Attendees:
Kelvin, Jenn, DJ, Jacek, Roland, Jamie, James O, Grant, Sara B
Proposed Agenda
Copwatch
Shelter Committee
Community Safety
Street Market
COPWATCH
Jenn - the last month the street patrols are going as usuall, and doing protest
patrols. We are dealing with the BEAT tv show in second series. We are going to
try and find people that are on the show and find out if they really consented.
In the first season, they outed a survival sex worker on TV. She even said that
she "did not want her family knowing, etc..." and they put her on tv anyway.
I am complaining to Vice that cops are exploiting survival sex workers. One of
the copwatchers got shakey footage of cops telling drug dealers that "if they
didn't talk to the cameras, they would bust them!"
Jamie - this is clearly extortion
Jenn - season 2, episode 7, copwatch is on it. The anti-police
brutality rally. No one
signed any releases. I even said that I would not allow my image to go on the
show. They showed it anyway.
Jenn - it says that police are dealing with suicides, etc... on top
of this - there
is a new group called "copwatch" that is harassing the cops in the DTES.
Jenn - Aboriginal policing committee is mad as hell, also Vice is mad at BEAT tv
Jacek - I would be very careful about talking to police, they will
tell you what they
want to hear
Jenn - which police?
Jacek - I would doubt that Vice is being honest, I would be careful.
Jenn - the sex industry is going to put pressure on the tv show to
stop exploiting sex
workers. Vice is supposed to stop exploitation, so they can help.
Jacek - if the audio is good enough on the tape, we should go to PIVOT with this
Jamie - no, BCCVL. This is better. If we can identify Toby, it is a good case
Jacek - it could be great way to attack the show as exploitation
Jamie - and... we can go after the employers - the city of vancouver
because the
employer is responsible for the actions of the employees, so we can go
after the city
Jenn - DJ - do you want to talk about your thing
DJ - appt. with linda malkin with VPD. Katrina Pacy is my lawyer with PIVOT
I put in a complaint. Gave it to my lawyer. My daughter got beaten up at the
Balmoral. I call 911. cops come. corner suite. Minute later, camera
crew shows up.
We tried to get them to leave, but the cop put his foot in the door.
The crew kept
filming through the crack in the door. I told them to shut it off or I
would shut
it for them.
Jenn - if the footage is in there, you should sue them
Jacek - good idea to make a big list and sue for all of it
Jenn - Sandy was shoved, cop was charged with assault but the charges
were stayed if
he agreed to anger course.
Jamie - VPD disciplinary hearing is going on now.
Jacek - is there any way to put the footage and make it more known
Jenn - we keep putting it on the facebook
DJ - Someone should go down and talk to sandy and find out what is happening
Jacek - this should be in the newspaper
Jenn - We need to set an example that disabled people can not be abused
Jacek - how do we get this in the media. We know, but others have forgotten
Jenn - maybe VCW should do another media event to get it into the public eye
Jamie - its been 2 years
Jacek - so we have to remind people about this
Jenn - Jenn's Kitchen was asked to participate in an investigation on Atira
Roland - I have heard so many stories about Atira, but I have not kept
up with them
Jenn - lady's number -
Kelvin - 133 Pender. Was DERA, went to Native housing, then to BC
Housing, I had to
go to 3 different agencies just to get my sink replaced. Just last
night, they rekeyed the
whole building. I had to sleep in my car because they didn't tell me
that they rekeyed the
whole building.
Roland - you would have thought that they could have just posted the notice
Kelvin - yes, basically because it was BC HOusing, and other agencies,
they didn't notify
people properly. Imagine me trying to fit into my car to sleep.
Jacek - can we protest the hearing
Jamie - it is internal
Jenn - we would need to just protest and alert the media that it is happening
SHELTER COMMITTEE
Roland - First United is now just like any other shelter, pushing
people into the shelter
shuffle. Noreen lived there for 1.5 years and now is at Triage with 7 day stay.
We met with Tuesday group at VANDU and we are planning an action
against the shelter
shuffle. Not sure of the details yet.
Lee ann - assault case.
Jamie - she can't control her actions, and now she is getting charged
with assault by staff
Jenn - Tamera is the worker, she is awful
Jacek - this is complete lack of training, we need to complain about this
Kelvin - question - there is a conference on the homeless count, I am
going on Friday
Roland, Jacek - sure we will go. We will come by AFD and find out when it is.
Kelvin - this important for people in this area, where is the money
going. Why close
beds in this area it creates stresses on the Central Shelter
Roland - and we know that these were the cheapest beds, so it is false economy
Kelvin - this is a lower mainland thing, and they are shifting people
around, and they
need to stop doing this
Roland - 211 is constantly saying the shelters are full, so this is a
big problem when
winter comes
Kelvin - I'll give you the info if you show up tomorrow at 6am to help
with making bannock
Roland - are you joking? Are you really going to be there at 6am?
Kelvin - no, I'm serious. Come to AFD at 6am tomorrow, help me with
bannock, and I'll give you the info.
Jacek - ok, I'll be there too
COMMUNITY SAFETY
Jenn - Outreach's job is to attend to people laying on the street.
Terry was trying to help, but
a guy chased her off.
It happened to me as well. A gang member came and chased me off. The
violence seems to be
escalating at the corners.
Roland - I see arguments all the time
Jenn - but it is different when they start challenging the
organizations. They never used to
do this before. The Persian kids are getting really out of hand.
Outreach workers are actually
preventing workers from helping people.
Jenn - they are preventing people from calling 911 for injured people
Jenn - I talked to the gang unit today about it, actually. I put in a
complaint with
sister watch. They have programs for people to leave that life.
Tuesday we are going to
meet with Aboriginal Community Policing about this.
James - I was trying to help a woman, she may show up today, I tried
to get her to show up
Annette Morris.
Kelvin - we should have the meeting at AFD. If you want AFD's support,
come over there and
we do a lot of talking to the VPD. We can definitly help to reach out
the the young people
out there. We have been trying to increase our drumming nights, but
young people are not
into that.
Jenn - I need to call to set up the meeting. I will tell John to call
you, Kelvin
Kelvin - We are the closest Ab. Society
DJ - I hardly ever see people being beaten out there
Jenn - they were targeting mentally ill women now.
Roland - do you think its a new group of people moving in? or?
Jenn - I recognize some of the guys
Kelvin - because it is summer, some of the girls move in from the
outskirts. One girl we know
is going through a lot of emotional stuff. We tried to get phone
numbers, etc... but she did
hear me. We did get her parents.
James - Most of those guys have been there for years. It has changed,
it is more violent now
Kelvin - we need to be very delicate about it, they trust the AFD. It
could end up a bloodbath
if we are not careful. We want to support you, but we would like to
make sure we do it properly.
Jenn - this is why we contacted the Ab. Policing, not the BEAT.
DJ - I can talk to them for you as well. We can make sure we know
where they are coming
from. I can try and get information for you.
James - There was a scuffle outside of Waves between two women. it was
a territorial fight.
Jacek - james - do you know about Lee Ann's court date?
James - it is not until September. they are still going to pursue the
assault against Lee Ann.
James - she was a handful for the workers, but the workers just used
it as an excuse to give
her the boot. An assault charge will guarantee you get discharged.
OTHER TOPICS?
Sara B - Our next generation faces many challenges. what is
underneath. We need more healing
circles. Lots of people are making money off of our people.
Jamie - there is a lot of profit in poverty
Sara - we need to stop labling. we need to stop dealing with people
through the court system. We
need to stop dividing people.
STREET MARKET
Jacek - We are supposed to be getting a month to month permit, but we
don't even have this
yet. Even with this, we need money to run the market. People from the
board do not show up
often enough
Roland - Kelvin shows up, Jamie sometimes shows up.
Jacek - the undercover cops are now harassing the cigarettes. they are
pushing any way they
can.
Roland - We are now just playing their game against them. When they
say we need to write down
every vendor's name - we are saying "sure - just give us the money".
Jacek - Rev Barry is still complaining.
Roland - Van horn building manager gave us his phone number, so they
are now playing nice. Even the
expensive donut shop is open on Sundays now.
Jamie - Seagull is from South African protest songs
Kelvin - Wings will never open on Sundays. They've been there since
the 70's. The whole family
owns the cafe, and lease it to the church. The family owns the
building in between, the boarded
up one. As long as the market does not damage the front or leave
garbage, they are fine with the
market. He can not open on Sunday due to contract with the family.
FINAL POINT
Jamie - can we get people to gift their benefits to the DNC. This
could be a way to raise
money for the DNC..?
James - DERA was setting this up, you try and find family, then it can
go to the org.
James - speaking of money stuff... a guy I know was drunk, but
signing papers refusing
to go the hospital. How is this legal?
ANNOUNCEMENTS
September 5th - Meeting regarding residential schools survivors
AFD Will be doing a big blitz on the subject, so send them to AFD
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