Why shouldn’t governments invoke the notwithstanding clause, if there is no political cost or moral hazard? If voters don’t hold them accountable? If we just shrug and turn the page? #ableg #abpoli #abheritage #Alberta #DelwinVriend #LeilaniMuir

"The most common mistake I’ve seen over the years is telling people it’s important to use sterile water. It’s not. We figure that even if giving people this advice isn’t entirely necessary, it at least can't be wrong. But it is."

Our Alexander Street Community kitchen is producing more nutritious meals than ever before after upgrades. Having been in daily use since 2015, it was showing considerable wear and tear. Fortunately, the Al Roadburg Foundation stepped up to the plate with funding for upgrades.

Thank ewe to Baaad Anna’s Yarn Store (2667 East Hastings St.) for their longstanding support of people struggling in the Downtown Eastside. The store invited customers to make and donate socks for PHS shelter guests during their Socktober Challenge, collecting 435 pairs.

A free event is lighting up Blood Alley this weekend only. (And other Vancouver locations.) In conjunction with Gastown BIA we're hosting an interactive digital media installation behind The Stanley. It's part of the Lumière Festival, and runs until Sunday, Nov. 16. www.lumiereyvr.com/lumiere-2025

“In 2010, when the Olympics came to BC, they did move people out of the Downtown Eastside” - Guy Felicella. “I’m often concerned with… FIFA coming here as well, if this is part of it. I know they say it isn’t, but one would have to assume that that’s on their radar as well.”

“The fifth estate obtained internal Health Canada reports that reveal the federal government was advised by its own experts to expand access to a greater range of safe and regulated drugs for people across Canada.” From CBC: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

It's time to talk about income inequality in Canada. We can't build a truly democratic nation when so many people are relying on food banks and can't afford where they live. Inequality is a breeding ground for extremist ideologies. @meidascanada.ca @meidastouch.com www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7h7...

"A new play coming to Downtown #Nanaimo 's OV Arts Centre is looking to tackle the tough realities of living with #mentalillness, #addiction, and #intergenerational #trauma." #VancouverIsland #BC @chly.ca www.chly.ca/local-news/2...

Stephen Ruben never thought he'd end up homeless and sheltering under a tarp in his retirement. “I’m 66 years of age, no safety net for me at all. . . 44 years, and this is what I have for that,” he said. tinyurl.com/5468pau5

Special thanks to the team on the CBC show Allegiance who donated clothing from the production earlier this week. These items will be shared with people in the Downtown Eastside who are in need - people using our shelters and those coming up to the door asking for help because they are cold and wet

“What’s killing people? It’s not decriminalization, it’s not prescription programs, it’s the unregulated toxic drug supply fueled by organized crime” - Guy Felicella. “There’s a lot of counterfeit drugs on the street, a lot of counterfeit prescription drugs on the street." tinyurl.com/4a3s754v

The November issue of @megaphonemagazine.com is now available around Vancouver from your favourite vendors 🎁 This month in my column I featured Holiday Hamper campaigns. megaphonemagazine.com/find-a-vendor/

“Politicians need to do better, and this case is really, really clear on that.” Harm reductionists explain a key victory, as a Supreme Court of Canada ruling affirms protection from possession arrests for people at an OD scene. @maddidellplain.bsky.social reports:

Freedom of expression is an important Canadian right. Please sign our petition to let Post Media know that we don’t agree with their recent decision to pull my opinion column after pressure by someone who didn’t like it.

While the Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act ensures immunity from charges for simple drug possession during an overdose, the Supreme Court of Canada says that protection must also extend to arrests. www.nationalmagazine.ca/en-ca/articl...

This belongs in @thelouvreof.bsky.social’s Louvre of Real Life exhibit

"B.C.’s Ministry of Health is ordering the @vanislandhealth.bsky.social to reinstate key staff positions for a #youth #mentalhealth program [after] school districts expressed concern... amidst an acute deficit of mental health services for #children" #VancouverIsland #BC www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Despite the state health department funding harm reduction groups, Michigan has no law that explicitly supports syringe access—but does have local ordinances that explicitly criminalize it.

With Smokey D live painting, artwork from DTES residents AND a bus tour of public toilets, an evening celebrating neighbourhood creativity will itself be performance art. Shelter X Crab Park X DTES Art Sale 312 Main Street Tuesday, Nov. 4 From 5 to 8 pm

It's fitting that Downtown Eastside hero Tray Helten will be honoured during the Heart of the City Festival of the community he did so much to support. Ashtrey Forever: A Short Film Series Tribute with Nat Canuel is from 7 - 8:30 pm on Friday, Nov. 7. FREE Info:

Olympic gold medallist and two-time World Champion Camryn Rogers is letting the world know how easy it is to find yourself homeless. Aged 13, just after starting high school, mom Shari lost their home in the leaky condo crisis and they lost it all. Read their story: tinyurl.com/jknyy5n8

Opens today: The Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival brings a sprinkle of gold dust to this unfairly maligned community. It features more than 100 events across 40 venues between Oct 31 and Nov 8. There's something for everyone The celebration starts here: www.heartofthecityfestival.com

🧵Limiting the #HealthCare options people who use drugs receive doesn't make our communities safer or healthier. As shown over & over again, #syringe services programs save lives, cut down on transmissions of #HIV & #hepatitisC, & make entire communities safer... bit.ly/MESyringeServices

This video highlights some common questions about receiving child support for parents or guardians living in BC. https://youtu.be/aQm9Rjqp6lo?si=_hXYTXOWyTsekqd5

"Still With Us was put together in collaboration with a variety of arts organizations and is tied to the 40th anniversary of the former AIDS #VancouverIsland, the health agency now known as AVI Community Health Services." #BritishColumbia #BC #HIV #AIDS www.timescolonist.com/entertainmen...

As a person helping those deemed incapable of managing their finances, I can confirm that there are many of them in shelters or hospitals bc they have no home & are unable to access care facilities bc they don’t qualify or have capacity to pay for their costs of care.

“Ten or 15 years ago, if you were 40 and in a shelter, you were considered old. Now we’re routinely seeing people in their sixties and seventies.” – Nick Wells, Union Gospel Mission. Older adults are losing housing faster than ever due to Vancouver's soaring rents. Read on: tinyurl.com/3b66uz7p

“Human connection changes direction” - Guy Felicella. One of the first through the door at Insite in 2003, Guy regards harm reduction as a vital first step in his subsequent recovery. It was the human connection that enabled him to begin seeing his own value. Read how: tinyurl.com/2p9vve72

“I am fortunate enough to live in a vehicle” - April Lushaw. April lives on disability assistance and can't afford rent, so she sleeps in her car. Sidney, where she lives, has voted against opening an extreme weather response shelter. Read on: tinyurl.com/3azu24ad

A very incomplete list of things we wouldn't have done if we waited for the normies to care: - abolish slavery - child labor laws - votes for women - social security - fdic - welfare - medicare - medicaid - desegregation - women's sports

PLEASE SHARE: #Victoria and #Sooke Overdose Advisory There are options for safer use: Find information on supervised consumption sites, drug-checking services & more: ow.ly/FgyS50PLkLF To tell us about a toxic drug event/poisoning text OD to 253787.

"The best way for people to protect themselves against these viruses is to get vaccinated. We are so fortunate to be in a time that we have these protective measures, especially for our children." abcnews.go.com/Health/covid...

"I enjoy giving that back, because so many people have contributed to my success. "It's really rewarding to see someone come in and go from not doing well to being housed, maybe they've gotten a haircut, to eating solid meals. "You get to see people do better."

Downtown Eastside street artists Smokey D and Jesse Gouchey were invited to paint colourful murals at Chinatown businesses. They are replacing graffiti tagging with uplifting designs that celebrate the area's heritage and say something about the businesses.

"The challenge with prohibiting substances is that it causes unintended consequences. "Attempts to cut off the supply of illicit drugs—especially without addressing demand in a meaningful and comprehensive way—tend to make the drug supply even more dangerous." www.rstreet.org/commentary/s...

Y'days post: Populism and Economic Prosperity mainlymacro.blogspot.com/2025/10/popu... We would expect populist governments to damage the economy. The evidence suggests that they do so in a big way. But we know from Brexit that the media typically nullifies the impact of this evidence on voters.

Mandatory recovery treatment doesn't solve homelessness, building affordable housing does. I CAN'T BELIEVE PEOPLE HAVE A HARD TIME UNDERSTANDING THIS .....

If you believe the propaganda, modern marijuana is 67,200 times stronger than it used to be! Do you think that's true? www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VjP...

It's cheaper to house the homeless - and Dr. Andrew Boozary and his team at Toronto's University Health Network have the economic data to prove it. Monthly costs: * Prison: $12,000 * Hospital bed: $30,000 * Supportive housing: $4,000 Housing is humane and cheaper.

"Looking at our downtown, we can easily see the power of social fragmentation and mass dislocation" - Chris Forester, Island Community Mental Health Association. "We can’t ignore it or criminalize it into submission. Neither prohibition nor the War on Drugs were successful."

Governments across Canada dodge having to take action on homelessness. "While human rights are ubiquitous, there remains an underlying perception of ‘deserving poor’. . . whereby assistance is provided only to some and under limited criteria" - Abe Oudshoorn

Dignity in Community: the Heart of the City Festival celebrates 22 years in the Downtown Eastside. The neighbourhood-rooted festival features more than 100 events across 40 venues between October 31 and November 8. Info: www.heartofthecityfestival.com

"For the newly re-elected leaders, the most urgent matter remains the ongoing state of emergency from the prevalence of #toxicdrugs and its underlying #mentalhealth crisis. With every #Nuu-chah-nulth family affected in one way or another by drug #overdose...." #BC www.hashilthsa.com/news/2025-10...

#Nonprofit leaders from across BC wrote this open letter in September with growing concern for the future of their sector and the communities they serve. - 1 in 3 nonprofit workers is food insecure - The average salary in the community nonprofit sector is 31% lower than the national average

"The synthetic opioid #nitazene, first detected in Canada’s drug supply in 2019, is showing up on #VancouverIsland in counterfeit pressed pills sold as #oxycodone, #percocet and #hydromorphone, according to @uvic.ca Substance Drug Checking" #BritishColumbia #BC www.timescolonist.com/local-news/p...

I appreciated this conversation.

The October issue of @megaphonemagazine.com is now available on the streets of Vancouver and Victoria. In this month’s column I feature the youth-led nonprofit NaloxHome and speak with @guyfelicella.bsky.social 📰 Find a vendor megaphonemagazine.com/find-a-vendor/

"More than 600 people are expected to dine on around 250 kilograms of turkey at the annual Thanksgiving meal hosted by Our Place on Tuesday. The meal is the first of two Thanksgiving meals this week at the #Pandora Avenue facility..." #Victoria #VancouverIsland www.timescolonist.com/local-news/t...

PHS runners finished well ahead of our ambitious $25,000 goal, making it our most successful Under Armour Eastside 10K ever. Together the runners, volunteers, donors and supporters raised $32,364 towards PHS frontline services. Thank you all. Pics: Jeremy Lefebvre and Erin Kry.