THIS IS NOT A HOAX

From a regular contributor...

OUTRAGEOUS.
The TransLink Board has justed voted itself a raise in its meeting honoraria - for $200 a meeting to..........$1,200/meeting!!!!!!!!! - whether or not they are physically present at the table. They get it if it's just a teleconference!

While fares rise - while families face financial ruin along the Canada Line - behind closed doors the TransLink Cabal votes themselves this gluttony
and flips the people of BC the bird.

This is beyond all comprehension.

THE HEIGHT OF ARROGANCE - BUREAUCRACY RUN AMOK

What follows is perhaps the rudest letter imaginable from Little Ms. I'mAlright to yet another Cambie merchant whose business has been ruined by the Canada Line. It's a classic. But WARNING - YOUR BLOOD MAY BOIL.

Linda ( I presume)
I am an independent operator. I have a contract with Canada Line to manage the projects of the Business Liaison Committees. I take my directives from the committee members and my Independent Chair. I will not be passing your rhetorical question on to the CEO of Canada Line for you.

As you know, there is no mandate for Canada Line in their contract to provide compensation to businesses. What Canada Line did in that absence, was to create communications and programming resources available through the Vancouver and Richmond Business Liaison Committees. You have two representatives for this area which are on the Committee, Mr., Leonard Schein of Festival Cinemas, who operates the Park Theatre just up the street from you, and Ms. Heather Grant who works with Shato Holdings, owners of numerous properties including White Spot. These two individuals do a great job of representing the interests of Cambie Village at our table and provide input as to ways to bring customers to Cambie Village. In fact, they have secured a great deal of programming for the area in addition to that funded through the Committee. I know they will both continue to champion for Cambie Village.

Mr. Schein and Ms. Grant also serve on the volunteer Board of Directors for the Cambie Village Business Association. You have the contact name and number for Rania Hatz, your BIA coordinator who you have cc’d in the email. Please speak with Rania about ideas you may have for events, marketing and programs in the Cambie Village area or to find out what programs are currently being planned so that you can participate.

I believe I have done all I can for your business in my capacity. Canada Line has provided one-on-one consultation from the Retail Consultant, who also gave you a personalized sign program template on cd and new logo to work with. I know that there were many ideas and suggestions presented to you and it is up to you how you move forward. With the closure of all the Regis Framing stores, you now have less competition in this area. The City Square location has closed and you could go into the mall and hand out your cards to the other merchants to let them know that people looking for framing can now call you. Perhaps offer a referral program.. It might be a good time to make some photocopies of flyers, or rearrange the store. Urban Source on Main street just north of 16th sells recycled materials for pennies and will provide an environmentally friendly supply of neat things to make displays with. There are many constructive things you could be doing.

I am wondering, too, why after running the business for about 20 months you speak about the last 17, 20 and now 24 years of business. Having met the previous owners, who themselves bought the business from someone else, it seems the business has changed hands a number of times in the last few years alone. Along with your inconsistent operating hours, it is my own personal onion that you may have some consumer confidence issues to work on. Traditionally, retail sales are very low this time of year. Add snow storms and traffic congestion and you do really have a very compounded situation. I have never said otherwise. But I honestly believe you need to make more effort in your business for it to grow. Sending emails such as the attached, and some of the others you have copied me on, will not help you unless you feel it is beneficial to vent at someone. If that is the case – why not type the email out and then delete it? That way you see, you don’t offend people who have done a lot to try to help you in the only way that they are able to or have control over.

I wish you well,

Thanks,

Karen Peterson
Independent Project Director
Business Liaison and Communications Committees
Do You Shop the Line?
Canada Line Direct: 604-639-8723
Cellular 778-327-8383
karenpi@canadaline.ca http://www.canadaline.ca/
483 West 16th Avenue
Vancouver BC V5Y 1Z2

TEACH THE CHILDREN

VICTOR WANTS THE FULL TREATMENT

Hi Mensche:

This city needs a dialogue on treatment; maybe a Langara dialogue.

I am tired of the obfuscation.

On a daily basis I hear bloated talk show hosts admonish us because treatment is not available for addicts. But they never define or discuss treatment.

Similarly, newspaper columnists bring the scientific weight of their two-year journalism diplomas to the call for treatment. But they never define it. Never analyze the efficacy of any treatment protocols.

I am tired of being preached to by these moralizing intellectual sophomores.

We need a dialogue around the following question:

TREATMENT: WHAT WORKS ?

WHAT DOES ' IT WORKS' MEAN?

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Question one.

With respect to question #1, surely we have the right to put the treatment regimens under the bright light of scientific scrutiny. We do this for every other health issue. So what works? The question is particularly important given the claims by VCH that treatment can be effective for dual-diagnosed addicts. OK? The procedures manual for the Psychiatrists Association lists 300 mental disorders. There are a dozen different addictive drugs at least. That's thousands of combinations. Do we use the same 'treatment' for all of them? Does the manic depressive addicted to heroin et the same treatment as the violent cocaine addict? Who gives the treatment? Somebody with an undergrad degree in sociology? What is the regimen? Yeah, I know, psychiatrists are scorned, even though they have medical degrees, but given that addiction is a health issue, dare I ask for the credentials of treatment advocates? And if addiction is not a health issue, but a lifestyle issue, get it away from my taxes. I don't pay for botox failures.

Question Two.

What do we mean by" treatment works"? Does this mean the 34 year old meth addict stays clean for 2 years? One year? Gets a job? Who defines success? Every six of months or so I stop shaving for 4 days, put on my garden clothes and walk East Hastings. Try it. I get away with it because I am a cripple and I limp badly. I ask myself whether any of the lost souls I encounter could ever cross over to civilian street. Could they clean up? Get a job. Eat right. Yes, I'm aware of the heartfelt stories about the ex meth addict who now sorts bottles at a charity. But we need to face the fact that even, and I stress, even of we clean up the estimated 7000 addicts in the GVRD, they will be on the dole for life. Bloated talk show hosts and columnists flog the notion that somehow, these denizens of despair will clean up, join the Rotary, wear sensible shoes and eat organically.

Assume society accepts the cost of cleaning all 7,000 dual diagnosed addicts. Surely we should discuss the cost of housing, feeding and caring for the bulk of them, and those who will replace them, in perpetuity.

Question three. The cost.

Everybody dances around this. I have only one number as a reference. The facility in Keromeos, the one that will "treat" (that word again) 40 addicts a year, has an operating budget of $2 million. That's operating costs of $50,000 per addict, not including capital costs. They claim a high success rate although, success isn't defined. (see point 2). But assuming the Keremeos facility "Works" that translates into $350 million a year for the 7000 addicts on the downtown east side. That doesn't include capital costs. Let's put capital costs for 7000 units at $150 million, which is a bargain.

So we have a figure of $500 million a year. (Plus support for the rest of their lives). That's before the WCF (World Crackhead Federation) descends on Vancouver for 2010.

Can we at least, as Charles Dickens said "do the sums".

God forbid all those earnest advocates puzzle their sincere minds with accountability.

But, it as been said, "Earnest is another name for Stupid that went to university."

v

FRIDAY'S PROVINCE COLUMN

Though winter is far from out the door, the election season seems just around the corner.

Already, the signs are jammed into the cushy lawns of Vancouver Quadra for the March 17 byelection caused by local MP Stephen Owen’s decision to move on to a more relaxing job at the University of B.C. And almost daily, Prime Minister Stephen Harper threatens to exploit political rifts over Canada’s role in Afghanistan and roll the dice on a federal vote.

Civic contests arrive in mid-November. Then, a provincial election is slated for May 12 of next year. And there’s not much we can do about it. Under the Constitution Act, the date has been fixed.

But what do you want from the political leaders you elect? Management or inspiration? Experience or hope?

In the United States, Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton sees the position of president as that of a CEO who must “manage and run the bureaucracy.” Rival Barack Obama’s vision is a world apart.

In the classic call-and-answer style of the rural churches of the southern U.S., Obama is drawing new and old voters alike with his rallying call: “Yes, we can!” In debate, he is often shaky and thin on detail (which is exactly where Clinton shines).

But put Obama in front of an echoing crowd, and the Martin Luther King within him rises to the surface. I confess the man had me in tears.

On the Republican side, in a stirring clash between character and cunning, John McCain marches to confirmation, now that slick Mitt Romney, the millionaire Mormon, has suspended his campaign.

Which brings us back to our less-than-colourful election campaigns back home.

Vying to become City of Vancouver mayor are Gregor Robertson, Raymond Louie, David Cadman, Peter Ladner and, of course, Sam Sullivan. Oh, and from his 15 years on the parks board, there’s Allan De Genova. Lord help us.

On the provincial level, I don’t know anybody who would accuse NDP Leader Carole James or Premier Gordon Campbell of the kind of leadership that would encourage you to raise your knickers and wade across the river for the gold.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper is one lace less exciting than a pair of rental bowling shoes. And federal Liberal leader Stephane Dion is the guy who walked backwards into the propeller wash of politics.

So, what kind of leaders do we really want? And why can’t we get them?

A friend says that it’s fine to know how to run the shop, but people hunger for more. He argues that Obama is finding his constituency precisely because of that raw emptiness in the collective American gut. And he asks: “Where are the Canadian Obamas?” Where are the men and women of vision? Where are the souls who will awaken our own souls to callings higher than real estate?

The bar has been set so low in recent years, who would want the damn job?

No Brothels for Sam. Boo Effing Hoo

Co-op brothels will not happen any time soon.

That's the welcome announcement from Federal Justice Minsiter, Rob Nicholson.

"We are not in the business of legalizing brothels."

This was another of The Nutty Mayor's sweeping grand schemes to prettify Our Town for the Olympics.

Like all of his ideas - drug substitution, silent fire trucks - it's a No Go.

Shocking Walking

I like SFU's new "walking generator."

Wear a small brace on your knees and while you walk, you create enough juice to power your music box.

If this gets more people walking, I'm all for it.

Zoo Breaks

Some of the following may be prohibited from public use or display in Vancouver:

Sloths

Skunks

Weasels

rats

Reptiles

Snakes

What havoc this will play with the next election.

Who's left?

DEATH VAN IS ENTIRELY THE GOVERNMENT'S FAULT

It's good to know that the owner of the van that overutned last year, killing three farm workers and injuring 14 others, will be faced with a big fine.

But that's not even the beggining of cleaning up this mess.

Three days after that sickening and completely avoidable tragedy, that same company was yelling at its female immigrant employees at 6am to get into another completely unsafe van.

You won't read about that in the paper. I know because a friend of mine was standing there observing this atrocity.

The bc government has no laws requiring such vehicles to be inspected or carry seatbelts or have their tire pressure checked and any other simple safety procedure.

I lay this monstrocity entirely in the uncaring laps of the Olympic mistresses who call themselves our government.

Two seatbelts - 14 passengers....what gulag are we living in I ask again?

Oh I forgot...they are women and they are immigrants and they are in the valley out of view.

If only they were snowboarders or board of trade members.

David Marley on Policing

As you know, Metro Vancouver is currently involved in a debate over the desirability of "regional policing". Yesterday, SFU hosted a conference on the subject, one that drew a great many local politicians amongst other interested individuals. During the event not a single person mentioned that the RCMP "provincial services agreement" with BC expires in 2012. Yet, later in the day, the federal minister of public safety, with a beeming mayor of Surrey at his side, announced that construction will begin next year on a new headquarters for the RCMP's "E" division, to be built in "Green Timbers", Surrey.

Here we have yet another flagrant example of bureaucratic absolutism. It matters not that the people of BC have to date had no opportunity to debate the relative merits of keeping the RCMP in the role of municipal police force throughout BC post-2012. The federal bureaucracy, apparently with the active compliance of various provincial and local officials, is moving full speed ahead to spend vast sums of taxpayers' money on constructing a facility, presumably to create a fait accompli with respect to the RCMP's future in our province.

In 1950, the Attorney-General of the day, Gordon Wismer, effectively abrogated our country's Constitution by administrative fiat when, for dubious short term financial gain, he signed away BC's obligation to discharge the administration of justice insofar as the all important policing function is concerned. Today, the chief law officer of BC maintains direct control over a mere eleven so-called "independent" police forces across the province. By far the majority of communities are policed by a federal para-military force, run from distant Ottawa, one that is increasingly of late under the microscope for totally unacceptable behaviour of one sort or another.

We need a vigorous debate in BC, up to and including the May, 2009 provincial general election, as to whether to keep the RCMP as our dominant police presence. I believe we would be wise to encourage regional policing wherever numbers warrant in urban and suburban centres and, as for the balance of the province, we ought to resurrect a "British Columbia Constabulary".

I hope you will use your "bully pulpit" to promote such a necessary province-wide debate.

Canon in D by Johann Pachelbel

Alex Sits on Sam for 24 Hours

DRUGS, SEX and FOOL'S GOLD
By A. G. Tsakumis'Rebel with a Clause'

I was, honestly, preparing to write for you about the obscene continuance of Laibar Singh's deportation dance, or, drugs and pro sports, but as luck would have it ……

the Mayor of Vancouver opened his mouth again, planting both feet firmly within.

Unfazed by the very serious media questions, His Worst-ship, continues to insist that his ridiculous drug fantasy initiative, CAST (castvancouver.org) has received secured funding by the federal government to the tune of $10 million, even going so far as to suggest that the money was on its way to provincial Health Minister George Abbott, presumably for distribution.

Unless something has changed since Sunday, this is the greatest concoction of agricultural fertilizer ever proffered by Sir Spamalot.

I called a friend in Ottawa, who, let's just say for the sake of protecting a most valued source, is a high-ranking officer in the Harper Government. His comments reveal Mayor Sam's words to be, ah, factually challenged. More to the point: there is no one - aide, official or Minister - who has ever told Sam Sullivan that CAST will be funded, let alone with $10 million.

The last time Mr. Sullivan was in Ottawa, he saw Health Minister Tony Clement at a Christmas cocktail party where the two chatted.

No announcement has been made about any funding by either Health Canada or by the Prime Minister's Office; not only no money has been allocated, but “we're not even close to the final stages of a decision.”

No one wants any piece of this story because everything Sam's saying about the money just doesn't exist.

Essentially, the Sullivan re-election caravan is now losing crates of its own snake-oil because the Mayor's driving is, well, a tad erratic (and I'm being charitable here).

As if that wasn't bad enough, the entire CAST fantasy was dealt a severe blow this month, with the publishing in the British Columbia Medical Journal, of a very strong letter opposing this interminable nonsense. The letter is signed by some of the most respected doctors and addictionoligists in Canada (all from B.C.).Their concern, reduced to its lowest common denominator, is that CAST is pure folly as proper treatment and that its proponents have only sought to provide hypothetical benefits based on loosely married long-shot social benefits and the like.

But in a frothy, indignant reply, Drs. David Marsh and Michael Krauss of Vancouver Coastal Health, both proponents of CAST, have written an attack piece more in line with a political campaign than salient argument one would expect from physicians holding some lofty positions (are you watching Minister Abbott?).

And to complete the trifecta of stupidity (for this week), the Mayor raised the issue of sirens in Yaletown affecting his sleep, with none other than the Premier. Forget your safety, it's Sam's sleep that matters.

Of course, too, legal brothels for the Olympics (again) were high on the Mayor's talking points list. Tourists' sexual appetites are a priority for Sam.

And why not?The rest of us have been getting screwed for two-and-a-half years already.

A. G. (Alex) Tsakumis is one of our editorial writers appearing in this space every Friday.

MY DEEP PERSONAL PROBLEM

I have a personal problem.

I know this seems unlikely, but it is so.

On Sunday afternoon, Sweetheart and I went to see the Oscar-nominated movie, "There Will Be Blood" at the Fifth Avenue. The movie was somewhat of a disappointment, but that's for another day.

My problem came to light with the arrival across the aisle from us of a middle-aged couple. From the sit-down, they chatted amiably in loud voices as if they were at home and not in a crowded theatre.

When the lights went to half-dark and the trailers began, I wasted precious human breath by leaning across the aisle and saying, "Excuse me, may I please hear what's on the screen?"

They both laughed heartily as he replied, "It's only the trailer!" It was the trailer they were discussing so vigorously.

They didn't for a second break stride. They continued their merry discourse until the feature began and picked up again the moment it ended.

So what's my problem?

It's not that these people are assholes, which they are.

It's not that these people are 60 year old children playing at being responsible, considerate adults.

It's not that I want to world to cater to my needs and wishes, which I do.

It's none of that.

My problem is that THESE PEOPLE ARE TRULY GENUINELY HAPPY!!!

I am not a happy man.

I am a complainer, a whiner, a kvetch, a nag and a guy who writes a blog every day about the ills of the world.

BUT THESE ASSHOLES ARE REALLY HAPPY!!!

They laugh and smile and everything please them.

Very little pleases me. The few things and people that do, I cherish and thank the Mysteries for.

BUT THEY ARE HAPPY.

How can I get this way?

Please help.

Agitated in Vancouver

Barry J. on Life in the DTES

My personal experience on the DTES seems almost more frustrating after I get clean than before, it didn't take me long to figure out the deck is stacked against anyone who tries to do anything recovery oriented down there.

I was asked, and accepted to be on the community consultation committee for the federally funded. drug court pilot project when it started down there a few years back. It was comprised of mostly comprised those involved in the junkie industry down there with the exception of the chair, Lynne Kennedy, who was the chair of the police board at that time.

The drug courts work quite well in the states but it soon became apparent to me that drug courts with the strong harm reduction twist they put on them in Vancouver make them very ineffective and I resigned, whets the point, they come into the program with the monkey on their back and they graduate with the monkey on their back, albeit, usually methadone which is a bigger monkey to wrestle than heroin but more socially acceptable.

For a while I was in talks, down at 390 Main, kitty corner to the Carnegie center with BOB (Building Opportunities for Business) which was federally funded through the Western Diversification program. They were very enthusiastic about my ideas concerning programs and social enterprise and how they could work, they were showing me city owned building all over town where we could get a big cut on rents etc.. Then they started telling me how we had to have low threshold programs with all the using junkies mixed in with those who were trying to stay clean and once again, I walked. What I learned from that was how inter-twined those who get a federal paycheck are with the poverty pimps down there. Some are on the boards of PHS and other non profits, so it all makes sense

Like you said in your talk at the Arbutus club, we can give a presentation to gov. or non-gov. people and the goodwill seems to be there but there is no follow-up. I spoke at the probation officers of B.C. annual conference at the R.C.M.P. training facililty in Chilliwack a couple of years ago and there seemed to be a lot of enthusiasm afterwards and some were wanting to stay in contact but there was absolutely no followup.

Pot Grower's Rights Violated

Everything about this story is bad.

Privacy rights vs. policing. A man's home is his castle vs. but they're packing major heat.

Another hundred reasons to revile Trudeau.

So a Vietnamese immigrant whose entire wealth is based on a criminal activity will carry on biz as usual because the RCMP were too vigorous? Because the law is an ass? Because privacy trumps all other considerations?

And my right to live in a criminal-free neighbourhood?

No doubt the legaliation nuts will chock this up as another wonderful argument for their...their...what...got any peanut butter?

What Gulag are we in Again?

Let's see if I understand this new trend.

Last week, BC Hydro fired their fairness commissioner because he said some of their practices were unfair.

Now, Rich Coleman, BC's Forests Minister has rejected his own ombudsman's recommendations for cuttin down the number of worlers' deaths in logging.

The safety ombudsman, Roger Harris, says the numbet one killer is bad logging roads.

Coleman says, "Shut up! That's too expensive to fix."

Coleman is also BC's Minister of Housing. He must be a very talented guy.

This morning he also denied the numbers released on how we are trailing everybody in providinf social housing.

So we have a theme here. If you don't like the evidence, you just bully it away.

Comrade Colminskovich, pull up a wooden bench to our table. Have a wodka, tvarish.

Dianne Watts is Doing Something

Dianne Watts, the Mayor of Surrey, is determined to open a "sobering centre" to repsond to the addicted, alcoholic and mentally ill.

And this is not new. Since being elected, she has worked with private non-profits to create more treatment beds tahn exist anywhere else in the province.

She is the only mayor or politician of any level that I have witnessed in many years with the courage to actually step forward and do something real about these problems.

Congratulations to her. And may some of the other sleepy heads in the 'hood awake and follow her example.

Visonless

Allan De Genova running for Mayor?

If you thought Sam was bad...oy vey!

And Senator Larry, a man who never knows how to be quiet, is endorsing him?

Charles Mingus - Flowers For A Lady (1974)

I hope Charlie enjoyed the hilltop city of Todi as much as I did. He certainly sounds better than me...

Letter from an Addict on Legalization of Drugs

Dear Editor,

Re: Fight drugs with health care

The headline in the Province states "War on drugs a dismal failure"
Is it really a failure? Does anyone have any insight into what our society would look like if we legalized drugs?
First of all there is no war on drugs, society is simply trying to protect the most vulnerable in our society from the illegal drugs that destroy life. More importantly it is a fight for the perceptions being formed in our children as they form their moral compass. It's no coincidence that the two legal drugs alcohol and tobacco cost society more than all the illegal drugs combined. Fact is, there are still a lot of good kids and adults who don't want to do anything illegal and whether something is legal or not plays a role in their decsion making process regarding its use. Can you imagine legal cocaine or heroin and the the possibility of billboards that encourage it like those that encourage the use of alcohol. Hard to imagine but look at all the ads now for feel good drugs from the pharmaceutical industry, complete with all the warnings of very dangerous side effects, including the possiblity of death from useage.
Granted, due to the nature of addiction and the power the power drugs have to give people a false sense of well being, there will always be an insatiable demand for drugs. However, all the instances I can find in recorded modern history where drugs were legalized, addiction rates soared.
Fact is, if drugs were legalized the big pharmaceutical giants would have another very lucrative revenue stream and taxpayers would pay for many more drugs like Methadone being prescribed to addicts. And much like Methadone where many on it either sell it Illegally while many more smoke crack and do other drugs to get the buzz necessary to get their false sense of well being. Taxpayers would pay not only for a larger variety of drugs and services for addicts, there would still be public disorder and crime that is the nature of drug addiction.
I know the horrors of long term heroin addiction and have lived on the streets and know what it feels like to have a broken spirit and whether one I was on an illegal drug like heroin or a legal one like methadone, I was still a slave to drugs and and all the unclear thinking and self centered behaviour that is the core of addiction.
Hopefully drugs are never legalized. Vancouver with its past free heroin program (NAOMI project) etc. and all the other services and free drugs provided to addcits will provide a glimpse into what it might look like if drugs were legal. If it was a simple problem just giving addicts drugs would be a simple solution but its not.

Barry Joneson
Burnaby