Eileen Velthuis News Editor

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Photo by Devon Lew

The ultimate goal was to let our governments know that the FTAA has to go.

Organized by the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), the Hemispheric Day of Action against the FTAA was held this past Thursday, October 31. Students across North America, Latin America and the Caribbean par- ticipated in anti-FTAA activities.

At noon on Thursday, Lower Mainland pro- testers—approximately 60 of them, and not just students—rallied at Victory Square on the corner of Cambie and Hastings on the Downtown Eastside. The plan was to march from Victory Square to the Hyatt Hotel, where Campbell was to be speaking on mental health issues. The protesters were then going to give him a piece of their collective minds.

“Its Halloween, and for those of you who have forgotten to wear a costume, we're hand-

ing out Gordon Campbell masks so you can be really scary,” one of the organizers announced on a bullhorn.

“Dont forget that the real reason we're here is to let Campbell know that we’re here in soli- darity to tell him to stop the FTAA and stop the corporate globalization by the BC Liberals,” he continued.

The FTAA—or the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas—is a network that would expand NAFTA to include every country in the Western hemisphere, except Cuba. According to the CFS, the agreement would have the right to challenge individual countries’ laws and poli- cies if they are deemed “barriers to trade.” They also claim that the FTAA will affect education, as it becomes more and more privatized, and assist for-profit foreign companies take over the education “market.”

Jenn Thompson, a DC student, gave her opinion on free trade stating that “] think it’s all political bull. It’s unfair for pretty much the entire world to be ruled by one country because their dollar is worth the most, and that’s pretty much what’ happening.”

With police ahead and behind of the protest- ers, blocking traffic and keeping an eye on the situation, the protesters marched on shouting anti-capitalist slogans, carrying signs and hand- ing out pamphlets. According to one CFS pam- phlet, “the average standard of living in Canada is lower now than it was before free trade.”

“It’s true,” said one participant. “And a lot of people are fighting back.”

Meanwhile, police had surrounded the Hyatt Hotel earlier in the day, in anticipation of any problems that might have arisen. The rally and the march ended up being relatively peaceful.

Cause

Ericka Meyer OP Contributor

On October 26, the Scotiabank Reach for the Stars Dinner Gala and Auction was held at the Sutton Place Hotel. The event benefits the Development Disabilities Foundation (DDF).

The staircase of the Sutton Place Hotel opened to the reception area, with tables full of auction donations on all sides. A dapper gentleman with a six-foot-seven frame stood to the side like a silent gatekeeper, hands tucked neatly behind his back.

This particular gatekeeper was Long John Baldry, who has been the featured guest for the two most recent years of the Gala and Auction. He stood to the side, cordially posing with the guests that wanted their picture taken with him. Baldry says he chooses this partic- ular charity because he has many friends involved and he is “quite happy to pitch-in and help.”

239 of the 250 tickets were sold at $100 apiece. The price included a champagne reception and a_three- course meal with such fare as a grilled vegetable and goat cheese terrine starter and curried squash soup with hand-peeled shrimp. Dessert was not included.

You may think, what, no dessert? But this is where people truly showed their generosity. While Scotiabank employees paraded the donated cakes around the room, the guests bid on the decadent fare. A chocolate latte torte cake sold for $400 and was bought by the owner of Leading Brands, the same company that donated it. The 17 cakes raised $3090, not including the extra pieces that were sold to tables that lost

out in the bidding wars.

Legend With

After the dinner, a dance floor was cleared and Baldry took the stage. Playing old favourites including “Black Girl,” “Midnight In New Orleans,” “A Thrill’s A Thrill” and of course “Don’t Try To Lay No Boogie Woogie,” and, at almost 62-years-old, Long John Baldry can still boogie woogie with the best of them. Baldry will be playing his birthday bash at the Commodore on January 11, 2003.

In an interview, Cindy Behrmann, coordinator of the event, expressed that the most difficult phase of putting an event like this together is the months and months of planning. “Every year it gets easier, but there are so many details that need to be brought together.” When asked what she would like the public to know, Behrmann replied, “We do it because for many years people with disabilities were ignored and basically thrown away, and now they are included in society and they have so much to offer.”

Just what some of these people have to offer was demonstrated by Keagan Chan and Colin Durge, with their musical performances adding to the entertainment for the evening.

For the last four years Scotiabank has been the main sponsor of the event. With many donations and many vol- unteers the evening was a success. So if you are a fan of Long John Baldry or would like to help out DDF, then think about this event for next year, or visit <http://members.shaw.ca/obvs> for more information.

Designing

Neighbourhoods

Carolyn Neale OP Contributor

Squatters continue to. dwell in encamp- ments surrounding the old Woodward's building downtown, in spite of an eviction notice from the city.

The notice demanded the squatters leave voluntarily by noon on Wednesday, October 28, but at least 100 remain. The city has now applied for a court injunction to remove the squatters, although no one is commenting on how the ‘removal would take place if the squatters don't leave vol- untarily. An enforcement order would like- ly be required before police could take physical action to remove the protesters.

Primarily homeless, the mentally ill and social advocates, the squatters have drawn a great deal of attention to the low-income housing situation in the lower mainland. Many are disgruntled that the province's original intent for the building has been abandoned. Upon its purchase for $22 mil- lion in 2001, the building was to become a 200-unit co-op. One hundred and twenty units were to be core-needs households, 60 of which were to be directed towards deep core-needs households, and their subsidies were to be guaranteed for 60 years. But now, a proposal put forth by developer Geoff Hughes provides three floors of the building for commercial space, and the rest for 417 residential units. Fifty of these units are to be subsidised through BC Housing to the poorest in the area, at $325 a month. Hughes has placed a proposal with the Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation that would permit up to 200 units to be rented at an average of $678 a month. Guarantees for subsidized rates would be 15 years rather than 60, and the

remaining units would be rented at the

city’s market rates. By agreeing to Hughes’ proposal, the building’s selling price may range between $11 million and $15 mil- lion.

With estimated renovation costs at $70 million, the proposal has its challenges.

To counter the costs, Hughes has request- ed a heritage density bonus and property tax relief. The property would then forgo taxes of $812,300 in the first year after completion and $8.4 million over the next ten years. If the building is destroyed or altered, without the city’s permission, as a heritage site, all forgone taxes would be repayable.

BC Housing CEO, Shayne Ramsay, explains in an emailed correspondence that the “50 units proposed for subsidy were determined by staff at the City of Vancouver who drafted the report by city council.” He goes on to recognize that “the redevelopment of Woodward’s will play a key role in the revitalization ~ of the Downtown Eastside.” A mix of incomes, he says, creates healthy neighbourhoods.

In an attempt to further their point, protest supporters are eyeing vacated downtown buildings, threatening to occu- py these sites until the government makes a determined effort to convert wasted space into social housing. They feel that the pub- lic support shown for the Woodward’s squatters has made it possible for them to survive in their encampments for so long— which is too long for many of the Gastown businesses who deem the Woodwards’s area a public health risk.

Meanwhile, downtown shelters continue to turn dozens of people away every week.

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