Ellen Woodsworth

A Technical Briefing on 2010 Games Bylaw Amendments to be presented to Council on Dec. 3 at 9:30 a.m.

The proposed changes to the Vancouver Charter that will impact on civil liberties during the Olympics will be coming up at Council on Thursday. Click here for the agenda.

Below is a press release from the University of Victoria concerning this  issue and the “Vancouver Statement.”

Dear Colleagues,

A group of researchers who participated in the Surveillance Games Research Workshop (http://bit.ly/5xfWL) Nov. 20-21 in Vancouver, B.C. have drafted a joint statement on security, surveillance and mega-events for public release. The “Vancouver Statement” has been signed by international experts specializing in the areas of surveillance, privacy and mega-events and is now being circulated to media, government agencies and civil society groups. The Vancouver Statement can be read here: http://blogs.sfu.ca/people/smith/

We are circulating the Vancouver Statement in order to reach other individuals and organizations involved in issues of security, surveillance and privacy who would like to sign their agreement with the statement. If interested, please send your name, position and affiliation to apm@uvic.ca and Adam will add you to the statement. We also have an “iPetitions” petition:http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/VancouverStatement

Thus far, the Vancouver Statement has been well received by members of the BC Legislature and is currently being reviewed by the BC Olympic critic. We hope to have the statement read in the BC Legislature in the final days of the sitting this week. Local media outlets have already begun to report on the statement and we expect that it will reach national and international audiences with your support.

Media contacts:
Colin Bennett (University of Victoria, Political Science) at 250-721-7495 or cjb@uvic.ca
Richard Smith (SFU, School of Communication) at 778-782-5116 or smith@sfu.ca

You can buy your very own ” I am a free speech zone ” T shirt at the event.

Angry about the billion bucks being spent on Olympic security? And, that your tax dollars could be used to stifle free speech? Come dance for a measly $10!

Cambrian Hall — 215 E 17th Ave (at Main)
Doors at 8pm. Live music will start at 8:30 sharp.

Bands :
Arctic
The SSRI’s
Pawnshop Diamond
DJ Citizen

Click here for band info

Information: Rachel Marcuse, COPE 604-312-9057, rachel@cope.bc.ca

On Tuesday December 1, 2009 I am putting forward a motion to City Council concerning the Provincial government’s proposed Assistance to Shelter Act. This Act will, among other things, force homeless people into emergency shelters during extreme winter weather, whether they want to go or not.

Please read the details of my motion below. If you wish to speak to this issue send an email to mayorandcouncil@vancouver.ca

MOTION

MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth
SECONDED by

WHEREAS:

1. The Provincial government has introduced the Assistance to Shelter Act for debate and discussion and has invited commentary on its impact from stakeholders;

2. The City of Vancouver is a stakeholder along with local service providers, police and other levels of government in ensuring the health and safety of all of our residents, including our homeless population;

3. The police already have the legal right to apprehend citizens in mental distress under Section 28(1) of the Mental Health Act of Canada and to take them to a health care provider, or to call an ambulance if the health and safety of the individual is truly in jeopardy;

4. The existing shelters are already full so the police would have nowhere to take these people;

5. People do not want to go to shelters for fear of loosing their belongings; low-barrier shelters (which allow pets) are nearly always full ;

6. Many homeless people have said they choose the street because they “can’t handle” lots of people. They know their own stress threshold limitations and don’t want end up causing a scene. There are concerns about the safety of both shelter-users and trained staff, if people, who could react violently, are brought to them. This potential disaster increases exponentially if those people are brought to over-crowded, substandard conditions run by volunteers

7. Many women feel unsafe in shelters;

8. Homeless people need homes not shelters;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

That Vancouver City Council send a letter to the Minister of Housing and to the Vancouver Police Board Expressing the following concerns over this proposed legislation:

1. Recognizing that all Canadians have the right to make fundamental decisions about their health, we are concerned that this legislation may violate the constitutional rights of homeless citizens who may not wish to comply with police efforts to bring them to shelters against their will;

2. Recognizing that emergency shelters don’t have the staff or expertise to address homeless individuals who may not wish to be in shelter, we have concerns that the staff and volunteers working in shelters might be endangered by this legislation;

3. Recognizing that homeless individuals who don’t want to be brought to shelter against their will may seek to avoid being forced to do so — we have concerns that this legislation might result in our homeless population hiding from police and thus further endangering themselves in an extreme weather event;

4. Be it further resolved that the letter re-iterate our commitment to working cooperatively with the provincial and federal governments to address the high rate of homelessness in Greater Vancouver and throughout Canada, with a focus on providing homes to those in need.

Council passed my motion unanimously last night after hearing many powerful speakers.
I amended it to make special reference to aboriginal women.

For more information on the We Can Campaign go to http://wecanbc.ca/

You can also download a list of supporters of the We Can Campaign.

Below is motion B6 supporting the “16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence.”  The motion comes before Council on Tuesday November 17, 2009.

Anyone who would like to speak to my motion or any other item on a Council agenda,  can send an email to the City Clerk and ask to speak. The item will then go to a meeting on Thursday so that they can speak as we don’t hear speakers in the Council meeting.

MOTION

MOVED by Councillor Woodsworth
SECONDED by Councillor Chow

WHEREAS:

1. Violence against women persists as both a pervasive violation of human rights and a significant impediment to achieving gender equality on a global and local level;
2. Gender inequality remains one of the root causes of violence against women while violence against women serves as both an acute manifestation of gender inequality and a means of perpetuating it;
3. Vancouver is a city that believes in dignity, respect, and gender equality and has established the first City of Vancouver Women’s Advisory Committee;
4. Recent figures from Statistics Canada indicate that women are 8 times more likely than men to experience violence in relationships (Source: Family Violence in Canada: A Statistical Profile, Statistics Canada, 2006);
5. Recent statistics show that violence against women increase by one third during times of economic downturn;
6. ‘We Can End All Violence against Women’, or ‘We Can’, is a multi-year, international campaign, which seeks to challenge and change deeply entrenched societal attitudes and practices that support violence against women through a Coalition of over 50 organizations and 500 individuals;
7. ‘We Can’ is a partner in the international ‘16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence’ campaign that will be taking place from November 25- December 10, 2009 to raise awareness and dialogue around violence against women;
8. The ‘16 Days’ Campaign has seen tens of thousands of activists from every region of the world take part in a united movement for women’s rights since its beginning in 1991, providing an opportunity to work together in solidarity and draw upon this period of heightened international attention to gain support for local efforts;
9. The COV Women’s Advisory Committee requests that Vancouver City Council support the campaign against violence against women by supporting this campaign.

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

THAT the City Of Vancouver unanimously agree to endorse the We Can Coalition and its  ‘16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence” Campaign.

*****

Ellen stops by the Momentum booth during Bike to Work Week. Photo by David Niddrie.

Ellen Woodsworth stopped by the Momentum booth on the way home from work during the Bike to Work Week, November 2-8, 2009. Momentum is the “magazine for Self-propelled people.” Photographer David Niddrie set up the booth on Union St. at Main St. to capture people on their bikes.

Councillor Ellen Woodsworth, along with MP Libby Davies, and MLAs Spencer Herbert and Shane Simpson, attended the opening of the rebuilt Vancouver East Cultural Centre on Oct. 15.

The City of Vancouver is seeking volunteers from the general public for positions on the following civic bodies:

• Chinatown Historic Area Planning Committee Development
• Permit Board Advisory Panel
• Family Court/Youth Justice Committee
• Gastown Historic Area Planning Committee
• Public Art Committee
• Urban Design Panel
• Vancouver Athletic Commission
• Vancouver Civic Theatres Board
• Vancouver City Planning Commission
• Vancouver Economic Development Commission
• Vancouver Heritage Commission
• Vancouver Public Library Board
• Women’s Advisory Committee

All appointments will be made by City Council. Detailed descriptions of civic bodies, including terms of reference, eligibility requirements, time commitments, application forms and instructions are available at the following website: http://vancouver.ca/volunteer

Printed copies are available from:
City Clerk’s Department
453 West 12th Avenue, Third Floor
Vancouver, BC V5Y 1V4

Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

You must use the application form to apply. The deadline to submit an application is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, November 20, 2009.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Tina Hildebrandt 604.873.7268; Fax: 604.873.7419

Your application/résumé will be made available to Vancouver City Council, civic staff, and the applicable civic agency for the sole purpose of making appointments to civic agencies. Your information is collected under the authority of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and any applicable by-laws.

Public Forum on Olympic Security Issues

Local elected representatives Ellen Woodsworth (Vancouver City Councillor), Libby Davies (MP, Vancouver East), Jenny Kwan (MLA, Vancouver-Mount Pleasant), and Shane Simpson (MLA, Vancouver-Hastings) are co-hosting a public forum to discuss concerns about security plans for the upcoming 2010 Olympics.

GUEST SPEAKERS

Micheal Vonn, BC Civil Liberties Association
Laura Track, Pivot Legal Society
Am Johal, Impact of the Olympics on Community Coalition

Date / Time: Monday, November 9, 2009 at 7:00pm
Place: Grandview Calvary Baptist Church, 1803 East 1st Avenue (at Salsbury)

For more information, or to purchase a “I am a Free Speech Zone” T shirt, please contact: Rachel Marcuse at COPE 604-255-0400