Ellen at Stories for the B-Line Event

(Excerpt from Ellen’s Blog) I had an amazing experience today participating in our “Stories form the B-Line” outreach event.

This campaign has been a bit different than past election campaigns as we are spending a lot of our time listening to voters instead of just talking at them. This morning we talked with transit users on the 99 B-Line and at the Commercial, Main St and Granville St stops. I had the opportunity to hear about the experiences of many transit commuters and I am glad to hear also that most agree with our transit policies.

 One comment that struck me most was from a woman who had given up her car a year and a half ago. She said that the transit service is inadequate for her needs- too infrequent for her to get many places in good time. She is now considering buying another car.

For the health of our city and for the future of our planet we need to help people get out of their cars. That’s why COPE supports the bus driver’s union in calling for More Buses Now!

COPEtemporary Arts

Please join us for an evening of live music, art and revelry as we celebrate our past and look to our future. This intimate evening will feature all of our COPE candidates as well as special guests from
Vision Vancouver and local MLA’s. For ticket information and prices please contact Kate at 604-315-2365 or kate@cope.bc.ca
Sunday, November 2nd, 2008
7:00pm
Chapel Arts
304 Dunlevy Avenue (2 blocks east of Main)
Drinks and Canapés
$75

David Fields
COPE Communications
________________________________________
Dave@cope.bc.ca
604-255-0400 (office)
604-722-4775 (cell)
www.cope.bc.ca
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Help create a Vancouver for Everyone

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LISTEN to our theme song right here: COPE Train

Text “COPE” to 333777 to receive campaign updates on the go!

Immediate Release: October 21, 2008

COPE Releases Election Theme Song and Text Message Strategy

COPE is the first Vancouver municipal party to have its very own theme song.

Local composer Gaylan Efert wrote the song, which includes lyrics such as “If you love your city, have a say – November 15th is the day.” The theme song is available on the web at www.cope.bc.ca.

The theme song is being converted into a downloadable cell phone ring, part of COPE’s strategy to connect with voters who now use cell phones instead of landlines.

Another first is COPE’s text message strategy. Similar to the one developed by Barack Obama, voters can sign-up for the service and receive weekly updates from the campaign. Local company Iamota is working with COPE to deliver text messages to COPE supporters. Participating is as simple as texting the word “COPE” to 333777.

 

Both the COPE theme song and text message strategy are part of an overall new media strategy, including YouTube videos that will be released next week.

Gaylen Efert is a Vancouver DJ and producer, studying at the School for the Contemporary Arts at SFU.

Information: David Fields, COPE Communications, 604-722-4775

Sunday Nov. 9 from 3 to 7 PM – Railway Club musical afternoon for Ellen Woodsworth with  Dalannah Bowen, Lola and Randy’s Bluegrass Boys, Wendy Solloway and Ruben Tillman, Margo Dunn and others

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3:00pm  Saturday October 25th Wired Monk Café 2610 W. 4th Ave – Meet and Greet Ellen Woodsworth – let your friends know and come on out!

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A Vancouver for Everyone Dance Party

PUBLIC FORUM (please circulate)

"What Gender is your City?"  Women, Gender and Local Government. 

Thursday, Oct. 9, 7 pm, Rhizome Café 317 E. Broadway 

Panel Discussion with:

Prabha Khosla* will speak about her new book “Gender in Local
Government: A Sourcebook for Trainers”.

Erica de Castro** Planning Department UBC will talk about changing ways
municipalities deal with violence against women with specific examples
from Brazil and Canada. 

Ellen Woodsworth*** will talk about a Gender Equality Strategy for the
City of Vancouver. 

Someone**** from Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives will speak
about their new publication. See below

Join us to ensure gender issues are on the agenda for the Nov.15
municipal election.

* Prabha Khosla is an urban planner, researcher, trainer and activist
who has worked on issues of urban sustainability, planning,
democratizing local governance, women’s rights and gender equality. She
is a founding member of Toronto Women’s City Alliance (TWCA) and the
author of a recent UN-HABITAT publication - “Gender in Local
Government: A Sourcebook for Trainers”.

** Erica De Castro is a planner who has done a lot of community
development work in Brazil around gender issues 

*** Ellen Woodsworth as a Vancouver city councillor from 2202-2005 was
Cochair of the Women's Task Force which developed the document "Gender
Equality Strategy for the City of Vancouver. Ellen is running for City
Council on Nov.15

**** The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has just
published "Where Are the Women ? Gender Equity, Budgets and Canadian
Public Polity". See below.

Where Are the Women?
Gender Equity, Budgets and Canadian Public Policy

http://www.policyalternatives.ca/Reports/2008/09/ReportsStudies1962/index.cfm?pa=BB736455  

Contemporary Canadian fiscal and social policy reforms have been
accompanied by the progressive disappearance of the gendered subject,
both in discourse and practice. Indeed, the minority Conservative
government of Stephen Harper has gone so far as to declare that the
goal of gender equity has been achieved in Canada. However, as Brodie
and Bakker argue in Where Are the Women? Gender Equity, Budgets and
Canadian Public Policy, not only has the goal of gender equality not
been met but the relentless attack on federal social programs over the
past decade has actually undermined gender equity, as well as the well-
being of Canadian women, especially the most vulnerable.........