As for the immigrants, you probably realized my point was anyone with meager skills, or financial means can make enough money to get their ass off the street. If hard work doesn't get you out, then work harder, but don't walk around asking people for change and then calling them names when they don't give you any. I'm just fed up with downtown being taken over by lawless hordes of homeless who are drinking the Kool-Aid and just waiting for someone to come save them. I realize I'm probably not as informed as all these groups, yours included, but I simply am giving the view of a regular person from my own personal experience. If those experiences mean nothing, then they mean nothing. It seems like regular people get lost in these dialogues so frequently it's as if THEY don't exist. I apologize for the sarcasm at the end of my last post. Anyone dying is a tragedy, but we can't simply put that on anyone in particular it's just not fair. The systemic causes of anything really just sends us down a never ending path. It all depends on where you, or I decide to stop walking. Finally, I enjoy this discussion and believe it's not only healthy, but required for everyone to understand each other more clearly. I think where my whole problem with the APC and other like minded groups comes from is my view they seem to all been very committed to creating an adversarial dialogue, which can become so bad neither side listens to each other and thus nothing productive can ever come of it. In my view, insults just beget more insults, but rarely create solutions. - John

Belittling the APC for raising issues that you don't agree with is something you should take up with them - tell them how it is as you see it - what are YOUR real concerns ?

You cannot disagree that when we got the Olympics courtesy of Glen Clark and the NDP the priorities changed. All of a sudden we needed an expansion of the Sea to Sky, a rapid transit link to the airport [when all along the NW sector of the GVRD was the priority]. Sure enough priorities change, I can accept that and in this case they changed because of us getting the 2010 Olympics.

If you are talking about the death of Harriet Nahanee then YES the highway expansion over Eagle Ridge Bluffs was a direct result of us getting the 2010 Olympics, Harriet protested at the Bluffs and was subsequently jailed and subsequently died. Had she not gone to jail she might have lived longer. However her death has been a focal point for many people and I think indirectly most people can see the link between the 2010 Olympics and her death - if they choose to do so.

I really don't care if the APC does what they do. They make a mockery of people with real concerns. Sometimes I wonder if they're simply addicted to attention. Making people feel uncomfortable once again does them no good, but as you say that's something that should be said to them. Although, they may be the most stubborn, inflexible group of miscreants I've come across in a long-time. As for oversimplifying social issues, I'll leave that to all the people who tear apart the Olympics as if it's the overriding factor in the plight of the downtown eastside. Oh ya, and it killed that woman. Nothing else. It was the Olympics. Oversimplification....here's looking at you kid.

John - you oversimply the social issues to make your point.

You personally have no responsibility to help people less fortunate than yourself, its all a matter of having the need within you to do so.

No one is claiming ALL the DE issues will be solved by housing alone, the problems are far more complex and far reaching than just homelesness.

As for the APC you might want to send them an email directly, however my guess is they know their own cause better than you do. The fact they make you feel "uncomfortable" tells me they probably doing the right thing.

Immigration, homelessness, addictions are all separate issues, I'm not sure why you want to link them with immigration and immigrants.

Further more, regarding the whole homeless issue. When did it become everyone else's fault these people are homeless?? I've met many new immigrants to Canada and they work two, or three jobs to make ends meet, but they do it. Why can't we talk about that?? When did people's 'self-made' addictions somehow alleviate them from their responsibility to themselves?? Granted not everyone is an addict, but the downtown eastside's problems will never be cured with social housing. The last thing an addict needs is everyday freedoms, for to this point these freedoms have only lead to their self-inflicted downward spiral.

When exactly did we start caring what self-appointed 'watchdogs' think??
Why is the media so hell bent on giving people with no more importance than being the loudest mouth a forum??
Thank God for all of you we live in probably the most left leaning part of North America if not the world. Not even Toronto would put up with all of these 'left-wing extremists'. Finally, can someone please tell the APC that until they clean up their image and at least exercise some degree of social decorum no one will ever take them seriously. There is something to be said for presentation and method and by ignoring that fact you're doing your own cause a great disservice.

Marketing suggestion - you guys should join forces with the environmental groups that want to boycott due to the baby seal slaughter (or encourage them to promote a boycott to their members). That would enable you to take the protest internationally, get way more press, and possibly at least make a financial impact on the games.

Edited by author 04-11-2007 01:19 AM
Thanks for your input, Ian. With the no campaign had about $1,500.00 & the yes brought over $1 million it's not wonder that we were wasting our tax dollars on these adds. I feel sad that the no campaign could have done better. It's like loosing to a referendum in quebec the 2'nd time.

Behind the Glittering Gold and the Secret of the Flaming Torch
         (A Call for the Re-awakening of the World)
                                          By Concern Citizen of Canada

     “What comes first in your mind when you hear the word Olympics? Is there any excitement? Are you anxious to see the event? Will you set aside a certain amount of your savings just to witness the event? Is it still practical and will you be in favor to organize an event like this?”
     During the early ancient times in Athens, Greece – Olympics is an event where people always look forward to. An event where prestige, dignity, virtue and dedication is being offered to someone who gave an honor for a victorious control of the world, rejoicing for a successful marriage and paying tribute to their religious belief.
     Today, Olympics can be considered to be one of the major causes of mass destruction and poverty. It is no longer adulation and a great haughtiness for a country to participate and give any significance to this kind of event. Failures are to be expected. The Olympics are a gamble, a bet that a tremendous outlay of public money on semi-useless athletic facilities will eventually return dividends. Some of those dividends involve other public funds – federal money that would not have spent in B.C. were it not for the Games. Are we ready for another embarrassment? As the saying goes, history always repeat its ignominy, to name a few, the 1972 Munich massacre, Russian, American and Congolese-led boycott, the over budget 1976 Montreal Olympics where it took them 30 years before they were able to pay all their $1-billion debt, lets include Lake Placid 1980 ($11-million), Calgary 1988 ($910-million), Barcelona 1992 ($1.4-billion), Sydney 2000 ($2.3-billion loss), I’m sure the 2006 Turin Olympics had pushed themselves on the edge too, because of an enormous security budget by asking the help of the “NATO” (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), the very controversial judging in 2002 Salt Lake City’s Figure Skating and many others.
     Vancouver 2010, three years from now the city will be hosting the Winter Olympics and they are all busy doing the preparation in marketing, advertising, promoting tourism, looking for more sponsors, disturbing the homeless - the first nations and fooling the citizens of British Columbia with their powerful and convincing artificial lies. Look everywhere, read the newspapers, hear and watch the news on television and radio. What and how do you feel? Can you still comprehend to do your daily activities? Can you still greet with a smile? Can you eat your meals, take your rest and feel comfortable while others are in the adversity of their lives wrangling for everybody’s wellness? Or you pretend to see, hear and feel nothing because you don’t care? Are you commodious living a life in a city, in a province and in a country full of misery and black propagandas?
     Some people might be felicitous to know that the appraisal of their house had increased its value. Apparently to others, percentage growth of realties means hopelessness. An average family who is earning and receiving a minimum wage will no longer be capable to have a dream house where they can live a better and healthy lifestyle for they can’t afford and pay its mortgage and amortization. But what can we do, we need a place to live-in; so we are forced to take the consequences of working two or more jobs for almost 24-hours just to surpass our debts.
     According to 2006-2007 Global/World Cost of Living Survey (conducted by Mercer Human Resource Consulting), Vancouver is placing 13th for most expensive city, 3rd most expensive homes (by RBC Financial Group) and out of 215 cities Vancouver merged to be on the 3rd best to experience a quality of life ( referred by the Mercer Human Resources Consulting) in the world. Are these reports are things we can be proud or be ashamed of? Is this what we really want to endure and appear in public? As for me, these data are indistinct strategy – “numbers game”, because they want to encourage people from other nations to come to Canada and live a worthless and inconsiderate life. This country is desperately in need to increase its population and produce funds through tax payments so that the government would have budget to buy a pizza for their snack worth more or less $20,000 in a month while our brothers and sisters from the eastside are starving to death.
     We must admit and accept that this can be one of the reasons why are we living in a society with fear; most especially at night. Why do we have drug addiction, crimes, assaults - why our fellows mostly are young always in trouble? Because both parents are too busy earning for a living just to pay the monthly bills. They don’t have time anymore for their children even for themselves. We can’t steer to monitor what is happening inside our home. Do our children still have proper nutrition? Do they make good in school? Do we still know them? Our society has a major factor in our everyday living but we should not blame the influences happening within. We should take a look what’s behind this – the reasons. We are responsible to look for an answer. We have criminals, drug traffickers, sex offenders and others. These are human beings lacking and seeking for special attention. These are our children who have been neglected by our own home. And since no one and nobody attend to their needs – giving enough attention, they themselves have to search and find ways to get this. In the early years, only our father can be seen working – raising his family while our mother stays at home doing the household chores, taking care and supervising us.
     One day, I went to visit the eastside of Vancouver and it was so overwhelming to witness our homeless countrymen – sleeping in a hollow night, famished and suffering because of government’s negligence. I have learned that they are on the least level of Totem poll meaning they are the least priority in the society. I was surprised that a first world country like Canada most especially its government is being ingenuous with this people. You can only find this in third world nations, for all I know. The state should bestow the benefit of
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the doubt. Not sweeping them away like dirt and hide them in a place where there is no life. Remember, what they did at Atlanta, Georgia, USA, they transferred homeless and vagarant people that are visible in the population of the said city. They were given a one-way bus ticket out of town and the others were rounded-up and shipped-out by bus to temporary detention camps. So that tourists will not be able to see them. It’s a cover-up and we can’t conceal them from the façade of slackness leadership of the government.
     I’ve seen some of the affordable single-room hostels, apartment buildings and areas that are being sold to these covetous multi-millionaire investors so that they can have them for development in preparation of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. And who will benefit on this? It will be the Olympic performers – the athletes, the sponsors, the people in authority and the elite group. While homeless people in the skidrow area of Vancouver are striving hard and looking for security, these athletes will be receiving a royal treatment. Organizers will provide them a village where all the luxury can be found. They will provide a secure place where the international guests can relax under protective eyes. Do our guest athletes pay the same tax as what the Canadians are?
     In B.C. province there are other areas that are being developed where events will nearly be held. In Richmond, the fun had been stolen from the youth who’s engaged into outdoor and indoor sports like football, soccer and ice hockey after some venues had been overthrown. The local municipal government had deep-in into their reserve funds to pay for the cost-over runs of the Olympic Ice Skater Rinks. On my way home, I took a cab. In the middle of nowhere, I asked the driver on how he reacts about hosting the Olympics. He said, “Olympic is a big burden to everybody. People of British Columbia will shoulder the big burdens - paying debts after the event”. “He even added that in Whistler, the city known for skiing resort where major events will be held on 2010, some residents were forced to leave their homes for its too harsh for them to pay their mortgage. Aside from this, basic commodities had also increased”.
     Protests and rallies are bound on every street. Environmentalists try to protect and save our natural resources from the greedy developer. We’ve seen on the news that some of them had been forced to be pulled and smashed-out by the RCMPs. Near Horshoe Bay, the Eagle Ridge Bluff where the government is flipping the bill for the upgrading of the sea to sky highway had touched the ecological sensitivity of the area. Instead of tunneling underground they will build and construct highway over top of the bluff because they will save more money. Many believe that this construction had not been planned thoroughly. Government seems not to care about the affected trees, animals and any other living things and the future effects that may cause like major landslides. Then why are they spending too much for the restoration of the Stanley Park? I think we must not waste money through contribution and donation. The issue here is not that Stanley Park holds the card key as one of the tourism capital and Eagle Ridge Bluff is just an ordinary thing where people used to pass by. Both resources are important. No need to sacrifice the other just for convenience. I’m sure when an unexpected time comes; the law of nature will ask for retaliation and there will be more people and other living things to suffer and would cost more.
     Last year, two women had been the hot-spot of the public-eye. These are the unsung heroes who are fighting for other’s rights and wretched victims of the insensitive judiciary and edacious government and its corporation. Who can forget the name stenciled at the Olympic clock “FREE Betty”? Betty Krawczyk at her age of 78 was sentenced to be in jailed for 10 months for civil disobedience after blocking bulldozers trying to build a new Olympic highway through West Vancouver. Of much more serious consequence was the death of native elder Harriet Nahanee, age 71, after being sent to jail for refusing to apologize for her contempt of court. She was sent to Surrey Pretrial Centre, a prison for men and a noted hell-hole for women in poor health. People believe that she didn’t die in vain.
     Months ago, the 16 ft. x 25 ft. Olympic flag flying at Vancouver City Hall was stolen. Authorities suspected that DERA (Downtown Eastside Residents Association) and APC (Anti-Poverty Committee) had something to do with it. This incident has a damage cost of almost $10,000, (the hand-sewn Olympic flag is $1,600) as per Const. Tim Fanning reported. As a raided home in Shaughnessy based on a tip was ridiculous and accused the police of grandstanding by waiting until the late evening before serving the search warrant. This whole incident was a smear tactics and all politicize, for they can go there during normal business hours and it’s so funny to know that they were not able to do it because of the reason that the place is unsafe. What are they afraid of? They have the authority. The thing is, they are afraid to accept the reality of being a puppet by the gluttonous people from the government and by the elite group. Later on the Native Warriors Society claimed the responsibility of pilfering the Olympic flag. According to this group they would want to give justice to one of their first nation’s member Harriet Nahanee.
     At News 1130, they conducted a poll entitled, “It is not important for the police to find the Olympic flag?” And according to listener’s poll result last March 30, 2007, 41% said YES and 59% said NO. This data only shows that our citizens don’t agree with what our authority is doing. Why find the stolen flag if we can create a new one? They are just wasting their time and efforts and even money wherein there are still some things to prioritize.
     The 2010 Olympics has a major threat to our vigorous economy. We have been warned by the Royal Bank of Canada. Long-term growth is also threatened by the pine beetle epidemic, volatile commodity prices, rising of the construction costs and labor shortages. We might have seen a boom-bust scenario in the future. According to VANOC the event has an
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estimated cost of $600 million and will generate $10 billion after. In addition to this, 228, 000 jobs will be propagated. This figure is just an illusion for there is no modern game in any country that held the event earned and gained profit. Until now, they are still paying their debts. It is not the government and the elite groups who will take the responsibility when this happens - it is the tax payers. Are we going to believe in all the financial reports that they are divulging for public knowledge? Of course, things are being manifested and manipulated. There are hidden costs. This Hippocrates are creating and projecting a good imagery – a public trust.
     You cannot really keep a secret to the public as we learn that Premier Gordon Campbell’s special adviser Ken Dobell who’s receiving a $250-an-hour, topping out at a maximum $230,000 a year is wearing two hats. He is one of the parasites benefiting from the Olympic. Dobell is lobbying Campbell and at the same time was hired by the city as a project manager on a planned “cultural precinct” for downtown Vancouver which aims to enhance the city core as a hub of cultural activities, including the “Olympic Live Site”. This $5-million project is funded by the provincial government. Meanwhile, Dobell is also the finance chairman of the 2010 Olympic Organizing Committee. It is very clear that this person is overlapping jobs that create double trouble – a double-dipping into the public purse and being in a conflict of interest. But as expected both offices claims nothing for the report. Should we consider that Mayor Sam Sullivan is another bottom feeder? Yes, because he is a right-wing free enterpriser.
            As I am writing this article, many of us might not convince and oppose with my words. Before, I am always looking forward to watch the Olympics even on TV. I am even kindle to witness the event here in Vancouver on 2010. But this feeling had changed, after every moved, every words and every drops of tears and perspiration had seen to our indigent, ravenous and homeless people. As I go along my research, there wasn’t homelessness in 1970’s, we even don’t use the word; and more than 30 years ago we can say that the situation today is worse than we’ve ever seen. Everything changed when the federal government cut funding to build social housing in 1993. In the 20 previous years Ottawa helped fund up to 30,000 housing units a year, about 2,000 of which were built in B.C.. Then what happened! I truly believed that we are living the consequences of that disastrous decision. Homelessness has spilled back into the suburbs. This has been a massive failure of public policy.
      I would like also to address this message to the anti-Olympics protestors. You may have a valid point, but those who rebuff the games need to find a better way to express yourselves. Radical activism is not the answer. When people see activists seizing microphones at public events in order to spew profanity, they understably conclude that the profanity is the message. In some television coverage, we have seen the violent anti-police rally succeeded in convincing thousands of Lower Mainlanders that what we need is more police. Most of what passes for anti-Olympics protest is really the same mindless anti-authoritarianism that reinvents itself in response to every public projects. Let us create a more inspiring howls to the public and not being submerge by our hatred and wrath to the government and its corporation that leads to an impression by the public that anti-Olympics group are sprinkled with idiots and morons who have been handed out by a cover story for its moronic behavior. We don’t want to be recidivistic. We don’t want the media to sensationalize what the anti-Olympics is fighting for. We should use them more constructively. We can even use the on-line system. Our vision and mission is to address the issue directly.
     Whether we like it or not, this event will be pushed through. Different nations from all over the world will be here wearing the best and the sweetest smiles of making their country be on top of the medal podium - vying and fascinated for gold. Excited and exalted with what is at stake for them. On the opening ceremony whoever will carry the flaming Olympic torch would feel egoistic - a once in a lifetime experience that adheres his belief and ideology. For the athletes, Olympics are valor and endurance of their life-long dreams. And behind the glittering gold and the flaming torch is a secret filled with stratagem, atrocious, obnoxious and ferocious act of people.
     I am now calling the concern citizens of Canada to create a mass consciousness so that the mountains will have a tough time of maintaining the snow on the slopes. We have to create a great spectacle that on 2010 we are hoping and wishing for a good and warm weather – a record mild weather. The key now is to ensure that the 2010 Olympics will leave behind the legacy of shame. Olympics and social justice need not to be an either/or proposition.
     I am also encouraging you to visit, read and participate in any web-sites of the anti-Olympics organization.
     Subsequently, I am, therefore, appealing to all nations of the world to wake-up and make the most out of it to support and apprehend what is really our concern. The main movers and the most affected victims here are not just the homeless but us. We are calling for a BOYCOTT! We must not support all the activities of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. Now is the time for us to buckle down to work and exercise our freedom – our rights to unite and forget our differences to stop this lucrative organization. Don’t be deceived by the colorful and unique emblems, the rhythmic sound of music and the well-endowed publicity. These are all the faces of hippocracy with the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell and his cabal.
     Let your voice be heard not on streets and blood-shedding but in a most extensive and decorous manner using the power of modern technology. Let us prove to each and every one of us that society can count on us.
     No to Homelessness…! No to Poverty…! No to Olympics forever…!

It's just in time when I heard the news yesterday and read the newspapers today. Please read my article entitled, "Behind the Glittering Gold and the Secret of the Flaming Torch" (A Call for the Re-Awakening of the World on the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics) at cloudbusters@yahoogroups.com. It's out already! Hope you like it! Thanks!

There was a major difference in budget, I think the NO campaign ran on a budget of $1500, whilst the YES campaign spent in the region of a $1 million. You know what they say about money and how it walks.

Edited by author 04-02-2007 12:30 AM
I was watching a documantary on C.B.C. on July 1, 2003 the day before the announcement was made. Looking back on the olympic bid, I was hopeing that Toronto would get the 2008 Summer games, but as it turned out that Toronto lost to Bejing.

Just days before Febuary 22'nd, 2003 when Vancouver mayor Larry Campbell announced that there was going to be a referendum, the referendum was only going to he held in Vancouver & NOT Whistler or the Greater Vancouver area.

When I was visiting in Vancouver, there were lots of "yes" campaigns & 0 "no" campains on the streets, but on the news on the night of the referendum there were some "no" people sanding outside on Burrard Street Bridge corner of Cornwall Avenue.

I've counted more than 10 "yes" ads in 1 week. Many of them were in the newspaper ads, on T.V., on Radio & on the internet. It was saying "It's our time to shine. Vote 'Yes' on February 22'nd."

Where were the "no" campaign ads? I didn't see any ads on the streets, on newspapers, on T.V. & on Radio. I may have missed it on the internet, because the internet does do indipendant news. But in the media, there were zero "no" ads. WHY? My guess was that the "no" campaign didn't have enough money or that they wanted to do it indipendantly & not speak out with the media. These were my guesses.

Let me know if there were other reasons why the "no" campaign failed the referendum.

I applaued Chris Shaw on his hard work. It sends a strong message that we don't want the olympics here.

I still have the results from that referendun Yes 64%, No 36%. The national voting phone pole voted more than 90% support of the 2010 winter games.

On C.T.V.'s Local news at 6 on the night of the referendum, I called in their C.T.V. pole not in favour of having the olympics.

There was an interesting debate on Facebook regarding the Olympic, the removal of the single-occupancy hotel rooms, and what not on Facebook, and I was linked to this site from that group.

I have a lovely post on my blog regarding this.

http://blog.jeffkee.com/2007/03/28/2010-va...l-estate-vandalism/

bahahha. protesters are lame/ no fame. weak.

Watch out for my upcoming article about Olympics. It will be posted soon. To all the radical Olympic activists your idea is good but please have concern with what we are really fighting for. We shouldn't put our dignity down and be spoiled by bad criticisms of everybody.