Libby Davies's blog

Feb 14 - the 19th Missing Women's Memorial March in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside - it was a day of much emotion, support and community spirit. Imagine that after the rain the sun came out, a warm wind blew through Main and Hastings, and high, high above us, eagles circled - looking down on the memories of the missing women, and the thousands who have come out in support. The families, many Aboriginal, drums beating, posters of women missing, and elders and kids, were all assembled as the solemn procession headed down Main Street, finally winding its way back along E. Hastings, with stops along the way, to smudge the memories of women in particular places of significance.

Almost finished week 55 of the Hunger Relay Strike to End Homelessness! Tomorrow I hand over that imposing wooden spoon at noon.....

The week has actually gone quickly and the support quite wonderful, so thanks to all the good folks who dropped by the Carnegie to say hello and show their support for the need for housing. To my friend Sharon - was good to see you on your day off no less, and see how you encouraged people to write messages to Harper and Parliament.

A Rainy Day 2

(cross posted on rabble.ca)

Weather is such a critical factor in everything we humans do. When it’s cold and wet and you're homeless, it makes daily survival even harder. Add storms/snow and more, and its deadly. Today - day 2 of my hunger strike relay - we spent the first half hour outside the Carnegie Center, trying to avoid the cold and rain, wrestling to put up a small tent cover, and keep the flip-chart from blowing away and written comments from leaking down the increasingly wet pages. (Thanks Megan from my office - I know you got sopping wet). Love that Vancouver weather! But it’s not snowing or freezing so we are fortunate. Still, lots of wet feet, not good shoe wear, people underdressed around us - huddled and rushing to get into warm spaces.

cross posted on rabble.ca

Today was the first day of my participation in the 2010 Homelessness Hunger Strike Relay to end homelessness in Canada. The Relay is now in week 55! At noon today I proudly accepted the relay torch (a big wooden spoon) from Emily Walker who did week 54. We did this in front of the Olympic Countdown clock on Georgia Street and I was happy to see a fair number of media show up for the event. A big thankyou to Am Johal, the hunger strike co-ordinator from Imapact on Communities Coalition who has organized the hunger strike.

For those of you keeping a close watch on the Copenhagen Conference, here’s some information you’ll be interested in! I’m so excited that Caroline Lee, a student from East Vancouver, is part of a youth delegation attending the Copenhagen Conference on climate change.

For a fascinating insight in to what’s happening on the ground in Copenhagen, check out the BLOGS from Caroline and the rest of her delegation here http://www.cbc.ca/news/citizenbytes/.

We had a very successful public forum Monday night (Nov 9th) on security issues surrounding the 2010 Olympics. The panellists were excellent and knowledgeable - Micheal Vonn, BC Civil Liberties Association (www.bccla.org), Laura Track, PIVOT Legal Society (www.pivotlegal.org), and Am Johal, Impact on Communities Coalition (www.iocc.ca).

The issue here is what civil liberties, like freedom to protest and speak out, will be threatened, ostensibly due to security concerns surrounding the 2010 Olympics. Sixteen thousand security personnel under the management of the Integrated Security Unit (ISU) will be at work and there are many concerns about the loss of rights, and the impact on homeless people if the BC Governments "Assistance to Shelter Act" passes in the BC Legislature.

as published on rabble.ca

Every once in awhile all the slogging pays off.

That's what I felt like Wednesday night, September 30 when my Bill (C-304, an Act to ensure secure, adequate, accessible and affordable housing for Canadians) passed second reading in Parliament. It sent me back to May 1997 when I campaigned in my first election for MP for the great riding of Vancouver East. You see, I ran because I was so furious that Canada's great housing programs had been axed by the then Liberal Government in the name of deficit cutting.