DMS), a local fundraising group around its lack of transparency and accountability in the community.

The DMS board has gloated over donating $19,000 to charity this year yet their income was $40,000. They give themselves favours, spend money on hotels and flights yet rely on the community for all its financial support. Spending 50% of your income on yourselves is not Charity my friends!

Given that we have so much homelessness, poverty, and hunger in our community, I am demanding answers. For this I am being savagely attacked by a few board members who have formed a clique. One even had the nerve to say if I had nothing positive to contribute I should leave the organization. She stated I was not welcome!

Amazing the gall that Board member Summer Clearance has. She thinks she has the right to tell longtime members they are no longer welcome just for expressing our viewpoints. Oh and Summer wasn't even elected to the board but was appointed by a small group of College members (the Clique) who would not allow members to vote on the appointment.

As benevolent Founder and Empress of Canada ted northe said at the Annual General Meeting on Sunday. "We must get back to gaining respect and credibility in our Community. We must be there for the Community and not ourselves". For this simple well thought out and reasoned statement the Empress of Canada was savagely attacked by a few College Members led by Empress 1X DeDe Drew who had the nerve to inform the Founder that they have bent over backwards for her and were tired of her behaviour. How disrespectful is that? This is the Fonder we are speaking about. The founder who gave so much and continues to give. Her vision is why so many people in our community have been helped over the last 40 years.

In a recent 28 day stay in the hospital, not one College member visited the Empress of Canada or even send flowers or well wishes. Yet this same organization spends funds on travel, food and hotel room for an American politician who has never done anything for Vancouver. How shameful is that?

Yes folks thanks for one of our earliest Empresses drawing attention to this matter, she Empress 11 Mona Alexandria Lee was attacked by the same aforementioned clique and denied entry or her walk at the recent ball. Her temporary suspension handed down by this same autocratic clique had no revelence to democratic principles and in fact, the clique is sorta now leaving the illegal suspension on hold.

In any event, The Lady Hamilton draws your attention to this.

Why are these College members giving themselves complimentary trips, free tickets, hotel accommodation yet asking the community to pay $60 for a Ball ticket which we are happy to do if the funds generated are going to help people in need.

Again, I must draw your attention to this. The recent Vancouver, BC Coronation Ball brought in $18,000 in revenues yet Ball expenses were $15,000. Is this acceptable that only $3,000 from the ball tickets went to Charity?

So I pose this is too much money being spent on waste when so many in our community are suffering, homeless, living in poverty and going hungry?

But there are good members of this organization and not everyone should be painted with the same brush. It is why I would rather stay and fight for improvement rather than be pushed out by a vicious clique who are well beyond their best before date.

The Lady Hamilton
longtime DMS Court Member and titleholder
otherwise known as Jamie Lee

"I believe you change the world One man at a time"

Massage Services from Guys for Guys

2010-04-09T11:33:00.005-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

MASSAGE SERVICES from GUYS for GUYS

I'm happy to announce that I have been involved in setting up a Male to Male Massage Service in Vancouver, BC.

Often, especially in Vancouver most of the focus has been on the female side of massage and escorting yet Vancouver has a really busy male to male industry but little attention has been given to the guys side of things especially around safety issues and economic security.

So I'm happy to report that I've been working with a number of young men in setting up a group called Red Light Massage. The guys will not be isolated and are planning to work in a co-operative-like way.

The gentlemen essentially are their own agency and I'm thrilled to announce they have asked if I would be willing to take on the role of General Manager at Red Light. Primarily, I will be answering their calls, providing support, scheduling their work and of course ensuring that their health, safety and security needs are met. This will include careful screening of their clients.

In a nutshell my role is to lend my experience to the gentlemen's economic and community capacity building and I am deeply honoured that they have requested me to take on this role for them.

The Red Light Guys will operate under the current legal framework that the City requires and while there may be some stumbling blocks or hiccups along the way, hopefully these can be sorted out in a positive and affirming way to the individuals involved.

Perhaps Vancouver finally has arrived on a world class stage!!!

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

HOMELESSNESS RISES UNDER NDP Vision REGIME

2010-04-08T17:39:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

HOMELESSNESS RISES UNDER NDP Vision REGIME

Yes it's true folks. Believe it or not but Vancouver homelessness has increased 12% under the watch of the NDP municipal regime at City Hall.

How is it Vision when you ride into power on the homelessness bandwagon and under your watch, homelessness increases? How is this possible? Why?

It appears that the NDP Vision group are unsure how to move forward on this issue. Their solution was to spend millions warehousing people in pews and on mats in old decrepit warehouses and an ugly smelly church so perhaps they could say that the numbers of homeless on our streets have decreased as they now have space on pews and mats but since when has a pew or mat been considered a home?

Who has really benefited from warehousing the poor and sick of our City? Ah yes most likely it is the Povertarians who again due to their caring nature are there in these dark times managing the poor in conditions which are far from ideal. Actually the conditions are similar I'm sure to hell.

There needs to be a national housing strategy and the group who should be leading that charge are Vancouver City planners. But where have they been in regard to development of social housing in this City? It seems they will bend over backwards for large scale casinos and other up in the sky forms of development but nowhere have I seen any vision when it comes to the development of affordable housing in this City and mark my words this City has the worst homelessness in all of Canada.

I highly doubt another election will fix the problem as those with the power seem only too happy to continue with their self-serving ways.

An example of this is the recent $34,000 that the City has earmarked on a party for City staff. This is to thank them for their work during the Olympics, yet these same staff already were earning income for the associated Olympic work so why a free party paid for by the taxpayers? I think the taxpayers would find this a frivolous waste of their hard earned tax dollars.

Is there something wrong with the above picture folks?

Seems to me that the City has its priorities wrong and with an election not that far down the road, City Hall may want to reflect on their decreasing public support. What is happening cannot be considered productive public service.

Just being there for your friends and supporters is not a way to govern. And I think it is despicable that Vision provided complimentary tickets to former Councillor Jim Green for the Olympic games. Why Mr Green would even accept free tickets is odd considering his claims of being a champion of the poor.

And there you have it folks another day in the life of the people we trust to do the public's business.

Wonderful isn't it?

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com
.

DERA OH DERA OH DERA

2010-03-26T15:01:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver BC

DERA OH DERA OH DERA

Well everyone has heard I'm sure by now that this once proud and quite noble organization has fallen into complete disrespect.

Serious allegations have surfaced regarding misuse of funds, nepotism and awarding of affordable housing suites to DERA staff, board members and insiders. People on the wait list for affordable housing were disregarded so friends of the Executive Director could have the suites.

Yesterday BC Housing in an unprecedented move has filed a court case against DERA in Supreme Court.

So far the allegations have not yet been proven, however, the fact even of the alleged improprieties is so powerful that DERA is now simply a completely discredited group.

It is quite possible that Police will need to investigate to determine whether criminal acts have occurred.

In the meantime I am hopeful that the Courts can immediately move to take control of the DERA buildings which will provide for the tenants safety.

Residents who I have spoken with in the last two days are completely devastated by the news now surfacing since this was an organization that they had historically held in high regard. Moreover people placed their trust in DERA honestly believing that DERA was fighting on their behalf for a better life.

As we now know even the tinge of these serious allegations has shown that DERA has seemingly without any regard for poor people betrayed and destroyed their trust. This is what is so despicable when you consider that homeless people could have been housed securely in DERA buildings, however, they were passed over in favour of those not needing the housing and this is what is so criminal

Shame on you DERA!!

Please read the stories coming out in the Sun, Province and National Post today and tomorrow.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Xtrawest and Qmunity Selling Real Community Out

2010-03-17T19:42:00.005-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver BC

XTRAWEST and QMUNITY SELLING REAL COMMUNITY OUT

I just can't believe how Xtrawest and Qmunity appear willing to sell out their own community for a few crumbs of social service space and with that more povertarian jobs.

The latest editorial in the queer paper XtraWest by Robin Perelle stinks for a number of reasons, the most important one being that this proposed re-development by Westbank Properties for 1401 Comox skirts normal planning processes and attempts to obtain an increase in development (read higher density for profits) by throwing a few crumbs to Qmunity in the way of providing them 3,000 sq ft space for more social service space which is not really comprehensive community space.

Ms Perelle and a number of GLBT leaders think this is a good thing.

People like Ms Jennifer Breakspear, who is Executive Director of Qmunity and her staff gain the most benefit besides of course the developer, as they see an increase in demand for their social services which of course supplies an increase in jobs. While Ms Breakspear is welcome to empire build what is at stake here is what happens to a community when these type of re-zoning's (maximizing density for profit)occur?

Westbank has said they want to build rental apartments on this former St John's United Church property but you can be certain that rentals will be very high and out of reach for most residents of the existing neighborhood. And I thought that the United Church wanted the property to be used for social housing but I guess their greed for money altered their vision. Funny how money does that.

These large scale and luxury style developments open the door for further high end development which has historically been the case and what happens is the displacement of the existing community.

Rents skyrocket for surrounding properties and we have seen this for the existing tenants at a number of West End buildings including the Seaview and for many residents of the Hollyburn properties who were forced from their homes as these Development Corporations use adjacent rents in surrounding luxury buildings to justify their own greedy and exorbitant rent increases.

If this type of development occurs what will surely happen is an upscaled West End which will become the new Coal Harbour annex and make no mistake folks these people will not want a gay community in their midst. We actually witnessed a taste of this when the Odyssey gay club attempted to re-locate to Denman Street and the area residents there became incensed and lobbied the City to turn down the relocation of a gay club into their family neighborhood. Plus does the West End which is a really high density neighborhood need further high density buildings?

Mr Correia who writes for Xtrawest states in this same article written by his boss (how odd is that) in supporting the Westbank development he states that more apartment rentals in the West End is good but he completely misses the point that it's not good if the existing community can't afford to live there or is pushed out.

Mr Correia is on the board of the new OUR Space community centre building group (new gay community centre building group) and if this is the position taken by OUR Spaces perhaps this new group is not the one to be entrusted to build us a new all inclusive Community Centre. Coincidentally, Ms Laura McDiarmid is on the board of OUR Spaces and as a former Park Board chair she knows a few things about development issues. You can be rest assured that Park boards never to the best of my knowlege allowed spot re-zoning unless it was comprehensive and of benefit to the wider community/neighborhood. So why is she going along with this?

Westbank Properties and its CEO Ian Gillespie also developed Woodwards and for the huge increase in density Mr Gillespie obtained there, the community was promised in return for their support an affordable food market and social family housing which still hasn't materialized. What Westbank provided the community was Nesters Market, a high end boutique food market which has about 30% higher mark-up than other established food markets. Of course it goes without saying that the existing lower income tenants can hardly afford the prices there and so it appears that Nesters was put in place for the new high income dwellers.

Moreover with the Woodwards development, the Developer continues to lobby for a renaming of the longtime Downtown Eastside district to the Woodwards District.

If anyone wants to see what happens to high density spot re-zoning's just look to the Woodwards re-development where across the street, heritage buildings are suddenly renovating and going upscale. Many storefronts there are now advertising high end of market rents and that is in poverty row. You can bet that these property owners will be lobbying hard for the undesirables to be pushed away from their properties.

With the Woodwards complex just look on Craigslist to see how affordable the rents are and you will see what could become the fate of the West End.

The West End already in the last 25 years went through one neighborhood cleansing and I for one can't stomach yet another one.

What Ms Prelle, Ms Breakspear and Westbank are doing is creating conflict and this conflict will pit neighbour against neighbour, friend against friend and community against community. That is not leadership and these individuals should be ashamed.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

LOVELY LUNCH with MADAM SCARLETT TODAY

2010-02-18T16:01:00.003-08:00

Oldtown News
Vancouver BC

LOVELY LUNCH with MADAM SCARLETT TODAY

Today I had a great lunch with Madam Scarlett Lake at the world infamous Elbow Room Cafe and co-owner my lovely Bryan Searle brought me a copy of the Straight which I was featured in.

The piece on the Vancouver sex trade and whether Olympic visitors are banging at the door by Matt Burrows in the Georgia Straight today was interesting. See www.straight.com

The only thing incorrect is that a local worker made false claims that Sex Workers from all over North America have arrived here. This is simply not true and Matt has to be scolded for not fact checking. A cursory glance at the paper he works for and on Craigslist would inform him otherwise.

The Lady Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

THE DTES POVERTARIANS

2010-02-17T14:50:00.002-08:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

THE DTES POVERTARIANS

Wish the DTES Povertarians would stop telling vulnerable, lower income residents that condo owners in the Downtown Eastside are rich people out to get rid of them from their neighborhood. This is simply a disgusting tactic promoted by people from the Anti Poverty Committee, Harsha Walia a Povertarian at the DTES Women's Centre, Am Johal who works for MLA Jenny Kwan and David Eby of BC Civil Liberties who it appears distorted facts over the violent protests by the Black Hooders and which media exposed. Now it appears that the credibility of Mr Eby is tarnished.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

BLACK HOOD COWARDS

2010-02-16T20:02:00.002-08:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

BLACK HOOD COWARDS

I can't believe these black hood cowards who were busy smashing windows, overturning news boxes and attempting to intimidate people.

Even more laughable is that these black hooders had the nerve to send a communique to the Georgia Straight today. If my readers saw the footage of the vandalism these black hooders caused, they would have seen as I did, how they were trashing even the Georgia Straight news boxes.

Besides being cowards they are obviously stupid as well.

And if people like Dr Chris Shaw and many other Olympic protesters who I admire don't distance themselves from these types of goon-style-tactics--the only thing missing from the black hooders costumes was the burning crosses--they too will lose support and this would be really sad to see.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Vancouver's Infamous Courtesan Out of Retirement

2010-02-12T20:01:00.003-08:00

Oldtown News
Vancouver BC

Vancouver's Infamous Courtesan Out of Retirement

Hi Readers

The Olympic Games are here and I had no choice but to alter my Courtesan retirement and bring some 2010 Vancouver style Forbidden pleasures to the people. While my local government would never acknowledge me as one of many Vancouver jewels, nevertheless, many government officials visiting have and after many requests I have re-organized my affairs and will bring some edgy fun and games to this Victorian style City.

Here is my ad for the 2010 Vancouver and Whistler Olympics which is appearing on a Shemale site. (Yes Mr Tsakumis and Mr Leung, I've gone live again--imagine that).

I am mature, on the larger size as a Courtesan should be and I'm truly sexy. I'm one of the few T Goddesses on here who can claim to having real breasts. They are a beautiful 44 D. I live as female so with me there is no disappointing wait times to be ready, plus no attitude and no over-inflated ego. I'm here solely to make your experience out of this world!! And of course we have ample time for me to engage in those forbidden pleasures! And yes guys I still offer that sex-a-licious surprise. I guess a Courtesan goddess can't have any trade secrets anymore :)

My Vancouver studio is very private, clean and sexy. Hot shemale videos playing and different rooms for our rendezvous. Includes an actual massage table where you will receive an un-rushed sensual massage. For your added pleasure, toys and prostate massage also available.

Your confidentiality is vitally important to me so rest assured that your privacy is completely respected. Your visit to me is completely anonymous.

I'm also drug and disease free so any health concerns you may have, you can be assured that with me there are no risks associated with our sensual experience.

Plus I have great rates so please come visit me soon. Plenty of free parking and just blocks from Nanaimo Skytrain station.

On occasion I have other T girls and Ladyboys present who I am teaching the finer aspects of how a true Courtesan manages her affairs.

Call xxx-xxxx

RED LIGHT OLYMPICS

2010-02-10T23:19:00.003-08:00

Oldtown News
Vancouver BC

RED-LIGHT OLYMPICS

You are invited to my 'Red Light Olympics' party this Friday Feb 12

Come meet the lovely hostesses and hosts of Queens Cross and of course we will have some other terrific guests in attendance!!!

Remember we are located at 1874 Kingsway. 8 pm Lots of free parking.

This is the kick-off to our Red Light kiosk which is a adult friendly user kiosk for those International guests who wish to visit some of our amazing adult-themeed businesses and groups in Vancouver, BC, home of the BIG EVENT which we are not allowed to name.

Happy fun and games everyone!!!

See you Friday!!!

FORBIDDEN NIGHTS

2010-02-04T14:06:00.003-08:00

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

FORBIDDEN NIGHTS

As many of my readers are aware since I opened an edgier business called Queens Cross in July 2009, this has been keeping me quite busy and I haven't been blogging as much as I would like.

I miss the thrust of Vancouver politics and activism, however, rest assured that I'm continuing to keep in touch and just last week I had a lovely visit with popular Vancouver Councillor Suzanne Anton. Suzanne and I chatted about my business and even how it might be affected by the Vancouver and Whistler 2010 Olympics.

I have been hosting an evening called FORBIDDEN NIGHT for a number of years now and this evening caters to Transsexuals, Shemales, Ladyboys, X-Dressers, Kinksters and their admirers.

So to kick things up for our Olympics we have moved our Forbidden Night signature event to Fridays starting Feb 5 so we can welcome our International visitors.

Of course I wanted to share a lovely photo of my dear friend Tina who is a legendary Ladyboy Goddess here in Vancouver. Tina often assists me in hosting this truly decadent, fun and naughty FORBIDDEN NIGHT.

Of course we have a website http://www.queenscross.ca which provides a snapshot of our facility.

While the Olympics are on I will write here informing my readers of the juicier side of what the Olympics bring.

JLH aka TRICIA FOXX
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

SEX and the OLYMPICS

2010-01-31T16:34:00.002-08:00

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC
SEX and the OLYMPICS

Interesting article today in the daily Province paper about the influx of Olympic visitors and how this is creating an increased demand for Sex industry providers.

The Province piece focused the story on heterosexual activity and nowhere did the article focus any attention on the Gay community sub-culture and its own thriving red-light industry.

Vancouver is internationally renowned for its reputation of having some of the world's finest Shemales, Ladyboys and Rent boys (Hustlers).

Of course the Province didn't mention this thriving industry and one can only assume that the Province doesn't believe that the visitors to the City or those living here are interested in the flourishing red-light bisexual, homosexual, lesbian transsexual/transgender and kink communities.

Hopefully our terrific alternative press the Georgia Straight will bring another perspective to high-lite that our edgier alternative communities also have our own thriving red-light industry and this appeals to a significant number of Olympic visitors and even our own Lower Mainland residents.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

VANCOUVER 2010 OLYMPICS and SEX TRADE

2010-01-17T01:23:00.005-08:00

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

VANCOUVER 2010 OLYMPICS and SEX TRADE

I've been thinking lately about the Vancouver, BC sex trade and the Vancouver/Whistler Olympics and how things will go once February hits.

How will business be is what many Vancouver Sex Workers are wondering and it is hard to determine.

Many sex workers who live in the Downtown/West End are questioning whether they may encounter difficulties since the whole area seems to be in an Olympic secure zone. Even providing outcall services to the Hotels may prove problematic especially around loss of parking spaces and taxi's may be so busy and slow moving that clients may encounter lengthy wait times which could be mood destroying especially if the service providers take forever to arrive at their destination.

It seems customers of the trade may choose to access providers who are located outside the Downtown area and this could provide a boom for services offered outside the downtown core.

The Kingsway strip has a thriving red-light area which the geographical boundaries primarily stretch from Fraser up to Joyce Street and beyond. I suspect because the Seymour Track downtown which was already struggling may be supplanted by the Kingsway Track as the place to seek out those naughty pleasures. Plus there are a number of indoor rub and tugs already along the Kingsway stretch and traffic will run much smoother in this area which has no Olympic secure zones.

I've been thinking of perhaps running a temporary red-light information exchange from my business at 1874 Kingsway which would really assist international visitors navigate the myriad of adult industry businesses and red-light districts here in Vancouver, BC.

Coming up with names should be fun. Red-Light Vancouver 2010 has a certain cachet to it.

Will keep everyone posted!

Tricia Foxx
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

HEAR YE HEAR YE HEAR YE

2010-01-14T15:16:00.002-08:00

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

Official Proclamation by Royal Court Jester The Lady Hamilton

By the power invested in me by the Empress of Canada ted northe who signed a first nations convenant declaring all Chiefs and Princesses and Elders of the GVNCS equal to an Empress or Emperor and as an Elder of the GVNCS and the 10th elected Princess, I hereby proclaim Mona Regina Alexandria Lee the Grand Ma Mere Dowager Empress 1 to the Court of Exiles from the House of the Olympiad. Moreover, I proclaim myself Royal Court Jester to the Court of the Exiles from the House of the Olympiad and I shall be known as The Lady Hamilton, Court Jester for life.

Signed and sealed this 14th day in the first month in the year of 2010.

The Lady Hamilton
Royal court Jester for Life
Court of Exiles
House of the Olympiad

TRANNY TERMINOLOGY

2010-01-09T16:27:00.004-08:00

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

TRANNY TERMINOLOGY

Many folks have been asking me about various terms that are used regarding transsexual and transgender people and so I's sharing with you some of the most common terms.

Transexual or correctly spelled with 2 ss (transsexual) refers to someone who identifies with the opposite sex from the biological sex from which they were assigned at birth. Transsexuals tend to re-make ourselves so when we are in public our appearance is such that the public when observing us would make no mistakes about our gender. You will hear terms such as MtF and FtM and this refers to male to female (MtF)and female to male(FtM.

Transgender is a term often used and this is more an umbrella term referring to those who identify from outside the polars of female and male. This term commonly refer to Crossdresser, Transvestites and Transsexuals.

Another term widely used is Shemale and Ladyboys. Shemales tend to be in the adult industry and this word often implies someone quite sexy and beautiful and often heterosexual/bisexual men find shemales sexually appealing.

Ladyboys refer to those who are Asian and ladyboys from Asia are world renowned for their soft and very feminine appearance. Many Ladyboys work in the adult industry as well.

Chicks with Dicks is another term which is in use and again men who desire Tranny girls or T girls will often use this term. Most often the T girl or Tranny girl is transsexual or a Ladyboy.

Another term used is transvestite or crossdresser and this term refers to those who identify as heterosexual men but enjoy wearing female clothing and lingerie.

Drag Queens refer to those crossdressers from the queer community and often these dolls are quite outrageous and loud. Drag Queens often perform on the stage.

Gender Illusionists often are transsexual and perform on the stage but these Goddesses often mimic various Hollywood Stars and most don't want to be labelled a Drag Queen.

I hope this helps all you people interested in this blog to better understand what all the various terminology refers to.

Brought to you by Tricia Foxx, hostess at the internationally known Queens Cross which is happy to welcome all visitors to Vancouver, BC, host city of the 2010 Olympic games.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.comn
www.queenscross.ca

THE QUEENS CROSS

2010-01-09T03:47:00.003-08:00

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

THE QUEENS CROSS

Hi All

I know posts have been very non-existent lately but I've been really busy with my new business called Queens Cross which I opened in July. And business is good.

Queens Cross is a private T Girl club for transsexuals, shemales, crossdressers, transvestites and the men who admire us.

With the Vancouver/Whistler 2010 Olympics around the corner, it should be interesting to see how many International guests visit us at Queens Cross.

We have a website www.queenscross.ca and of course my alter ego Tricia Foxx reigns supreme over this lively den.

So I will attempt to post more often as time permits.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

Rabid Reporter Hasiuk Again Takes Aim at Libby Davies

2009-10-07T17:54:00.001-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

Rabid Reporter Hasiuk Takes Aim at Libby Davies

Opinion by Jamie Lee Hamilton

Rabid ultra Conservative Vancouver Courier columnist Mark Hasiuk once again attacks MP Libby Davies because she has opposed a recent bill introduced by the Conservatives with drafting assistance by Benjamin Perrin which will target multi-cultural sex workers. Mr Hasiuk is making a career for himself by falsely claiming as are the Salvation Army, Benjamin Perrin and Prostitution Abolitionists that human sex trafficking is a major problem in Vancouver. These people are exploiting an issue and targetting migrant sex workers claiming them to be victims of sex traffickers. Many of these sex workers are Asian and have been unfairly targeted by Hasiuk and his supporters which is due to overt racism. There is no reliable data to back up these wild claims by Hasiuk, Perrin, Sally Ann and others although in the case of the Salvation Army and researcher Benjamin Perrin who receive funds based on their sensationalism, it doesn't hurt to have a friend like Hasiuk in the press. Hasiuk et al claim that the Olympics will bring many trafficked sex workers into Vancouver which is untrue. In fact, many sex workers actively involved in the trade who I speak with regularly are planning on traveling out of country during the two week Olympics to make better money abroad. Many of my friends cite the increased security zones and customers not being able to easily reach them so they decided to travel to Asia and Europe during this period.

Prostitution is here to stay so let's make it safe for sex workers. We don't need any more murders in this City. Please reject false claims that are being made by the moral right which include the Conservative party, the local chapter of the moral right which include lobbyists like Mark Hasiuk, Benjamin Perrin, Salvation Army, Prostitution Abolitionists like Rape Relief and others.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

ANOTHER SEX TRADE WORKER MURDERED

2009-07-26T18:32:00.000-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver,BC

VANCOUVER (CBC) - Vancouver police have identified the city's 15th homicide of the year as a sex-trade worker who lived in the Downtown Eastside.

Lisa Arlene Francis, also known as Lisa Arlene Kireche, 41, was found dead Thursday in the Fraser River, near the 9100 block of Bentley Street.

Homicide investigators are asking the public to share any information they might have about Francis, who was last seen July 10.

Francis was reported missing July 17 by someone who worked in the building she lived in, Const. Jana McGuinness said.

"They were concerned and called our missing persons unit," McGuinness said. "A report was filed and attempts to locate the woman since July 17 were unsuccessful; and then, sadly, the link was made that she, in fact, is the [deceased] person."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Vancouver police at 604-717-2500.

SHAWN ATLEO WIN HAS PROBLEMS

2009-07-23T08:32:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

SHAWN ATLEO WIN HAS PROBLEMS

The Assembly of First Nations (AFN) is a National group of Indian Chiefs who every three years elects a Chief to represent with one voice First Nations across the country.

Yesterday at the annual convention held in Calgary, Alberta, Chiefs gathered to elect a National Chief and because the winner has to achieve 60 percent of the vote, the election went twenty four hours and eight ballots and even then the 60% was not achieved.

The ultimate win came after the second place candidate, Perry Bellegarde conceded being just 34 votes behind Mr Shawn Atleo. At the seventh ballot, the eventual winner, Shawn Atleo from BC and Mr Bellegarde from Saskatchewan had been tied from the 3 ballot on.

Through 24 hours and at 7:30 am this morning after the eighth ballot, Mr Bellegarde conceded defeat probably due to his desire for many elderly Chiefs to get some rest.

Chief Shawn Atleo though because of the split in the AFN membership can not lay claim to a decisive win and his leadership unless he announces a prominent role within the AFN for Perry Bellegarde will be fraught with problems. Moreover, his win as National Chief came through as some voting Chiefs have said a process of exhaustion.

One wonders why the Chief electoral officer for the convention did not postpone until today the remainder of the balloting so the Chiefs could get some rest and return ready to do the necessary arm-twisting and battle it out for the remainder of the voting?

Already, many urban Aboriginals claim the AFN does not really represent them since only about 600 Chiefs are given the right to vote. Urban Indians claim that voting for their band Chiefs is already problematic as many bands are controlled by family clans and if you live off-reserve as most Aboriginals do your voting rights are not enshrined.

With only 265 Chiefs selecting Mr Atleo, his election as national chief is hardly conclusive. As of the 2006 Canadian Census there were over 1,172,790 Aboriginal people in Canada and how Chief Atleo he will proceed in being the unifying leader of Canada's First Nations is going to be very interesting to watch.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

IS MICHAEL GELLER RUNNING for VANCOUVER MAYOR?

2009-06-26T09:43:00.006-07:00
Oldtown News
Vanncouver, BC

IS MICHAEL GELLER RUNNING for VANCOUVER MAYOR?

Well according to Carnegie Centre's chief Organizer, Wendy Pedersen, she thinks so.

Ms Pedersen chatted with me on Thursday at the Carnegie Centre Cafeteria exclaiming she feels that Michael Geller, probably the most popular Developer in the City, plans on seeking the Mayor's seat come November 2011.

I was just at Heritage Vancouver's annual garden party hosted by uber-socialite City Councillor Suzanne Anton and Mr Geller was there schmoozing, as was Malcolm Parry of the Sun's Town Talk but I didn't get the sense that Geller was planning anything imminent although Wendy believes due to his frequent appearances at Council meetings that something is up.

There is something up. Mr Geller is heavily promoting his no social housing at Olympic Village and portable housing vision. His idea of no social housing on the Village site is gaining traction and not only with the westside creme de la creme set.

Jim Deva, co-owner of Little Sisters Bookstore who is a local legend in Vancouver and an ardent NDP supporter likes Mr Geller's ideas. The Deva said that it would be hard on lower-income kids living in subsidized units at Olympic Village watching their rich kid neighbours go off to school in limousines while they waited for the bus.

This idea though flies in the face of mixed housing ideals. That is where you have different income-level people living together hopefully in harmony.

This concept of mixed concept housing works good in theory but not sure if it would work realistically.

Because Olympic Village is considered prime real estate, including pristine views of the water, the public may not desire to have affordable housing on the site.

It seems we are really heading for a place where our beautiful City is really divided into two cities. One city for the rich and one City for the poor and that is in my opinion not good. Perhaps we are already there and just need to make it official. Is it time as Nathaniel Christopher, a writer for XtraWest states that Vancouver has become two cities so why not make the eastside its own municipality.

I think Mr Geller would make a great Mayor of Vancouver even though he is promoting this idea of no social housing at Olympic Village. So is Suzanne Anton of the Southlands (wealthy enclave of the City with bigger lots than Shaughnessy) who many speculate will also run for Mayor in 2011.

If the race settles between two people with equally fabulous gardens, Councillor Anton may have an edge although I haven't yet seen Mr Geller's garden but he lives very close to Ms Anton.

Hopefully Geller will have a summer Garden party and invite me so I can compare.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

PICKTON APPEAL VERDICT TODAY

2009-06-25T08:38:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

PICKTON APPEAL VERDICT TODAY

The Robert Pickton appeal verdict comes down today. We all need to brace ourselves since it is quite possible and very likely that the Court will grant a new trial.

Grounds for appeal include the trial judge Justice James Williams making an error in law. Unfortunately Justice Williams acknowledged this error in his charge to the jury.

Both the Crown and Defence have appealed so this does not look good.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

GREGOR'S SHELTERS RAISING HEAT

2009-06-19T08:29:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

GREGOR'S SHELTERS RAISING HEAT

Back in December 2008 when Vancouver's new Mayor embarked on a hastily put together plan to open 3 temporary shelters which were actually run-down shacks. I took it upon myself to visit these places and wrote about the potential problems within them.

Mayor Robertson called them low-barrier shelters which is a code word for flophouse. The guests of the shelters were given free reign to do as they wished. There was no rules or regulations. There were no structures put in place and I suspected quite shortly that Gregor's shelters would become problematic.

According to the neighbors residing around the Shelters located in the 1400 block of Howe, these problems have become intolerable.

The neighbours complain of open drug dealing and this isn't surprising considering when you create a ready-made-market the parasitic drug pushers will quickly move in. You only need to observe the Downtown Eastside to see this in action. Just look at the United We Can Bottle Depot where traffickers congregate to relieve the drug addicted of their small change from returning bottles. Or look at the Money Mart store on a welfare day and you will see the same problems.

The reasoning behind the opening of Gregor's shelters was that people were homeless and dying on the street. According to the Mayor there wasn't enough stock of affordable housing to properly assist the homeless. The reality though was that these unfortunate souls had major mental health problems including drug addiction and warehousing them would not address these other concerns.

In fact when I was doing my tour of the shelters I found many of the guests had previous homes but due to their circumstances were not able to maintain them.

Councillor Kerry Jang who is the point person for the City on his Worship's shelters articulates that the shelters must remain open because there is not enough affordable housing being built.

The problem here which Mr Jang and his Mayor do not appear to grasp is that many of those taking up residence in Gregor's shelters are former residents of affordable housing. These residents created many problems including drug trafficking or allowing other drug addicts to take over their apartments and turning them into crack shacks and flophouses.

In the last month alone, DERA, a housing provider in the Downtown Eastside has evicted four tenants from one of its buildings for the above mentioned repeated behaviors. These people are now taking up floor space in Gregor's shelters.

Just opening shelters and warehousing people with severe untreated mental health or drug addiction will not solve the problem. Plus it is not humane.

So until the Mayor and his council get a handle on the real issues at play here they will continue spinning their wheels. They will engage in the blame game with other levels of government as they are doing and while this game is played out the affected law abiding residents complaining of unbearable noise and drug trafficking near their homes will receive no relief. In fact both the Mayor and Councillor Jang have gone on record stating this. And the sheltered folks will continue on with their cycle of despair.

Mayor Robertson is caught in a political conundrum. He has to govern on behalf of all the City's residents and this appears to be proving somewhat difficult for him. It is quite a bit different from representing a small rather affluent district like Vancouver-Fairview and lobbying for Cambie Street merchants who had been financially impacted by construction of the new Skytrain line.

The harsh reality is Mayor Robertson is governing in a City with 500,000 residents and we have this huge white elephant in our midst. This white elephant is creating untold hardship and grief for thousands and thousands of citizens including many youth and children.

What ever will Mayor Robertson do?

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

IS IT AS SIMPLE AS TAKING A MEDICAL LEAVE?

2009-06-11T04:06:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

IS IT AS SIMPLE AS TAKING A MEDICAL LEAVE?

When Park Commissioner Constance Barnes announced yesterday that she was taking a medical leave to deal with her criminal charges related to driving while impaired, I wondered what the process was regarding going on leave.

My understanding is that other Commissioners would need to approve such a leave and since Commissioners haven't met in session since this event unfolded, I contacted a couple of the longer serving elected Park Board officials for further clarification.

Commissioner Ian Robertson who has served as both Chair and Vice-Chair of the Park board states, " I don't know what the process is and I'll be asking for a full explanation regarding her actions". Commissioner Robertson also states that "elected officials should be held to a higher standard" and he is correct in that assessment.

Vice-Chair Loretta Woodcock, when asked by this blogger regarding Commissioner Robertson's assertion states, " Constance was not on official business and this needs to be treated as a personal issue and not political since she was not on official business ".

The public though are making their voices heard as they should regarding this very troubling issue and I suspect our elected officials will be watching closely since ultimately they will be asked to approve their colleague's request for leave.

Already coming from the public is that Commissioner Barnes should resign her position on Park Board.

Areas that need to be explored regarding the drunk driving of Ms Barnes include concerns that there is no public drinking allowed in Vancouver public parks or beaches and yet Commissioner Barnes readily admits that she was drinking at a public beach in Richmond. Here is a Park Commissioner telling the public they can't drink in public places yet she ignores this policy herself.

The public will no doubt pounce on Ms Barnes action of public drinking and they will rightfully say that she shouldn't get away with something that the public wouldn't be able to and they would assert that because she is a public official, she shouldn't be treated favorably. One would be hard pressed to dismiss the public's sentiment on this.

Another matter which readers of mine are sending emails concern the fact that Commissioner Barnes destroyed property while intoxicated and this is irresponsible behavior for a public official and her alcoholism aside, this issue can not just be overlooked or forgiven due to alcoholism. In fact Commissioner Barnes still faces repercussions from this criminal activity and the public is not sympathetic to drunk driving . Most likely the judge will consider this when sentencing Ms Barnes.

To the issue at hand which other Park Commissioners will be looking at in granting a leave for Ms Barnes is their own political capital.

If Commissioners decide to grant leave to Commissioner Barnes and the public believes Commissioner Barnes should resign, this will have the effect of or at least the public perception will be that Commissioners treated one of their own more favourably and this could create a political firestorm for the other six Commissioners.

There is no question that Commissioner Barnes should be treated with respect and accorded dignity during this really difficult time, moreover, there is no doubt the public is somewhat sympathetic to her announced alcoholism but the public are equally stating that a medical leave may not be suitable in these circumstances especially considering the harm that was created due to the reckless actions of Commissioner Barnes.

Already the public are on record saying resolve of this issue may not be as simple as Commissioner Barnes going on leave.

The Chair of the Park Board, Raj Hundal, unfortunately, hasn't yet spoken on this issue and the Vice-Chair, Loretta Woodcock further states, " Commissioner Barnes has fulfilled her obligation to be held to a higher standard because she made this information public".

While the Vice-Chair states that Commissioner Barnes has fulfilled her obligation as a Park Commissioner, ultimately the judge of Commissioner Barnes actions will be the judge of public opinion.

If the public determines that medical leave is not suitable given the severity of the three charges Ms Barnes is facing, the other Commissioners could very well risk their own political capital by agreeing on a course of action which the public finds extremely distasteful.

This story isn't going away and there will no doubt be other announcements regarding it in the days and weeks ahead.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

IS TAKING A MEDICAL LEAVE ENOUGH REDEMPTION for DRUNK DRIVING?

2009-06-10T14:36:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

IS TAKING A MEDICAL LEAVE ENOUGH REDEMPTION for DRUNK DRIVING?

Commissioner Constance Barnes a beautiful bi-racial women, daughter of the late Emery Barnes, who was speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia today held a press conference to announce she had been charged with drunk driving on May 23,2009. Ms Barnes has been battling demons for quite some time and unfortunately things have once again come to the forefront for Ms Barnes with her latest drunk driving charge.

In the press conference Commissioner Barnes who belongs to Vision Vancouver was ushered in by Vision Vancouver handlers and read from a prepared statement regarding her criminal charges ( three of them) and which she said she will plead quilty.

Constance Barnes took full responsibility for her poor judgement and has now asked for the public's forgiveness.

Sitting by Commissioner Barnes side was Commissioner Sarah Blyth who obviously was placed there at the behest of the Vision party who are seeking to do damage control. Constance Barnes answered a few questions and then was ushered out of the press conference.

Commissioner Barnes had a great opportunity to speak the truth today and it really pains me to say this, sadly, she failed the test.

As a Park Board Commissioner Constance Barnes is an advocate for public safety and she did not mention anything about this in her prepared text. In fact when questioned by reporters about her blood alcohol she said, "I had a couple of ciders". The fact is Commissioner Barnes should have said exactly what her blood alcohol reading was as this is important information for the public to have. Ms Barnes also stated she fell asleep and crashed into a property but again falling asleep seems inappropriate considering the seriousness of the situation.

I suspect Vision demanded that Commissioner Barnes lessen the perception of the severity of the charges as they seemed more focused on damage control for their party's sake rather than the seriousness of public harm which comes to society when people get behind the wheels of their cars drunk or high on drugs. Seems to me if you are intoxicated you don't fall asleep but you pass out.

Commissioner Barnes has announced she will now take a medical leave for what she claims to be an alcohol problem and she is asking for forgiveness.

Whether the public is quite ready to forgive Ms Barnes is a question that she can expect to be answered when she has provided full disclosure regarding details of the issue at hand. She also needs to answer whether this has happened before.

While I supported Commissioner Barnes and really wanted her to succeed I was left reeling today after I witnessed both her and her Party focusing less on public safety but more on the image of their Party and its reputation..

It also seems to me that the Chair of the Park Board, Raj Hundal should have been present at this conference but he was not and this raises another question of why Commissioner Blyth was sitting beside Commissioner Barnes? Where was the Chair or Vice-Chair of the Park board?

Other outstanding questions loom and there will be focus on whether the public continues to have confidence of Vision governing at least at the Park board level. This will obviously play out in the weeks ahead.

While there are still so many unanswered questions and ones that Commissioner Barnes or Vision did not seem ready to answer today and since Commissioner Barnes is now being placed out of the spotlight, the public will have difficulty determining whether a paid medical leave is enough redemption considering the seriousness of the situation.

The public I'm certain wishes Commissioner Barnes well in her recovery as do I, but whether the public will continue to place trust in her ability to be a steward for children's and public safety will be answered at a later time.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

WHITE GIRL ACTRESS FROM NORTH VAN NOW a HERO

2009-06-04T19:49:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

WHITE GIRL ACTRESS FROM NORTH VAN NOW a HERO
What a Joke the Mainstream Media has Become.

The Province in their latest Operation Phoenix story (articles on the Downtown Eastside of which they are hoping to receive an award) names a pretty white girl Actress from North Van as an unsung hero/guardian angel of the Downtown Eastside simply because she started paid work making beds and sweeping floors in December at Gregor Robertson's Shelter.

So in six months what has qualified this pretty lady as some hero? Is it because she is a beautiful actress?

In actual fact, the story and unsung hero tag comes across as very condescending toward the people who call this neighborhood home. The story projects the actress as beautiful and the people are not and lucky them for getting someone like Ms Agosti.

The story also implies that Ms Agosti is somehow better than the community. Moreover, her work sweeping floors or making beds in the shelter hasn't changed anyone's life. What has she accomplished in six months working here? Has the neighborhood drastically changed for the better?

If I were Ms Agosti I would be ashamed of the Province piece. It is really pathetic.

Park Commissioner Sarah Blyth who works with Ms Agosti actually had the nerve to tout this story on Facebook as somehow newsworthy. This is even more pathetic considering it comes from an elected official who obviously can see the despair in the neighborhood and someone who has been in paid employment sweeping floors and making beds is hardly deserving of hero status.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

SHAME ON MEGAPHONE MAGAZINE

2009-05-27T18:21:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

SHAME ON MEGAPHONE MAGAZINE

Editor Sean Condon
Megaphone Magazine

I can't believe Megaphone magazine is caught up in the hysteria around the Olympics causing an increase in sex trade trafficking and prostitution.

There is data from International anti-trafficking groups such as Global Alliance against Trafficking in Women (GAATW) which say there is no evidence to back up ludicrous claims that the Olympics increase trafficking in women.

The well respected GAATW which is based out of Bangkok met with the VPD and Vancouver Mayor Gregor Robertson and conveyed this information.

Will there be more migrant Sex Workers during the Olympics? Probably yes as this already occurs during the year when migrant sex workers travel to meet clients in different cities and countries.

You reference REED, a local religious-based group with its origins from the USA in your article. This group is comprised of Abolitionists/Prohibitionists. They have the nerve to refer to themselves as Advocates for Sex Workers. This is horrible distortion considering every sex worker that I know would never accept those who want to eliminate their work environment as advocates for them.

I know Megaphone has subsidized offices in one of the Portland Hotel's buildings and the Portland Hotel has always been very supportive of sex trade workers rights. The Portland supports de-criminalization and a harm-reduction approach to this issue so I find it offensive that your magazine presents pure Abolitionist propaganda which unfortunately further creates a hostile environment for sex trade workers attempting to survive.

Shame on Megaphone and shame on you Sean Condon for presenting this trashy piece of journalism.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

GREEN PARTY WILL HAVE NO ALLIANCES with OTHER PARTIES

2009-05-24T10:17:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

GREEN PARTY WILL HAVE NO ALLIANCES with OTHER PARTIES

At the BC Green Party annual general meeting held this weekend in Victoria, party members assembled to discuss the recent election results and to map out strategies for leading the party toward the 2013 election.

A small segment of the BC Green party including one significant party member had immediately after the election spoken out offering up to a number of media the possibility of the Green party joining the NDP in an electoral alliance. This important party member has a small group of supporters and I call them our Green rat-packers.

The only problem with this move by the member was that he had not consulted with the members of the party or the Party Leader. Although this issue was put forward at the AGM it did not have any traction.

In fact these Green rat-packers were desperately attempting to push through at the AGM that the Party undertakes a poll on the question of whether they want the Green party to support an electoral alliance with another party.

This Green Rat-Packer with his gang of three pushing for the move are engaging in divisive politics which if allowed to continue will ultimately hurt the party. They need to come to the realization that Green party supporters support the Green Party and not the NDP or BC Liberals. If these rat-packers or as they style themselves 'Greens in Suits', think otherwise, they are showing themselves as opportunists who care less about the greater good of the Party and appear motivated by their own egos. They have obviously over estimated their self-importance in the party.

The Green Party attracted over 125,000 voters and the Green Party members assembled at the AGM continually articulated this positive outcome. Members want to build constituency associations and increase the party membership to steer us toward 2013. The party has no campaign debt and demonstrates that we live within our means. Members generally concurred it was a good campaign even though we did not win any seats.

At the AGM in the campaign debrief sessions, members including about 40 candidates in the recent election clearly rejected the idea of discussing any electoral alliances with other parties saying it was far too premature to even think along those lines especially considering 125,000 voters endorsed the Green Party and its vision & ideals.

The Green Party must move forward without any hindrances and if a certain small group think they know what is best for the party, they should seriously think about moving on as they seem completely out of step with Green Party members and supporters on this issue.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

WHERE DOES THE GREEN PARTY GO?

2009-05-13T12:27:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

WHERE DOES THE GREEN PARTY GO?

I write this post as someone who managed a local Green party campaign and therefore I'm going to share my thoughts on what the Green Party could have done better and what it must do if it wants to have relevance in electoral politics.

First, when I was brought into planning meetings with Green strategists including the Leader and Deputy Leader, I suggested that Ms Sterk needed to run a provincial campaign and that meant being out in districts where the Green Party was going to do better than its lower-range and average-range riding's. I wanted her on a BC tour travelling the province speaking to voters in their communities. My feeling was this strategy would give a boost to the overall campaign and put into contention a handful of possible riding's that we could win.

The Leader Dr Jane Sterk decided to concentrate on her riding which she believed was necessary in order to win her own seat.

The results show that Dr Sterk would have probably received the same vote she obtained with volunteers running her ground campaign. If she travelled around to some key riding's where candidates have personal appeal, this would have bolstered these riding's opportunities and her own riding of Esquimalt-Rayal Roads.

There were a number of riding's which fared well for the Greens and if there had been in place riding associations and resources available to them, I suspect those riding's would have received in the low-to-high 20's and low 30's percent. They include Victoria-Beacon Hill, West Vancouver, Penticton and Vernon, Van-Mt Pleasant and Dr Sterk's own riding of Esquimalt-Royal Roads. These riding's captured in the range of 14-23% and a Leader's presence during a campaign raises the profile of the riding.

If the Green Party hopes to have a breakthrough in 2013 the party will need to start its work now. Those candidates in the stronger riding's need to play a significant role in strengthening the party and they need to build healthy constituency associations and initiate fundraising to build up war chests to fight the next election.

As a political strategist I would recommend that Dr Jane Sterk stay on as leader because she has amazing leadership skills, however, she needs to appoint those 5 candidates who received the higher votes as deputy leaders which I also think will give the Green party strong regional representation. Hopefully these candidates will stay on as they all obviously had strong personal appeal in the riding's they ran in.

The time is also ripe for people in the Green Party if they do not have the ability to build constituency associations to allow others to take on these leadership and fundraising goals. I think there are a number of riding's which can do way better than they did.

Electoral reform is dead. The only way to elect Greens now is to demonstrate we can win seats and be a small opposition party of the Province.

This task though will be more difficult since we slid in the polls but the party received over 100,000 votes and this demonstrates that the voters still see the Green Party as a viable organization. We must reward these voters by winning seats otherwise they will start voting strategically for other parties

It is up to us now to show that we can win a handful of seats in 2013 and that work must start immediately.

I would also recommend that a fund be started now for possible by-elections which surely will come about and with the proper candidate and a good ground campaign, we have the potential to win our first seat.

The Green Party AGM on May 22 will be the first test on whether we move forward as a party or continue to back slide.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

ELECTION DAY TODAY

2009-05-12T06:39:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

ELECTION DAY TODAY

Oldtown News endorses the BC STV electoral reform. I encourage my readers to get out and vote. Vote a minority government and a handful of GREENS to hold the balance of power.

Want to donate a few hours of your time today for the John Boychuk Van-Mt Pleasant Green Party campaign?

Our E-Day War room is located at the Howard Johnson Plaza Biltmore Hotel 8am-8pm in Penthouse Suite 732.

Just show up to Suite 732 and we will find some job for you. Biltmore is located at 12 and Kingsway.

Cell numbers for the war room are (778) 235-3677 or (604) 339-1265

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

A FABULOUS RENT PARTY EVENT

2009-05-10T09:34:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

A FABULOUS RENT PARTY EVENT

Thank You to all the wonderful people who attended Rent Party. A truly terrific night and I want to Thank All the Performers who give so much of their time and talent. Electra Luxury, Sarah Blanket, Hazzel D Pontiac, Stefanie Blaze, Kiwi Stevens, Sabrina Ho, Iman, Monica, Paige Turner, Ruby Stone and our DJ Mark Trade Mark.

Thank You to Audrey and Lister for doing the door and Thanks to Jessy the manager of Lick.

Also want to thank Community Leaders Adriane Carr, John Boychuk, Laura McDiarmid and Constance Barnes who agreed to be auctioned off for charity!!! I love it when Leaders such as these give back to our communities! These Politicians raised some dough!!!

Special Thank You's to two special ladies who attended Rent Party, Diane Abbott and Elizabeth Ball do so much for the Arts and Charity in this City and our evening was graced by their attendance! Thank You Ladies!

And Thank You to Vancouver's first gay columnist Kevin McKeown (QQ who wrote the Georgia Straight's page 69) for attending and escorting the lovely Ms Abbott.

Most of all I would like to thank the wonderful caring and compassionate people who come out to support my various causes. You make the evening worthwhile and there are far too many of you to mention so I just want you to know how appreciated you are! Thank You all from the bottom of my heart!! I'm truly blessed by knowing you! Thank You!!

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

I WILL REPRESENT my CONSTITUENTS VALUES

2009-05-08T15:48:00.001-07:00
John Boychuck: I will represent my constituents' values
By John Boychuck

B.C. general election candidate statements for the Georgia Straight

1. As candidate for the Green Party of B.C. in Vancouver-Mount Pleasant, I wish to share a little about who I am as a person. As a long-term resident of Vancouver with family roots that go back two generations, I have dedicated the past 12 years to being a small business entrepreneur and a community volunteer. Small business and volunteerism are key community areas in grass roots involvement that have generated a positive outcome both personally and professionally. With my spouse and business partner of 14 years and the support of my family, I will continue to be a community leader and strive to build long lasting relationships with the residents and business community of Mount Pleasant.

2. What do I stand for? Growing up with Vancouver as a part time playground, seeing how many of the neighbourhoods have changed over the past 40 years some for the better and some with unnecessary struggles, I believe it’s time we think differently when we look at building healthier communities, in taking care of each other, how we plan for our future and who best can represent the diversity of the seven neighbourhoods that make up the Vancouver-Mount Pleasant electoral district. Homelessness, crime, drug abuse, affordable housing, accessible education for all and reliable transit are just a few of the issues that when the Green party policies are examined, the Green party solutions make the best sense in planning for a better community.

3. Why am I running to be your MLA in Victoria? As a leader in the GLBT community for the past five years and my involvement with many community organizations, I realize that in order to break down the barriers that hold us back from building and reaching organic, respectful, dignified communities, we must start with electoral reform and a change in the type of people we elect to represent us.

4. I have been asked what I feel are the most important issues that are facing the Vancouver-Mount Pleasant riding that I am hoping to represent. With a common sense approach to business, community and life, I believe that I could better represent the growing demands of the Mount Pleasant constituents. I will work to enhance each vital historic neighbourhood before we lose out to freeways, high-rises, poor planning and what dignity is left in our most challenged neighbourhoods.

5. When asked where I stand on B.C.-STV. I firmly believe that the citizen’s assembly who was tasked five years ago with examining and reviewing our existing “first past the post” system versus other electoral systems from around the world, was a fair and unbiased project. The 160 people from across the province over the period of a year examined many different types of electoral models and decided that we would be best suited to adopt a “single transferable vote” system to provide a more representative, balanced government that works for the people and their communities rather than their parties and funders. I support the citizen’s assembly’s recommendations and will vote “YES” on B.C.-STV.

6. In asking for your support, I realize that Vancouver-Mount Pleasant is an ever growing neighbourhood that is looking for real change in the way it looks to the future and how the problems will be handled. Promises have been made and broken time and time again. Constituents now want to have someone represent the new values, historical importance and diversity that make up Vancouver-Mount Pleasant. It is no longer good enough to think that the Downtown Eastside is a dumping ground for social decay and to turn political tail on and ignore. “We must create solutions now, we need to see changes now, and we need a stronger voice in the legislature, now”. This is what I’m hearing and that is why I’m asking for your vote.

John Boychuk

BC LIBERAL AGAIN a NO-SHOW

2009-05-06T16:30:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

BC LIBERAL AGAIN a NO-SHOW

Once again the BC Liberal candidate didn't show up this afternoon for the Vancouver-Mt Pleasant all-candidate meeting. This shows a real contempt for the political process.

I was feeling terribly sad for the residents of the Jim Green residence who organized the meeting even putting on a hot dog barbecue for the occasion. 60 plus residents showed to talk about their mental health concerns and while NDP'er Jenny Kwan and Green Party John Boychuk stayed for two hours discussing the tenants issues and having hit dogs with them after.

Sherry Wiebe snubbed her nose at the residents and that really ticks me off..

In fact the organizer for the meeting, Karen O'Shannnacery, the Executive Director of the Lookout Emergency Aid Shelter confirms that the candidate didn't even bother responding to the invitation.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

HAPPY to be a HAPPY HOOKER LOBBY

2009-04-29T01:34:00.005-07:00

Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

HAPPY to be a HAPPY HOOKER LOBBY

In the latest rant by the getting-creepier-by-the-day Courier reporter, the rabid Mark Hasiuk really goes way out there in his zeal to villainize sex trade workers and their advocates who favour law reform and a harm-reduction approach to address the violence which sex trade workers face in Vancouver.

Mr Hasiuk it seems is continually writing on this topic for some reason. He seems fixated although fixation is not that unusual for someone who is tormented and perhaps even views prostitution from a religious faith-based perspective which of course from what history has shown us makes sex workers susceptible to serial killers.

Hasiuk waxes on about investigative reporter for W5, Victor Malarek who recently stopped off in Vancouver to support the Rape Relief group. Mr Malarek is the modern-day Shame the Johns/Shame the Prostitutes lobby. Hasiuk also promotes Sheila Jeffries in his article, an extreme feminist scholar who denounces plastic surgeons as committing violence on women.

Hasiuk paints these two individuals as 'International experts' on prostitution and in order to de-humanize those with extensive prostitution knowledge he reduces our experiences and lives to the role of villains.

Or as Hasiuk and Malarek call us the 'Happy Hooker Lobby'. Well I must admit I'm very happy to be a happy hooker lobby if this means fighting to keep sex trade workers safe and free of harm from creepy men. I'll wear this badge with honour.

While I'm there on the subject of creepiness, it seems Mr Hasiuk has really muddled things in his mind because isn't it Willy Pickton and other killers who are the real villains?

But I digress.

Mr Hasiuk articulates that politicians and media know nothing about prostitution and in this supposed vacuum sex trade worker advocates are able to frame the political discussion regarding safety for sex providers. He singles out both myself and feminist-lesbian Esther Shannon for his wrath calling us the local chapter of the happy hooker lobby.

Further, in Mr Hasiuk's attempt to get back at those he blames responsible for his expulsion from a private sex trade round-table a few months back, where he acted very aggressively, he once again uses his position at the Courier to spin his nonsense.

This time though he uses those running for political office to make it appear that he has no axe to grind.

Interesting, Mr Hasiuk contacted four Green candidates, Doug Warkentin, Vanessa Violini, John Boychuk and Jodie Emery to find out their positions on prostitution. He claims that no Liberal or NDP candidates returned calls for his story.

Oh I'm sure that in the heat of an election, eight candidates looking for scant press coverage decided not to return a reporters calls. Funny how Mr Hasiuk wants us the readers to believe that eight candidates did not return his calls.

So why did Mr Hasiuk as I am alleging only contact Green candidates for a story on prostitution? Well I'll let my readers form their own opinions on that front. I'm sure it had nothing to do with my association with the Green Party right Mark? Oh silly me of course your story asked those Green candidates whether their opinions were formed by any association with me. Silly me. Guilty as charged.

Prostitution has no connection to provincial politics. It is clearly a Federal and City matter. The federal government makes changes to the criminal code and the City licences prostitution. So why Mr Hasiuk focused on provincial politicians is interesting.

Mr Hasiuk claims that his friends Victor Malarek and Sheila Jeffries are international experts and those with thirty plus years working alongside other sex workers are mere 'activists'. Hasiuk goes on to obscenely state that politicians and media blindly accept activists facts as fiction.

Nice tale spinning there Mark but there is no fiction here and the facts glaringly speak for themselves.

Twenty-six women murdered, chopped up and fed to pigs by a madman. Another fifty Downtown Eastside women are sadistically tortured by an out-of-control serial sadist and of course another fact is that since 1985 over one hundred sex trade workers have been murdered in Vancouver.

So please spare us your fabrications Mr Hasiuk.

Criminalizing the sex trade has created horrible conditions and placed sex trade workers at extreme risk of violence. Criminalizing prostitution has created killing fields here in Vancouver and you and your international expert friends and their lobbying for prohibition/abolition only serves to further victimize sex trade workers. This stance does nothing to save lives or reduce harm.

Whatever it is that torments you on this subject Mr Hasiuk is really quite sad. Ditto for Mr Malarek and Ms Jeffries.

Thankfully, Vancouver has tolerant, progressive attitudes and if you desire extremism may I suggest moving to Red Deer Mr Hasiuk. I'm sure you won't have any problem finding a welcoming home for your screwy, obscene, intolerant and messed-up views.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

DANCERS FOR CANCER

2009-04-26T11:34:00.002-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

DANCERS FOR CANCER

Hi Folks, here is a great event for a wonderful cause. Who said Exotic Dancing is seedy is wrong. These Dancers are artists and work very hard in our communities to further humanity. Let's support them---JLH

Dancers for Cancer is THIS THURSDAY, April 30 at the Cecil. Advance tickets are available online & at Flaming Angels for $15.

The Cecil just announced that advance ticket price will extend until 5pm. So get there EARLY and save $5.

Tune in to 99.3 CFOX on Tuesday morning to hear the girls rock Vancouver.

Volunteers: set up begins at 10am at the Cecil
anyone with old promo to donate please drop it off at the cecil front desk or bring it to set-up Thurs morning.

Official stage schedule will be released in a couple days.

I can't wait!!

Ryann Rain

CANDIDATE WORKS HARD FOR the MONEY

2009-04-24T18:08:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

CANDIDATE WORKS HARD FOR the MONEY

Green Candidate for Van-Hastings Ryan Conroy is taking fundraising to a new level and I hope everyone supports his efforts.

Here is Ryan's Pitch:

Tomorrow I am attempting to run 100 miles on the Baden-Powell trail to raise funds for my campaign. Thats more than 3 Knee Knackers (www.kneeknacker.com).

Please consider helping me with a small pledge per mile. As with all political donations if you pay BC income tax I can issue a tax receipt that will get you 75% of your donation back as a tax credit.

I start at Panorama Park in Deep Cove at 4:00 AM, but if anyone wants to come out and show support or run with me for a bit I will be at the Cleveland Dam (Cap Road) around 8:00-9:00 and then later in the afternoon. I will have my cell phone with me, feel free to call (778)230-5991.

Send a pledge amount via email to contact@ryanconroy.ca and I will email you an invoice after which you can pay with Paypal or in person by cash or cheque.

Thanks a lot,

Ryan

DERA STAFF MEMBER LOCKED OUT

2009-04-21T22:53:00.005-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

DERA STAFF MEMBER LOCKED OUT

It has come to my attention today that a Downtown Eastside Residents Association (DERA) staff member has been locked out of his employment in one of the DERA operated BC Housing buildings.

As my readers know I wrote a piece here on April 15 regarding alleged improprieties at DERA related to staff and board members allegedly being given rental suites at rates which are ridiculously low. One full-time DERA staff member it has been alleged is paying $175.00 a month for a two-bedroom suite in which only his partner and child are listed as occupants of the suite.

This posting has caused a witch-hunt at DERA.

Sources claim a staff member upon arriving at work on Thursday, April 20 found the locks changed at his work office and for two days has been attempting to contact the executive director of DERA, Kim Kerr, to find out what his employment status is. Apparently the union representing DERA workers, CUPE 1004 and its business agent Steve Varty is also attempting to contact Mr Kerr.

If DERA has in fact targeted and mistreated an employee as a result of my blog post, they are on very shaky ground and BC Housing must immediately take steps to investigate the serious allegations spreading like wild fire through the Downtown Eastside.

I'm certain the staff member will be well represented by the Union, however, it seems really unfair that this staff member who has two young sons would be targeted and so poorly treated considering the real issue here involves serious allegations involving housing fraud.

One activist in the Downtown Eastside has informed Oldtown News that the President of DERA on being asked about the DERA employee being locked out of his job, allegedly responded, "good he should be fired for releasing confidential information".

Excuse me confidential information on staff and board members which allegedly involve fraud should never be considered confidential. Its called whistle-blowing and we should be protecting those who step forward with wrong-doings.

I suspect this story is not going away.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

WHAT PUBLIC FUNDING is PAYING DERA LAWYER JASON GRATL FEES

2009-04-17T14:26:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

WHAT PUBLIC FUNDING is PAYING DERA LAWYER JASON GRATL'S FEES?

I believe the public has the right to know who is paying Mr. Jason Gratl's legal fees. Gratl is a lawyer who represents the Downtown Eastside Residents Association (DERA). I doubt he is doing thousands and thousands of work for DERA pro bono (free of charge) and at the behest of DERA members who wish to remain anonymous, I put this question to Mr. Gratl this afternoon.

Mr Gratl of course said to me that he is bound by solicitor/client privilege and he could not answer this question. Not being a lawyer, I asked Mr Gratl whether this solicitor client privilege extends to groups who are publicly funded of which DERA is. Mr Gratl said, " my dear you obviously don't have any understanding of law do you".

My initial response to Mr. Gratl was that I was not his dear!

Of course Mr Gratl's response was bang on. How intuitive of him. I wonder if it ever occured to him that's why I was asking a lawyer the question in the first place?

Readers may be aware that DERA just recently received a significant grant from the Law Foundation. One of the largest grants, longtime lawyer Mr.Don Morrison says he has seen given out in quite some time.

It is interesting that the Law Foundation issued this grant considering DERA has been engaging in criminal activities and its executive director was recently refuted by a Judge for lying under oath.

The Law Foundation receives the interest on lawyer's trust accounts and these interest funds are given to organizations who apply for these law foundation grants. In the case of DERA, this is supposed to be used for advocacy purposes for the poor.

I asked Mr Gratl if there were any ethical issues especially if DERA was providing his legal fees from this law foundation grant. He refused to answer. Given that DERA has been getting into trouble with the law as a result of their own wrongdoing and criminality makes this issue even more interesting from an ethical standpoint.

Mr. Gratl's response was this: " this issue is obviously fertile in the mind of Jamie Lee Hamilton only ".

Obviously Mr. Gratl doesn't seem to think this matter to be serious and he actually trivializes it. Is it any wonder why lawyers are increasingly held in such disdain by the public?

I think though the questions put to Mr Gratl are fair.

It seems questionable that a lawyer would take money earmarked for the poor, to fatten his own pocketbook and we will not know if Gratl is guilty of this since he won't answer these fair questions.

I think this issue does go to the heart of ethics in the professions, however, I'm not surprised at the response from a lawyer who has represented the likes of pedophiles and drug traffickers.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

DERA & APC CONNECTIONS and ALLEGED FRAUD

2009-04-15T20:19:00.006-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

DERA & APC CONNECTIONS and ALLEGED FRAUD

It has been brought to my attention that after a recent internal staff shuffling at the Downtown Eastside Residents Association (DERA) there appears to be some hanky panky going on at one of the DERA operated buildings.

A longtime staff member of DERA is alleging after obtaining access to several key internal BC Housing documents that two prominent APC members who are DERA staff members are in rental arrears, one is not listed as a tenant in the unit he is living and that another one has not listed his spouse on the tenancy.

Kim Kerr, the Executive Director of DERA who a year ago threatened two former City Councillors, must answer to whether these serious allegations are true.

The first allegation involves DERA staff member and APC leader, Aaron Muirhead who it is being alleged is not listed as a tenant in the suite he shares with his partner and child in Solheim place. Further to the allegation is that the partner of Mr Muirhead is paying less than $200.00 for the two bedroom unit even though Mr Muirhead, is working full-time at DERA and earning $18.00 an hour with full benefits.

The second allegation involves prominent APC member, David Cunningham and it is being alleged that he was behind in his rent in the thousands of dollars and which it is alleged that he shares an apartment with DERA Treasurer Jill Chettier and their child at Solheim place. The allegation is that Ms Chettier is not listed as a tenant with Mr Cuningham and he is paying less than $400.00 a month for the BC Housing subsidized two-bedroom suite.

Previously reported was that Ms Chettier was earning $35.00 an hour at the Naomi Project in the DTES.

It must be stated that perhaps Ms Chetter is no longer living with Mr Cunningham but according to Revenue Canada documents she is listed as Treadurer at DERA and her address is at the Solheim building as is Mr. Cunningham.

It is believed that DERA is under investigation by BC Housing regarding other operational related issues and with these new allegations surfacing, perhaps the Minister of Housing Rich Coleman should investigate so that public confidence can be restored especially if these allegations prove to be true.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

THEY ARE OFF AND RUNNING

2009-04-14T12:40:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

THEY ARE OFF AND RUNNING

Well set your engines folks. Political candidates are off and running and this campaign has a real opportunity to make BC History by changing how we elect our representatives.

I promise I will be truly partisan and promote, promote, promote.

First off, run Jane run. I want BC Green Leader Dr Jane Sterk in the legislature banging around mainstream party politicians who have because of our out-dated system of first-past-the-post (FPTP) been given a free ride.

The STV (single transferable vote) is a great opportunity for citizens to change politics in this province forever.

The system we currently have, allows politicians once they are elected to disregard what the citizens want. This is because under the FPTP, parliamentarians must do what their parties dictate and any accountability to the citizens is basically non existent.

STV will change this as citizens will get to rank the politicians and our votes will truly count as STV allows for greater representation as smaller parties and Independents will be elected.

Due to the STV ranking system we have no wasted votes. Under FPTP if the candidate we voted for didn't receive the top vote, our vote counts for nothing. Under FPTP this means a party receiving 40 % of the vote will often get 60% of the seats. STV will prevent this from happening, moreover, STV will increase females being elected because under the current system which is male dominated, women don't engage in politics the way men do. The FPTP system turns off women who would rather collaborate with others, even those from different parties to bring about positive change. Under FPTP men tend to group together and they engage in combat with men from another party. If you watch the legislature it is very silly and juvenile. I don't think women are wired in this fashion and this combative war-like approach is out-dated and serves no real purpose.

This election, I am busy managing the campaign of Green candidate John Boychuk in Vancouver-Mt Pleasant and so my blog entries will probably be more sporadic but if I become aware of of juicy stories, I will share them.

One of the juiciest so far is happening in the Vancouver-West End riding where a long-time neighborhood hotspot, the gay Odyssey nightclub, has had their application to relocate to Denman Street denied by Council. This issue wasn't a provincial one yet a couple of provincial candidates running in this riding stepped into the fray and this has only exacerbated the already highly charged situation.

Many gay community members see this issue as one of human rights, which is under provincial jurisdiction and I suspect the emotion and subsequent conflict will prevail throughout the one month election campaign. So far the only provincial candidate in that riding to support the Odyssey is Green Party Drina Read.

My feelings regarding the Odyssey is that it hasn't been treated fairly and the process used by the City was a sure-fire way of igniting a community firestorm which it has.

Because the Odyssey has no extension on its lease on Howe Street where it operated for nearly 25 years and which the City owns, I am deeply concerned over the plight of the 50 employees who may very well be out of jobs on April 30.

During this time of a severe recession it is scary that 50 people could be losing their jobs and this will have horrendous impact on their lives.

So if anything positive can come out of this horrible situation in the West End, I really hope that the Odyssey jobs can be saved and that everyone works together to ensure people's livelihoods are not destroyed.

I want the City to redress this conflict and I want those candidates running for election in the West End to join me in demanding that the City offer compensation and assistance to those fifty employees if they lose their jobs.

I think this is even something those in opposition to the Odyssey re-location could support.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

WENDY LADNER-BEAUDRY DEATH UNITES the CITY

2009-04-12T13:03:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

WENDY LADNER-BEAUDRY DEATH UNITES the CITY

Yesterday I attended the day of celebration for Wendy Ladner-Beaudry. I only met Ms Beaudry-Ladner once through her brother Peter Ladner and like most other people in this City, I was shocked and angry that Wendy Ladner-Beaudry encountered such extreme violence just over a week ago which tragically ended her life.

The setting yesterday for the celebration of Wendy Beaudry's life was in the aptly named Life Sciences centre at UBC. Over one thousand people from all walks of life gathered with many of us standing in this great hall listening to the numerous and very moving tributes for Wendy Ladner-Beaudry.

Peter Ladner emceed the tribute to his sister and many people from the sporting world offered moving and passionate tributes.

Ms Ladner-Beaudry's husband Michel fondly reminisced about meeting his future wife and the great times they shared together over a span of twenty eight years. Mr Beaudry wrapped his delivery by singing a song which he talked through called You are My Sunshine. It seemed so fitting.

Many close friends of Ms Ladner-Beaudry spoke providing glimpses of Wendy's life and the constant theme was how she inspired others through her work in the field of sport.

Ms Ladner-Beaudry had befriended some single Moms at the Food Bank where she volunteered. She encouraged them to train for their first Sun run. She managed to get them good running shoes and these women alongside Peter Ladner this weekend will be running in Wendy's memory.

Ms Ladner-Beaudry two beautiful daughters Jenna and Maya spoke about how caring, loving and fabulous a Mother they were graced with. Jenna and Maya delivered moving tributes which there wasn't a dry eye in the crowd. The Ladner-Beaudry daughters shared how their beautiful Mother always prepared them for the various stages in their lives and now while life will be difficult they feel prepared for the challenges and life ahead.

I was amazed at how calm Jenna and Maya appeared but again this is due to their Mother's strong influence. While these girls must feel enormous pain it was obvious that they wanted this day to be about the positive influences of their Mom's life and not about the way it ended.

With this positive theme emerging throughout the afternoon, rounding out the tributes was a emotional tribute by Wendy's sister Nancy and Pasley who used stones, sand and tea to show that stones and sand pass through our lives and are not the important things but that making time for friends, family and loved ones is everything. The tea symbolized how we must make time for friends and family and always remember to have a great cup of tea with those really important in our lives.

While yesterday and the days, weeks and years ahead will be about the positive contributions made by Wendy Ladner-Beaudry and her family, this City from the affluent Shaughnessy district to the Downtown Eastside remains steadfast and united in our desire to see justice done.

Ms Ladner-Beaudry's legacy to this City is about peace, charity and goodwill to others. We must always strive to remember all that she stood for and assist others less fortunate just as she did. That's the real measurement of Justice and that is the gift Ms Ladner-Beaudry provided this City.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

COUNCIL WRONG to TURN DOWN ODYSSEY APPLICATION

2009-04-10T20:36:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

COUNCIL WRONG to TURN DOWN ODYSSEY APPLICATION

One of Vancouver's longest running gay bars, the Odyssey, was forced to re-locate after the City of Vancouver property they leased was slated for demolition to make way for desperately needed social housing.

The Odyssey has always been located in the West End and for safety reasons wished to remain there. The West End has a significant gay and lesbian population and most of the community's gay bars are located there.

Unfortunately there was no space available in the Davie Village area but there was on Denman Street where many other non-bar gay businesses are located. This is the route of the hugely successful Pride parade every summer and a number of gay or gay friendly restaurants, coffee shops and apparel stores operate there.

Many residents of the Denman Street area upon becoming aware of the Odyssey re-location sprang into action to oppose the Odyssey move. Residents cited increased noise and that the area wasn't conducive to a nightclub since it is primarily a residential neighborhood.

While the West End is a residential neighborhood it also has extensive commercial aspects to it. Davie, Denman and Robson streets have thriving and very large commercially zoned areas and this is why in my opinion, I believe the vocal anti Odyssey residents were somewhat misguided in their efforts to oppose the re-location.

Under the current City of Vancouver zoning laws, where the Odyssey wished to re-locate, nightclub is a permitted use.

Under the old, outdated and archaic licensing laws, the City allows those who live nearby what they consider to be contentious businesses, a say in in the matter.

This is where I think the problem lies.

In the same location where the Odyssey wished to re-locate at the corner of Barclay and Denman was a longtime theatre called the Bay. I would say that the Bay theatre had many more patrons than the Odyssey could ever have and these theatre goers would depart into the neighborhood after watching a movie. At no time did the City ever say that theatre-goers created so much noise that it was unbearable for the nearby residents. Interestingly the Bay also showcased live theatre which I assume would not have been different in terms of loudness than a club.

On Haro Street near Chilco, which is further into the residential area, the Buchan Hotel on its lower level housed the hugely popular Delilah's restaurant and martini bar. Before Delilah's moved to a larger venue, The City never attempted to close this well regarded business. As far as I know no West End residents opposed this location.

Up the street from where the Odyssey wished to re-locate is the Coast Hotel on Denman which now houses Delilah's, a closed movie theatre and a number of restaurants. Previously an alcohol serving gathering spot, the Three Greenhorns operated without any problems. The same can be said about the Sands Hotel down the street at Denman and Davie where a number of restaurant bars are located.

Half-a-block away from the proposed Odyssey re-location on Denman street is the Dover Arm's pub which attracts party revellers and the City hasn't dared interrupt the operations of this popular West End business.

While West End residents are entitled to voice their concerns about their neighborhood, however, it seems to me that if a proposed business fits within the criteria of the City's land use and zoning laws, this is what Council first and foremost, should be entertaining. Residents should not have the final say if legal, land use and zoning requirements are met.

These decisions of course are best left up to Council. Unfortunately, we know that many politicians instead of doing the right thing, get squeamish if they perceive that they may lose votes come election time if they are deemed by a vocal group of residents not to be favouring their demands. So instead of Councillors engaging in proper governance they start counting votes and in this situation the residents opposing the Odyssey easily outnumbered the gay community who were supporting the application.

This process that the City engaged in regarding the Odyssey reminded me of Aboriginal treaties where the majority of citizens in a referendum are allowed to determine what is in the best interests of the minority and this actually sickens me.

What is even more unfortunate with the Odyssey situation is that according to the Police, this has been a very well-run and problem-free business. That is no easy task either considering the business involves the selling of alcohol. So kudos to the good management of the Odyssey for keeping its premises problem free and safe for the community to enjoy. So why the police opposed thiss move is unusual.

Sadly for the gay community and the short-sightedness of Councillors with the exception of NPA Councillor Suzanne Anton and bravo to her, the community has lost one of its most treasured gathering spots.

I can't help but think if there was a Harvey Milk on Council representing the West End that he would not have buckled to the whims of an organized and very vocal group. His vision would be that the gay community should be treated fairly and that politicians shouldn't bend to the whims or demands of those who can muster up the strongest opposition which has a tendency to frighten weak politicians into submission.

I think the gay community will lobby now to defeat gay and lesbian Councillors, Ellen Woodsworth and Tim Stevenson who along with their Vision/COPE/NDP colleagues instead of demonstrating real leadership in the face of conflict, sank into their seats, barely uttering a peep as they voted against the Odyssey re-location and in the process, betrayed Vancouver's gay community.

Shame on them.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

OH BARRY LINK GET A GRIP PLEASE

2009-04-09T13:41:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

OH BARRY LINK GET A GRIP PLEASE

In today's downtown edition of the Vancouver Courier, I couldn't believe my eyes when I read Courier Editor Barry Link's defence www.vancourier.com of his ranting colleague Mark Hasiuk.

As some of my readers may know Courier columnist Mark Hasiuk was turfed from a meeting two weeks ago in which he wasn't invited. This expulsion gave rise to one of the most horrible, blistery, misogynist and venomous pieces I have seen in news reporting.

Instead of calling his colleague on the carpet, Mr Link worsens matters when today he uses his paper ( not un-similar to Hasiuk) to state what a great guy Mr Hasiuk is. Link's glowing account of Mark Hasiuk is allegedly based on how Hasiuk gives a homeless guy beside their office some food, coaches a kid's hockey team (poor kids) and volunteers with Downtown Eastside residents.

Spare me the platitudes Mr Link but the women who Mr Hasiuk demeaned, ridiculed, belittled and directed shame and hate at are also giving, terrific, nurturing and wonderful women in the community. We have assisted and nursed friends, given money to those begging on the streets, donated to countless charitable groups and causes, advocate for our homeless, lower-income & poor people, volunteer with countless organizations, provide leadership skills to many terrific organizations and work to stamp out hate. In fact our worth is not any different than most women in this City who also do the same.

To be called by a creepy guy, old white women, rabid, heavily-made-up with bleach-blonde hair and calling one female service owner a pimp does not in any way contribute to the betterment of society.

Is it any wonder that women shy away from entering politics or taking on leadership roles especially with this type of boorish behaviour.

Mr.Link next time you wish to defend your ranting colleague please spare us the indignant platitudes if you don't mind.

Your news columnist was wrong when he belittled and ridiculed a number of female participants attending a forum. Calling us horrific names merely because we had been invited to attend and share our opinions at the forum organized by SFU communications students is sheer stupidity.

Just because your news reporter wasn't invited to this private forum and because he was asked to leave by the student organizers should not give rise to these types of disgusting attacks.

And shame on you Mr Link for not being professional or mature enough to correct a wrong.

If Mr. Peter Ballard who had great respect for women and diverse communities, was still publisher at the Courier, I suspect he never would have allowed the misogynist rant of Mr Hasiuk to appear in the paper. Moreover, I doubt he would be defending a juvenile reporter who is prone to hissy fits.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

COURIER REPORTER WINS AWARD

2009-04-09T12:16:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

COURIER REPORTER WINS AWARD
Marred by Association with Disgusting Creep

Sandra Thomas of the Vancouver Courier wins gold media award for exposing the sad story of young men going missing in the Metro region and most likely the probable violence against these young males.

It is sad though that Ms Thomas works alongside a male reporter at the Courier who in a recent column of his ridiculed women, subjected blonde-haired and middle-aged women to shame and nastily dismissed the work of strong female resistance fighters.

Even worse, female reporters at the Courier have not denounced these despicable actions of their male colleague.

Enjoy your award Sandra, too bad that it is marred by your association with a disgusting creep.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

THE NOT SO CO-OPERATIVE COPE AGM

2009-04-05T21:26:00.005-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

THE NOT SO CO-OPERATIVE COPE AGM

Today I attended the Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) annual general meeting after being summoned there by my political ally Tim Louis.

The meeting hall was full with around 300 people in attendance. Pretty good considering it was a lovely sunny day.

There was as is the usual case within COPE, a split in the membership as newer instant-sign-up members were attempting to overthrow former Councillor Tim (Che) Louis who was seeking re-election to his Correspondence Secretary position. This made for a interesting meeting.

There was this instant-member-group at the meeting who don't much care for Tim and they often took jabs at him during the meeting. This group has styled themselves the so-called COPE 12 and they were seeking control of all twelve positions on the COPE executive.

The COPE 12 slate is headed by former teacher and NDP MLA David Chudnovsky. Mr Chudnovsky and his cheerleaders (the other 11 members of COPE 12) continually talked about co-operation and co-operative politics. They talked up a storm about their winning formula regarding what they see as their successful NDP-COPE-Vision campaign.

When it came time to voting for the position Mr Louis was seeking re-election for, all co-operation flew out the window as COPE 12 nominated a relative newcomer to COPE who has been involved for two years. What this COPE 12 group did was hardly co-operative.

Alvin Singh, a young Indo Canadian male and a relative new-comer to COPE, during his nomination speech for External Chair delivered a blistery highly charged and emotional speech directed at COPE members including COPE stalwart Tim Louis who opposed an alliance with the New Vision Party. Mr Singh speech was clearly a divisive attack and many members I spoke with are so fed up with this NEW-NDP-COPE that they are now finished.

I've had empathy and concern for the South Asian community in Vancouver municipal politics because they have in my opinion been treated poorly, however, the level of disrespect levelled by Mr Singh at longtime members of COPE who he disagrees with--they didn't support Vision--which he thinks was wrong and if Mr Singh is lthe best leader that this community can come up with--by his example today--this community will continue to struggle politically.

I was not surprised by the COPE 12 treatment of Mr Louis but I was really sickened how this NDP-COPE 12 gang could so callously and shabbily treat a man who has given and sacrificed so much to COPE.

Talk about betrayal.

COPE had no money to start its election campaign and Mr Louis loaned the organization $25,000.00 and he still hasn't been paid back a cent. Moreover, Mr Louis subsidized COPE, giving them free rent in historic offices that he owns at Main and Broadway. According to the treasurer of COPE Mr. Terry Martin, the monetary value to COPE from Mr Louis' generosity of the offices is $90,000.00.

During this free-rent-period, COPE hired full-time staff who according to Tim's wife and longtime COPE member Dr Penny Parry, has treated Mr Louis very poorly.

Mr Louis came close to winning his executive position losing by 129 votes to 133 votes for the winner.

This close margin of the vote demonstrates that Mr Louis has significant support within COPE and especially from the longtime members who have given so much to COPE, both financially and emotionally over the years.

This new COPE 12 group many who are in the under 30 years of age bracket have the ability to sign up instant members through their university and other related networks. They even beat Mr Louis by the narrowest of margins but this is only by signing up instant members who I doubt will stick around long. How this group will function in an election will be interesting to observe.

In fact most of the instant-member crowd departed right after voting in their COPE 12 slate and by the time the annual financial statements were presented they were long gone.

The reading of the COPE financial statement though is important as it shows COPE with a six figure debt with about $10,000 cash in the bank.

COPE has now rented offices at the historic Dominion building at Cambie and Hastings and it has three full-time staff which includes an Executive Director position.

Treasurer Terry Martin presented that COPE brings in about eight hundred dollars per month in pre-authorized chequing donations from members but how this is going to cover the fixed costs of 3 staff, an office and paying down this six figure debt will be interesting to watch.

I doubt the mostly newcomers who comprise COPE 12 who interestingly throughout the afternoon continually parroted their freshness and newness to COPE, have extensive fundraising networks. Who is going to be paying the COPE bills is a question which I hope our local news outlets will follow. The structural debt they will be carrying needs to be watched closely.

It's funny as I left the COPE meeting I couldn't help thinking how the Teacher David Chudnovsky and his 11 merry cheerleaders, complete with their backslapping, whoops of excitement & laughter and their continuous rushing about to make sure their instant-sign-up supporters were voting the correct way--resembled something one might see happening in a high school.

Two years ago the new NDP-COPE brought us Nanny (Ellen Woodsworth) and her gang of juveniles and this year because Nanny was elected to Council, the newer NDP-COPE 12 brings us Teacher Chudnovsky and his merry band of cheerleaders. How exciting.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

ANOTHER SHOW-DOWN AT COPE

2009-04-03T21:24:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

ANOTHER SHOW-DOWN AT COPE

This Sunday, April 5, 2009, there appears to be another show-down at the Coalition of Progressive Electors (COPE) annual general meeting.

A new slate calling itself COPE 12 is running for all 12 spots on the COPE executive.

COPE stalwart Tim Louis again is part of a mini-slate comprising four people. Respected Leader Terry Martin is also part of the Keep it COPE slate. They are up against COPE 12.

This inner conflict within COPE continues to play out.

Why party people affiliated with the New Vision/New Democratic Party are out to prevent Tim Louis from serving on the executive of COPE must be answered. Of course why Mr Louis even wants to continue with a group who clearly are painting him as some sort of enemy of COPE is really troubling.

Tim Louis served for 12 years on Council - six as City Councillor and another six on Park board.

In the last election COPE forces loyal to the civic New Vision Party prevented Mr Louis from winning a nomination. These same forces, the New NDP COPE then signed on to a formal alliance with the New Vision Party

Now Mr Louis is back to battle these same forces again. While it is admirable that Tim Louis isn't backing away from those who seem out to destroy him, at some point, he must come to the realization that supporters of his are tiring of attending meetings which are rife with conflict.

Mr Louis clearly has a significant support base in COPE but unfortunately it has not been enough to compete against the other slate which is closely aligned with the provincial and federal New Democratic Party.

If Mr Louis wants his political star to continue to shine he must come to the realization that he has support in Vancouver which isn't tied to the New Democratic/New Vision Party. He must move beyond allowing himself to be drawn into these unproductive political squabbles and instead rally his supporters to embark on initiating a new civic entity which is free of provincial or federal mainstream party interferences.

Why Mr Louis who clearly has broad support in the City doesn't move forward with focused leadership presenting a clear alternative to voters which is free of provincial or federal party affiliation is perplexing.

Mr Louis' longtime hero, the late godfather of COPE, the beloved Harry Rankin, if he were alive today would say why keep fighting these treacherous buggers.

In fact in 1993, the New Democratic Party ran a slate for the COPE executive against one that COPE founder Mr Rankin headed and sadly the Rankin slate lost to the Libby Davies led NDP faction. Mr Rankin retired. The result of that NDP takeover was an almost complete wipe-out for the NEW-NDP-COPE at the polls on election day. Libby Davies lost the Mayoral race to Philip Owen and the New-NDP-COPE elected only one Councillor, Jenny Kwan.

Ms Davies and Ms Kwan this time around are supporters of the COPE 12slate headed by NDP MLA David Chudnovksy who is not seeking provincial re-election on May 12.

It's time for Tim Louis to gather his supporters and move on. There is no doubt that this City will continue to embrace Mr Louis' politics regardless of whether he is part of COPE or not.

Why remain with a municipal group which clearly has it strings pulled by treacherous provincial and federal NDP types.

Clearly, keeping it COPE died long ago.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

COUNCIL ATTEMPTING to SHUT DOWN YET ANOTHER BUSINESS BASED on PUBLIC MORALS?

2009-04-02T12:47:00.007-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

COUNCIL ATTEMPTING to SHUT DOWN YET ANOTHER BUSINESS BASED on PUBLIC MORALS?

The City of Vancouver appears to be attempting to shut down another business based on morality concerns. As my readers know, last week City Council held a quasi-judicial court to shut down the soft porn Fox theatre. This hearing re-convenes on May 13, 2009.

Now the City is going after Marc Emery's marijuana business on West Hastings Street and another quasi-judicial court has been set for April 9, 2009, at City Hall, where Council will attempt to revoke the business license of Marc Emery's businesses.

The City informs us that they act when there are complaints and I suspect any complaints will have come from the Vancouver Police Department.

I wonder if the Police observed someone smoking pot in Mr Emery's business and perhaps this might be the impetus of why Council has now embarked on this silly show cause hearing?

If this is the case and if there is criminal activity occurring why haven't the police arrested anyone? Same as at the Fox, where the Police state they observed fellatio being performed and the question is this. If performing oral sex is a criminal offence and if the Police truly observed what they claimed to have seen--than why didn't they make an arrest?

Mr Emery like the Fox theatre operates legally and both have legitimate city-issued business licences.

Any complaints coming before the City at least regarding the Fox seems to have come from one business operator and according to City documents only one complaint was ever received by them. Yet they want to shut down this business.

It seems really bizarre with the number of gang shootings happening in the City, yet the City and Vancouver Police are using scarce resources to target businesses which they deem to be corrupting public morals.

With the Olympics right around the corner, this does raise alarms since it appears the City is embarking on some sort of clean-up campaign and other businesses which operate legitimately could be next. Especially if those businesses are judged by the City to be immoral. These could include adult bookstores, steambaths and massage services.

It is interesting that these clean-ups are happening under the watch of the New Vision Party which came into power in November, 2008.

Vision will need to tread carefully since many of their core supporters are young and consider themselves progressive. If the Party they chose to support appears bent on infringing on human rights or on a public morals campaign, there could in a very short time be a major political backlash.

Stay tuned.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

RESPONSE to MARK HASIUK PIECE

2009-03-25T19:14:00.004-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

Hi All, I wrote this response regarding the worst journalisnm I've seen in this City. Mr Hasiuk of the Vancouver Courier was expelled from a private roundtable forum on prostitution organized by communications students at Simon Fraser University. He was invited by Abolitionists who he has a close relationship with. If you want to see Mr Hasiuk's piece Pro Prostitution Carnival hijacks Community Roundtable visit www.vancourier.com

Mark

I understand you were upset after being asked to leave the prostitution forum held recently at SFU Downtown campus. This request for media to leave obviously has caused you some anguish and in return because you are a journalist at the Vancouver Courier this provided you a forum like a petulant little boy to lash out at those you consider responsible for your expulsion. moreover, you have I believe mis-used your paper to get back at those who you dis-agree with.

Your journalistic integrity though suffers a blow when instead of writing a piece on your observations, you resort to name-calling and an all out attack on those who favour a harm reduction approach to the prostitution issue here in Vancouver.

In no particular order here are my thoughts on your story.

First you call a number of us who you claim are 'pro prostitution' as 'old white women'. This is pathetic journalism as well as being inaccurate. Those speaking at the forum who are in favour of a harm reduction approach include Julie from the organization SWAN who advocates for Asian females involved in the sex trade. Julie herself is a younger Asian woman. Two young Pivot lawyers who are Mothers and brought their babies could hardly be called 'old'. Plus there was myself and I am Aboriginal and not a 'white woman'.

Next you attack Scarlett Lake who was attending as an observer by calling her a 'pimp' which was uncalled for. Scarlett is a sex trade worker and owner/operator of an Independent escort service but to reduce her to a 'pimp' which has serious implications is yellow journalism.

You also go on about the 'pro prostitution' side as bleach blondes and heavily made up. Nice try Mr Hasiuk but this obviously shows your disdain for women. The only blonde I saw at the Forum was Scarlett and I don't think whether a woman or a man for that reason touches up their hair should give rise to being called a bleached out blonde, as you have done.

Your put down of women in such a derogatory way shows that you have some issues in your life Mr Hasiuk.

You also go on about the Abolitionist side being outnumbered at the forum by the 'pro prostitution side'. This is a distortion and you know it Mr Hasiuk. In fact the numbers were the opposite. I counted 6 of us who favour sex trade safety and the number of Abolitionists present was 12.

When we were invited to participate in the Forum, the agreed upon agenda stipulated that each speaker would be given 10 minutes to speak. At the start of the meeting there was a request from the group identifying themselves as Abolitionists that they wished to have 20 minutes to speak. This was unfair and I spoke up about this and so the Forum organizers caucused and agreed that the original allotment of time for each speaker would stand.

Next it came to the attention of the room and forum organizers that media was present. This Forum was private and therefore you were asked to leave. It is noteworthy that the Forum organizers stated they had not invited the media (you) and one can only conclude since this forum wasn't publicized that you Mr Hasiuk were attending upon the invitation of the Abolitionist side who you often write favourably toward. In fact I asked you to self-disclose your stance on this issue and you refused. I did this because I wasn't going to participate in a meeting where only one media was present who could possibly present information favourable toward those on one side who want to prohibit prostitution.

Your recent column cements my point where in the short time present at the meeting, you provide to Courier readers a distorted and inaccurate perspective of the meeting. I can only imagine what you may have done if allowed to be there for the whole meeting.

You go on to claim that the meeting started one hour late and you are wrong here. We were asked to attend for 12:30 pm where a light lunch would be served with the program starting at 1pm. The forum actually started at 1:15pm. Perhaps those who invited you didn't convey this information to you.

Next you go on to attack prominent feminist and lesbian activist Esther Shannon by calling her rabid. Ms Shannon has viewpoints but to reduce her public and professional record of public service to being rabid is disgusting.

After the forum organizers asked you to leave, you, Mr Hasiuk, quite aggressively singled out MP Libby Davies yelling across the room at her that you were one of her constituents and what was her opinion of the media being tossed from a 'public forum'. The forum Mr Hasiuk was not a public meeting as you state and why you would single out MP Davies for your wrath is troubling. It was the organizers who asked you to leave.

It is obvious from your article that the Courier has an editorial stance of favouring Abolition of Prostitution. I find this somewhat ironic though considering that the Courier takes ads from sex workers. Of course the obvious must be stated here. The Courier receives revenue from those engaged in the world's oldest profession yet wants to prohibit prostitution. Interesting.

Finally, I just want to say I feel sorry for the female staff working at the Courier who work alongside a male who seems full of anger and rage. One who thinks sex workers are the evil scourges on earth who must be rid of at all costs. Further, that women who colour their hair or wear make-up are less than other women in society and therefore must be publicly ridiculed and scorned--all in order--so that you can further your agenda of abolishing prostitution.

Sad Mr Hasiuk really sad.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

FOX CINEMA FATE TODAY

2009-03-24T10:34:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

FOX CINEMA FATE TODAY

So a Vancouver Police officer went into the Fox Adult theatre on an underground mission to gather evidence that the place was being used for casual hook-ups between Men and while there he noticed a pungent smell to the Theatre. The officer also took to the Internet observing ads on Craigslist which has a casual encounter section where adults place advertisements looking for other like minded folks to hook up with. The constable found a few ads where men advertised asking others to join them at the Fox.

Oh my all this information that the City's finest acquired and I wonder why?

It appears that some residents of the Mount Pleasant area have their nose out of joint because they live in an area which has a soft porn theatre and so they embarked on a campaign to rid the community of this old whore.

Interesting is that the Fox has been operating as a soft porn theatre for twenty-five years without any problem. Suddenly there is this purported problem and the City is being drawn in to determine its fate.

It will be interesting to see how the City handles this situation.

The major complaint appears to revolve around acts of indecency, according to the police who had one undercover officer there for one hour on one day and now the Police want it shut down.

It is interesting how the City will license gay steambaths where you can hook up and escort agencies also provide hook-ups and are licensed by the City yet this is apparently forbidden at the Fox.

If the City revokes the license of the Fox there possibly could be grounds of appeal especially on constitutional grounds.

Councillors Suzanne Anton, Heather Deal and Kerry Jang are expected to deal with this issue today and perhaps they might want to refer it to the whole of Council so there can be a proper community debate about kink activities in this City.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

MY COLUMN of FEB 21 INSPIRES NATIONAL POST STORY

2009-03-22T11:03:00.005-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

MY COLUMN of FEB 21, 2009 INSPIRES NATIONAL POST STORY

On Feb 21, 2009, I wrote a story RIP Wendy Marlene Desjarlais which inspired a story written by Brian Hutchinson in this Saturday's National Post.

Wendy Marlene Desjarlais died in an rodent-infested apartment with no one supporting her. In fact Ms Desjarlais had been moved into Suite 208 at the Pendera apartment which is operated by DERA. This happened even though the previous elderly deceased Asian tenant Mr Lindsay Wong still had many of his possessions remaining there.

Ms Desjarlais was palliative (meaning she was dying) and hastily moved into the Pendera on instructions according to the National Post story, by the boss of DERA who is Mr Kim Kerr. The Pendera it should be noted is not a special needs residence nor does it have nursing staff or personal care attendants.

DERA broke the law when it moved Ms Desjarlais into the apartment.

The residential tenancy act (RTA) clearly states that before a suite is rented, it must first be inspected, cleaned and ready for move-in.

None of the above occurred and someone must be held responsible for this.

BC Housing which is a crown corporation of the provincial government has a contract with DERA who hold $15 million in provincial housing assets.

DERA at one time was a credible organization fighting for the rights of downtrodden Downtown Eastside residents but today it is more known for its criminal activities.

Its executive director Kim Kerr threatened former City Councillor Elizabeth Ball and then had the nerve to sue another Councillor, Mr. Peter Ladner, who publicly disclosed the threat. The judge recently dismissed the case brought by Mr Kerr saying she believed Ms Ball and another former Councillor B.C. Lee's testimony over that of Mr. Kerr.

The threat levelled by Mr Kerr at Ms Ball was that she would look good lying in an alley with her red scarf tied around her neck.

BC Housing even though it has received numerous complaints against DERA has so far taken no action against DERA. The Executive Director remains in place at DERA, being paid a very generous taxpayer funded salary. Moreover, BC Housing doesn't seem to care that Mr Kerr's legal bills from a frivolous and vexatious suit will probably be paid out of allocated BC Housing funds. Talk about a misuse of funds.

Is this the type of person we want leading a publicly funded organization?

Many residents in the Oldtown area are questioning whether Mr Kerr has the capabilities and qualifications to lead this organization. Sadly, many are asking the same questions of the DERA board. To sit on a board, board members have a legal and fiduciary duty, however, those at DERA ikely don't understand this. Many of the DERA board members are drug addicted or mentally ill and they are easily manipulated.

Here is another example of concerning behaviour regarding DERA's Mr Kim Kerr. Why did he a few months ago move into the Pendera, a 21 year old Native male into a building which has a qualification requirement that you must be 45years of age and older? Also, there is a waiting list for non-profit housing so why did this young man scoot to the top of what is arguably a lengthy waiting list?

In fact, is Mr Kerr mis-using his authority to skirt around BC Housing regulations when he personally grants suites to those not on the waiting list?

It is ironic that tomorrow Monday, March 23, 2009, Mr Kerr is co-hosting a meeting on factory-built housing with Housing Consultant Michael Geller who has a contract with the British Columbia government to conduct a feasibility study on factory-built temporary housing as an solution to the rampant homelessness in the City of Vancouver.

Why Mr Geller who is this real nice guy and has an excellent reputation on matters related to housing and the arts would partner up with DERA is really perplexing. For that matter why is the government partnering up with DERA and its Executive Director considering their rampant housing/tenancy violations and criminal threats to public officials?

Perhaps Mr Rich Coleman, the Minister of Housing should address these issues. I think Ms Dejarlais dying in such an undignified way deserves a Ministerial response. Don't you think so too Minister Coleman?

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com

TWO HIGH PROFILE GLBT CANDIDATES RUNNING

2009-03-19T17:04:00.003-07:00
Oldtown News
Vancouver, BC

TWO HIGH PROFILE GLBT CANDIDATES RUNNING

The May 12 provincial election is just around the corner and two prominent members of the GLBT community are set to announce their campaigns.

Laura McDiarmid the just stepped down Vice-President of PRIDE and a former Vice-Chair and Chair of the Vancouver Park Board will officially announce at an event on March 30 her candidacy for the BC Liberals. Ms McDiarmid plans to run against the very popular Spencer Herbert who was just elected 6 months ago in the Van-Burrard by-election and who will be seeking the newly created seat of Vancouver-West End. I'm not sure if Mr Herbert is considered an incumbent once the writ is dropped but Ms McDiarmmid will have her hands full, taking on the high spirited Spencer who is extremely well liked. If Ms McDiarrmid can shed her traditional former campaign style and run an equally high spirited campaign, this race could be close. Drina Read is running for the BC Green Party

In the riding of Vancouver Mount Pleasant, longtime PRIDE President John Boychuk has an event planned where it is expected that he will be announcing his intention to seek the Van-Mt Pleasant seat under the BC Green Party.

Mr. Boychuk co-owns a business at Main and Broadway and his mother was a longtime waitress at the Dodson Hotel on East Hastings Street. Mr Boychuk will be going up against NDP Jenny Kwan who has held the seat since 1996. This of course is an NDP stronghold but with the new buildings being constructed and with Liberal support falling in the last federal election by 6% expect Mr Boychuk to do very well. Especially if he can obtain the newer residents votes.

The Van-Mt Pleasant riding also has the second largest gay demographic in Vancouver and if Mr Boychuk receives this community's blessing, expect him to strongly challenge Ms Kwan. The BC Liberals have not yet announced their candidate for this riding.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com